Editor’s note: This is a recurring post with regularly updated card details.
The AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® from Barclays is an excellent travel card designed for business owners who fly primarily with American Airlines. You can earn rewards that can be used for free flights, and you’ll get to enjoy travel perks like a free checked bag, a companion certificate, preferred boarding, and discounted inflight purchases.
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®
BEST FOR:
Business owners who frequently fly American Airlines
- 2x AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 2x AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent at eligible office supply, telecom, and car rental purchases
- 1x AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent on all other purchases
- Earn 5% AAdvantage® mileage bonus every year after your account anniversary date based on the total number of miles earned
Pros
- Consolidated way of earning Loyalty Points
- Doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees
- With signup bonus
Cons
- Doesn’t offer 0% introductory APR
- Can only obtain rewards by flying with American Airlines and its partner airlines
- With annual fee
- First free checked bag: Get one free checked bag for you and up to four companions.
- Companion certificate: Receive one discounted companion ticket on each card anniversary after meeting spending requirements.
- Preferred boarding: You and up to four companions can board before economy boarding.
- In-flight discounts: You’ll receive a 25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases.
- 2x AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 2x AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent at eligible office supply, telecom, and car rental purchases
- 1x AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent on all other purchases
- Earn 5% AAdvantage® mileage bonus every year after your account anniversary date based on the total number of miles earned
Pros
- Consolidated way of earning Loyalty Points
- Doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees
- With signup bonus
Cons
- Doesn’t offer 0% introductory APR
- Can only obtain rewards by flying with American Airlines and its partner airlines
- With annual fee
- First free checked bag: Get one free checked bag for you and up to four companions.
- Companion certificate: Receive one discounted companion ticket on each card anniversary after meeting spending requirements.
- Preferred boarding: You and up to four companions can board before economy boarding.
- In-flight discounts: You’ll receive a 25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases.
When grading the best travel rewards credit cards, we give the most weight to introductory rewards, ongoing rewards, and additional features, as these features affect the value you’ll get from using the card. We also consider the card’s annual fee and the introductory and ongoing APRs.
| Grading Criteria | Card Score | Highest Possible Score |
|---|---|---|
Ongoing Rewards | 20 | 25 |
Introductory Rewards | 20 | 25 |
Additional Features | 20 | 25 |
Annual Fee | 13 | 15 |
Introductory APR | 0 | 5 |
Ongoing APR | 3 | 5 |
| Total Score | 70 | 100 |
Who the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Is Best For
- Business owners who fly frequently with American Airlines: Using the card lets you earn miles that can be redeemed for free flights with American Airlines.
- Business owners who travel with a checked bag: It offers one free checked bag each for the cardholder and up to four traveling companions on domestic itineraries operated by American Airlines.
If this card is not right for you, consider one of our recommended alternatives below.
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Rewards
- 50,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 90 days—plus, 10,000 bonus miles after adding an employee card within the first 30 days after the account is open and a purchase is made with the employee card within the first 90 days.
- 2x miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and at eligible office supply stores, telecom service providers, and car rental merchants
- 1x miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
- 5% mileage annual bonus based on the total number of miles earned on your account anniversary date
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Rewards Calculator
Do you want to know how much you can earn from AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®? Use our rewards calculator below to compute your potential rewards based on your projected monthly expenses per expense category. Input your expected monthly spending on each category and let our calculator do the rest.
Miles are worth approximately 1.5 cents each when redeemed for American Airlines flights. However, the value of your miles may vary depending on how they are redeemed.
How To Redeem AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Rewards
American Airlines manages the AAdvantage® rewards program, so you can only redeem miles through its website. You can redeem your miles for flights, seat upgrades, Main Cabin seat reservations, Admirals Club® membership, car rentals, hotel stays, vacation packages, and luxury experiences. You also have the option to donate your miles to American Airlines partner organizations.
Keep in mind that miles are typically worth around 1.5 cents each, but this value may vary depending on how they are used. It’s best to call American Airlines at (800) 433-7300 or visit its website at aa.com/redeem for more information.
AAdvantage® Loyalty Points & AAdvantage® Status
For every eligible mile you receive, you also earn 1x AAdvantage® Loyalty Points. You can use your Loyalty Points toward earning status levels, which provide additional benefits when you travel. In general, using your card will help you reach a higher AAdvantage® status level faster.
There are four tiers—Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Executive Platinum—which are categorized by the number of loyalty points you earned. As you climb levels, you earn additional miles on base flight miles when you travel with American Airlines and its partners.
