The Aviator Mastercard is a credit card that is offered to consumers by American Express. This card allows them to earn two miles for every dollar they spend on American Airlines purchases. Although it does offer an upfront bonus, the rewards earned are low. So, is this credit card worth it?
Offers 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases
For frequent flyers who use American Airlines, the Aviator Mastercard offers the best overall value. It offers 2 miles per dollar spent with American Airlines, plus other travel benefits. You can also round up your purchases to the nearest dollar, so you can earn more AAdvantage miles.
Other cards with American Airlines co-branded features are offered by Citi and Barclays. These cards allow you to earn more AAdvantage miles than other cards for dining, gas stations, and other purchases.
Another option is the Capital One SavorOne card, which offers 18 months of 0% introductory APR on balance transfers and purchases. It’s a good choice for those who don’t want to pay annual fees, but you’ll need to spend about $20,000 on the card annually.
The Citi and American Express Blue Cash Preferred co-branded cards also offer strong mileage earning opportunities. They both earn two AAdvantage miles for every dollar spent on American Airlines purchases, and one mile per dollar for everything else.
Upfront bonus
The Barclaycard AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard is a great travel credit card. It offers a substantial upfront bonus and a low annual fee. If you love flying American Airlines, you’ll be happy to know that this card can help you offset the cost of your airfare.
As an AAdvantage cardholder, you can redeem your accumulated Loyalty Points for round-trip airfare or MileSAAver awards. Depending on how you redeem them, your points will be worth between 500 and 900 dollars.
You also get free checked bags and priority boarding when you use the AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard. This makes it one of the best airline credit cards to use when traveling on American.
But this card has a few drawbacks, including a high interest rate and a $99 annual fee. If you don’t travel often, it might not be a good option for you.
Another drawback to the Aviator Mastercard is its relatively low earning rate. While you’ll earn a mile for every dollar you spend on everyday purchases, your baseline earnings are lower than on other co-branded AAdvantage cards.
Low rewards earning rate
If you travel on American Airlines often, you may want to apply for an AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard. With this card, you can earn AAdvantage miles with every purchase. You can earn up to 2 miles per dollar on purchases with American Airlines, and you can earn up to 1 mile on all other purchases.
The sign-up bonus on this card is quite generous. When you make your first purchase within the first 90 days, you’ll receive a one-time 50,000-mile bonus. However, this card has a $99 annual fee, which makes it less appealing to infrequent travelers. Fortunately, you can use other cards to earn AAdvantage miles on your other purchases.
Another AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard alternative is the Capital One Venture Card. This card offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 18 months. Even with a 0% APR offer, there is a balance transfer fee of 3%.
While the rewards on this card are relatively low, the perks can outweigh them. For example, with this card, you can take advantage of a free checked bag and preferred boarding on all American flights. Additionally, you’ll earn a 25% discount on in-flight food and beverages.
Whether or not the Red World Elite Mastercard is worth it
If you love to fly American Airlines, the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard could be a great option for you. It offers generous bonus miles, a low annual fee, and more. The card also comes with some helpful features like preferred boarding and free checked luggage for up to four companions.
The AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite MasterCard is a co-branded credit card issued by Barclays. You earn two AAdvantage miles for every dollar you spend on American Airlines purchases. In addition, you’ll get one mile per dollar on all other purchases.
You’ll need to make a single purchase within the first 90 days to receive the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Mastercard’s bonus. You can then redeem these rewards for flights or other travel expenses. However, there are other benefits to this card that can help you maximize your rewards. For example, you’ll receive a 25% discount on in-flight purchases.
There are no foreign transaction fees on this card, and you won’t have to pay a cash advance fee. But there is a $40 late fee. Also, this card isn’t an ideal choice if you’re not spending with American Airlines.