Introduction to the AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard
With a generous, easy-to-earn welcome bonus and elite-like travel perks, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is well worth it for frequent or occasional American Airlines flyers. The annual fee of $99 is manageable, and other benefits like travel insurance and discounts can save you money.
$99
0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening
20.24%, 24.24% or 29.24% variable
Earn 60,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles
Good to Excellent
Pros
Cons
With a generous, easy-to-earn welcome bonus and elite-like travel perks, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is well worth it for frequent or occasional American Airlines flyers. The annual fee of $99 is manageable, and other benefits like travel insurance and discounts can save you money.
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard Overview
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is best for frequent American Airlines flyers or anyone looking to give their AAdvantage balance a boost. Perks include free checked bags, a 25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases, up to $25 in annual credit towards inflight Wi-Fi, a $99 annual Companion Certificate when you meet a spending threshold, and priority boarding.
The card comes with a generous welcome bonus offer of 60,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the annual fee in full within the first 90 days. This is by far the lowest minimum spending requirement of any airline credit card.
While the card's category bonuses aren't the most competitive, every dollar you spend will count towards AA elite status. Combined with a reasonable annual fee and an easy sign-up bonus, this card is an excellent option for a wide range of travelers.
Keep in mind American Airlines has four personal co-branded credit cards, ranging from the premium Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® to the no-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® . Depending on how often you fly American Airlines and your spending habits, one of these cards could be a better fit.
AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard Rewards
Welcome Offer
The card offers one of the most attainable welcome bonuses on the market: 60,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the annual fee in full within the first 90 days.
How to Earn Miles with the AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® earns 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else. AA purchases that qualify include eligible tickets, goods, and services purchased directly from American Airlines. Purchases made through online third-party travel agencies don't count.
While the welcome bonus is quite generous, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® isn't the best AAdvantage card for everyday spending. Bouns categories are limited, especially when compared to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® , which earns 2x on American Airlines purchases, restaurants, and gas stations, and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Redeeming Miles with the AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard
As one of the few airlines still publishing an award chart, American Airlines makes it easy to determine how far your miles will go. With the welcome bonus offer from the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, you can book up to four round-trip tickets in economy class.
These awards are sometimes sold during American Airlines Web Specials. During these sale periods, you can book award tickets for as little as 5,000 miles each way.
Alternatively, you can redeem AAdvantage miles for American Airlines vacations or Admiral's Club membership at 1 cent per mile. This isn't a good redemption since American Airlines miles are worth an average of 1.4 cents each, based on Business Insider's valuations, and you can get a lot more value by using them for airfare.
AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard Benefits and Features
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is packed with benefits that can help you save money on travel. The savings can really add up at every step of your journey, from check-in to boarding to the flight itself.
In fact, if you take just one trip a year with a companion, you might offset the annual fee through the free bag benefit alone.
First Checked Bag Free
The free checked bag benefit is the most practical and lucrative benefit offered by the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®. American Airlines charges $30 for the first checked bag per person on domestic flights. That adds up to $60 round-trip for one person.
With the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, you and four travel companions on the same reservation get your first checked bag free on American Airlines domestic itineraries. That's a savings of up to $150 each way.
Up to $25 Back in Annual Statement Credits Toward Inflight Wi-Fi
If you like to get work done on flights or simply watch the latest Tik Tok videos, you can do so with free Wi-Fi. The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® offers up to $25 in statement credits each anniversary year for inflight Wi-Fi purchases on American Airlines-operated flights.
Anniversary Companion Certificate
The Anniversary Companion Certificate is arguably the most valuable benefit this card offers. Cardholders who make at least $20,000 in purchases on this card in an anniversary year receive a round-trip qualifying domestic economy companion certificate valid for one guest. All you have to pay is $99, plus taxes and fees.
In addition to meeting the $20,000 spending requirement, you have to keep your account open for 45 days after your anniversary date. Since the category bonuses on this card aren't the most lucrative, the Anniversary Companion Certificate offers a rewarding incentive to keep spending on this card. Those who earn and redeem this benefit annually will easily offset the card's $99 annual fee.
25% Savings on Inflight Food and Beverage
Food and drink expenses can really add up when you're traveling. With the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, you can offset some of this spending. Cardholders receive 25% back as a statement credit on food and beverage purchases made with their card on American Airlines flights.
This benefit could be worthwhile if you fly American Airlines often, especially on long segments when you're more likely to pay for food and drinks.
Preferred Boarding
If you prefer not to check your luggage, you can still benefit from the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®. Cardmembers and up to four companions traveling on the same reservation will receive preferred boarding on American Airlines flights.
The advantage of this perk is that you'll get to board earlier, giving you more opportunities to store your belongings. This decreases your chances of having to gate-check your bag due to a lack of overhead space.
