American Airlines Credit Card: Earn Miles for Rewards like Flights & Hotel Stays

What if you can receive benefits like earning miles on daily purchases, flight discounts, free checked bags, and lounge access? Today, we're going to introduce you to one of my favorite credit card choices, the American Airlines credit card. I'll help you out with the basic information, including how to obtain one and how to use it exactly. Read on!

How American Airlines Credit Card Miles Work?

Every time you fly on American or one of its partners, or use your AA credit card, you earn two things: AAdvantage® miles and Loyalty Points.

• AAdvantage® Miles: These are the miles you redeem for flights, upgrades, hotels, car rentals, and more.
• Loyalty Points: This is how you climb the ladder to elite status (Gold, Platinum, etc.). For most credit card spending, you earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 AAdvantage® mile you earn.

So, every swipe of your AA credit card not only gets you closer to a free flight but also helps you achieve that coveted elite status!

American Airlines Credit Card Benefits

• Free Checked Bag: Receive a free first checked bag for you and up to 4-8 companions on domestic AA flights.
• Lounge Access: Top-tier cards like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® offer full Admirals Club® membership.
• Bonus Spending Categories: Earn 2x miles or more on grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, and eligible AA purchases.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: Avoid extra fees on international purchases (varies by card).
• In-Flight Discounts: Save 25% on in-flight food and beverage purchases on AA flights..
• Priority Boarding: Enjoy priority boarding (e.g., Group 4) and sometimes priority check-in.
• Travel Credits: Receive annual credits for rideshares (e.g., Lyft), food delivery (e.g., Grubhub), or rental cars.
• Travel Delay/Cancellation Insurance: American Airlines cards like the Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® offer travel delay and cancellation insurance, but coverage may require partial payment with the card and specific conditions (e.g., 6-hour delay).

Types of American Airlines Credit Cards

Are you a casual traveler looking to save on a few trips a year, or are you a frequent flyer who practically lives at the airport? Here’s a simple breakdown of the main personal cards to help you find your perfect match.

*Card offers, including annual fees and benefits, are subject to change. Always check the issuer's official website for the most current information before applying.

How to Earn Miles with Your American Airlines Credit Card?

Each card has "bonus categories" where you earn extra miles.

• MileUp®: If groceries are a big part of your budget, this no-annual-fee card gives you 2 miles per dollar at grocery stores.
• Platinum Select®: You get 2 miles per dollar at restaurants and gas stations. So, every brunch, every coffee date, every time you fill up your tank, you're earning double.
• Executive Card: This one is for the AA loyalist, with a great 4 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases.

My Pro Tip: I keep a little note in my wallet (or you can use a label maker on the card itself) to remind me which card to use for which purchase. It sounds a little extra, but it ensures I'm never leaving miles on the table.

How to Use Your American Airlines Credit Card Miles?

Credit: from Frugal Flyer, Unsplash | Upgrade to business class using American Airlines credit cards' Miles

Use American Airlines Credit Card Miles for Flights

The most obvious and often best way to use your miles is for flights.

When you're trying to decide whether to use miles or cash, a great strategy is to check prices on a comprehensive platform like Trip.com. You can quickly see the cash price of the flight and then compare it to the mileage cost. This helps you calculate the "cents per mile" value you're getting.

My personal goal is to get at least 1.4 cents per mile. If I'm getting less, I'll usually just pay cash and save my miles for a better redemption.

Use American Airlines Credit Card Miles to Upgrade Your Flight Class

Using miles for upgrades is one of the best feelings ever. Going from an economy seat to a lie-flat bed in Business Class on a long-haul flight is just right on the way.

You can use a combination of miles and a cash co-pay to upgrade your ticket on American Airlines flights. The exact amount depends on your route and original ticket fare. This is often a much better value than paying the full cash price for a business-class ticket upfront!

Use American Airlines Credit Card Miles for Hotels, Car Rentals & Experiences

• Hotels and Car Rentals: You can use your AAdvantage miles to book stays and rentals through their dedicated travel portals.
• Experiences: Through AAdvantage® Events, you can use miles for concert tickets, sporting events, and other cool experiences.

For hotels and cars, I'd again recommend you do some comparison.

Check the mileage price on the AA portal, but also look at the cash price on Trip.com. Trip.com has tons of options, and sometimes you'll find a great cash deal that makes more sense than spending your precious miles.

Choose the American Airlines Credit Card If...

• If you fly American Airlines frequently and want benefits like a free first checked bag for you and companions, priority boarding, and discounts on in-flight purchases.
• If you are a frequent flyer who values airport lounge access, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive card provides an Admirals Club membership.
• If you want a no-annual-fee option to earn miles on everyday spending, particularly at grocery stores and on American Airlines purchases.

Tips for Using American Airlines Credit Card

• Use it to pay for AA flights directly to earn bonus miles and unlock cardholder benefits like a free checked bag and priority boarding.
• Link your credit card number to your AAdvantage account in your profile settings to ensure all eligible purchases earn miles automatically.
• Only apply if you fly American Airlines at least once or twice a year, as the card's main benefits are most valuable when used for their flights.
• Use your miles before they expire. Holding an AA credit card helps keep your miles active, but you should still redeem them for maximum value.

3 Ways to Save on Trip.com: Credit Card Tips & Member Deals

1. Best Credit Cards for Trip.com Bookings

• Flat-rate cashback cards (e.g., Citi Double Cash, Wells Fargo Active Cash) → Earn a steady 2% back on every purchase.
• Travel rewards cards (e.g., Capital One Venture, Chase Sapphire Preferred) → Get 2x points/miles on travel bookings.
• ⚠️ Note: Most airline and hotel co-branded cards don’t award bonus points for Trip.com purchases, so pick your card wisely.

2. Join the Trip.com Loyalty Program

• Earn Trip Coins with every booking and use them to save on future trips.
• Unlock higher membership tiers for extra perks, including up to 10% off.
• 💡 Pro tip: Booking through the Trip.com mobile app often gives you exclusive member-only rates.

3. Smart Booking Tricks on Trip.com

• Bundle & save: Book flights + hotels together for package deals—sometimes up to 30% off.
• Use price alerts: Get notified when fares drop so you can book at the lowest price.
• New to Trip.com? Score an extra 8% off hotels with the first-time user coupon.