American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card review: Earn American Airlines miles on your everyday spending without an annual fee

 American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ CardSummary List Placement

This page includes information about the Discover it® Miles product, which is currently not available on Business Insider and may be out of date.

Review: Is the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card right for you?

The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card stands out among airline credit cards because, unlike most, it doesn’t charge an annual fee.  

That said, there’s a tradeoff. Other American Airlines credit cards offer a substantial welcome bonus of at least 50,000 miles, but the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card only comes with 10,000 American Airlines miles and a $50 statement credit after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

The card doesn’t offer much in the way of frequent flyer benefits, either. For example, you won’t get a free first checked bag on domestic itineraries or preferred boarding, which are both standard perks offered by other American Airlines credit cards like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® and CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®. The only real travel-related benefit you’ll receive is 25% off inflight purchases you make with your card, and you can only take advantage of this perk when you’re actually up in the air. 

Bottom line: Because the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card doesn’t have a big bonus or cardholder benefits for frequent flyers, it is best for those who travel infrequently or are just getting started with earning American Airlines miles. If you fit that description and you want to earn miles in the American Airlines AAdvantage program with no annual fee, this card is worth considering. 

 American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card vs other airline credit cards with no annual fee

American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Discover it® Miles

Annual fee

$0

Annual fee

$0(See Rates)

Annual fee

See Terms

Rewards Rate

Earn 2x miles on American Airlines and grocery store purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases

Rewards Rate

Earn 2x miles on Delta purchases and restaurant purchases (including takeout and delivery) and 1x miles on all other purchases

Rewards Rate

Earn 1.5x miles on all purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn 10,000 bonus American AAdvantage miles and a $50 statement credit when you spend $500 within the first three months of account opening

Welcome bonus

10,000 miles after you spend $500 in the first 3 months from account opening

Welcome bonus

None, but the Discover Cashback Match program will match the rewards you’ve earned after the first 12 months 

 

Foreign transaction fee

Yes

Foreign transaction fee

No

Foreign transaction fee

No

Not available through Business Insider
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Not available through Business Insider

American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card vs other American Airlines credit cards

American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®

Annual fee

$0

Annual fee

$99, waived for first 12 months

Annual fee

$450

Rewards Rate

Earn 2x miles on American Airlines and grocery store purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases

Rewards Rate

Earn 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, restaurants, and gas stations, and 1x miles on all other purchases

Rewards Rate

Earn 2x miles on American Airlines purchases …read more

Source:: Business Insider