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In October 2023, Barclays closed applications for the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®, and applications haven't reopened since then. Small business owners wanting to earn AAdvantage miles should consider the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® instead. Or, here's a list of the best small business credit card offers currently available.
The AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® is one of two small-business credit cards for the AAdvantage program (the other being the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®, which we'll compare to this card below).
Although the Aviator Business from Barclays is not the most rewarding ever seen, it is still a great all-around card. It provides a wide range of benefits to improve your travels, help you earn American Airlines miles, and help you earn Loyalty Points toward American Airlines elite status.
The card also features a companion certificate, a generous welcome bonus, and a reasonable $95 annual fee. Here's everything you should know about the Aviator Business so you can decide if it's a good card for you.
Aviator Business Pros
- Preferred boarding access
- Free checked bag benefit
Aviator Business Cons
- Earning the annual companion certificate requires significant spending
- Low earning rates compared to other small business cards
Aviator Business Welcome Offer
New applicants for the Aviator Business can earn up to 75,000 bonus American Airlines miles. Earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. Plus, earn 15,000 bonus miles after spending a total of $15,000 on purchases in the first 12 months.
This generous bonus is higher than those offered on most other American Airlines co-branded credit cards, and you don't need a premium card with a large annual fee to earn a large pile of miles.
Aviator Business Benefits
Free first checked bag
Card members receive the first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries.
This is a significant card benefit and can save card members a bundle. Typically AA charges $30 for the first checked bag on domestic itineraries. Card members who take several flights per year can easily see the saving add up. The savings from just 3 flights per year almost covers the entire cost of the card's annual fee.
Preferred boarding
Cardmembers receive Preferred Boarding when traveling on domestic itineraries. The perk is valid for the card member and up to 4 people traveling on the same reservation.
Preferred Boarding is not the same as Priority Boarding (groups 1-4), and it actually means you board in Group 5 along with some other AA credit card holders or those who purchased Main Cabin Extra fares. The benefits are estimated to be worth around $20 per flight, which is how much you would need to pay for Main Cabin Extra.
Companion certificate
Receive a companion certificate annually when you spend $30,000 or more on your card. The certificate is valid for round-trip economy fares on domestic American Airlines flights. Using the certificate incurs a charge of $99 in taxes and fees.
Your mileage may vary with this benefit. However, it can easily be valued at several hundred dollars if you redeem it for one of the more expensive domestic routes.
Aviator Business Earning Rates
The AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard is a solid earner but not outstanding. You earn the following for purchases on your card.
- Earn 2 AA miles per dollar spent on eligible goods and services with American Airlines.
- Earn 2 AA miles per dollar spent on eligible goods, office supplies, telecoms, and car rental.
- Receive 1 AA mile per dollar spent on everything else.
While the rate is generous, it is by no means outstanding, and you have much better options as a small business. Cards like the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card are a much better fit if you want to maximize your return and are not too bothered about earning AA miles.
However, if you want to maximize your AA mileage, you have far more options. You can check out our comprehensive guide to earning AA miles.
Redeeming Miles With the Aviator Business
When it comes to redeeming AAdvantage miles, the program has several sweet spots and multiple options open to you. Some of the best redemption options available include:
- The US to Japan in first-class for 80,000 miles one way plus taxes and fees.
- Europe to the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent for 42,500 miles one way in business class plus taxes and fees.
- The US to Africa on Qatar Qsuites for 75,000 miles one way plus taxes and fees.
Application Restrictions and Strategy
Understanding the various rules and restrictions on credit card applications enforced by different institutions is key to a successful application. However, Citi cards are subject to the following rules and restrictions.
Barclays Rules and restrictions
Barclays‘ rules about welcome bonuses are opaque, to say the least. Anecdotal data points suggest that if you have held the card before, you need to wait for 6 months after closing the account. At that point, data suggests you are eligible again. However, Barclays has some language on their T&Cs page indicating that that may not be the case:
“You understand and agree that you may no longer be eligible for any bonuses and/or incentives in connection with a new American Airlines AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard account after this Card Account is opened.”
Evidence suggests Barclays does not apply this rule rigorously, as long as you wait a good amount of time before reapplying for the card.
Cards That Compete With the Aviator Business
Final Thoughts
If you are a regular AA flyer and own a small business, then the AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® is a great way to make the most of your travel expenses. Although other cards have better earning rates and more perks, they also carry a much higher annual fee. If you are looking to leverage your business spending or a good starting point with AA co-branded credit card, you can't go wrong with AA's business card offering.
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