As of October 2025, the popular AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® — along with Barclays’ entire suite of American Airlines AAdvantage cards — will no longer be accepting applications, according to a Barclays spokesperson. The move had been widely expected after the announcement in late 2024 that Citi would become the exclusive issuer for American Airlines credit cards.
American Airlines has long offered co-branded AAdvantage credit cards from both Citi and Barclays, an uncommon scenario that resulted from the 2013 merger of American Airlines and US Airways. At that time, Citi issued American cards, and Barclays issued US Airways cards. Once the airlines combined, both issuers retained parts of the portfolio.
In the 2024 announcement, Citi said it would acquire Barclays’ suite of AAdvantage cards and that it planned to move existing Barclays cardholders to Citi products in 2026. Barclays says existing AAdvantage Aviator cardholders can continue using their cards and earning rewards until that transition, and that it will share more information on the transition with AAdvantage Aviator cardholders in the coming months.
The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® stood out from many other rewards cards thanks to its generous and exceptionally easy-to-earn welcome bonus. Bonus amounts varied, but the card allowed you to earn the full amount of miles after making just your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full within the first 90 days. With most other credit cards, you must first meet a specific spending threshold to earn a welcome bonus.
Other products in the AAdvantage Aviator family include the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Silver Mastercard®, the AAdvantage® Aviator® Blue World Elite Mastercard® and the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Mastercard® — all of which were previously available only as upgrades or downgrades from the Aviator Red.
Citi’s suite of American Airlines cards includes:
Here’s what the cards earn:
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• 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services, and on eligible American Airlines purchases. • 1 mile for every $1 spent on other purchases. |
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• 2 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants and on eligible American Airlines purchases. • 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases. • First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 4 traveling companions on your reservation. |
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•10 miles per $1 spent on eligible car rentals and hotels booked through AA. • 4 miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (5 miles per dollar after spending $150,000 in total on the card in a calendar year). • 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases. • First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 8 traveling companions on your reservation. • Admirals Club airport lounge membership and access for up to 2 guests or immediate family members traveling with the cardholder. |
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• 2 AAdvantage miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. • 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases. • First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 4 traveling companions on your reservation. |