AAdvantage® Status | Loyalty Points Required | Additional Miles Earned per Dollar |
|---|---|---|
AAdvantage Gold® | 40,000 | 7 |
AAdvantage Platinum® | 75,000 | 8 |
AAdvantage Platinum Pro® | 125,000 | 9 |
AAdvantage Executive Platinum® | 200,000 | 11 |
Starting March 2023, AAdvantage® introduced new levels and rewards even before reaching status. These reward levels include bonus miles, systemwide upgrades, and gifting of AAdvantage® statuses. Learn more about these new reward levels and their corresponding benefits and rewards by heading over to the AAdvantage®’s Loyalty Points Rewards web page.
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Features
Travel Perks
- First checked bag free: You and up to four companions can check one bag each when traveling on domestic itineraries that are managed by American Airlines.
- Preferred boarding: You and up to four companions on the same reservation can enjoy preferred boarding when you fly with American Airlines.
- 25% inflight savings: Cardholders will receive this as a statement credit on food and beverages when using the card on American Airlines-operated flights.
- Domestic Companion Certificate: If you spend $30,000 on eligible purchases, you’ll receive a Companion Certificate for one guest at $99 after your account anniversary.
Other Features
- Complimentary employee cards: You can get your employees’ cards for free, helping you earn miles faster and control business spending.
- $0 fraud liability protection: You’re protected against possible fraudulent transactions and aren’t held responsible for charges you didn’t authorize.
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Fees
APRs
- Introductory: None
- Ongoing for purchases and balance transfers: 21.24% or 30.24% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
- Cash advance: 30.49% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
Fees
- Minimum finance charge: $1
- Annual: $95
- Balance transfer: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Cash advance: Either $10 or 3% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
- Foreign transaction: None
- Late payment:
- $19 for account balances less than $250
- $39 for balances of $250 or higher
- Returned payment: $39
- Over the credit line: None
- Electronic payment: $15
- Administrative:
- $3 for a statement copy
- $5 for other documents
- $15 per hour for research
Your due date is at least 20 days for purchases from the Closing Date on your periodic statement, provided you pay your previous balance in full by the due date.
- Barclays App: Similar to its online banking counterpart, cardholders can set up credit card payments through the Barclays App, which is available for iOS and Android devices. You can also set up recurring payments by inputting the payment date, amount, and account for each automatic payment.
- Call: Contact (877) 523-0478 and follow the prompts to get a successful payment.
- Mail: Send your payments through either of the following addresses:
Card Services
PO Box 60517
City of Industry, CA 91716-0517
Card Services
PO Box 13337
Philadelphia, PA 19101-3337
- Overnight credit card payments: Use specific labels and envelopes through UPS or mailboxes (FedEx or United States mail), then send them to either of the following addresses:
Remitco
Card Services
Lock Box 60517
2525 Corporate Pl., Ste. 250
Monterey Park, CA 91754
Card Services
400 White Clay Center Dr.
Newark, DE 19711
When To Consider AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Alternatives
You Need a 0% APR Period
One of the drawbacks of the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® is that it doesn’t offer a zero-interest financing option on purchases. If you’re planning to make a large purchase, consider a business travel credit card that offers a 0% APR period, like the Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard®.
Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card
BEST FOR:
Earning top rewards on travel purchases booked through Bank of America Travel Center
9 billing cycles
- Earn 30,000 online bonus points after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening which can be redeemed for a $300 statement credit towards travel or dining purchases.
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases everywhere, every time-no matter how much you spend.
- No limit to the amount of points you can earn and points don't expire.
- You can earn up to 75% more points on every purchase, if you have a business checking account with Bank of America and qualify for our highest Preferred Rewards for Business tier. That means you could earn up to an unlimited 2.62 points per $1 spent on all purchases.
- No annual fee and no international transaction fees.
- Choose how to redeem points for a statement credit to offset travel and dining purchases, travel with no blackout dates at the Bank of America® Travel Center, for cash back or gift cards.
- 0% Introductory APR on purchases for your first 9 billing cycles. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 18.49% to 28.49% will apply.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This offer may not be available if you leave this page or visit our website. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Pros
- No annual fee: By not having to pay an annual fee, you can reduce your overall credit card cost while earning unlimited rewards on your expenses.
- No blackout dates on travel: You can redeem your points for travel or travel credits through the Bank of America® Travel Center anytime, with no blackout dates.
