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Link: Sign up for the nowAmerican Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
ÖAmerican Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®is published by Citi and is the best co-branding with no annual feeAmerican Airlines credit card.
While there are many airline credit cards out there, we haven't seen many airline credit cards with no annual fee in the past. This is a trend that has changed in recent years as card issuers try to develop products for a broader consumer base.
In this post I want to take a closer look at the AAdvantage MileUp card - it's a card that some may want to apply for immediately, and for others it might be a card worth downgrading to save money on an annual basis Fees. it surely willhas more appeal than before, as credit card spending can now earn you American AAdvantage Elite status.
What are the sign-up bonuses and rewards, and how is this card different from other American Airlines credit cards?
In this post:
Basics of the American AAdvantage MileUp card for March 2023
In general, I do not recommend putting yoursdaily expenseson an airline credit card because I tend to think you'd be better off with a cardearn transferrable pointsormoney back. That said, now that credit card spending can earn you American Airlines elite status, some might find it worth more.
Plus, it can often make sense to have an airline credit card for the perks it offers. How is thatAAdvantage MileUp-KarteDoes the equation fit - can you get great benefits with no annual fee, or is this card just not worth it?
Sign-up Bonus: 10,000 AAdvantage miles + $50 statement credit
The AAdvantage MileUp card offers a sign-up bonus of10,000 US AAdvantage milesmore than$50 credit on statementafter making $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. While it's not a huge bonus, it's pretty good for a fee-free card, and the spending requirements are reasonable.
Please note that if you received a welcome bonus on that exact card, you will not be entitled to the bonus on that cardthe last 48 months(However, owning another AAdvantage card does not preclude you from receiving this bonus).
Since this is a Citi card, there are quite a fewother rules to consider, so you can apply for a maximum of one Citi card every eight days and a maximum of two Citi cards every 65 days.
no annual fee
As mentioned above,The AAdvantage MileUp card has no annual fee. Not only is the card free for the cardholder, you can also add authorized users at no additional cost.
There are a few other things that make this no-annual-fee card status worthwhile:
- If you have a Citi AAdvantage employee card that you want to cancel, it's likely possibleDowngrade to this card with no annual fee, provided you have had it for at least 12 months
- Have long-term credit cardshas a positive effect on your creditworthiness, and long-term retention of some cards with no annual fee is an ideal way to achieve this.
Earn 1-2x AAdvantage miles per dollar spent
The AAdvantage MileUp card offers the following return:
- 2x AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on qualifying purchases on American Airlines
- 2x AAdvantage miles per dollar spentbuy food
- 1x AAdvantage miles on all other purchases
It's worth noting that with no annual fee, this card offers a better return on groceries than virtually any other American Airlines credit card. There is no limit to how many miles you can earn when you spend this card. Note that the card has foreign transaction fees, so ideally you should only use it for US purchases.
Earn AAdvantage loyalty points for expenses
In addition to the general award structure of the AAdvantage MileUp card, spending on the card can now also help you achieve elite status.An American AAdvantage modelintroduced the concept of loyalty points, zCredit card spending can help you gain status.
American Elite requirements are now as follows, and you earn one loyalty point for every dollar you spend on an American Airlines credit card:
- AAdvantage Gold status requires 30,000 loyalty points
- 75,000 loyalty points are required for AAdvantage Platinum status
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro status requires 125,000 loyalty points
- 200,000 loyalty points are required for AAdvantage Executive Platinum status
In other words, if you theoretically spend $200,000 on the card, you'll get Executive Platinum status.
25% discount on American Airlines flights
The AAdvantage MileUp card offers 25% savings on food and beverage purchases on American Airlines flightswhen you pay with your card. It's amazing to save money on purchases that you would otherwise make on American Airlines.
Is the AAdvantage MileUp card worth it?
ÖAAdvantage MileUp-KarteIt's the only one that doesn't have an annual fee and offers some potentially useful perks. Getting 25% off onboard purchases, a solid sign-up bonus and 2x Miles back on grocery shopping is pretty cool. It's also the best card with no annual fee to help you achieve elite status with American Airlines.
In general I would say:
- Airline credit cardsThey're more worth it for the perks they offer than for the points you can earn from daily spending, and you'll generally find more perks with premium airline credit cards
- If you don't want to apply for the AAdvantage MileUp card directly, I think downgrading from a card like this is a great optionCiti® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®(Analyse)
- This card may be worthwhile if you want a no-annual-fee card that you can keep long-term to top up your balance, or if you're looking for the lowest annual-fee card that will allow you to achieve AAdvantage elite status.
Are Airline Cards With No Annual Fee Worth It?
It depends how you look at it. There are few downsides to a card with no annual fee for the modest welcome bonus, 25% savings on onboard purchases, etc.
In general, however, there's no point in using an airline credit card that rewards just one mile per dollar spent on a large volume of purchases. IbraveryUS miles at 1.5 cents each is much better to use another card in my opinion.
At the most basic level, the vast majority of people would be better off with something like the annual fee waiver.Citi® Double Cash Card(Analyse) that offers 1% cashback on every purchase, then an additional 1% cashback when you pay for those purchasesin the form of thank you points.
Let's say you value US miles at less than two cents for daily expenses and you're not aiming for elite statusSuch a map would be a no-brainer.
What is the best American Airlines credit card?
While it's nice to have an AAdvantage credit card option with no annual fee, I think American's premium credit cards are worth paying annual fees for. Citi AAdvantage Platinum Personal and Business Cards offer generous welcome bonuses with the annual fee being waived for the first year. The details are as follows:
- ÖCiti® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®(Analyse) offers 50,000 AAdvantage miles after making $2,500 in purchases in the first three months; The $99 annual fee is waived for the first 12 months
- ÖCitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®(Analyse) offers 65,000 AAdvantage miles after making $4,000 worth of purchases in the first four months; The $99 annual fee is waived for the first 12 months
Estimating US miles at 1.5 cents each, I'm estimating these bonuses to be $750-$975, which covers a lot of annual fees.
Personally, my favorite American Airlines credit card is theCiti® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®(Analyse), in the face of the incredibleAccess to the Admirals ClubPrivileges it grants to the cardholder and other users.
These cards also offer perks worth keeping for the long term, including:
- Priority boarding on US domestic flights
- Complimentary first checked bag on domestic routes for you and up to four companions on the same reservation
Spending on all of these cards can help you achieve AAdvantage Elite status.
Diploma
ÖAAdvantage MileUp-Karteis a great option for anyone who wants an American Airlines credit card without paying an annual fee. The card offers some valuable perks such as double miles at supermarkets, the ability to earn elite status with spending and savings on onboard purchases.
If I personally recommended an American Airlines credit card, this would be itCiti AAdvantage Executive-Karte. While the card has an annual fee of $450, it offers Admirals Club membership for the cardholder and Admirals Club access for up to 10 authorized users.
If I could get a Citi card with no annual fee I would recommendCiti Double Cash Card, this is my favorite card for everyday expenses.
If you would like to learn more about the American AAdvantage MileUp card or to apply, follow this link.