The American Airlines card gives you miles on purchases, checked bag fee waivers, and priority boarding — but the value depends on how often you fly and how you use the card outside of travel.
American Airlines offers two main credit cards through Citi: the AAdvantage Platinum Select and the AAdvantage Executive. Both earn miles on every purchase, waive your first checked bag on American flights, and give you priority boarding. The Platinum Select has no annual fee; the Executive charges an annual fee but includes additional perks like a companion certificate and lounge access. Which one makes sense depends on your travel frequency and spending habits.
The core benefit is straightforward: you earn miles that you can redeem for flights. But the real question is whether the miles you earn on everyday purchases — groceries, gas, restaurants — add up to more than what you'd pay in an annual fee or interest charges if you carry a balance. That math changes based on your personal spending and how often you actually use the miles.
Key Takeaways
- Both American Airlines cards waive your first checked bag and offer priority boarding, but only the Executive card includes lounge access and an annual companion certificate.
- You earn miles on every purchase, but the earning rate varies by card and by category — some cards earn bonus miles on specific spending like dining or gas.
- The Platinum Select has no annual fee, making it lower-risk if you fly American occasionally; the Executive charges an annual fee but includes benefits that may offset it if you fly frequently.
- Miles can expire if your account is inactive for 18 months, so the card only makes sense if you plan to use your miles or keep your account active.
Earning Miles on Purchases
The Platinum Select earns 1 mile per dollar on most purchases and 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines tickets and certain other categories. The Executive card earns the same base rate but includes a higher earning rate on dining and other bonus categories depending on the specific version of the card.
The earning rate matters most if you spend heavily in categories where the card offers bonus miles. If you spend $20,000 a year on dining and the card earns 3 miles per dollar in that category instead of 1, you're earning an extra 40,000 miles annually — which could cover a domestic flight or two. But if you don't spend in those categories, you're earning the standard 1 mile per dollar on everything else, which is competitive but not exceptional compared to other travel cards.
Miles don't expire as long as your account stays active — meaning you earn or redeem at least once every 18 months. If your account goes inactive, American will close it and you'll lose the miles. This is a real constraint: if you get the card but don't fly or use it for 18 months, your miles disappear.
Checked Bag and Boarding Benefits
The first checked bag is free on American Airlines flights when you're the cardholder. Your when ready family traveling on the same reservation also gets the free bag. This saves $35 to $40 per flight, per person, which adds up quickly if you check a bag even a few times a year.
Priority boarding means you board before most other passengers, which matters if you want to avoid gate-checking your carry-on or prefer an aisle seat. The Platinum Select gives you priority boarding; the Executive gives you a higher tier of priority boarding. Neither is a may provide of a window seat or overhead bin space, but it improves your odds.
Both cards also give you a discount on additional checked bags — usually $15 off the standard fee for the second and third bags. If you travel with family and check multiple bags, this can save another $30 to $45 per trip.
The Executive Card's Additional Perks
The AAdvantage Executive card includes an annual companion certificate, which lets one person fly free (or nearly free) on a domestic American flight when you buy a ticket at full price. The certificate has restrictions: it's valid for one year, it's only for domestic flights, and you still pay taxes and fees on the companion ticket. But if you take one domestic trip a year with a partner, the certificate can pay for itself.
The Executive card also includes access to American Airlines lounges and certain partner lounges. Lounge access gives you a quiet place to work, free food and drinks, and sometimes shower facilities at major airports. If you fly frequently enough to use the lounge several times a year, this benefit has real value. If you fly once or twice a year, you may never use it.
The Executive card charges an annual fee, which varies but is typically $450 or higher. You need to calculate whether the companion certificate, lounge access, and additional miles earning offset that fee for your specific travel patterns. For someone who takes one or two domestic trips a year with a partner, the companion certificate alone might justify the fee. For someone who flies solo or rarely travels, it probably doesn't.
Annual Fees and When They Make Sense
The Platinum Select has no annual fee, making it the lower-risk choice if you're unsure whether you'll use the card enough to justify paying for it. You can get the benefits of checked bag waivers and priority boarding without committing to an annual cost.
The Executive card's annual fee is the trade-off for the companion certificate and lounge access. Whether it's worth it depends on three things: how often you fly American, whether you travel with a companion who would use the certificate, and whether you'll actually use the lounge. If you fly American four or more times a year and travel with a partner at least once, the math usually works. If you fly once or twice a year, it usually doesn't.
Both cards may offer a sign-up bonus — a large number of miles after you spend a certain amount in the first few months. This bonus can be substantial, sometimes worth $500 to $1,000 in flight value. But bonuses change frequently, so check the current offer before you open an account.
How Miles Redemption Works
Miles redeem for flights on American Airlines and its partners, or for upgrades on flights you've already booked. The number of miles required varies by route, season, and how far in advance you book. A domestic flight might cost 7,500 to 15,000 miles depending on distance and demand; an international flight might cost 30,000 to 80,000 miles or more.
Miles also have a dollar value, which you can calculate by dividing the cost of a flight by the miles required. If a $300 flight costs 10,000 miles, each mile is worth about 3 cents. If a $600 flight costs 50,000 miles, each mile is worth about 1.2 cents. The value fluctuates, and you get better value on premium cabin flights and long-haul international routes.
You can also use miles for other redemptions — hotel stays, car rentals, gift cards — but the value per mile is usually lower than booking flights. Sticking to flight redemptions typically gives you the best return on your miles.
Comparing the Two Cards
| Feature | Platinum Select | Executive |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | None | $450+ (varies) |
| First Checked Bag | Free | Free |
| Priority Boarding | Yes | Higher tier |
| Companion Certificate | No | Yes (domestic) |
| Lounge Access | No | Yes |
| Base Earning Rate | 1 mile per dollar | 1 mile per dollar |
| Bonus Categories | 2x on airline tickets | Varies by version |
The Platinum Select is the right choice if you fly American occasionally, want to avoid annual fees, and value the checked bag waiver and priority boarding. The Executive is the right choice if you fly American frequently, travel with a partner, and will use the lounge or companion certificate enough to justify the annual fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to fly American Airlines to get value from this card?
No. You earn miles on all purchases, not just airline tickets, so you can accumulate miles through everyday spending on groceries, gas, and dining. The checked bag waiver and priority boarding only explore to American flights, but the miles themselves have value regardless of how you earn them.
What happens to my miles if I close the card?
Your miles stay in your American Airlines account and don't disappear when you close the card. However, if your account becomes inactive for 18 months — meaning you don't earn or redeem any miles — American will close your account and you'll lose the miles. Keeping the account active is the key, not keeping the card open.
Can I use the companion certificate on any American Airlines flight?
The companion certificate is valid only for domestic American Airlines flights. You can't use it on international flights or partner airlines. The certificate is also valid for one year from issue, so you need to plan your trip within that window.
How much is the sign-up bonus worth?
Sign-up bonuses vary and change frequently. They typically range from 30,000 to 75,000 miles, depending on the card and current promotion. At an average value of 1.5 cents per mile, a 50,000-mile bonus is worth roughly $750 in flight value, but the actual value depends on how you redeem.
Is carrying a balance on this card a good way to earn miles?
No. Interest charges on a credit card balance are far higher than the value of miles you earn. If you carry a $5,000 balance at 20% interest, you're paying $1,000 a year in interest to earn miles worth perhaps $75. Only use the card if you pay the full balance each month.