I’ve written about dozens of credit cards over the years, but a recent travel card caught my eye. While most credit cards have steep minimum spending requirements to earn welcome bonuses, this airline card’s welcome bonus can help you cover a flight or hotel stay -- without spending thousands of dollars.
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® * is one of our picks for the best American Airlines credit cards. And you can earn a 50,000-mile welcome bonus. All you have to do is make your first purchase (no minimum amount) and pay the $99 annual fee in the first 90 days of card ownership. Those bonus miles could help reduce the price of your travel or lodging for your upcoming summer vacation.
Here’s more about the card and a few flights I found that could make the welcome bonus worthwhile.
Where can I go with 50,000 AAdvantage miles?
There are a few ways 50,000 miles can help you cut the costs of summer travel. Here are some examples I found looking at flights from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Charlotte to Fort Lauderdale
I could earn enough points with the welcome bonus to cover the cost of a round-trip flight from Charlotte to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from July 15 to 18 for me and a friend (plus applicable taxes and fees). Plus, I’d have 14,000 points left over for another trip.
Charlotte to Toronto
Let’s be honest. A trip to Toronto on Father’s Day weekend (June 14-16) might offer a welcome respite from the heat. I wouldn’t get both flights for free, but I’d only pay about $735 out of pocket, plus taxes and fees (based on each point being worth 1.7 cents) for a trip for two. If I paid out of pocket, the flights would potentially cost nearly double -- $1,300.
Charlotte to New York
I could even travel during the Fourth of July to New York City, paying about $120 out of pocket (based on each point being worth 1.7 cents) to cover the remainder of the cost that the 50,000 points don’t cover, plus taxes and fees.
Other ways to redeem AA miles
Aside from booking flights directly with American Airlines, you can redeem your welcome bonus miles with its OneWorld partners and other partners, including British Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia and Qantas. But you’ll want to make sure you’re redeeming the miles at an equal or higher rate for the best value. Here are some other ways you can redeem the miles for summer travel.
Hotel stays
If you book your hotel with AAdvantage Hotels, you’ll get hotel stays at select hotels for fewer miles. For instance, I could use 42,700 miles to cover a three-night stay (June 20-23) at the B Resort, in the Disney Springs Resort, if I’m an AAdvantage credit card member with status.
That means that even if you have the minimum Gold status with AAdvantage, by earning 40,000 miles, and you have the Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard, you can earn the rate. You can reach Gold status with 40,000 miles, so the bonus should more than help you reach that.
Rental cars
If your flight is covered, you’d prefer to drive or you have extra miles, you may be able to cut the costs on your rental car with the bonus, too. You can redeem your miles for vehicles at several rental companies, including Budget and Avis.
Like American Airlines’ hotel partner, you can redeem fewer miles if you have AAdvantage status and are an AAdvantage cardholder. For instance, you’ll only redeem 21,800 miles for an intermediate vehicle, like a small SUV, for a three-day trip in New Orleans (June 19-22). You’ll use fewer miles for lower-tier cars.
Should I get the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard*?
Beyond the one-time welcome bonus, the card has a few other benefits including:
- First checked bag free
- Preferred boarding
- Up to $25 in statement credits for in-flight Wi-Fi, food and beverages
- A $99 companion certificate for one guest (plus taxes and fees) if you spend $20,000 on purchases and your account remains open 45 days after your anniversary date
- Travel coverage
- No foreign transaction fees
The perks can be rewarding if you’re a frequent American Airlines traveler or live in an American Airlines hub city. But the rewards rate isn’t as lucrative as other cards. You’ll earn 2x AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases. You could earn 4x miles on American Airlines purchases and 1 mile for every $1 spent on other purchases with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®*, but that card comes with a $595 annual fee.
If you aren’t an American Airlines loyalist, you may get more value from one of the more general best travel credit cards, which let you earn rewards at higher rates in some categories and offer more flexible redemption options.
*All information about the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard and Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
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