AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Review
Tricia has nearly two decades of experience in commercial and federal government lending. Her expertise is highlighted throughout small business loan content on Fit Small Business.
Nancy Fernandez is a Credit Card and Insurance Expert at Fit Small Business, specializing in business credit cards and business insurance.
This article is part of a larger series on Best Small Business Credit Cards.
The AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® from Barclays is an excellent travel card designed for business owners who fly primarily with American Airlines. This small business credit card offers rewards that can be used for free flights and travel perks like a free checked bag, a companion certificate, preferred boarding, and discounted inflight purchases.
If you wish to compare one card over another, select a maximum of three cards on this page and click Add to compare to view the details in a side-by-side comparison.
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®
Fit Small Business's ratings are calculated by industry experts of our editorial team. Our grading rubric considers the type of credit card (such as cash back or travel), and the card's rates, fees, rewards, and additional features like insurance.
BEST FOR:
Business owners that frequently fly American Airlines
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
18.24% or 27.24% Variable
Annual Fee
$95
Credit Needed
Good - Excellent
- 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
- Generous welcome offer
- Consolidated way of earning loyalty points
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- No interest-free financing option
- Can only obtain rewards by flying with American Airlines and its partner airlines
- Charges an 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, each card anniversary after meeting spending requirements.
- Preferred boarding: You and o to four companions can board before economy boarding.
- In-flight discounts: You’ll receive a 25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases.
- AAdvantage Elite status benefits: Earn Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs) that can be applied toward American Airlines tiered elite statuses and benefits including upgrades and free checked bags.
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
18.24% or 27.24% Variable
Annual Fee
$95
Credit Needed
Good - Excellent
- 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
- Generous welcome offer
- Consolidated way of earning loyalty points
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- No interest-free financing option
- Can only obtain rewards by flying with American Airlines and its partner airlines
- Charges an 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, each card anniversary after meeting spending requirements.
- Preferred boarding: You and o to four companions can board before economy boarding.
- In-flight discounts: You’ll receive a 25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases.
- AAdvantage Elite status benefits: Earn Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs) that can be applied toward American Airlines tiered elite statuses and benefits including upgrades and free checked bags.
How We Evaluate Travel Rewards Business Credit Cards
When evaluating 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 by using the card the most. We also consider the annual fee and the introductory and ongoing annual percentage rates (APRs).
| Grading Criteria | Card Score | Highest Possible Score |
|---|---|---|
Ongoing Rewards | 15 | 25 |
Introductory Rewards | 25 | 25 |
Additional Features | 20 | 25 |
Annual Fee | 15 | 15 |
Introductory APR | 0 | 5 |
Ongoing APR | 3 | 5 |
| Total Score | 78 | 100 |
Who the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Is Best For
- You fly with American Airlines and its partner airlines frequently: The card offers travel rewards that can be redeemed for free flights, and it lets you save up to 25% on inflight food and beverages.
- Those who travel with a checked-in bag: It offers one free checked bag for the cardholder and up to four eligible companions.
If you think this card doesn’t fit your business needs, then see our guide to the best small business credit cards. Alternatively, you may want to head over to our Credit Card Marketplace to see our evaluation of other business credit cards.
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Fees
APR
- Introductory APR: None
- Ongoing APR for purchases and balance transfers: 17.49% or 26.49% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
- Cash advance APR: 26.74% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
- Due date: 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.
Fees
- Minimum finance charge: $1
- Annual fee: $95
- Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Cash advance fee: Either $10 or 3% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater
- Foreign transaction fee: 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 statement copy; $5 for other documents; $15 for research per hour
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Rewards
- Welcome offer: 80,000 bonus AAdvantage® miles and a $90 statement credit after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days
- 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
- 5% AAdvantage® mileage bonus every year after your account anniversary date; based on the total
- 10% discount on non-flight components purchased with your card through the unique American Airlines Vacations website (exclusively for Aviator cardmembers)
You can earn and redeem miles from American Airlines’ oneworld® airline partners:
Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian Airlines, and SriLankan Airlines. You may check the full list of airlines that enable you to earn and redeem miles.
