Best American Airlines Credit Cards Of March 2024 (2024)

FAQs

What credit score do you need to get approved for American Airlines? ›

Rewards cards, in general, including American Airlines credit cards, typically require good to excellent credit, as defined by FICO. A score in the “good” range of 670 to 739 may be sufficient for a basic rewards card, but for the strongest rewards, you need a score of 740 or higher to qualify.

Eligible Citi® / AAdvantage® cardmembers will have priority boarding privileges when traveling on American Airlines, American Eagle or the AmericanConnection® carrier operated and marketed flights.

Only Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® primary credit cardmembers who are eighteen (18) years of age or older will receive full membership access privileges to Admirals Club® lounges.

Yes, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® does a hard inquiry on your credit report when you apply. A hard inquiry usually results in a slight decrease in an applicant's credit score, but the effect only lasts for a short period of time.

Redeem for an American Airlines flight for as low as 7,500 miles each way plus taxes and fees.

Eligible cards include American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card, Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®. Groups 1 through 4 are considered priority boarding on American Airlines.

How many credit cards should you have? ›

It's generally recommended that you have two to three credit card accounts at a time, in addition to other types of credit. Remember that your total available credit and your debt to credit ratio can impact your credit scores. If you have more than three credit cards, it may be hard to keep track of monthly payments.

Alaska Airlines offers the most rewarding domestic airline program, in terms of the value of miles earned. Both Alaska and Hawaiian still grant reward miles based on the number of miles flown versus flight cost.

As mentioned, the easiest way to get an Admirals Club membership is by holding onto the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite card. However, you can also buy your own Admirals Club membership.

Below are a few of the most valuable benefits of AAdvantage Executive Platinum: Priority check-in, security and boarding. Complimentary Main Cabin Extra and Preferred seats. Complimentary upgrades within North America as early as 100 hours before departure (including award tickets).

Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive Mastercard^® card members receive an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, up to $100 every 5 years.

If you're building your credit, you may be able to earn rewards to use for travel at the same time. Many travel credit cards require applicants to have at least good credit — typically scores 670 and above. However, some credit cards are tailored to consumers rebuilding their credit scores.

Is it hard to get a travel credit card? Yes, it can be pretty hard to get a travel credit card, as most of them usually require at least good credit for approval. This means you typically need a credit score of 700 or better to get a travel credit card.

Elite status is harder to earn

As of 2023, it's tougher to earn American Airlines Gold elite status — American has increased the number of Loyalty Points needed to earn its Gold tier of elite status by 33%, from 30,000 to 40,000.

Bureau Score

The Bureau Score ranges from 1000 to 2000 for risk grades AA to HH. The lower the Bureau Score, the higher the probability of default. If you see an AA on your report, congratulations on having a good credit score!