topic American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused? in Credit Card Applications

American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused?

NoMoreE46 — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 22:10:11 GMT

[Mod] Please move from Applications to Credit Cards.

Lately, there have been a few threads on American Airlines rewards cards. I am adding another to the mix.

Readers are cognizant of a quirky thing where the AA cards are issued by both Citi and Barclays.

To take this indiosyncrasy a step further, there is an AA card from Barclays that apparently one cannot apply for - the Silver Aviator. Shout out to @swankytiger for this info.

@swankytiger wrote:

@NoMoreE46 you could likely add the AAdvantage Aviator Silver from Barclays.

https://creditcards.aa.com/barclay-credit-card-aviator-silver-american-airlines-aadvantage/

You can only upgrade to it however. You have to hold the Aviator Red for 1 year and then request an upgrade to it.

A MFer will note that the Barclays' unappable Silver along with the appable Red are advertised with the Citi Platinum Select nested in between them.

TL;DR Interesting to see an unappable Silver alongside the Citi.

Re: American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused?

Saleen099 — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 20:08:15 GMT

@NoMoreE46 wrote:
[Mod] Please move from Applications to Credit Cards.

Lately, there have been a few threads on American Airlines rewards cards. I am adding another to the mix.
Readers are cognizant of a quirky thing where the AA cards are issued by both Citi and Barclays.
To take this indiosyncrasy a step further, there is an AA card from Barclays that apparently one cannot apply for - the Silver Aviator. Shout out to @swankytiger for this info.

@swankytiger wrote:
@NoMoreE46 you could likely add the AAdvantage Aviator Silver from Barclays.
https://creditcards.aa.com/barclay-credit-card-aviator-silver-american-airlines-aadvantage/
You can only upgrade to it however. You have to hold the Aviator Red for 1 year and then request an upgrade to it.

A MFer will note that the Barclays' unappable Silver along with the Red are advertised with the Citi Platinum Select nested in between them.

TL;DR Interesting to see an unappable Silver alongside the Citi.

I just wanna add one thing I was able to receive my Silver Aviator card after having the red one for six months, but that was back in 2015 or 2016 the rules may have changed by now but I was able to receive mine six months after having a red Aviator card.

Re: American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused?

AndySoCal — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 20:39:32 GMT

@NoMoreE46

What am I missing?

https://cards.barclaycardus.com/banking/cards/aadvantage-aviator-red-world-elite-mastercard/

I see the apply now in the upper right of the screen

Re: American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused?

NoMoreE46 — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 22:38:21 GMT

Yes the Red Aviator can be applied for but not the Silver. Sorry for any ambiguity.

Re: American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused?

Aim_High — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 01:10:33 GMT

Yes, that's correct, @NoMoreE46. Plus the plot thickens farther. There are actually (5) Barclay's Aviator cards and the only one you can apply directly for right now appears to be the Aviator RED.

As mentioned, getting the Aviator RED allows upgrade after 6 months to one year to the Aviator SILVER. However, there are also two downgrade paths that I don't believe for which you can apply directly: The plain Aviator card and the Aviator BLUE. And, there is an Aviator BUSINESS, but doctorofcredit reports that applications have been suspended recently as the card program is reworked. (This may be related to how the CITI AAdvantage Executive card was recently changed.)

The cards have AFs ranging from $199 to $0; this link explains the ranges of benefits for each card correlating to the AF.

The American Airlines - Barclays card website showing all the Aviator cards.

Also, here's a link to a thepointsguy article comparing the various "flavors."

Aviator SILVER: $199 AF

Aviator RED: $99 AF

Aviator BLUE: $49 AF

Aviator: $0 AF

Aviator BUSINESS: $95 AF - prior to close of new applications

Re: American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused?

NoMoreE46 — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 01:47:03 GMT

Thanks for adding this important clarification @Aim_High that despite Barclay's suite of five cards, the one and only version that anyone can apply for is the Red.

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Re: American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused?

Im-back — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 03:06:55 GMT

A data point. I received an offer in the Barclays app asking if I'd like to convert to silver. I did accept or reject. Now offer has disappeared.

Re: American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused?

NoMoreE46 — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 12:49:09 GMT

@Im-back wrote:
A data point. I received an offer in the Barclays app asking if I'd like to convert to silver. I did accept or reject. Now offer has disappeared.

Thanks for the DP. Are you going to keep the Red Aviator as you have said that you are focusing most of spend on your Citi AA?

Re: American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused?

Im-back — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 03:30:00 GMT

Yes I've had the red card for years. Plus just got a 15k cli.

Re: American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused?

NoMoreE46 — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 16:16:30 GMT

@Im-back wrote:
Yes I've had the red card for years. Plus just got a 15k cli.

Wow. Was this $15 k Barclays CLI automatic?

Re: American Airlines AA cards: Are you confused?

Im-back — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 03:33:42 GMT

Don't want to hijack thread. Here's the story:

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Card-Approvals/Barclays-AAdvantage-Aviator-Red-Mastercard/td-p/6709446