AAdvantage® Status
Using your card will help you reach AAdvantage® status faster. There are four tiers—Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, and Executive Platinum—which are categorized by the number of loyalty points. As you climb levels, you earn additional miles on base flight miles when you travel with American Airlines and its partners. You earn 1 Loyalty Point for every eligible Aadvantage® Mile earned after using an AAdvantage credit card or from identified partners.
As an AAdvantage® Member, you can earn 5 miles per dollar. When you earn more Loyalty Points, you get a higher number of miles per dollar, which is illustrated in the table below:
AAdvantage® Status | Loyalty Points Required | Additional Miles Earned Per Dollar |
|---|---|---|
AAdvantage Gold® | 30,000 | 7 |
AAdvantage Platinum® | 75,000 | 8 |
AAdvantage Platinum Pro® | 125,000 | 9 |
AAdvantage Executive Platinum® | 200,000 | 11 |
As of March 2022, you can unlock Loyalty Choice Rewards once you qualify for AAdvantage Platinum Pro® or higher and have flown a minimum of 30 times. This includes five levels, with corresponding loyalty points cardholders need to obtain. Some of the benefits cardholders get once they reach Loyalty Choice Reward Status are:
- Admirals Club® One Day Pass
- AAdvantage® bonus miles
- Systemwide upgrades and more
How To Make Payments on the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®
- Online: Log in to your Barclays credit card account online and select “Payments” from the main navigation menu, then select “Make a Payment.”
For first-time users, you’ll need to link your Barclays credit card account with an eligible checking or savings account to make payments. Select “Add a bank account” and input your account details.
You have the liberty to pay the minimum amount due, the full statement balance, or the current statement balance, or you can enter another amount of your choosing. Note that the cut-off time for same-day payments is 11:59 p.m. Eastern time or 7 p.m. ET if payment was made on your statement cycle date.
- Barclays App: Similar to its online banking counterpart, cardholders can set up their credit card payments through the Barclays App, which is available on both App Store and Google Play. You can also set up repeat payments by inputting the payment date, amount, and payment account to be used for each automatic payment.
- Call: Contact (877) 523-0478 and ensure to follow the prompts to get a successful payment.
- Mail: Send your payments through the following addresses:
Card Services
PO Box 60517
City of Industry, CA 91716-0517
Card Services
P.O. 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:
Remitco
Card Services
Lock Box 60517
2525 Corporate Place, Suite 250
Monterey Park, CA 91754
Card Services
400 White Clay Center Dr.
Newark, DE 19711
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Features
The rewards system of the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®, coupled with its safety and security features, makes the card a good choice for your business. We categorized its features into Travel Benefits and Safety and Security.
Travel Benefits
- First checked bag free: This will be made available for you and up to four companions on eligible bags when traveling on domestic itineraries that are managed by American Airlines.
- Preferred boarding: This applies to you and up to four companions on your reservation when you fly with American Airlines.
- 25% inflight savings: Cardholders will receive this as a statement credit on food and beverages when you use your card on American Airlines-operated flights.
- Domestic Companion Certificate: Earn a Companion Certificate for one guest at $99, including taxes and fees, after spending $30,000 on purchases and maintaining your account for 45 days after your anniversary date.
Safety & Security
- Complimentary employee cards: You can get your employees cards, 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 that you didn’t authorize.
Pros & Cons of the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Generous welcome offer: It offers 80,000 bonus AAdvantage® miles and a $95 statement credit when you spend $2,000 within the first three months of opening an account. | No interest-free financing option: It lacks interest-free financing, meaning it’s best you avoid making large business purchases. |
| Consolidated way of earning loyalty points: Barclays made it easier for cardholders to earn loyalty points through its AAdvantage® Status. For every AAdvantage® mile earned from qualifying purchases, you’ll earn one Loyalty Point. | Can only obtain rewards by flying with American Airlines and its partner airlines: Getting the maximum rewards can only be obtained if you fly with either American Airlines or its airline partners. |
| No foreign transaction fees: You can make purchases outside the US without having to pay overseas transaction fees. | Charges an annual fee: You have to pay $95 each year. |
| Limited travel benefits: This card doesn’t provide airport lounge access, Global Entry, and TSA PreCheck® application fee reimbursement among others. | |
| Low rewards rate: The ongoing rewards are relatively low as compared to other airline-specific business credit cards. | |
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Alternatives
Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business
Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business is our top business credit card for miles due to its unlimited 2x miles on every purchase, with no blackouts or seat restrictions and no minimum miles to redeem. It also has a welcome offer of 50,000 bonus miles after spending $4,500 within the first three months after account opening.
Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business
Fit Small Business's ratings are calculated by industry experts of our editorial team. Our grading rubric considers the type of credit card (such as cash back or travel), and the card's rates, fees, rewards, and additional features like insurance.
BEST FOR:
Unlimited 2x miles with every swipe
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
22.49% (Variable)
Annual Fee
$0 intro for first year; $95 after that
Credit Needed
Excellent, Good
- Introductory reward worth $500 in travel after you spend $4,500 within the first three months
- 2x miles per $1 spent
- Issue employee cards for free
Pros
- No foreign transaction fees
- TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry application fee credit
Cons
- You’ll pay an annual fee after the first year
- Doesn’t offer interest-free financing
- Airport security screening reimbursement: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or an $85 statement credit for TSA PreCheck® once every four years.
- Purchase assurance: Most purchases made entirely with your card are covered if damaged or stolen within 90 days from the date of purchase. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder account per 12 month period.
- Extended warranty coverage: Doubles the original warranty time period and duplicates the coverage of the original manufacturer’s warranty up to a maximum of 12 months on most items you purchase.
- Travel medical emergency assistance: Provide referrals to medical services if you have a medical emergency while traveling. You’re covered if you’re 100 or more miles away from home and from the day you leave until midnight of the 60th day of your trip, or the day you return to your city of residence, whichever is sooner.
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
22.49% (Variable)
Annual Fee
$0 intro for first year; $95 after that
Credit Needed
Excellent, Good
- Introductory reward worth $500 in travel after you spend $4,500 within the first three months
- 2x miles per $1 spent
- Issue employee cards for free
Pros
- No foreign transaction fees
- TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry application fee credit
Cons
- You’ll pay an annual fee after the first year
- Doesn’t offer interest-free financing
- Airport security screening reimbursement: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or an $85 statement credit for TSA PreCheck® once every four years.
- Purchase assurance: Most purchases made entirely with your card are covered if damaged or stolen within 90 days from the date of purchase. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder account per 12 month period.
- Extended warranty coverage: Doubles the original warranty time period and duplicates the coverage of the original manufacturer’s warranty up to a maximum of 12 months on most items you purchase.
- Travel medical emergency assistance: Provide referrals to medical services if you have a medical emergency while traveling. You’re covered if you’re 100 or more miles away from home and from the day you leave until midnight of the 60th day of your trip, or the day you return to your city of residence, whichever is sooner.
American Express Business Platinum Card®
American Express Business Platinum Card® made it to our list of the best small business credit cards due to its high rewards rate. When you use the card on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, you receive 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. What’s more, for 12 months after opening an account, it has an interest-free financing option of 0% APR on purchases eligible for Pay Over Time.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Fit Small Business's ratings are calculated by industry experts of our editorial team. Our grading rubric considers the type of credit card (such as cash back or travel), and the card's rates, fees, rewards, and additional features like insurance.
BEST FOR:
Gaining access to unrivaled travel rewards and luxury travel perks like airport lounge access
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
17.24% - 25.24% Variable
Annual Fee
$695
Credit Needed
Good, Excellent
- 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.
- Get 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 eligible purchases 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 checked baggage fees, lounge day passes, and more at one selected airline.
- $189 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $189 back per year on your CLEAR® membership. CLEAR® is available at more than 50 U.S. airports and stadiums.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more lounge location options than any other credit card on the market as of 9/2021.
- $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 $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.
