Features and benefits
Of the American Airlines credit cards, this one offers the best combination of value and accessibility. It has perks anyone who flies regularly with American Airlines can use, while still being affordable (with a $99 annual fee, after the $0 intro annual fee the first year).
Your ticket to more miles and elite status with American Airlines
It's always nice to pay for flights with miles and save your cash. You'll be able to do that quickly after getting this card. It offers a sign-up bonus of 75,000 miles for a limited time, which you earn after making $3,500 in purchases in the first 4 months.
You'll also earn miles every time you use this card. It earns:
- 2 miles per $1 at gas stations, restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 1 mile per $1 at other purchases
- 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible mile earned for purchases
Here's the great thing about the AAdvantage® program: Loyalty Points are all it takes to earn elite status. You don't need to meet any flight requirements.
That means you could move up in the AAdvantage® program based entirely on your credit card spending. Many frequent flyer programs require a combination of points and taking flights to earn elite status, and the flight requirements can be difficult for anyone who doesn't travel on a monthly basis.
Free checked luggage for you and your travel companions
I love flying with just a carry-on, but sometimes, it's not doable. If you're going on a long trip, or you're traveling with kids, you might need more space. And if so, you definitely don't want to get hit with a $40 checked bag fee, both when you fly to your destination and on the way back.
With this card, you can check one bag free of charge on domestic American Airlines itineraries. Up to four travel companions on your reservation can each get a free checked bag, too. If you regularly fly with a checked bag, a credit card with this feature is a good addition to your wallet.
An opportunity to earn a big flight discount every year
If you're the type of person who sticks to using one credit card, this card is a great choice. It gets more valuable the more you use it and spend on it.
When you spend at least $20,000 on purchases per year, you earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount. You can earn one of these every account year. This benefit alone outweighs the $99 annual fee.
You'll board faster and save on your in-flight meal
This card includes a couple of perks that could be useful on American Airlines flights:
- Preferred boarding: You and up to four companions on your reservation will get to board with Group 5. You won't be the first group on the plane, but you'll board before the main cabin. And when it comes to snagging overhead space, every second counts.
- 25% savings on in-flight food and beverages: This isn't an instant discount, but you'll get a statement credit eight to 10 weeks after the transaction posts to your credit card.
Drawbacks to know about
This card has most of the features you'd expect for an airline credit card in its price range. But there are a few areas where it comes up short compared to what other cards offer.
Non-existent travel protections if anything goes wrong
The biggest problem with this card is that it doesn't have any travel protections. Many other travel credit cards offer complimentary insurance covering lost or delayed luggage, trip cancellations or delays, and damage or theft of rental cars.
When a travel card doesn't have any travel protections, it's a serious issue. You're probably going to be booking all your flights with it, after all. While everyone hopes for a problem-free trip, it's also important to be prepared in case something goes wrong.
For example, if your checked luggage doesn't arrive, cards with lost luggage insurance will reimburse you for it. This American Airlines card doesn't, so you'd be stuck hoping that the airline compensates you. If you want baggage insurance, you'd need to pay for it yourself. For an idea of how much that can cost, American Airlines charges $5 for every $100 worth of checked bags.
Mediocre bonus categories limit your earning opportunities
The rewards rate on this card isn't great. It only has a few bonus categories (restaurants, gas stations, and American Airlines purchase). It also doesn't earn very much in those bonus categories, at 2 miles per $1. You might want to check out more credit card reviews to see if there's one that will get you more value on your spending.
To give you an idea, there are other travel cards that earn 3 to 5 miles per $1 in bonus categories. There are also cards that earn a flat rate of 2 miles per $1 on all eligible purchases. If you want to have enough miles to pay for a flight every year, it's probably going to take at least $20,000 to $30,000 in yearly spending to earn those miles, at least with this card.
