What is the best American Airlines credit card for military families?

The best Citibank AA card is the AAdvantage Aviator Red Credit Card because it offers 60,000 bonus miles when you make your first purchase in the first 90 days and pay the annual fee. Aviator Red also gives 2 miles per $1 spent on American Airlines purchases and 1 on everything else. The annual fee is $95 and there is no foreign transaction fee.… read full answer

If you prefer lounge access, the AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard offers a complimentary Admirals Club membership worth at least $400 per year. You get access to more than 50 Admirals Club lounges and 60 partner lounges worldwide. The card also gives 50,000 miles when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. But this card comes with a $450 annual fee.

The best Citibank AA card for no annual fee is the new AAdvantage MileUp Card. It offers 10,000 bonus miles and a $50 statement credit when you spend $500 in the first 3 months.

The best Citi AA card for business owners is the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Card because it gives 70,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 in the first 4 months. You’ll also earn 2 miles per $1 spent on office supplies, telecom purchases and car rentals. The annual fee is $99, waived for the first year.

Citibank AA cards offer a variety of options for American Airlines flyers. But they do have one perk in common – 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases. And all of them except the MileUp card offer preferred boarding and a free first checked bag for at least you (and sometimes for companions). Before you apply for a card, consider how much you fly American Airlines and if you’ll earn enough bonus miles to offset the cost of any annual fees.

Here are the best Citibank AA cards:

• Best overall: AAdvantage Aviator Red Credit Card. 60,000 miles for making a purchase in the first 90 days and paying the annual fee. 2 miles per $1 on American Airlines purchases and 1 on all other purchases. $95 annual fee. Requires good credit.
• Best for lounge access: AAdvantage Executive World Elite. Complimentary Admirals Club membership worth at least $400 annually. 50,000 miles when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months. 2 miles per $1 on AA purchases and 1 on everything else. $450 annual fee. Excellent credit needed.
• No annual fee: AAdvantage MileUp Card. 10,000 bonus miles and a $50 statement credit when you spend $500 in the first 3 months. 2 miles per $1 at grocery stores and AA. 1 mile per $1 on everything else. No annual fee. Excellent credit needed.
• Best for business owners: CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select. 70,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 in the first 4 months. 2 miles per $1 on purchases from AA, telecommunications companies, cable and satellite providers, car rental agencies and gas stations. 1 per $1 everywhere else. $0 annual fee first year, $99 after. Requires good credit.

All Citibank AA cards offer a valuable feature known as reduced mileage awards. If your destination airport is on the mileage discount chart, you’ll receive a discount of up 7,500 reward miles for roundtrip flights more than 500 miles (distance), or 2,000 reward miles on flights less than 500 miles (distance). Discounts vary depending on the destination and the card you use.

You will have to call American Airlines at 1 (800) 882-8880 to complete your discounted reservation. Online bookings for discounted reservations are not allowed at this time.

The best American Airlines credit card benefits are bonus miles on American Airlines flights, savings on in-flight purchases, free checked bags, preferred boarding, and even airport lounge access on some cards. The long list of AAdvantage credit card benefits also includes more traditional perks like rental car insurance, travel accident insurance and purchase protection.… read full answer

All American Airlines credit cards except for the AAdvantage Aviator card charge annual fees, ranging from $49 to $450. So it’s a good idea to milk your card for all the benefits you can get.

Best American Airlines Credit Card Benefits:

• Bonus miles on American Airlines flights: Most AAdvantage credit cards give 2 miles per $1 on American Airlines purchases. The AAdvantage Aviator card gives 1 per $1.
• Initial bonus: You may be able to get a lump sum of miles for spending a certain amount of money in the first few months your card is open. The best bonus right now is 60,000 miles, which you can get from the AAdvantage Aviator Red card after making your first purchase and paying the annual fee.
• Free checked bags: All but two American Airlines credit cards give you a free checked bag on American Airlines flights. Some even give a free checked bag to 4-8 of your travel companions. The two cards without free checked bags are the AAdvantage Aviator card and the AAdvantage Aviator Blue card.
• Preferred boarding: All American Airlines credit cards provide preferred boarding on American Airlines flights, except the AAdvantage Aviator card and the AAdvantage Aviator Blue card.
• In-flight purchase savings: You can get 25% off American Airlines in-flight food and beverage purchases with any American Airlines credit card.
• Lounge access: The Citi/AAdvantage Executive Card offers a complimentary Admirals Club membership for you and your authorized users. You can also bring your spouse, children or up to two other guests.
• Rental car insurance: All American Airlines cards cover you against collision damage and theft, up to the cash value of most rental cars.
• Travel accident insurance: Reimburses you when you or your family die or are seriously injured by a travel provider. The Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, CitiBusiness/AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, AAdvantage Aviator Red Card and AAdvantage Gold Card (discontinued) have this benefit.
• Trip interruption/cancellation insurance: Pays out when a situation out of your control (e.g. severe weather, sickness) causes the cancellation or early end of your trip. The Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, CitiBusiness/AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, AAdvantage Aviator Red Card and AAdvantage Gold Card (discontinued) have this benefit.
• Baggage loss insurance: Reimburses you when your bags and their contents are lost or damaged by a travel provider. The Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, CitiBusiness/AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, AAdvantage Aviator Red Card and AAdvantage Gold Card (discontinued) have this benefit.
• Purchase protection: Insures items you buy with your card against damage or theft for 90 days after purchase. The Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, CitiBusiness/AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, AAdvantage Aviator Red Card and AAdvantage Gold Card (discontinued) have this benefit.
• Price protection: Reimburses you for the difference between the price you paid for an item and a lower sale price you find within 120 days. The Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, CitiBusiness/AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, AAdvantage Aviator Red Card and AAdvantage Gold Card (discontinued) have this benefit.

There are tons of American Airlines credit card benefits. But some cards provide a lot more than others. If you’re looking for the most benefits at the lowest price, consider the AAdvantage Aviator Red Card. It offers every major benefit (except for lounge access) and charges a $95 annual fee.

It’s also good to note that you can also get some of these benefits without a credit card – just by joining the AAdvantage loyalty program. Basic members only get priority status on waitlists. But Gold members, who have either flown 30 qualifying segments or earned 25,000 qualifying miles in a calendar year, are able to get the priority boarding and free checked bag benefits. You also can get complimentary flight upgrades and discounted Admirals club memberships, among other things.