CardRewardsEditorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Our analysis is based on publicly available card data and is reviewed regularly by our editorial team. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content. Last updated: May 2026.
Ranked by effective value per dollar at American Airlines — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard earns the top spot for American Airlines purchases at 3.9¢ per dollar — a $350 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against American Airlines purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Citi
Ranked by effective value per dollar at American Airlines — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard earns the top spot for American Airlines purchases at 3.9¢ per dollar — a $350 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against American Airlines purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Citi
Ranked by effective value per dollar at American Airlines — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard earns the top spot for American Airlines purchases at 3.9¢ per dollar — a $350 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against American Airlines purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Citi
Amex
Capital One
Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard earns 3.9¢ per dollar at American Airlines, the highest in our database. The $350 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Flights Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi / AAdvantage Globe MastercardCiti | 3x American Aadvantage | 3.9¢/$ | $350 | $100 | mastercard |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 5x Membership Rewards | 9.0¢/$ | $895 | $697.50 | amex |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 9.3¢/$ | $395 | — | visa |
| Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MastercardCiti | 2x American Aadvantage | 2.6¢/$ | $99 | — | mastercard |
| Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite MastercardCiti | 4x American Aadvantage | 5.2¢/$ | $595 | $111 | mastercard |
| American Airlines AAdvantage MileUpCiti | 2x American Aadvantage | 2.6¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 4x Ultimate Rewards | 7.2¢/$ | $795 | $518 | visa |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Credit CardWells Fargo | 4x Wells Fargo Rewards | 6.0¢/$ | $95 | — | visa |
| Chase Freedom FlexChase | 5x Ultimate Rewards | 5.4¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $597.50 | mastercard |
Other brands in Airlines where the top picks above also earn well.
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Open in full search with filters →Amex
Capital One
Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard earns 3.9¢ per dollar at American Airlines, the highest in our database. The $350 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Flights Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi / AAdvantage Globe MastercardCiti | 3x American Aadvantage | 3.9¢/$ | $350 | $100 | mastercard |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 5x Membership Rewards | 9.0¢/$ | $895 | $697.50 | amex |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 9.3¢/$ | $395 | — | visa |
| Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MastercardCiti | 2x American Aadvantage | 2.6¢/$ | $99 | — | mastercard |
| Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite MastercardCiti | 4x American Aadvantage | 5.2¢/$ | $595 | $111 | mastercard |
| American Airlines AAdvantage MileUpCiti | 2x American Aadvantage | 2.6¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 4x Ultimate Rewards | 7.2¢/$ | $795 | $518 | visa |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Credit CardWells Fargo | 4x Wells Fargo Rewards | 6.0¢/$ | $95 | — | visa |
| Chase Freedom FlexChase | 5x Ultimate Rewards | 5.4¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $597.50 | mastercard |
Other brands in Airlines where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →Amex
Capital One
Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard earns 3.9¢ per dollar at American Airlines, the highest in our database. The $350 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Flights Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi / AAdvantage Globe MastercardCiti | 3x American Aadvantage | 3.9¢/$ | $350 | $100 | mastercard |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 5x Membership Rewards | 9.0¢/$ | $895 | $697.50 | amex |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 5x Venture Miles | 9.3¢/$ | $395 | — | visa |
| Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MastercardCiti | 2x American Aadvantage | 2.6¢/$ | $99 | — | mastercard |
| Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite MastercardCiti | 4x American Aadvantage | 5.2¢/$ | $595 | $111 | mastercard |
| American Airlines AAdvantage MileUpCiti | 2x American Aadvantage | 2.6¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 4x Ultimate Rewards | 7.2¢/$ | $795 | $518 | visa |
| Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Visa Credit CardWells Fargo | 4x Wells Fargo Rewards | 6.0¢/$ | $95 | — | visa |
| Chase Freedom FlexChase | 5x Ultimate Rewards | 5.4¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $597.50 | mastercard |
Other brands in Airlines where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →