9 Valuable American Airlines Credit Card Benefits – Forbes Advisor – Technologist

The benefits offered by the various AA credit cards can save you money and enhance your travel experience.

6. Free Checked Bags

American Airlines checked bag fees vary depending on a few factors, but for domestic flights, the first checked bag costs $40 ($35 when paid online). Getting free checked baggage can translate into significant savings, especially if you’re traveling with a group.

Thankfully, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®*, AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®* and CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®* all provide a free first checked bag to the cardholder and up to four travel companions. If you’re using the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®*, this benefit extends to eight travel companions.

The no annual fee American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®* doesn’t offer any baggage benefits.

7. Preferred Boarding

Being allowed to board the plane early comes with many benefits, including more time to situate yourself and your belongings and potentially more overhead bin space. It’s nice to see that almost all American Airlines credit cards offer this benefit to cardholders.

The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®* doesn’t offer any preferred boarding privileges, but the other American Airlines credit cards do. With the AAdvantage Executive card you’ll get to board in Group 4 and the remaining AAdvantage credit cards allow card members to board in Group 5.

8. Lounge Access

Only the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®* provides cardholders with lounge access—and only at the Admirals Club. But if you’re considering a lounge club membership and fly with AA a lot, this card could make a lot of sense. If not, there are plenty of cards that offer more robust lounge access.

None of the others offer access of any kind––not to American Airlines lounges or any lounge network.

9. Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Statement Credit

The only AA credit card offering this benefit is the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®*, which provides reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees every four years. Global Entry and TSA PreCheck can expedite travelers’ wait time through U.S. customs or airport security, respectively.