AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard

The Aviator Red's draw is one of the easiest welcome bonuses around: you earn it after a single purchase and paying the annual fee, no big spend hurdle, which is unusual and great for occasional AA flyers. Day to day it's thin, earning just 2x on American purchases and 1x on everything else, so it's a hold-for-the-perks card rather than a daily driver. The free checked bag and preferred boarding pay back the $99 fee if you fly AA a couple of times a year. Skip it if you don't fly American/oneworld, since the miles strand. The fee hits from year one, with no waiver; confirm the current bonus on Barclays' site.

AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard at a glance

Rewards & perks

• First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines trips
• Board earlier than general passengers
• $25 in inflight Wi-Fi credits each year

Pros

• The bonus lands after only one purchase
• A complimentary checked bag
• No surcharge on purchases made abroad

Cons

• The yearly fee applies from the outset
• A low ongoing earning rate
• Miles only carry value with American and oneworld

Who should apply

• A credit score in the good-to-excellent range
• Enough income to back the credit line
• An AAdvantage account

Before you apply: card terms change often. Confirm the current annual fee, APR, welcome offer and rewards on the official Barclays US site. CreditCardCompare is an independent comparison resource, not the card issuer, and this is not financial advice.