Is the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® worth it?
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® is worth it for travelers who fly American Airlines a few times a year and don't want to pay an annual fee. The card offers double points at grocery stores and a few travel benefits, such as discounts on in-flight food and drinks. It may make a good starter travel credit card.
However, there are some major drawbacks, such as its foreign transaction fee, which could be a dealbreaker for international travelers. In fact, there are far better choices for frequent flyers and luxury travelers who want a card with rich perks and don't mind paying an annual fee.
Earn 10,000 bonus miles
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® offers a sign-up bonus that's quite accessible for many cardholders:
Earn 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles and receive a $50 statement credit after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening with a $0-annual-fee credit card
To earn the bonus, you need to spend $500 on the card in the first three months after opening the account. This minimum spend is quite a bit lower than that required to earn the welcome bonus on many other travel credit cards.
On the downside, the card's bonus is underwhelming when compared with the welcome bonuses on many other airline credit cards. American Airlines miles are worth about 1 cent each, which makes the bonus worth about $150 total. That's not bad, considering the low minimum spending amount required to earn the MileUp card bonus. And you may be able to get a free domestic flight with your bonus since American Airlines award flights start at about 7,500 miles.
How easy are these miles to redeem? Read more below
What it's worth: $100
Who's eligible to earn this offer?: New cardholders who have not earned bonus miles or a statement credit from opening a new American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® in the past 48 months
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Earn up to 2X bonus miles
You can earn double points on some purchases on your card. The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has a tiered rewards earning structure with two bonus categories: supermarkets and American Airlines purchases.
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services. Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. Earn 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases.
As you can see from the chart below, the Aadvantage MileUp ranks low on earnings compared to top airline and general purpose travel credit cards.
A general purpose travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which has a $95 annual fee, offers significantly more value. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers a generous welcome bonus, plus travel insurance and $0 foreign transaction fees. Despite the annual fee, a general purpose travel card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could end up being a better value for many travelers.
Average rewards earned per $1 spent
$0.044
American Express® Gold Card
$0.03
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
$0.025
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
$0.023
The Platinum Card® from American Express
$0.02
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
$0.019
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
$0.018
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
$0.014
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
We calculated an earning rate per $1 spent for the average consumer by multiplying U.S. Bureau of Labor data by the value of each card’s points or miles.
How much are American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® miles worth?
One drawback is that American Aadvantage miles are worth an average of 1 cent each, making them less valuable than the miles in some other frequent flyer programs. Overall, though, the Aadvantage program offers plenty of good deals, especially for the flexible traveler.
Redeeming miles
Once you've racked up miles on your American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, you'll need to consider the best ways to redeem your miles. The best way to get the most value from your American Airlines miles is to redeem them for free flights on American or partner airlines.
You can redeem Aadvantage miles for flights to over 1,000 destinations worldwide, upgrades to first or business class, or pay for car rentals, hotel stays and vacation packages. You can also buy or renew an Admirals Club airport lounge membership with your miles.
American Airlines still publishes regional-based flight award charts, unlike Delta or United. That makes it much easier to see at a glance how many American miles you need to get to your chosen destination. American offers four different award fare types:
- MileSAAver Off Peak – The cheapest way to use your miles, these award flights are best if you want to maximize value and you have flexible travel plans.
- MileSAAver – Slightly more costly than MileSAAver Off Peak, this tier offers good value at more popular travel times. Peak and off peak dates vary by destination.
- AAnytime Level 1 – AAnytime Level 1 award tickets are more readily available than MileSAAver fares but also cost more, and may be a good option if you need to travel on specific dates.
- AAnytime Level 2 – AAnytime Level 2 fares are the most costly American award tickets but may be your only option if you need to book a specific destination at a peak travel time.
How far your American miles take you will depend on your travel goals and how flexible you can be with airlines, dates and locations. If you're hunting for the best possible deal, you might want to check for American Airlines Web Special Awards, which are offered from time to time on aa.com and may cost you even fewer miles than MileSAAver award flights.
How many miles do you need for a free flight?