Earn AAdvantage Elite Status From Everyday Purchases
American Airlines now offers a Loyalty Point system where all credit card spending counts toward elite status. Every dollar spent on the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® earns 1 Loyalty Point, regardless of the category bonus.
It's important to note that Loyalty Points are different from redeemable miles. While the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® offers several category bonuses, you'll only earn 1 Loyalty Point on every dollar spent.
Travel Insurance
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® cardholders are eligible for travel accident insurance, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, baggage delay insurance, and car rental insurance.
AAdvantage Dining
Your AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is automatically enrolled in the American Airlines AAdvantage dining program, which allows you to earn bonus miles when you dine at participating restaurants.
AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard Annual Fees and Other Costs
Annual Fee
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® has an annual fee of $99, which is on par with most other mid-tier airline credit cards.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
This card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, which can cost 3% or more on other cards. This means you can use the $99 to earn miles abroad without incurring a penalty.
Intro APR and Other Fees
Lastly, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening. After that, there's a 20.24%, 24.24% or 29.24% variable APR. A balance transfer fee of 5% or $5, whichever is greater, applies.
AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard Comparison
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is a great card for casual American Airlines travelers, but it isn't your best bet across the board. Here are two other cards we think you should consider while evaluating this one.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® vs. AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has an annual fee of $0 intro for the first 12 months, then $99. In addition to the same 2 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1x on all other eligible purchases that you'll get with the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, you can earn 2x on eligible restaurants and gas stations.
You'll also qualify for a welcome bonus if you're a new cardholder: 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $2,500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. Ongoing benefits include a free first checked bag on American Airlines domestic itineraries, preferred boarding on American Airlines flights, 25% back on American Airlines inflight purchases, and $125 American Airlines flight discount when you spend $20,000 or more in an account anniversary year and renew your card.
Read more in our Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card review.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® vs. AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
The $595-annual-fee Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is worth considering if you're a die-hard Americna Airlines loyalist. It earns 2x on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases, making it a decent option for purchasing AA flights but not for much else.
Instead, new cardholders can get a jumpstart on award travel with a generous welcome bonus: 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $7,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. In addition to the same checked-bag and priority screening benefits you'll from other AA credit cards, the Admirals Club membership available through the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is the true selling point.
As with the other AA credit cards, cardholders earn 25% back on inflight purchases as a statement credit, and get a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit once every four years.
Read more in our Citi AAdvantage Executive credit card review.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is Business Insider's top pick for several categories of best credit cards. It has a $95 annual fee, offset by fantastic benefits such as travel insurance for canceled or delayed flights, primary rental car insurance coverage, and an annual hotel credit of $50.
Read more about this card in our Chase Sapphire Preferred card review.
AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard frequently asked questions
Is the AAdvantage Aviator Red card worth it?
If you fly American Airlines a couple of times a year and check bags, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is worth opening. The free checked bag perk alone can offset the card's annual fee, and if you can make use of other benefits, you'll receive even more value. Big spenders who spend $20,000 or more on the card each year also qualify for the card's annual companion certificate, which can translate into savings of hundreds of dollars.
Can I get both the Barclays Aviator Red and Citi AAdvantage cards?
Yes, you can have both the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® and Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. They are issued by different banks, and are separate products. But since many of their benefits overlap, it may not be worth paying the annual fee on both cards for the long term.
What credit score do I need to be approved for the Aviator Red Mastercard?
Most people who open the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® have a good or excellent credit score. That translates to a FICO score of 670 or more.
How do I get a free checked bag with the Aviator Red Mastercard?
Unlike some other airline credit cards, you're not required to pay for your ticket with the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® to receive a first free checked bag on American Airlines domestic itineraries. As long as your card was opened and your reservation included your AAdvantage frequent flyer number at least seven days prior to your flight, you can receive the benefit.
Note that the perk doesn't apply to overweight or oversized bags, and if you cancel your card, you'll no longer be eligible.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
When evaluating the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® we considered comparable airline travel rewards credit cards. We particularly weighted several factors, including:
- Ease of use — Is the card easy to use? Is it worthwhile to use for everyday expenses, or does it only make sense for airline-specific purchases?
- Potential rewards — Does the card offer a generous welcome bonus in your first year of cardholdership? Are its bonus categories useful for the average traveler?
- Annual fee — Does the airline card come with an annual fee? If so, do the benefits outweigh the cost, and for what type of traveler does this card make the most sense?
- Benefits — How do the airline-specific benefits stack up against other credit card options? Does the credit card perform as well or better than its peers in the same space?
Here's a guide to how we rate credit cards at Business Insider for a closer look at our methodology.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
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