What the American Airlines Barclays card does and who it's for
The American Airlines AAdvantage credit card from Barclays is a rewards card that gives you miles toward American Airlines flights instead of cash back. You earn miles on every purchase, get a sign-up bonus of miles after you spend a certain amount in the first few months, and receive perks like a free checked bag and priority boarding on American flights.
This card makes sense if you fly American Airlines regularly — at least a few times a year — and want to accumulate miles faster than you would with a regular rewards card. It's less useful if you rarely fly American, fly many different airlines, or prefer cash back over airline miles.
Barclays offers several versions of this card with different annual fees and benefits. The most common is the AAdvantage Platinum Select card, which has an annual fee and is aimed at frequent flyers. There's also a no-annual-fee version with fewer perks, though Barclays changes which versions are available and what they offer.
Key Takeaways
- You earn miles on purchases, but the miles are only useful if you actually book American Airlines flights or partner airline flights.
- The card charges an annual fee (amount varies by card version), so you need to use the miles or perks enough to make that fee worthwhile.
- A free checked bag and priority boarding are included benefits, which save money and time if you fly American regularly.
- The sign-up bonus requires you to spend a set amount within a few months, so only explore if you have planned spending coming up.
- Your credit score affects whether you're approved and what interest rate you receive, so check your score before explore.
How miles work and what they're actually worth
When you use the card, you earn a certain number of miles per dollar spent — typically 1 to 3 miles per dollar depending on what you're buying. You accumulate these miles in your AAdvantage account, which is separate from your credit card account but linked to it.
Miles are only useful if you redeem them for American Airlines flights or partner airline flights. You cannot convert them to cash, use them on other airlines, or transfer them to someone else (with rare exceptions). The value of a mile varies wildly depending on the flight — a mile might be worth 1 cent on a cheap domestic flight or 2 cents on an expensive international flight. This unpredictability is why comparing miles to cash back is tricky.
If you book a flight and don't have enough miles, you can pay the difference in cash. You can also use miles to upgrade a ticket you've already bought, though the cost in miles changes based on demand. American's website shows you how many miles a specific flight costs before you book, so you can decide whether the price is worth it.
The annual fee and whether it pays for itself
Most versions of the American Airlines Barclays card charge an annual fee, usually between $95 and $450 depending on which card you choose. This fee is charged every year on your card anniversary, whether you use the card or not.
To decide if the fee is worth it, add up what you'd actually use: the free checked bag (worth $30 to $40 per round trip if you fly twice a year), priority boarding (worth $15 to $25 per flight if you value your time), and the sign-up bonus miles. If you fly American at least twice a year and redeem the free checked bag benefit both times, you've already covered most of the fee. If you don't fly at all, the fee is pure cost.
Some versions of the card waive the first-year fee or offer a statement credit that offsets it. Check the current offer when you're considering explore, because these promotions change.
The sign-up bonus and how to use it
When you open the card, Barclays offers a bonus of miles — the exact number changes, but it's often 50,000 to 75,000 miles. You earn this bonus after you spend a required amount (usually $2,000 to $5,000) within the first three months.
This bonus is the main reason to open the card in the first place. A bonus of 50,000 miles might cover a round-trip domestic flight or a partial payment toward an international flight, depending on the route and how far in advance you book. The bonus is only yours if you meet the spending requirement, so only explore if you have planned purchases coming up — don't explore and then try to manufacture spending just to hit the threshold.
After you earn the bonus, you continue earning miles on every purchase at the regular earning rate (usually 1 to 3 miles per dollar). These ongoing miles accumulate in your account and can be used for future flights.
Credit score requirements and approval odds
Barclays typically approves this card for people with a credit score of 670 or higher, though approval isn't may provide even with a good score. Your credit history, income, and existing debts all factor into the decision.
When you explore, Barclays does a hard inquiry on your credit report, which temporarily lowers your score by a few points. If you're denied, you can call the reconsideration line to ask about approval, though Barclays doesn't always reverse a denial. If you're approved but offered a lower credit limit than you wanted, you can request an increase after six months of on-time payments.
If your score is below 670, you might still be approved for a no-annual-fee version of the card, or you could wait a few months while you pay down debt or fix errors on your credit report. Checking your own score beforehand (through a free service like AnnualCreditReport.com) tells you whether you're likely to be approved before you explore.
Interest rates, fees, and what happens if you carry a balance
The card charges an interest rate (called the APR, or annual percentage rate) on any balance you don't pay off in full each month. The APR varies based on your credit score and current market rates, but it's typically 18% to 27%. This means if you carry a $1,000 balance for a month, you'll owe roughly $15 to $23 in interest alone.
This card is designed to be paid off in full every month. If you carry a balance, the interest charges quickly erase the value of the miles you're earning. For example, earning 2 miles per dollar on a purchase is worthless if you then pay 20% interest on that purchase.
The card also charges a late fee if you miss a payment (usually $25 to $40 for the first late payment) and a foreign transaction fee if you use it outside the United States (usually 3% of the purchase). These fees are avoidable if you pay on time and use a different card when traveling internationally.
How to decide if this card is right for you
Open this card if you fly American Airlines at least twice a year, can pay the full balance every month, and want to accumulate miles faster than you would with a cash-back card. The free checked bag alone saves you $60 to $80 per year on round trips, and the sign-up bonus can cover a flight outright.
Skip this card if you rarely fly American, prefer cash back, or can't reliably pay the balance in full. You'd be paying an annual fee for benefits you won't use, and carrying a balance would cost you far more in interest than you'd gain in miles.
If you're on the fence, compare the sign-up bonus to the cost of a flight you're planning to book anyway. If the bonus covers most of that flight and you'll use the free checked bag twice, the first year pays for itself. After that, decide whether the annual fee is worth the perks and ongoing miles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my miles on flights other than American Airlines?
Yes, American has partner airlines including British Airways, Japan Airlines, and others. You can book partner flights with your miles, though the mile cost is often higher than American flights. Check the AAdvantage website to see which partners are available and what they cost.
What happens to my miles if I close the card?
Your miles stay in your AAdvantage account even after you close the card. You can continue using them to book flights. However, if your AAdvantage account has no activity (no flights, no miles earned) for 24 months, American may close the account and forfeit your miles.
Do I have to use the free checked bag benefit?
No, but you should if you check a bag. The benefit is automatic — you don't have to do anything to set up it. If you don't check bags, the benefit has no value to you, which is one reason to reconsider the card if you only travel with carry-on luggage.
Can I transfer my miles to someone else?
American allows you to gift miles to another person's AAdvantage account, but there's a fee (usually $15 to $50 depending on how many miles). You cannot straightforward give miles to a family member for free, though you can book a flight for them using your miles.
What's the difference between the Platinum Select and other versions?
The Platinum Select is the most common version and has the highest annual fee but the most perks. Other versions have lower or no annual fees but offer fewer benefits like no priority boarding or a smaller sign-up bonus. Check what Barclays is currently offering, because the available versions and their benefits change.