AA credit cards are co-branded cards issued by banks in partnership with American Airlines, designed to reward frequent flyers with miles, cabin upgrades, and other travel perks
AA credit cards come from American Airlines and a bank partner — usually Citi or Bank of America. When you use the card for any purchase, you earn miles toward flights. The card also gives you benefits that non-airline cardholders don't get: priority boarding, checked bag waivers, cabin upgrade certificates, and sometimes lounge access. These perks stack on top of whatever miles you earn from flying.
The trade-off is an annual fee, which ranges depending on the card tier. Entry-level AA cards charge less; premium cards charge more but include higher sign-up bonuses and more valuable perks. You don't have to be an American Airlines frequent flyer to open one, but the card makes the most financial sense if you fly American regularly or plan to.
Key Takeaways
- AA credit cards earn miles on every purchase and come with perks like free checked bags and priority boarding that explore to all your American Airlines flights.
- Each card has an annual fee that you pay once per year; higher-tier cards cost more but include larger sign-up bonuses and better perks.
- Sign-up bonuses typically require you to spend a certain amount within the first few months; meeting that threshold is often worth more than a year of everyday spending.
- The card's value depends on how often you fly American and whether you can use perks like cabin upgrades and lounge access before they expire.
How earning miles works on an AA card
Every dollar you spend on the card earns a certain number of miles. The rate varies by card and by purchase category. For example, one card might earn 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on everything else. Another might earn 3 miles per dollar on dining and gas, but only 1 mile per dollar on other purchases.
Miles accumulate in your AAdvantage account, which is American Airlines' loyalty program. You can redeem miles for flights, seat upgrades, checked bags, or other travel services. The number of miles required for a flight depends on the route, the time of year, and demand — a short domestic flight might cost 7,500 miles, while a long international flight could cost 60,000 or more.
Sign-up bonuses are separate from everyday earning. When you open a new AA card, the bank offers a bonus of, say, 50,000 miles if you spend $2,000 within the first three months. That bonus alone might cover a domestic round-trip flight, which is why the sign-up offer is often the biggest financial benefit of opening the card.
Annual fees and how to decide if they're worth it
AA credit cards charge an annual fee that renews every year on your account anniversary. Entry-level cards might charge $95 per year. Premium cards can charge $450 or more. In exchange, premium cards include higher sign-up bonuses, annual statement credits (like a $100 airline fee credit), and perks that have real dollar value if you use them.
To decide whether the fee is worth paying, add up what you'll actually use. A free checked bag saves you $35 to $40 per round-trip flight. Priority boarding and seat selection have less tangible value but matter if you fly often. Cabin upgrade certificates let you move to business or first class if seats are available. An annual airline fee credit might cover your baggage fees or seat selection charges. If you fly American at least twice a year, the fee often pays for itself through the checked bag benefit alone.
If you don't fly American regularly, a lower-tier card with a smaller annual fee makes more sense. If you don't fly American at all, an AA card is unlikely to be the right choice for you.
Perks that come with AA credit cards
Beyond miles and sign-up bonuses, AA cards include benefits that explore to your flights. Priority boarding lets you board before most other passengers, which means better overhead bin space and a smoother boarding experience. Free checked bags typically cover the first checked bag on American flights; some premium cards extend this to a second bag. Cabin upgrade certificates are vouchers that let you move to a higher cabin class if seats are available at flight time.
Premium cards often include lounge access, which gives you a quiet space to wait between flights, with free food, drinks, and Wi-Fi. American Airlines operates the Admirals Club; some cards grant access directly, while others give you a certain number of passes per year. A few premium cards also include Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credits, which cover the cost of expedited security screening.
These perks expire or reset on a schedule. Cabin upgrade certificates usually expire after a set period, often one year. Lounge passes renew annually. Airline fee credits reset on your account anniversary. If you don't use a perk before it expires, you lose it — so factor in whether you'll actually fly enough to use what the card offers.
How AA cards compare to other airline cards
American Airlines is one of three major U.S. carriers, so you'll also see credit cards from Delta and United. Each card works the same way: you earn miles in that airline's program, get perks specific to that airline, and pay an annual fee. The differences are in the earning rates, the perks offered, and how valuable those perks are to you personally.
If you fly one airline much more than the others, a card from that airline usually makes the most sense. If you split your flying across multiple carriers, you might choose based on which airline's perks you value most, or you might skip airline cards altogether and use a general travel rewards card instead. General travel cards earn points that you can use with many airlines, but they typically don't include airline-specific perks like free checked bags or priority boarding.
What happens to your miles if you close the card
Your miles stay in your AAdvantage account even if you close the credit card. The card and the loyalty program are separate. Closing the card means you stop earning miles from credit card purchases and lose access to the card's perks, but your existing miles balance doesn't disappear.
However, AAdvantage miles do expire if you don't earn or redeem any miles for 18 months. If you close the card and don't fly American or use another way to earn miles, your balance will eventually expire. To keep miles active, you need at least one earning or redemption activity every 18 months — flying, using the credit card, or even buying miles counts.
Annual fees and when they're charged
The annual fee posts to your account on the anniversary of the day you opened the card. For example, if you open the card on March 15, the fee charges on March 15 of the following year, and every year after that. You can close the card anytime, but if you close it after the anniversary date has passed, you've already paid that year's fee and won't get it back.
Some cardholders close the card right before the anniversary to avoid paying the fee, then reopen it later to get the sign-up bonus again. This strategy works if the sign-up bonus is large enough to offset the annual fee and any spending requirements. However, banks have limits on how often you can earn the same sign-up bonus — typically once every 24 months — so this approach isn't a permanent solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be an American Airlines frequent flyer to open an AA credit card?
No. You can open an AA card whether or not you have an AAdvantage account. If you don't have one, the bank will create it for you when you open the card. However, the card makes the most financial sense if you fly American regularly, because the perks and earning are tied to American Airlines flights.
What's the difference between the AA cards offered by Citi and Bank of America?
American Airlines partners with both banks, and each offers multiple AA cards at different tiers. The earning rates, annual fees, sign-up bonuses, and perks vary by card and by bank. Compare the specific cards you're considering to see which one offers the perks and earning structure that fit your flying habits.
Can I use my miles on flights other than American Airlines?
Yes. AAdvantage miles can be redeemed on American Airlines flights and also on partner airlines like British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and others. Partner redemptions sometimes cost more miles than American flights for the same route, so compare before you book.
What happens to my sign-up bonus if I don't meet the spending requirement?
You won't receive the bonus. Sign-up bonuses are conditional on spending a certain amount within a set timeframe, usually three months. If you don't reach that spending threshold, the bonus doesn't post to your account.
Can I earn miles faster by putting all my spending on the AA card?
You'll earn more miles if you spend more, but the earning rate per dollar stays the same. A card that earns 2 miles per dollar will earn 2 miles per dollar whether you spend $100 or $10,000. The real value comes from the sign-up bonus and from using perks that would otherwise cost you money, like free checked bags.