American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card Review
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Written by
Andrew Lisa
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Edited by
Jasmin Baron
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card (an advertising partner) could be a good fit for infrequent flyers who like American Airlines and loathe annual fees. It’s simple, predictable and free, but it lacks most of the perks that avid travelers demand and can easily find for a price.
However, it could benefit the occasional traveler who wants to earn AAdvantage miles for everyday spending and American Airlines purchases or for those who are just getting started with travel rewards and are looking for a starter card.
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Annual Fee
$0
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent/Good
670 – 850*
Intro Bonus
Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Purchase and Balance Transfer APR
0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable). A 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable) APR will apply for purchases.
Rewards
1x – 2x MilesEarn 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.
CardCritics™ Opinion
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card is a good fit for occasional flyers who want to earn miles without an annual fee. You will earn elevated rewards on American Airline purchases and at grocery stores. There is also a welcome bonus that offers additional bonus miles if you meet the requirements.
Our Critical Analysis:
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
- Earn miles on everyday purchases like groceries and grocery deliveries.
- No annual fee.
- Some American Airlines benefits, including discounts on inflight food and beverage purchases.
- Rewards never expire and there’s no cap on the number of miles you can earn.
PROS
- Limited earning categories.
- No premium perks like free checked bags or priority boarding.
- Rewards tied to American Airlines.
- 3% foreign transaction fee.
CONS
Welcome Bonus
Aside from having no annual fee, the AAdvantage MileUp Card offers 15,000 Bonus Miles after spending $1,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months of opening your account.
Rewards Rate
The ongoing rewards rate is 2 AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 2 miles per dollar spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services. The card pays one mile for every dollar spent on other purchases.
Additional Benefits
The card’s top travel benefit is 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases on American Airlines flights.
You can convert the miles you earn into other perks — but keep in mind that miles have nothing to do with flight distance.
Like standard credit card rewards points, miles have a cash value that fluctuates depending on how you redeem them among the following options:
- After you earn 7,500 miles, you can exchange them for American Airlines flights
- You can also use your miles for travel with American’s partner airlines and those in the multi-carrier oneworld alliance
- Cabin upgrades
- Hotel bookings
- Vacation bookings
- Car rentals
- Experiences like sports, concerts, comedy and theater tickets, including luxury upgrades
- Admirals Club Lounge access or membership.
- Gift or transfer miles
- Donate through Miles for Heroes and other charitable programs
Who Is This Card Best For?
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card is Ideal for travelers who prefer to fly American Airlines, but not enough to justify a higher-level rewards card with an annual fee. It’s also a good fit for people who want to keep things simple.
If you’re not tied to American Airlines, there may be other no fee cards that are better suited for you. For example, if you use your miles-based card for groceries exclusively to earn the elevated 2X rewards rate, a flat-rate cash-back card like the Citi Double Cash® Card or the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card will pay you 2% cash back for you groceries as well as all other purchases.
Similar Cards
The AAdvantage MileUp Card remains popular by striking a balance between simplicity and affordability. However, travelers who love American Airlines — and even those who are open to other carriers — have plenty of options to consider before they commit to the AAdvantage MileUp Card.
Take Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, for example, it offers:
- 2X miles for more spending categories
- Delivers a welcome bonus of 50,000 Bonus Miles when you spend $2,500 within the first four months
- Offers coveted perks like a free checked bag and preferred boarding
The tradeoff is an annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months.
Those who don’t want to be hemmed into American Airlines might consider the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, which charges no annual fee, but pays miles that members can use with multiple airlines.
Fees and Rates
Read the fine print to learn about the fees associated with the AAdvantage MileUp Card, which include:
- Annual Fee: $0
- APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable). A 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable) APR will apply for purchases..
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 3%
Final Verdict
A foreign transaction fee takes the AAdvantage MileUp Card off the table as an international travel card, but it provides a simple and easy way for modest travelers who are loyal to American Airlines to accumulate valuable miles. Premium travel cards provide better perks and richer rewards, but often in exchange for an annual fee.
However, the AAdvantage MileUp Card provides a budget-friendly option to anyone looking for an American Airlines card that’s free to own, or for those who are just starting their AAdvantage Miles journey.
Card Details From Citi®
- Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from date of account opening for balance transfers only. After that the variable APR will be 19.99% – 29.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
- Balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each credit card balance transfer, whichever is greater. Balance Transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
- No Annual Fee
- 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
- Save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases when you use your card on American Airlines flights
Frequently Asked Questions
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card is an entry-level travel card designed for American Airlines enthusiasts who aren’t avid travelers. The answers to these frequently asked questions can help you decide if it’s the right card for you.
How do I earn AAdvantage miles with this card?
You can earn AAdvantage miles by meeting the minimum spending requirement of $1,000 in the first 3 months to collect a 15,000 Bonus Miles welcome bonus. As you continue to spend on the card, American Airlines purchases and grocery store purchases earn two miles for every dollar you spend. All other spending earns 1 mile per dollar spent.
Can I use my miles for non-American Airlines flights?
Yes, you can transfer miles to a number of partner airlines and the carriers that are part of oneworld, which is an alliance of airlines that allow point transfers. Be sure to understand the transfer ratio for your carrier of choice.
Does this card offer travel insurance benefits?
The card provides $0 liability protection against unauthorized purchases and identity theft protection from Mastercard, but it does not offer the travel insurance benefits that some competing cards do.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
*CardCritics™ references a FICO® 8 score, which is one of many different types of credit scores. A financial institution may use a different score when evaluating your application.
