The
American Airlines AAdvantage® Aviator™ Silver Credit Card offers a lot of perks for frequent flyers who are fans of American Airlines, including preferred boarding and a free checked bag for the primary cardholder as well as up to eight travel companions on the same reservation on every American Airlines flight. It will cover the $100 Global Entry application fee, too, if you’re interested in streamlined airport screening. Plus, the Aviator Silver Card rewards you with 3 miles per $1 spent on American Airlines purchases, 2 miles per $1 spent on hotel reservations and car rentals, and 1 mile per $1 on everything else.
The big question with the AAdvantage Aviator Silver Card is whether it is worth the
$199 annual fee, especially when compared to the
American Airlines AAdvantage® Aviator™ Red Credit Card. The Aviator Silver Card is available only as an upgrade for Aviator Red Card users.
The answer to the question of whether the Silver Card is worth it will be no for most people. The competition is just too strong. For one thing, the
best credit cards with miles that work on any airline offer more rewards value, after annual fees, plus much more flexibility when redeeming. The
best American Airlines credit cards also provide AAdvantage benefits similar to Aviator Silver’s but offer a more attractive combination of rewards and fees. For example, someone who charges $3,042 per month to their credit card, including an average of $68 on airfare, would earn about $170 more rewards value after annual fees with Aviator Red than Aviator Silver in a normal year. This does not include the Red Card’s initial bonus, either.
However, if you fly American Airlines several times per year and have an opportunity to “upgrade” from Aviator Red to Aviator Silver, you should at least crunch the numbers to see what makes the most sense for your particular situation. That’s especially true if you often travel with company and anticipate charging $20,000 to your credit card in a calendar year. That gets you a companion certificate, which allows up to two people to fly with you roundtrip for just $99 each plus taxes and fees. The AAdvantage Aviator Red Card does not offer such a benefit.
Below, you can find a quick summary of the key aspects of the AAdvantage Aviator Silver offer, along with some additional details that should help put the card’s terms into context.
AAdvantage Aviator Silver Review Highlights- Availability: Reserved for AAdvantage Aviator Red cardholders. Compare Aviator Red vs Silver to see which is right for you.
- Annual Fee: $199. That is almost 10 times higher than the average annual fee on a credit card.
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 0%. American Airlines operates international routes, too, so it would be a bit strange for any AAdvantage credit card to charge a foreign fee.
- American Airlines Rewards Rate: 3 miles per $1 spent. To be eligible, purchases must be made directly through American Airlines.
- Hotel & Rental Car Rewards Rate: 2 miles per $1 spent.
- Base Rewards Rate: 1 mile per $1 spent. This is standard for a credit card with miles.
- Free Checked Bags: 1st free for the primary cardholder and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation. This only applies to American Airlines flights.
- Companion Certificate: 2 roundtrip domestic economy-fare tickets for $99 each, plus taxes and fees. You must charge $20,000 in a calendar year to get the companion certificate.
- Initial Bonus: None. The average rewards card gives about 30,381 miles/points or $242 cash back. But since the Aviator Silver Card is for people who already have an American Airlines credit card, the lack of a bonus makes sense.
- Other Benefits: Earn higher status in the AAdvantage loyalty program with so-called Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs).
To see how AAdvantage Aviator Silver stacks up against its siblings, check out our review of
2024’s Best American Airlines Credit Cards.