Fare type | Synopsis |
|---|---|
| MileSAAver Off Peak | Discounted awards during defined off-peak times of the year.22,500 miles between U.S.-Europe |
| MileSAAver | The traditional saver award rate.30,000 miles between U.S.-Europe |
| AAnytime Level 1 | The first level of "AAnytime" awards.47,500 miles between U.S.-Europe |
| AAnytime Level 2 | The highest published level of AAnytime awards.65,000 miles between U.S.-Europe |
You may be able to squeeze even more value from your miles by using them to book international flights in business or first class.
Some examples of the best ways to redeem American Airlines miles include:
- Fly first class from New York to Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways in a luxury first-class "apartment" for 115,000 Aadvantage miles one way
- Fly from Chicago to India in Qatar Qsuite business class for 70,000 Aadvantage miles one way
- Fly American business class from Dallas to Seoul for 60,000 Aadvantage miles each way
- Fly Iberia Airlines business class from Miami to Madrid for 57,000 Aadvantage miles one way
- Fly American economy to Europe for just 22,500 one way during off-peak season or 45,000 one way during peak season
Other benefits
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® also offers a variety of other benefits, from in-flight savings to features that make it easy to use your card. Here's a summary of the card's other benefits.
You get a sizable discount when you use your American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® to buy cocktails, soft drinks, snacks and meals on flights operated by American Airlines. Keep in mind, though, that this price break doesn't apply to Wi-Fi and other inflight purchases. The discount will show up as a statement credit eight to 10 weeks after the purchase is posted to your account.
With the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, there is no cap on the number of miles you can earn with your card and build up in your frequent flyer account. There are also no earnings caps in the bonus categories, which is a nice perk if you spend a lot on groceries.
Cardholders of the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® benefit from a $0 liability guarantee. This means you don't have to pay anything out of your own pocket for any fraudulent or unauthorized purchases made on your card, online or in person.
You can add the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® to a digital wallet, so you don't always need to carry your physical card with you to make purchases. You can use the card in your digital wallet to shop millions of retailers in apps, online and in stores. A digital wallet compatible card can make shopping more convenient and save you time in the checkout line.
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® features EMV chip technology for better security and convenience. Contactless chip technology allows you to pay by holding your card over a chip enabled payment terminal with the contactless payment symbol facing the terminal. This feature makes it quicker and easier to pay for your purchases and go on your way.
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® cardholders get protection from Citi Identity Theft Solutions. If you fall victim to identity theft, this Citi service can help you resolve the resulting problems free of charge. To get the service, you call Citi to get an identity theft specialist assigned to your case. The specialist will help you report fraud to the three major credit bureaus, file a police report, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and restore your identity.
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® is one of a handful of travel cards with no annual fee. This makes it a good choice for travelers on a budget who don't want to pay to own a card, especially those who travel infrequently. Some travel cards charge an annual fee of $500 or more, so a $0 annual fee is a nice perk.
Drawbacks
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has plenty of benefits, but it also has some disadvantages:
- Low sign-up bonus: The card offers a very modest number of miles for new cardholders.
- Lack of standard airline perks: The card lacks perks that can make flying cheaper and more convenient, such as a free checked bag and priority boarding. If these benefits would be valuable to you, you should consider paying the fee for a higher-tier airline credit card.
- Charges a 3% foreign transaction fee: The card's international transaction fee could add up to hundreds of dollars in extra fees during a vacation or business trip abroad.
How does the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® compare to other cards?
Wondering if the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® is right for you, or if you should choose another card? Here's how the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® compares to other top airline credit cards in terms of annual fee, welcome bonus, rewards and other benefits.
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Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Editor's Rating?
Annual Fee
More card details
Apply Now
On Citibank's Secure Website
Not available on ValuePenguin
Apply Now
See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. On American Express' Secure Website
Apply Now
On Chase's Secure Website
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® vs. Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Verdict: The better option if you fly American Airlines on a regular basis
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is a solid choice for cardholders who fly American Airlines at least three times per year. The annual fee is waived the first year, and you get a generous welcome bonus with a modest minimum spending requirement. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®'s bonus falls short in comparison.
The free checked bag benefit should more than make up for the annual fee for regular travelers. And though the rewards earned per $1 spent are lower than on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, they're only slightly lower. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is a better choice for regular travelers who dine out regularly and don't mind paying an annual fee for more generous perks.
