American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Card: Earn 15K Miles + $100 Credit With No Annual Fee

The American Airlines AAdvantage^® MileUp^® has long been the easiest way into the AAdvantage program without paying an annual fee. It just picked up a better welcome offer, with no increase to the spending requirement.

If you fly American occasionally and want to start building up your AAdvantage miles, this offer is worth a look.

New Welcome Offer on the AAdvantage MileUp Card

New applicants for the AAdvantage MileUp card can earn 15,000 bonus miles and a $100 statement credit after making $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

Compare that to the old offer, which provided 15,000 bonus miles after the same $1,000 in spending. You’re now getting an extra $100 back for hitting the exact same target, so there’s little reason to pass it up if you’ve been eyeing this card.

American Airlines AAdvantage^® MileUp^®

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Earn 2x miles per dollar spent on American Airlines flights and at grocery stores, all without needing to pay an annual fee.

All information about American Airlines AAdvantage^® MileUp^® has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

American Airlines AAdvantage^® MileUp^®

Earn 2x miles per dollar spent on American Airlines flights and at grocery stores, all without needing to pay an annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage^® bonus miles and a $100 statement credit after making $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

15,000 miles + $100 statement credit

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$310

Annual Fee

$0

APR

19.74% to 29.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Airlines AAdvantage^® MileUp^® is perfectly suited for those looking for a way to earn more American Airlines miles and earn Loyalty Points, all with a $0 annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 2x miles per $1 on American Airlines and grocery store purchases
• 1x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases

Cons

• Other cards are more rewarding for frequent American Airlines flyers
• Charges a 3% foreign transaction fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage^® bonus miles and a $100 statement credit after making $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from date of account opening for balance transfers only. After that the variable APR will be 19.74% – 29.74%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
• Balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each credit card balance transfer, whichever is greater. Balance Transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
• No Annual Fee
• Earn 2 AAdvantage^® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services
• Earn 2 AAdvantage^® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
• Save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases when you use your card on American Airlines flights

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% to 29.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%

We value AAdvantage miles at 1.4 cents each, which puts those 15,000 miles at $210 in value. Add the $100 statement credit, and the whole offer is worth roughly $310 — not bad for a card that costs you nothing to keep. The $1,000 spending requirement is also far gentler than the $3,000 to $5,000 you’ll find on premium travel cards, so most people can clear it with everyday spending.

Benefits of the AAdvantage MileUp Card

The AAdvantage MileUp card earns 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases and 2 miles per $1 at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services. Everything else earns 1 mile per $1 spent. A 2x rate on groceries is unusual for a $0-annual-fee airline card, and it’s where many cardholders will pile up miles between trips.

You’ll also save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases when you pay with the card, and there’s no cap on the miles you can earn. Add authorized users at no extra cost, and their spending earns miles, too.

There’s an elite-status angle as well. Every eligible mile you earn also counts as 1 Loyalty Point toward AAdvantage elite status, so regular spending nudges you up the ladder even when you’re not flying much. It won’t fast-track you to a top tier, but it helps.

Final Thoughts

If you fly American occasionally and want a no-annual-fee option to earn AAdvantage miles, the AAdvantage MileUp card is an easy call right now. The welcome offer is better than it used to be, the spending requirement is low, and you keep earning 2x on groceries long after the bonus is gone.

For a card with a $0 annual fee, that’s a lot to like.