- 3x points on travel: You can earn 3x points for every dollar spent when you book your travel (car, hotel, or airline) through the Bank of America® Travel Center.
- Welcome bonus points: If you can spend $3,000 in net purchases within 90 days of opening an account, you will earn 30,000 bonus points.
Cons
- Low ongoing rewards on nontravel: While you can earn high rewards points on travel, you can only earn 1.5x points on all other purchases.
- Short 0% APR introductory period: This is a disadvantage if you need a longer 0% APR period.
- No 0% APR on balance transfers: The introductory APR only applies to purchases
- Bank of America doesn’t disclose details of its additional card features. To find out more about these additional features, review your guide to benefits when you receive your card in the mail.
9 billing cycles
- Earn 30,000 online bonus points after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening which can be redeemed for a $300 statement credit towards travel or dining purchases.
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases everywhere, every time-no matter how much you spend.
- No limit to the amount of points you can earn and points don't expire.
- You can earn up to 75% more points on every purchase, if you have a business checking account with Bank of America and qualify for our highest Preferred Rewards for Business tier. That means you could earn up to an unlimited 2.62 points per $1 spent on all purchases.
- No annual fee and no international transaction fees.
- Choose how to redeem points for a statement credit to offset travel and dining purchases, travel with no blackout dates at the Bank of America® Travel Center, for cash back or gift cards.
- 0% Introductory APR on purchases for your first 9 billing cycles. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 18.49% to 28.49% will apply.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This offer may not be available if you leave this page or visit our website. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Pros
- No annual fee: By not having to pay an annual fee, you can reduce your overall credit card cost while earning unlimited rewards on your expenses.
- No blackout dates on travel: You can redeem your points for travel or travel credits through the Bank of America® Travel Center anytime, with no blackout dates.
- 3x points on travel: You can earn 3x points for every dollar spent when you book your travel (car, hotel, or airline) through the Bank of America® Travel Center.
- Welcome bonus points: If you can spend $3,000 in net purchases within 90 days of opening an account, you will earn 30,000 bonus points.
Cons
- Low ongoing rewards on nontravel: While you can earn high rewards points on travel, you can only earn 1.5x points on all other purchases.
- Short 0% APR introductory period: This is a disadvantage if you need a longer 0% APR period.
- No 0% APR on balance transfers: The introductory APR only applies to purchases
- Bank of America doesn’t disclose details of its additional card features. To find out more about these additional features, review your guide to benefits when you receive your card in the mail.
- Offers 0% APR on purchases for the first nine billing cycles
- Lets you earn up to 3x points, which you can redeem toward travel, travel credits, or for cash back in the form of a statement credit, a deposit into your Bank of America checking or savings account, or a check by mail
- Provides free access to your business credit score
- Charges no annual or foreign transaction fees
It is one of our leading business credit cards for travel due to its generous rewards program and low-cost maintenance.
You Are Not Loyal to American Airlines
If you travel frequently for business but are not loyal to American Airlines, you may need a credit card that rewards your travel purchases on where you fly the most. For example, if you prefer to fly with Southwest Airlines, you’ll benefit more from a co-branded Southwest credit card, like the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card from Chase.
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
BEST FOR:
Those who fly Southwest Airlines frequently
- Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
- Earn 3X points on Southwest Airlines® purchases.
- Earn 2X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
- Earn 2X points on rideshare.
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
- Member FDIC
Pros
- Offers the best rewards for Southwest purchases as compared to other Southwest cards
- Does not charge foreign transaction fees
- With sign-up bonus
Cons
- Charge high annual fees
- No 0% introductory period on purchases and balance transfers
- Baggage delay insurance: Get covered if your checked luggage is delayed or misdirected by a carrier for more than six hours. You and your immediate family members will be eligible for a $100-per-day benefit for up to three days.
- Purchase protection: Get covered against damage or theft for new purchases for 120 days—coverage is up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Extended warranty protection: Extends warranty to up to one additional year on warranties of three years or less.
- Earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
- Earn 3X points on Southwest Airlines® purchases.
- Earn 2X points on Rapid Rewards® hotel and car rental partners.
- Earn 2X points on rideshare.
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- 2 EarlyBird Check-In® each year.
- Member FDIC
Pros
- Offers the best rewards for Southwest purchases as compared to other Southwest cards
- Does not charge foreign transaction fees
- With sign-up bonus
Cons
- Charge high annual fees
- No 0% introductory period on purchases and balance transfers
- Baggage delay insurance: Get covered if your checked luggage is delayed or misdirected by a carrier for more than six hours. You and your immediate family members will be eligible for a $100-per-day benefit for up to three days.