How does it compare?
- Annual fee: $99, waived for first 12 months (Worse)
- Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening (Better)
- Rewards earned/$1 spent: $0.0013 (Worse)
- Other benefits: First checked bag free, preferred boarding, 25% off in-flight food and drinks on American Airlines flights, 0% foreign transaction fees (Better)
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® vs. Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
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See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. On American Express' Secure Website
Verdict: A good $0-annual-fee card for Delta flyers
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card is a basic, $0 annual fee airline credit card that's very similar to the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, with a few key differences:
- The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card has no foreign transaction fees, which is a big plus when considering a card for international travel — if Amex is accepted at your destination.
- The card also has a few more benefits than the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, including purchase and extended warranty protection.
The choice between these two cards probably will come down to which airline you fly more often: American or Delta.
For rates and fees of American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, please click here
How does it compare?
- Annual fee: $0 (Same)
- Welcome bonus: Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months. (Same)
- Rewards earned/$1 spent: $0.0013 (Worse)
- Other benefits: 20% off in-flight purchases of food and drink, no foreign transaction fees, purchase protection, extended warranty protection, $50 off flights for every 5,000 miles redeemed with Pay with Miles when booking on Delta.com (Better)
- Terms apply
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® vs. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Apply Now
On Chase's Secure Website
Annual Fee
$69
APR
20.49% - 27.49% Variable
Credit Needed
?
660 - 850
Editor's Rating
?
- Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 3,000 anniversary points each year.
- Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases.
- Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
- Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services; select streaming.
- 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
- Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Member FDIC
Verdict: A good option for Southwest flyers
The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is a good alternative for travelers who fly Southwest regularly, want a substantial welcome bonus and don't mind paying a modest annual fee. While the Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card also is light on airline perks, it does offer cardholders the chance to get an earlier boarding position twice a year.
The main drawback of the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card is that it costs $69 a year without offering substantially more in benefits on an ongoing basis than the $0-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®. But the welcome bonus may make it a more attractive alternative.
How does it compare?
- Annual fee: $69 a year (Worse)
- Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. (Better)
- Rewards earned/$1 spent: $0.015 (Better)
- Other benefits: Two Early Bird Check-Ins per year, 25% off in-flight food and drink purchases, 3,000 points every year on your cardmember anniversary (Better)
Should you apply for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®?
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® is worth it for travelers who want a no-annual-fee travel credit card and are happy with a modest sign-up bonus and few airline perks. It may be a good first airline credit card for budget savvy travelers.
More seasoned travelers and those on the hunt for generous welcome bonuses may want to consider another airline credit card. For example, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card may be a good option for consumers looking for a low annual fee and a substantial welcome bonus. Those seeking airline perks such as free checked bags and priority boarding may find a match in the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, which waives the annual fee in the first year.
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® FAQs
Is the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® worth it?
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® is worth it for travelers who usually fly American Airlines but only travel a few times a year. These travelers might find that it doesn't make financial sense to pay an annual fee in exchange for loads of airline perks like free checked bags, priority boarding and lounge access. With its $0 annual fee, modest welcome bonus and double points at supermarkets, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® may be a good bet for occasional travelers who want a travel rewards card.
What are the benefits of the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®?
The benefits of the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® include a $0 annual fee and bonus rewards earnings categories that allow you to earn double miles on supermarket and American Airlines purchases. The card also offers a 25% discount on in-flight food and beverage purchases, which may appeal to frugal travelers who enjoy an in-flight treat.
What credit score do you need for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®?
You need 660 - 850 credit to qualify for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®. What does this mean? A FICO score of 700 to 749 is considered good, while 750 to 799 is considered very good and 800 to 850 is considered excellent. While there are no guarantees, aim for having a credit score of 660 or higher if you plan to apply for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®.
How do I cancel my AA card?
To cancel your AA card, call the customer service phone number on the back of your card and speak to a customer service representative. The Citi representative will be able to quickly and easily close your account. In general, most credit card companies do not allow you to close an account online without speaking to or chatting with customer service.
For rates and fees of American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®, please click here
The information related to Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been independently collected by ValuePenguin and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply to American Express credit card offers. See americanexpress.com for more information.