Rewards Plan
Sign up Bonus
Credit Rating
0% Intro
Annual Fee
APR
- Double miles on select purchases
- No Rewards Cap
- Lack Perks
- Foreign Transaction Fee
On Citi Secure Website
Rewards Plan
Sign up Bonus
0% Intro
PROS
- Double miles on select purchases
- No Rewards Cap
CONS
- Lack Perks
- Foreign Transaction Fee
APR
20.74% - 29.74% (Variable)
Annual Fee
$0
Balance Transfer Fee
$5 or 5% (the greater)
Credit Requirements
Good – Excellent
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® card is good for infrequent American Airlines flyers who are looking for an introduction to AAdvantage miles including rewards for everyday purchases. This along with the fact that it does not have an annual fee makes it an appealing card to people who are new to travel rewards.
Cardholders get 2 AAdvantage miles per dollar on grocery stores and eligible American Airlines purchases, and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases. Also, there is a nice sign up bonus of 10,000 miles and $50 statement credit if you spend $500 in first 3 months.
However, there are better cards out there as far as travel rewards credit cards are concerned, and depending on the card holders credit history, travel needs and frequency, a potential card holder might want to explore other options before jumping at the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card. In spite of that, most of the travels cards charge an annual fee.
- Double Miles
- No Rewards Cap
- 25% off on in-flight food and drinks
- Sign up Bonus
- No Annual Fee
- The Citi Bonus
- It Lacks Perks Other Cards Have to Offer
- Foreign Transaction Fee
What Purchases Don't Earn Points?
Citi does have a list of purchases that are ineligible to earn miles. This includes unauthorized charges, account fees, traveler’s checks, foreign currency or money order purchases, lottery tickets, betting transactions and wire transfers.
How Much Are 10,000 Miles/Points Worth?
AAdvantage miles have a value of 1.27 cents per mile typically, depending on your preferred redemption method. This means that 10,000 miles would have a typical redemption value of $127.
Does The Card Insurance Cover Flight Cancellation?
The American Airlines AAdvantage Mileup card does not provide card insurance. So there is no flight cancellation coverage with this card even if you purchase your fares with your card.
What Is The Initial Credit Limit?
Citi does not state a minimum credit limit for new customers approved for the AAdvantage Mileup. However, customer reviews do suggest that the initial credit limit is $2,000 or more. As with most credit cards, your actual credit limit will be determined by your creditworthiness, income and other factors.
Can I Get Car Rental Insurance With An American Airlines Aadvantage Mileup Card? How?
Although this is an American Airlines branded card, there are limited travel benefits, including a lack of car rental insurance. This does mean that even if you use your card to pay for your entire car rental, you’ll not get any car insurance coverage.
In this Review..
Benefits
The miles that a cardholder accumulates can be redeemed in a number of ways, which include using miles for travel to over 1,000 worldwide destinations on both one-way and round trips.
These miles can also be redeemed to upgrade seats to business and first class on flights, car rentals, hotel stays, and vacation packages. Since there is no limit to the number of miles that a person can accumulate, the trip possibilities are rather endless.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits and drawbacks of the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card – and whether or not it’s right for your wallet…
- Double Miles
Earn 2 AAdvantage miles per dollar on grocery stores and eligible American Airlines purchases, and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases
- No Rewards Cap
Something that is also note-worthy is that there is no limit to the number of miles that a card holder can accumulate, making the possibility of overall rewards rather high for long-term card holders.
- 25% off on in-flight food and drinks
While this isn’t a major benefit to the card, the extra perk of having additional savings while actually on your flight is always welcome, considering how expensive in-flight purchases can be.
- Sign up Bonus
The card offers 10,000 miles and $50 statement credit if you spend $500 in first 3 months.
- No Annual Fee
This card does stand in a category of its own as a rare card that is a co-branded airline credit card that doesn’t charge an annual fee to keep, which is certainly something that is appealing to card holders.
The vast majority of travel rewards credit cards do charge an annual fee.
- The Citi Bonus
Citi also covers a wide-ranging amount of benefits such as worldwide car rental and travel accident insurance, trip cancellation/interruption protection in the case of unforeseen circumstances.
This card also gives users the access to Citi Private Pass and Citi Concierge.
Drawbacks
Here are the most important cons you should consider before apply:
- It Lacks Perks Other Cards Have to Offer
While this card is a travel rewards card, there are limitations to what it has to offer.
A good reason to get an airline card is for the extras you get like free checked bag, priority check-in or boarding, and other perks. The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card doesn’t come with any of those extras.
- Foreign Transaction Fee
If you plan on taking a trip abroad, you might want to consider leaving this card at home.
Any transaction put on this card outside of the U.S. will result in you paying 3% on the purchase. This is something that many other travel cards don’t charge.
Rewards Simulation: How Much You Can Earn?
The best way to see if the AAdvantage MileUp Card is the right choice for your needs, is to calculate the amount of rewards and benefits you suppose to earn.
