As of October 2025, the widely recognized
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
— along with Barclays’ entire lineup of American Airlines AAdvantage cards — will cease accepting applications, as confirmed by a Barclays spokesperson. This decision follows the announcement
in late 2024
that Citi would become the exclusive issuer for American Airlines credit cards.
American Airlines has historically provided co-branded
AAdvantage
credit cards through both Citi and Barclays, a unique situation stemming from the 2013 merger of American Airlines and US Airways. At that time, Citi managed American cards, while Barclays handled US Airways cards. Following the merger, both issuers retained portions of the portfolio.
In the 2024 announcement, Citi revealed plans to acquire Barclays’ suite of AAdvantage cards, intending to transition existing Barclays cardholders to Citi products by 2026. Barclays has assured current AAdvantage Aviator cardholders that they can continue using their cards and earning rewards until the transition occurs, with further details to be provided in the coming months.
The
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
distinguished itself from many other rewards cards due to its generous and easily attainable
welcome bonus
. While bonus amounts varied, cardholders could earn the full amount of miles after making just one purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full within the first 90 days. This is a significant advantage compared to most other credit cards, which typically require meeting a specific spending threshold to earn a welcome bonus.
The AAdvantage Aviator family also includes the
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Silver Mastercard®
, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Blue World Elite Mastercard®, and the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Mastercard® — all of which were previously available only as
upgrades or downgrades
from the Aviator Red.
Citi’s suite of American Airlines cards includes:
Here’s what the cards earn:
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• 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services, and on eligible American Airlines purchases. • 1 mile for every $1 spent on other purchases. |
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• 2 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, as well as on eligible American Airlines purchases. • 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases. • First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 4 traveling companions on your reservation. |
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• 10 miles per $1 spent on eligible car rentals and hotels booked through AA. • 4 miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (5 miles per dollar after spending $150,000 in total on the card in a calendar year). • 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases. • First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 8 traveling companions on your reservation. • Admirals Club airport lounge membership and access for up to 2 guests or immediate family members traveling with the cardholder. |
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• 2 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. • 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases. • First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 4 traveling companions on your reservation. |