- Purchase protection: Get covered against damage or theft for new purchases for 120 days—coverage is up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Extended warranty protection: Extends warranty to up to one additional year on warranties of three years or less.
- Lets you earn up to 3x points per dollar on your purchases, which you can redeem for a Southwest Airlines flight, hotel stays, car rentals, Rapid Rewards Access Events, gift cards, merchandise, and international flights
- Lets you check in your first and second bags for free
- Offers 25% back on Southwest Airlines inflight purchases for drinks and Wi-Fi
- Comes with a low annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
You Want Luxury Travel Perks
While the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® offers lucrative rewards and travel benefits, it lacks travel perks complimentary access to airport lounges and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® fee credit. If you appreciate luxury travel and don’t mind paying a high annual fee in exchange, you’ll find the American Express Business Platinum Card® more suitable for your needs.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
BEST FOR:
Gaining access to unrivaled travel rewards and luxury travel perks like airport lounge access
- Welcome Offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
- Unlock over $1,000 in annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline to your Card.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Business Platinum Card®.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
Pros
- Premium travel rewards
- Free access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Balance is due in full monthly
- High annual fee
- American Express lounges: Free access to American Express’ network of Centurion lounges located in slightly less than a dozen United States airports.
- Other airport lounges: Priority Pass Select membership, which gets you free access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide for you and two guests.
- Airport screening: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry every four years or an $85 statement credit for TSA PreCheck® once every 4 1/2 years.
- Travel credit: Up to $200 annual statement credit toward air travel expenses like baggage fees and inflight food and drink.
- Rental status: Elite status at a number of car rental agencies.
- Free Wi-Fi: 10 annual free Gogo inflight Wi-Fi passes.
- Rebate for redeemed points: 35% points rebate if you book a business or first-class flight, up to 500,000 bonus points per calendar year.
- Dell statement credit: Up to $400 in statement credits annually for Dell purchases.
- Welcome Offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
- Unlock over $1,000 in annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline to your Card.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Business Platinum Card®.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
Pros
- Premium travel rewards
- Free access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Balance is due in full monthly
- High annual fee
- American Express lounges: Free access to American Express’ network of Centurion lounges located in slightly less than a dozen United States airports.
- Other airport lounges: Priority Pass Select membership, which gets you free access to more than 1,300 lounges worldwide for you and two guests.
- Airport screening: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry every four years or an $85 statement credit for TSA PreCheck® once every 4 1/2 years.
- Travel credit: Up to $200 annual statement credit toward air travel expenses like baggage fees and inflight food and drink.
- Rental status: Elite status at a number of car rental agencies.
- Free Wi-Fi: 10 annual free Gogo inflight Wi-Fi passes.
- Rebate for redeemed points: 35% points rebate if you book a business or first-class flight, up to 500,000 bonus points per calendar year.
- Dell statement credit: Up to $400 in statement credits annually for Dell purchases.
- Lets you access more than 1,400 airport lounges worldwide
- Offers up to 5x points per dollar on your purchases, which you can use as a statement credit or for travel and gift cards
- Offers over $1,000 in statement credits for business tools and software
- Lets you enjoy other perks like travel credits, airline bonuses, and baggage insurance plans
Because of its generous travel benefits, it is our top-recommended business credit card with airport lounge access.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
For miles earned from your travels with American Airlines, miles are credited to your account within one to three days from your date of travel. For other transactions, miles earned generally are credited within 30 days or longer.
Yes, you can use your miles to book travel on many partner airlines. Go to the American Airlines app or visit the American Airlines website to find a list of partner airlines. Keep in mind that some airlines, like British Airways and Iberia, have additional charges for award travel. These fees will vary depending on your chosen flight, origin, and destination.
The application is available online. You will need to provide your personal and business information, including your legal entity type, years in business, number of employees, annual revenue, and nature of business. You’ll also need to provide your Social Security number. In general, you’ll need a good to excellent personal credit score to qualify.
Bottom Line
In general, the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® is ideal for business owners who fly with American Airlines and its partner airlines regularly. It allows you to earn rewards that can be used for free flights. With regular use, it can help you eventually reach a higher AAdvantage® Status, which can help increase the miles you earn on your purchases. If you need additional options, visit our guides to the best Barclays business credit cards and the top small business credit cards.