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
17.24% - 25.24% Variable
Annual Fee
$695
Credit Needed
Good, Excellent
- 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.
- Get 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 eligible purchases 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 checked baggage fees, lounge day passes, and more at one selected airline.
- $189 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $189 back per year on your CLEAR® membership. CLEAR® is available at more than 50 U.S. airports and stadiums.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more lounge location options than any other credit card on the market as of 9/2021.
- $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 $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.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Mastercard®, one of our leading business credit cards for miles, is a great alternative for those who travel with American Airlines frequently and want to collect as many mileage points as possible. While it may not have an interest-free financing option, it offers the same benefits as the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®. Note that you need to secure a good credit status to qualify.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
Fit Small Business's ratings are calculated by industry experts of our editorial team. Our grading rubric considers the type of credit card (such as cash back or travel), and the card's rates, fees, rewards, and additional features like insurance.
BEST FOR:
Frequent American Airlines flyers who want premium airline perks
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
18.24% to 27.24% Variable
Annual Fee
$0 for the first year, then $99
Credit Needed
Good - Excellent
- 2 AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 2 AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants, and gas stations
- 1 AAdvantage® mile for every dollar spent on all other purchases
- Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible Aadvantage® mile earned from purchases
Pros
- Provides travel perks with American Airlines
- No mileage cap
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- With annual fees
- 2x AAdvantage® Miles are limited to select business categories and merchants
- Limited travel benefits
- Free checked bag: Eligible CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® cardholders may check one bag free of charge when traveling on domestic itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines or as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines Inc., Mesa Airlines Inc., PSA Airlines Inc., or Piedmont Airlines Inc.
- Preferred boarding: This benefit will apply to cardholders within seven days prior to air travel. A maximum of four traveling companions listed on the same reservation as the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® cardholder are eligible to board at the same time.
- 25% savings on in-flight food, beverage and Wi-Fi: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® cardholders can save up to 25% on food, beverages, and Wi-Fi when using the credit card on American Airlines flights.
- American Airlines Companion Certificate: Cardholders can earn an American Airlines Companion Certificate for domestic main cabin travel after spending $30,000 or more in purchases for each card membership year and card membership is renewed. It should be noted that if you wish to redeem the certificate, it will cost $99 for the ticketing fee plus $21.60 to $43.20 in government taxes and fees, based on the itinerary.
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
18.24% to 27.24% Variable
Annual Fee
$0 for the first year, then $99
Credit Needed
Good - Excellent
- 2 AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 2 AAdvantage® miles for every dollar spent on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants, and gas stations
- 1 AAdvantage® mile for every dollar spent on all other purchases
- Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible Aadvantage® mile earned from purchases
Pros
- Provides travel perks with American Airlines
- No mileage cap
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- With annual fees
- 2x AAdvantage® Miles are limited to select business categories and merchants
- Limited travel benefits
- Free checked bag: Eligible CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® cardholders may check one bag free of charge when traveling on domestic itineraries marketed and operated by American Airlines or as American Eagle® flights by Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines Inc., Mesa Airlines Inc., PSA Airlines Inc., or Piedmont Airlines Inc.
- Preferred boarding: This benefit will apply to cardholders within seven days prior to air travel. A maximum of four traveling companions listed on the same reservation as the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® cardholder are eligible to board at the same time.
- 25% savings on in-flight food, beverage and Wi-Fi: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® cardholders can save up to 25% on food, beverages, and Wi-Fi when using the credit card on American Airlines flights.
- American Airlines Companion Certificate: Cardholders can earn an American Airlines Companion Certificate for domestic main cabin travel after spending $30,000 or more in purchases for each card membership year and card membership is renewed. It should be noted that if you wish to redeem the certificate, it will cost $99 for the ticketing fee plus $21.60 to $43.20 in government taxes and fees, based on the itinerary.
Bottom Line
The AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®, a foreign transaction fee-free card, is best 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, and with AAdvantage® Status, using the card can help you increase the miles earned for more rewards.
If this isn’t the card you’re looking for, visit our Credit Card Marketplace to find one that fits the bill.
