Best American Airlines Business Credit Cards

Are you a frequent flyer on American Airlines (AA)? If so, you might be looking for an American Airlines business credit card so that you can maximize your earnings potential with this particular airline.

Luckily, if you are searching for business credit cards specific to American Airlines, you have two options—the AAdvantage Aviator from Barclays and the AAdvantage Platinum Select from Citi. Although offered through different banks, both of these American Airlines business cards allow you to earn ongoing rewards miles, plus take advantage of additional travel perks.

Which American Airlines business credit card is right for you?

We’re here to help you find out. We’ll review these two American Airlines business credit cards and discuss everything they have to offer—from rewards to bonuses to travel benefits—so that you have all of the information you need to decide which, if either, is best for your business.

Best American Airlines Business Credit Cards for 2019

• AAdvantage® Aviator® Business Mastercard®
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®

The first American Airlines business credit card option, the AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard, is offered through Barclays.

With this Barclays business credit card, you’ll earn ongoing rewards based on how you spend. Specifically, this AA business credit card will earn:

• 2x miles for every dollar you spend on eligible American Airlines purchases
• 2x miles for every dollar you spend on select telecom, office supply purchases, and car rentals
• 1x miles for every dollar you spend on all other purchases
• $3,000 Elite Qualifying Dollars when you spend $25,000 annually
• 5% mileage bonus every anniversary year based on the total number of miles earned using your card

Additionally, if you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days with this card, you’ll earn a welcome bonus of 65,000 miles. Moreover, once you make a purchase on an employee card, you’ll earn an extra 10,000 miles.

There are no limits on the number of miles you can earn with this American Airlines business credit card and your miles will only expire if there is no mileage earning or redeeming activity at least once every 18 months on your account. This being said, you’ll be able to redeem your miles through American Airlines, which can be used for travel on their flights or partner flights, as well as rental cars, hotels, and vacations.

On top of this earning-based rewards program, the AAdvantage Aviator Business card will also allow you access to additional travel perks, including:

• Free first checked bag for you and up to four companions on domestic flights
• Preferred boarding for you and up to four travel companions
• 25% off in-flight purchases when you use your card
• Companion certificate every account anniversary after spending $30,000 or more on eligible purchases (good for one guest at $99)
• No foreign transaction fees

Moreover, this American Airlines business credit card offers $0 fraud liability protection, complimentary employee cards, and 24/7 online banking. This being said, however, the AAdvantage Aviator from Barclays will require an annual fee of $95. Therefore, to ensure this AA business credit card is worth it, you’ll want to make sure you’ll be able to earn enough rewards to make up for this annual fee.

Considering the ongoing rewards program and travel perks, if you’re looking for the best business airline credit card and you’re a frequent American Airlines flyer, this very well could be the right option for you.

On the other hand, you might also consider the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select World Mastercard, which offers extremely competitive rewards and perks compared to its Barclays American Airlines business credit card counterpart.

To begin, this Citi AA business credit card earns almost the same ongoing rewards as the AAdvantage Aviator:

• 2x miles for every dollar you spend on eligible American Airlines purchases
• 2x miles for every dollar you spend on select telecom, cable and satellite providers, car rentals, and gas stations
• 1x miles for every dollar you spend on all other purchases

In addition, you’ll have an opportunity to earn 70,000 bonus miles with this Citibank business credit card—after you spend $4,000 within the first four months after opening your account. Like the AAdvantage Aviator, you can redeem the miles you earn with Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select through American Airlines, eligible for flights with AA and their partners, seat upgrades, car rentals, hotel stays, and vacation packages.

Moreover, this American Airlines business credit card offers travel perks including:

• 25% discount on in-flight purchases (food, beverages, WiFi)
• Free first bag checked for you and up to four travel companions
• Preferred boarding for you and up to four travel companions
• Annual Companion Certificate (good for one guest at $99), provided you spend $30,000 or more in purchases each year
• No foreign transaction fees
• Employee cards that earn miles for purchases

This being said, through Citi, you’ll also have access to business tools like their 24/7 personal business assistant for help with travel, hotel, and dining arrangements, online account summaries, digital wallet capabilities, and contactless pay.

Like the AAdvantage Aviator, this American Airlines business card will require an annual fee—the Citi AAdvantage has a $99 annual fee; however, Citi will waive this fee for your first year of card membership.

All in all, with features and perks that are very similar to the Barclays American Airlines small business credit card, the Citi AA business credit card is likewise a viable option for business owners looking to maximize their credit card spending with American Airlines and earn travel rewards specific to this airline.

Considering everything we’ve discussed in regards to the two different AA business credit cards, you might choose one of these options if:

• You frequently fly on American Airlines and are looking for AA-specific rewards.
• You’re looking for a business credit card for travel rewards as opposed to a cash back card.
• You’re looking for a travel rewards card that offers perks not directly related to your spending.
• You’re okay paying an annual fee for travel rewards.

On the other hand, as these American Airlines business cards are specific to one airline, they might not be the right option for everyone. Therefore, you’ll want to continue exploring your options if:

• You’d prefer to earn more general rewards, either travel or cash back rewards.
• You’re looking for business credit cards with no annual fee.
• You’d like access to a 0% intro APR period.
• You’d like a card specific to a different airline or retailer.
• You have fair or poor personal credit.
• You’d like a card from an issuer other than Citi or Barclays.

Is an American Airlines business credit card worth it?

At the end of the day, even with all of the reasons listed above, the answer to this question will determine whether or not an American Airlines small business credit card is right for you. Considering all of the other options out there, one of these AA business credit cards is only going to be the best option for your business if you truly fly enough on American to earn the most rewards for your spending.

If you do think an American Airlines business card will be worth it, then you need to determine which of your two options is the best choice for you. Ultimately, with almost identical features and perks, the best American Airlines business credit card will depend on the specifics of your business.

For example, if you don’t think you’ll be able to spend $4,000 within the first four months with your card, the AAdvantage Aviator, with a lower spending threshold to earn the welcome bonus (as well as a slightly lower annual fee) will probably be the better option. On the other hand, if you spend frequently at gas stations—a category not part of the AAdvantage Aviator rewards structure—then you might instead opt for the Citi AAdvantage business credit card.

However, if you’re not sure if one of these AA business credit cards is right for you, or if you simply want to look at a variety of options, you’ll first want to determine what factors your business values most—annual fee, rewards type, rewards structure, foreign transaction fees, 0% intro APR, additional perks, or any other features. By deciding what qualifications you hold for your business credit card, you’ll be able to better compare your options, narrowing down your choices until you find the perfect credit card for your business.