| Last updated on September 6th, 2023
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®
- 21.24%, 25.24% or 30.24% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
- 21.24%, 25.24% or 30.24% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Balance Transfer APR
- 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR
At a Glance
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is a co-branded airline rewards card from American Airlines and Barclays US. The card offers members to earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on purchases with American Airlines and 1 mile-per-dollar-spent on all other purchases. New cardholders also benefit from the chance to earn 60,000 bonus miles when they make their first purchase using the card and pay the $99 annual fee.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- 2X miles for every dollar spent with American Airlines
- 1X mile for every dollar spent with all other purchases
- Anniversary Companion Certificate for 1 guest after spending $20,000
- First checked bag free for up to 4 companions
- Preferred boarding for up to 4 companions
- 25% inflight savings on food and beverages
- $25 statement credit on inflight Wi-Fi purchases every account anniversary
- Regular Purchase APR: 21.24%, 25.24% or 30.24% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Intro Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 15 months on transfers made within 45 days from account opening date
- Balance Transfer APR: 21.24%, 25.24% or 30.24% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Balance Transfer Transaction Fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Cash Advance APR: 29.99% variable based on the Prime Rate
- Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
- Annual Fee: $99
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $40
- Those who want a card that offers 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 15 months
- You're eager to earn a very handsome miles bonus just for using your card
- You frequently travel with American Airlines or another Oneworld carrier
AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard Review
The AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard is an excellent airline rewards card. The card features great earning potential and even better perks and bonus miles.
How to Earn Rewards
When it comes to earning AAdvantage® miles, the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard does a solid job, with decent rewards on all eligible purchases. Cardholders earn the following miles:
- Earn 2X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- Earn 1X AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Earning double miles for eligible purchases with American and 1x miles everywhere else the card is used isn’t exceptional, but it does provide some value for cardholders who fly regularly with American. And since those rewards apply towards AAdvantage, cardholders can use them for award flights, upgrades, and more.
How to Redeem Miles
Miles in the AAdvantage program apply towards a variety of award options, with booking flights with American Airlines the easiest option.
Bookings with American Airlines have the added bonus of featuring no blackout dates, meaning you don’t need to worry about when you can book your award travel. Miles apply to two different types of reward fare through the American Airlines AAdvantage award chart: MileSAAver awards and AAnytime awards.
- MileSAAver: MileSAAver awards offer the best value for award flights, but are only available on specific routes. Additionally, these awards are much fewer in number, so those looking to redeem their miles for a MileSAAver flight need to be quick on their feet to ensure they don’t miss out.
- AAnytime: AAnytime offers a much smoother redemption process, as they are available on pretty much every flight. AAnytime miles, however, are more expensive than MileSAAver awards, meaning they don’t offer the best value for money.
Booking award flights is your best value in the program, with as little as 7,500 miles required for a one-way ticket (though the precise amount will vary depending on date, time, airport, and seat preferences). If a better value is found elsewhere, however, don’t fret – AAdvantage miles transfer to the following airlines:
| British Airways | Iberia | Qatar Airways | Royal Air Maroc | Air Tahiti Nui |
| Cathay Pacific | Japan Airlines | Finnair | Royal Jordanian | Cape Air |
| Fiji Airways | Malaysia Airlines | British Airways | Qantas | China Southern Airlines |
| Etihad Airways | GOL | Hawaiian Airlines | JetBlue | Silver Airways |
Related Article:Â The Ultimate Guide to the AAdvantage Program
Be Wary of the Annual Fee
Even with the considerable earning potential of the JetBlue Business Card, it may not be ideal for newer business owners. A still-growing business may not find free flights make this card worth the $99 annual fee unless there’s an already established need for travels. Startups and small shop owners may find more immediate value from a cash back business card that puts money back into company coffers. This is doubly the case as the JetBlue Business Card lacks an introductory APR for purchases or balance transfers to help accommodate for the large business expenditures a new business would typically face.
Other Card Perks
The AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard also offers some great perks for members, including a complimentary first checked bag on domestic American flights, a complimentary companion fare, 25% in-flight savings on food, drinks, and Wi-Fi, preferred boarding, and a companion fare when purchase requirements are met each anniversary. Â
Of course, cardholders only receive the companion pass if they spend $20,000 on purchases and the account remains open for 45 days after the anniversary date. That hefty spend might make make sense for some, but there are better Barclays and American Airlines cards that provide similar perks for a slightly higher annual fee.Â
Cardholders also receive World Elite travel benefits, providing them with access to a suite of impressive amenities and benefits worldwide, including:
| Zero Liability Protection | Airport Concierge | Cell Phone Protection |
| Mastercard Global Services | Priceless Experiences | Lyft Credits |
| ID Theft Protection | Priceless Golf | Mastercard Travel Services |
| Mastercard Hotel Stay Guarantee | ShopRunner Membership |
Barclays Ratings
Here is a selection of expert ratings for Barclays as a credit card issuer:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
3.5/5 |
4.5/5 |
3/5 |
Should You Apply for the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard?
Overall, the AAdvantage Red World Elite Mastercard® is an airline rewards card that should feature very highly on anyone’s list of potential new airline cards. The $99 – and the potential downside of the American Airlines frequent flyer program – are a drop in the bucket when compared to the huge benefits and offers available. The added benefit of 0% introductory APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within the first 45 days of opening an account makes these benefits even more impressive.
Browse Other Credit Card Offers:
Editorial Disclosure – The opinions expressed on BestCards.com's reviews, articles, and all other content on or relating to the website are solely those of the content’s author(s). These opinions do not reflect those of any card issuer or financial institution, and editorial content on our site has not been reviewed or approved by these entities unless noted otherwise. Further, BestCards.com lists credit card offers that are frequently updated with information believed to be accurate to the best of our team's knowledge. However, please review the information provided directly by the credit card issuer or related financial institution for full details.