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The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card comes with a generous welcome bonus of 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles and a $50 statement credit if you spend $500 in purchases within the first 90 days. You will also save 25% on your inflight food and beverage purchases on American Airlines flights. However, for people looking for travel perks like free checked bags or priority boarding, this card does not come with any of those benefits.

Card Details to Know Up Front
- Bonus, Fee or FeatureHas or Not
- Has Annual Fee
- Has Balance Transfer Offer
- Has APR Offer
- Cash Back Rewards
- Travel Rewards
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card at a Glance
If you want to earn extra American Airlines miles without having to pay an annual fee, you can do it with the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card. You can also take advantage of a great welcome bonus and other perks.
- American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
A great travel card with no annual fee for frequent flyers on American Airlines
- ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $0Annual Fee
- 1–2 Miles per $1Rewards Rate
- 2xRewards Rate on Air Travel
- 2xRewards Rate on Groceries
Pros & Cons Explained
If you are new to travel cards and use American Airlines, you will find that the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card is a simple way to earn bonus miles at no annual cost. However, it is always important to weigh the pros and cons before signing up for any credit card.
Pros
- BenefitsDescription
- Higher rewards on groceries and American Airlines purchasesThe American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card benefits include generous rewards on your American Airlines purchases and groceries. At a rate of two miles per dollar spent, you can easily accumulate miles on your credit card without having to pay an annual fee.
- Sign-up bonus with a low spending requirementIf you spend just $500 in purchases within the first three months, you will receive 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles and a $50 statement credit.
- 25% discount on inflight food and beveragesOne of the perks of being an American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Cardholder is that you will pay up to 25% less for your meals on American Airlines.
Cons
- DrawbacksDescription
- 3% Foreign transaction feeThis card comes with a 3% fee for foreign transactions, which can make it costly to use for frequent travelers.
- Limited travel perksPriority boarding, airport lounge access, free checked bag and similar perks of major travel cards are not available with the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card. This means that compared to other options, you may not get as much value with this travel card.
You can take a look at our list of the best travel cards and their key features to find the best option for your needs and compare the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card with other options.
Bonuses & Rewards Explained
With the Citi American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card, you have access to some excellent rewards. Here are some more details that can help you decide if the card is right for you.
Welcome bonus
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card bonus is 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles and a $50 statement credit if you spend at least $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Rewards earning details
Your American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card makes it easy to earn reward miles. For every dollar spent on American Airlines purchases or groceries, you earn two miles. For all other eligible purchases, such as dining and gas station purchases, you will earn one AAdvantage mile per dollar. This card has no limit on the rewards you can earn.
Rewards redemption details
Your AAdvantage miles can be redeemed for American Airlines award flights to over 1,000 destinations across the globe. Domestic award flights start at 7,500 miles.
Upgrades
You can also use your miles to get business or first-class upgrades, hotel stays, car rentals or vacations.
Partner airlines
It is important to note that you are not limited to redeeming your AAdvantage miles only for American Airlines flights. You can use your bonus miles to book flights on partner airlines such as Interjet, British Airways, Alaska Airlines and Qatar Airways.
>>MORE: CITI THANKYOU REWARDS TRANSFER PARTNERS
Maximizing your rewards
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card can easily earn you bonus miles if you use it to pay for your everyday grocery purchases. At two miles per dollar spent, if you use this card for your grocery shopping, you will easily rack up AAdvantage miles. You will also earn miles on restaurant and gas station purchases, so you can make the best of this card by using it for most of your regular purchases.
Other Features Explained
As an American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Cardholder, your card will also come with the following standard features.
- Card FeatureDescription
- SecurityThis card has zero liability on unauthorized charges and fraud alerts to protect you in case of unauthorized transactions or fraud.
- Digital walletIf you regularly use digital payments like Google and Apple Pay, you can easily link your American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card to any of these digital wallets for seamless payments.
- Customer serviceYou can access customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through your online account or by phone. Out of 11 national card issuers, Citi ranked sixth in the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study.
TheAmerican Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card gives you access to Citi Concierge. This service is available 24/7, and you can use it to book restaurant reservations or find gifts for a loved one, among other conveniences.
Understanding the Fine Print
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card comes with some standard fees and charges that you should be aware of before signing up.
- Card FeatureAmount or Rate
- APR20.49% – 29.49% Variable
- Annual Fee$0
- Cash Back Rewards
- Rewards Rate1–2 Miles per $1
- Airline Benefits
Miles Rewards Rate
With the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card, you earn two miles per $1 spent on American Airlines purchases, two miles per $1 spent at grocery stores and one mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
Balance Transfer Fee
Your American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card will come with balance transfer fees of $5 or 5% of the transfer amount, whichever is greater.
