Learn how to apply for the Barclaycard AAdvantage Mastercard

What do I need to know about the Barclaycard AAdvantage Mastercard?

Spending a four-figure sum quickly is typically required to be eligible for a five-figure sign-up bonus.

With the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, which offers a simple sign-up bonus, that is not the case.

You only need to make one purchase and pay the annual fee in the first 90 days to finish. Any purchase, regardless of price, will do.

Therefore, purchasing a pack of gum could be the first step toward booking a holiday at a significant discount.

American Airlines’ frequent fliers will value the benefits of the Barclays-issued AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®.

However, similar to many co-branded airline cards, American is heavily incorporated into the benefits.

A credit card with general travel rewards would probably be a better option for you if you aren’t loyal to any one airline in particular.

Also available from Barclays is the AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver Mastercard®, an upscale American Airlines credit card. If you ask for an upgrade from the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®, it is available.

Keep reading and understand more about the card and how to apply.

What makes the Barclaycard AAdvantage Mastercard special?

The Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard is remarkable in that it offers new cardholders 50,000 AAdvantage miles after just one purchase, rather than needing them to make multiple purchases totaling thousands of dollars to activate their sign-up bonus.

But the card’s attributes are particularly noteworthy for a card with an annual charge of under $100. The following are some of the biggest:

• If you spend $20,000 on the card and your account is still active 45 days after your anniversary, you’ll receive a $99 yearly Companion Certificate.
• Free first bag with American Airlines
• AA’s priority boarding
• 15 months at 0% introductory APR for balance transfers
• Absence of foreign transaction fees
• Travel accident protection
• Insurance for trip interruption and cancellation
• Baggage delay protection
• 25% discount on in-flight purchases for the collision damage waiver for auto rentals
• $25 in annual onboard Wi-Fi credit with double AAdvantage points on any purchases made in America.

Overall, this is a rather uncommon combination of services that appear to be worth more than the $99 yearly charge, especially if you travel with American Airlines.

The only possible omission from this package is access to a lounge of some kind.

Who can apply for the Barclaycard AAdvantage Mastercard?

You need a good to excellent credit score, or a FICO score between 690 and 850, to be eligible for the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®.
You must also be of legal age and have a Social Security Number in order to qualify for this card.

How to apply for the Barclaycard AAdvantage Mastercard?

The bulk of the cards shares the same feature: online application submission. You can enter some of your personal data as soon as you visit the website and click the “Apply now!” button. If you want to raise your chances of being approved, you must make sure that everything is in order.
Once more, they will inquire about your nationality there, but the fact that you have a Social Security number is crucial for account management.

Is it worth having a Barclaycard AAdvantage Mastercard?

A co-branded credit card makes sense if you only sometimes travel but do so almost exclusively with one airline because you can fast recoup the annual fee with bonus miles and other perks like free checked baggage.

The Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard meets all criteria for a mid-tier airline credit card and is a solid choice for American Airlines travelers on occasion.

Barclaycard AAdvantage Mastercard vs Capital One Guaranteed

If you happen to be Canadian and your credit score is not ideal for Barclaycard, you should be considering the Capital One Guaranteed.

As the name suggests, you almost guarantee that you will be able to be accepted by this card.

Barclaycard AAdvantage Mastercard benefits

• It’s easy to qualify for the fantastic welcome bonus.
• There are no foreign transaction fees.
• Free certificate for brand-new friends.
• Affluent AA flying benefits

Capital One Guaranteed benefits

• Simple to qualify
• Beneficial for building credit
• Accepted worldwide
• Without liability insurance

How to apply for the Capital One Guaranteed

If you got interested in rebuilding your credit, check out our article on how to apply for the Capital One Guaranteed.

Written by

Ricardo Guimarães