There’s no easier way to earn a big welcome bonus than with the American Airlines AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard®: Forget spending a few thousand dollars, you can get 50,000 miles with one quick purchase … at least for now.
Yes, it’s really that simple. All you need to do is make a single purchase within 90 days of opening the card (whether it’s a cup of coffee or a new refrigerator), pay the $99 annual fee, and voila … you’ve got 50,000 AAdvantage miles. But the opportunity to earn such an easy bonus won’t be around much longer…
Recent rumors suggest the AAdvantage Aviator Red Card will be going away effective Sept. 30! We already knew this day was coming – Citi is set to become American’s exclusive credit card partner next year – but this is the first time we’ve caught wind of an actual end date. Whether or not this holds true is anyone’s guess, but either way … this card and it’s easy-to-earn bonus aren’t long for the world.
If you’ve got a good use for American miles – and trust us, there are plenty – don’t let this (potentially last-chance) offer pass you by. These are some of the easiest miles you’ll ever earn!
Read more: Why Even Delta & United Flyers Should Earn American AAdvantage Miles
All information about the AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Learn more and apply for the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard (full disclosure, this not an affiliate link).
Why Now?
Being able to earn 50,000 miles with a single swipe is one of the easiest ways to get the miles needed for some incredible travel – and not just with American Airlines, but with amazing partners like Qatar Airways, Japan Airlines, and many more.
The fact that American Airlines currently offers co-branded credit cards issued by two separate banks is quite unique. If you look at competitors like Delta and United, their cards are issued by a single financial institution – American Express and Chase, respectively. This means you’re limited to earning sign-up bonuses from a single bank … and oftentimes, their internal rules will limit you from scoring multiple offers.
But with AA offering cards issued by both Barclays and Citi, that isn’t an issue … at least for a little while longer.
The reason for this unique dynamic is all thanks to American’s merger with U.S. Airways way back in 2013. At the time, American opted to keep its longstanding relationship with Citi intact, while also taking on U.S. Airways’ card partner, Barclays.
For over a decade, these two have co-existed, but those days are numbered as American is set to make Citi its only card partner beginning in 2026. And now, it looks like Barclays could be pulling the plug on its AA card early.
If so, travelers have less than two months left to earn some of the easiest airline miles of all. Simply put: No other bank has offered such a big bonus with a single purchase, making this a golden opportunity to add valuable AA miles before it’s too late.
Related reading: How to Quickly Earn 130,000+ AAdvantage Miles (& Why You Should)
AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard Card Benefits
Welcome Bonus Offer
While it’s not the biggest bonus we’ve ever seen on this card, it’s as easy as ever to earn. Buy breakfast, a newspaper, a pack of gum, or spend any amount of money on your new card, and you’ll earn 50,000 miles after making your first purchase (in the first 90 days of opening your card) and paying the card’s $99 annual fee in full.
With this card going away in the not-too-distant future, this is likely your last shot at earning an easy bonus. We wouldn’t hold out hope that the offer gets any bigger than this …
First Checked Bag Free
The primary cardmember and up to four companions (on the same itinerary) may check one bag free of charge when traveling domestically on flights operated by American Airlines. You don’t even need to pay for your flight with the card to get free bags.
However, note that caveat: This free bag benefit only applies to American domestic flights.
Preferred Boarding
For the primary cardmember and up to four companions that are booking on the same reservation for all American Airlines operated flights.
A Companion Certificate
Starting in year two, you can earn a companion certificate by spending $20,000 in a calendar year and keeping your account open for at least 45 days after your card renewal date. You’ll pay just $99 for your companion to tag along on the flight.
Onboard Wi-Fi credit
If you pay for in-flight Wi-Fi with the Aviator Mastercard, you will get up to $25 back in statement credits each year.
Earning AAdvantage miles
You’ll earn 2x the AAdvantage miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1x AAdvantage miles for every dollar spent on all other purchases.
25% Inflight Savings
You can get 25% back in the form of a statement credit for purchases of in-flight food and beverages. There is no limit to the number of times you can use this benefit.
$99 Annual Fee
The card has a $99 annual fee. From time to time we see offers that waive the fee for the first year but that isn’t the case this time around. You’ll have to pay that $99 fee straight away in order to get your big bonus.
How Far Can 50K American Miles Take You?
Whether your goal is to fly in some of the world’s best business & first-class seats or simply fly in economy for a very reasonable price, AA miles offer something for most travelers. Not only can you use them for flights on American, but you can also redeem them for incredible experiences for flights on their Oneworld alliance partners.
Want to fly in a Qatar Qsuite? Or how about flying Japan Airlines first class? AA is unique among the major domestic airlines in that it doesn’t charge more to redeem miles on partner airlines… at least for now. In our mind, this advantage alone makes American Airlines miles worth collecting.
So what can you do with them?
Qatar Airways Qsuites is widely considered the best business class seat in the world. These flights cost 70,000 AA miles one way from the U.S. You won’t find a nicer business-class product in the world, period. That means that with this sign-up bonus, you have almost enough miles to book a one-way flight all the way to the Middle East.
Qatar Airways has a massive network so it’s easy to get just about anywhere in the world if you have American Airlines miles. But, as is often the case in the world of points and miles, just because it is possible doesn’t mean you’ll be able to book it. There needs to be award availability to book, which often comes in waves … and unfortunately, it’s been slim-pickings for a while now.
Oneworld partner airlines Japan Airlines (JAL) and Cathay Pacific offer two of the best ways to fly business or first class to Asia. For example, a flight to Tokyo in Japan Airlines business class costs just 60,000 AAdvantage miles. That’s right: Buy a pack of gum or a coffee, and you’ll have almost enough miles to book a business-class flight to Japan.
Or if you prefer to stick closer to home, you can often score a great deal using AA miles to book domestic flights (or shorter international flights) flying American itself. Over the last few years, American Airlines has begun selling domestic flights for as low as 6,000 miles each way – down from a previous norm of 7,500 miles or even 12,500 miles.
It can be a bit tricky to find these fares – and will likely require some trial and error – but no matter if you’re flying from an AA hub like Phoenix (PHX) or Miami (MIA), or even a small regional airport like Sioux Falls, South Dakota (FSD), these low fares are out there and can save you a boatload of cash or miles.
Read more: The Best Ways to Redeem AAdvantage Miles
Bottom Line
Earning 50,000 miles after making a quick purchase and paying a modest $99 annual fee is pretty unbeatable. So unbeatable, that there might only be a few weeks left to take advantage! Rumor has it, the Barclays Aviator Red Card is going away, effective Sept. 30.
This makes now a great time to apply for this card while you still can. You simply won’t find an easier way to earn a big pile of miles!