Keep in mind that this is a general breakdown of expenses, so make sure to adjust it to your own consumer preferences and spending habits.
| |
|---|---|
Spend Per Category | American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® |
$10,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 20,000 miles |
$4,000 – Restaurants
| 4,000 miles |
$4,000 – Airline | 8,000 miles |
$3,000 – Hotels | 3,000 miles |
$4,000 – Gas | 4,000 miles |
Total Miles/Points | 39,000 miles |
Estimated Redemption Value | 1 mile = ~1.27 cent |
Estimated Annual Value | $495 |
How to Redeem Your Miles?
With the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp card, you can earn 2 AAdvantage miles per dollar on grocery stores and eligible American Airlines purchases, and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases.
You can use your Aadvantage miles to book flights to over 1,000 destinations worldwide. American Airlines awards are available in a variety of configurations, so you are not restricted by blackout dates or other restrictions.
You can also use your miles to pay for hotel stays, vacation packages, car rentals, and first-class or business-class upgrades.
Make The Most of Your AAdvantage MileUp
Here are some pointers to help you make the most of your AAdvantage MileUp:
- Make a Strategy: The average redemption rate for AAdvantage Miles is 1.2-1.3 cents per mile, but if you simply book any flight, you could end up with far less. However, with some forethought, you may be able to obtain a better rate.
- Leverage sign up bonus: The minimum spending needed to get the bonus is quite low, so you can take advantage of it easily.
- Be Flexible When Redeeming Miles: Because AAdvantage Miles redemption rates can vary greatly, the best way to maximize your card benefits is to carefully research flight options. If your travel dates are flexible and you're willing to compare the cash value of the flights to see which offers the best redemption rates.
Do Consumers Love This Card?
Satisfied borrowers report that credit limit increases are possible with consistent positive account activity, which may help you improve your credit score.
Negative reviews highlight some issues with the grocery store purchase category. There have been numerous complaints that the definition of a grocery store is a little complicated, and customers have had difficulty obtaining miles when purchasing groceries because the purchases are classified as “merchandise.”
How To Apply For American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card?
- 1.
Visit the American Airlines AAdvantage Card homepage and click “Apply Now.”
- 2.
A page appears to get you started, which includes your names, mailing address, date of birth, etc.
- 3.
Now, you’ll need to insert your social security number. take your time to read through the E- Pricing & terms.
- 4.
Lastly, agree to the certifications and click “Submit.”
Is the AAdvantage MileUp Card Right for You?
By offering special benefits for loyal customers, the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp card is certainly designed for people who are flying multiple times each year for various reasons, whether it be work, leisure, or both.
This along with the fact that it does not have an annual fee makes it an appealing card also to people who are new to travel rewards. The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp is a fantastic option that could be beneficial if you:
- You want to earn extra points for your groceries: Another feature that airline cards have in common is that they heavily prioritize airline purchases. This card, on the other hand, earns two points on American Airlines and grocery store purchases.
- You want to accumulate loyalty points in order to improve your AAdvantage status. You'll earn one loyalty point for every dollar spent, but you'll need 30,000 or more to qualify for the lowest tier, AAdvantage Gold.
- You do not want to pay a yearly fee: Most airline cards have an annual fee, which means you must recoup enough rewards to cover the fee before you can seriously benefit from the card. The AAdvantage MileUp, on the other hand, has no annual fee, so you can start saving right away.
Compare The Alternatives
Several other credit cards provide similar rewards to the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp while also offering a couple of features that this card lacks:
 |
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|
United℠ Explorer Card | Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | |
Annual Fee | $95 ($0 first year) | $99, $0 intro first year. See Rates and Fees. | $99
Waived for the first 12 months
|
Rewards |
1X – 2X
2x per $1 spent on United purchases, hotel accommodations, restaurants & eligible delivery services and 1x per $1 spent on all other purchases
|
1X – 2X
2X miles on delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide (including take-out and delivery in the U.S) and at U.S. supermarkets, and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases
|
1X – 2X
2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
|
Welcome bonus |
50,000 miles
50,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open
|
70,000 Miles
70,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months
|
50,000 Miles
50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
|
Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 0%. See Rates and Fees. | 0% |
Purchase APR | 20.99% – 27.99% variable APR | 20.49% – 29.49% Variable | 20.74% – 29.74% (Variable) |
FAQ
The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp requires good to excellent credit. It is your credit status rather than your income that will influence your card approval. However, your income will be used to determine your credit limit, so the card issuer may require you to provide proof of your income.
AAdvantage miles do expire, but only if there are 18 months of inactivity on your account. So, if you continue to add miles and redeem them, you should not have any issues with keeping your account active or your miles expiring.
Unlike some programs, neither of these airline reward schemes has lots of partners. It is possible to use AAdvantage miles for American Airlines and JetBlue flights, and vice versa. However, there are no other airline partners that accept AAdvantage miles.
Citi occasionally offers pre approval mail outs for cards, but if you have not received an AAdvantage Mileup mailer, you’ll need to use the online application, which does not allow pre approval. You’ll need to complete the full application that involves a hard credit pull.
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