Regular APR
The APR on purchases and balance transfers on this card is 20.49% – 29.49% depending on factors such as your creditworthiness. It is important to note that the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card does not come with an introductory APR on purchases or balance transfers.
Foreign Transaction Fee
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card is widely accepted across the globe. However, when you use this card outside of the U.S, you will pay a 3% transaction fee. This can be costly for frequent international travelers.
Cash Advance Fee
For cash advances, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card attracts a charge of $10 or 5% of the value of the cash advance, whichever amount is larger.
Annual Fee
This card does not have any annual fees, so those who want a simple travel card to earn bonus miles will find it convenient.
Credit cards come with fine print and useful information that can be helpful when you are trying to compare cards or verify specific details. If you would like to find out more about the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card, you can check for information on the issuer’s website, your latest paper or digital billing statement or your mobile app. You can also review the credit card agreement database from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Who Should & Shouldn’t Consider American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card?
Other Considerations for American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
Since the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card has no annual fee but still offers reasonable rewards, it can be a solid travel card for those who are getting started on travel cards. However, you will want to evaluate how you intend to use the card before applying for it to ensure it’s the right card for you.
Things to Consider if This Will Be Your First or Only Credit Card
If the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card will be your only card or your first card, be aware of its foreign transaction fee if you like to travel internationally.
While you can easily earn and redeem your bonus miles with the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card, you will get limited perks with this card. This means that if you are looking for conveniences such as priority boarding, you will be better off looking for a different card.
This Citi card is co-branded with American Airlines, so to make the most of it, you need to be a regular user of American Airlines. American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card benefits like 25% of your American Airlines meals and rewards on American Airlines purchases will only be an advantage if you regularly use American Airlines.
Additionally, you need a credit score of 700 to 750 to qualify for this card. If your credit score is lower than that, you may want to look at other travel cards which have lower credit score requirements.
Things to Consider if This Will Be an Additional Card in Your Wallet
If the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card is your secondary card, you can use it to complement your other cards.
Using your American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card for your grocery purchases will help you accumulate bonus miles fast. This means you can use your other reward cards for purchases such as gas and dining and use your Citi card for groceries.
Annual fees can eat into your rewards and reduce the value of your card. Since your American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card has no annual fees, compare it with your other cards to see if it will give you better value overall in terms of rewards and travel benefits.
MoneyGeek uses a comprehensive six-step process that involves collecting credit card information, standardizing data point weights, establishing the cards' value and ranks for different categories, reviewing data monthly and reprocessing rankings, among other key rating factors. Our methodology and review process helps us determine the best credit cards for different consumer profiles based on card fees, interest rates, rewards, benefits and more.
How American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card Compares to Other Cards
While the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card has some noteworthy perks, it’s important to compare it to other travel cards to ensure you are getting the best card for you. Consider factors like annual fees, rewards points, APR and more when selecting a card.
Quick Comparison of American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
- Annual fee: $0
- Purchase APR: 20.49% – 29.49% variable
- International transaction fee: 3%
- Rewards rate: Two miles per dollar for American Airlines purchases and groceries
- Mini Verdict: Best for occasional travelers who want to earn bonus miles on everyday purchases at no annual cost.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
- Annual fee: $0
- Purchase APR: 20.49% – 29.49% Variable
- International transaction fee: None
- Rewards rate: Two miles per dollar for Delta purchases and dining/restaurant purchases
- Mini Verdict: Best for international travelers who spend a lot on dining and want to earn miles with a no-annual fee travel card.
Other Helpful Decision-Making Q&As
Travel cards can come with a host of great rewards if you know how to take advantage of them. Here are some of the key details you need to know about the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card travel card before applying.
Still not sure about this card? Consider these options.
If you occasionally travel using American Airlines flights, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card can help you earn miles on everyday grocery purchases to redeem for American Airlines award flights, rental cars and more. However, if you aren’t convinced this is the card for you, consider looking into cash back cards, gas cards, rewards cards or even business cards.
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sources
- American Airlines. "AAdvantage." Accessed September 9, 2021.
- Citi. "Citi Tops J.D. Power Study of Customer Satisfaction with Retail Banking Advice." Accessed September 8, 2021.
- Forbes Advisor. "American Airlines MileUp Card 2021 Review." Accessed September 9, 2021.
- Forbes Advisor. "Delta SkyMiles Blue Credit Card 2021 Review." Accessed September 9, 2021.
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