Getting Started with AA Credit Cards!
 

Hi everyone,

This is actually my first post on Flyertalk!

I'd love to start getting AA CC's, but I don't know where to start. I'm currently 2/5 in the Chase 5/24 program and so I've got some room to spare. If you were me, where would you start in being the most effective in building skymiles? I also have my wife joining in the game. Neither of us have ever had an AA CC. Also, if anyone thinks it isn't really worth doing AA CC's for some reason, let me know. I've played this game with Delta and United only so far. Thanks everyone!

Welcome to FT. SkyMiles = Delta so if you're trying to accrue these you won't get very far with an AA credit card.

In any event there are dedicated credit card forums here on FT, you really need to spend some time reading/searching over there, specifically the "Credit Card Programs" forum (for Barclay's) and of course the Citi forum. AA doesn't partner with Chase so being under 5/24 is of no value. And of course there is tons of blog related info on your question, try One Mile At A Time and View From The Wing.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/citi...u-rewards-739/

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cred...-programs-599/

P
 

If you don't have status, AA exec card gives you a nice discount on the AC membership.

If you do, Barclays silver gives you $3k EQD and 10k EQMs by the time you get to 50k spend which makes requalifying easier. You apply for red and request a product switch to silver.

Otherwise, AA plat is the best IMO for getting miles through spend. 2x on gas and restaurants.

welcome to FT... its a lot of fun here....

You should be able to get the sign on bonus for both. I would go with Barclays first, as it is for some reasons harder to get. Barclays either likes you or it does not, for no apparent reasons. I also like the Barclay card better, as it is chip and pin and easier to use overseas. They are also issuing contactless card now.

While they are not from Chase, they will be counted by Chase in its 5/24 calculation.

If it were me I would max out the cards you can get on Chase until you get to 5/5 and then get the AA cards. In the Chase arena I would focus on Ultimate Rewards. They are much more flexible than AA or United miles and as good if not a better deal if you are flying coach since you can use any airline, any time and even earn FF miles on the ticket purchased with Ultimate Rewards. If you can, get the Sapphire Reserved card and one or two of the Freedom cards and transfer the miles earned on your Freedom Cards to maximize the value of your Ultimate Rewards (the Reserved cards allows you 50% more value).

After you have maxed out Chase, yes get the AA and the Barclays credit card. You could also get he Chase Marriott/Bonvoy card and then transfer the Bonvoy miles earned to most of the major airlines (at a much reduced rate).

Don’t discount getting the business cards as well.

Keep a spreadsheet of when you opened the cards, closed them and got the bonus. You will need those dates if you want to apply for the same cards at some point in the future.

Make sure you carefully check the sign up bonuses. The AA Citibank comes with either 40, 50, or 60,000 miles and the 40 comes with a $250 flight credit.

Seconding Furby's recommendation to max out Chase first. The current offers on AA credit cards are at low points - 50k for the Barclays AAviator and 50k for the Citi AAdvantage. Historically, the Barclays card has gone up as high as 75k (more often 60k) and the Citi card has gone up to 70k (also more often 60k). You may as well hit Chase (80k for the Sapphire Preferred is an all-time high, 50k + 10 elite nights for Hyatt gives you an opportunity to mattress run for top-tier Globalist status, 70k for United is near all-time high). Feel free to PM if you need more details.

And welcome to Flyertalk!

If your wife is getting in the game as well, check if there are referral offers. So you get the card and your wife signs up using your referral. Not sure if Citi and Barclays use referrals. But I know Chase and Amex do.

Unfortunately not as much as it used to be though :(

But far more PC... Gate lice crowders still deserve to be referred to as humans, apparently.

true but now we can all plan trips to places we want to go to.. only to have new restrictions stop us from going there.. or have the airlines just cancel the flights..
Merry Christmas

Thanks! I've always been afraid to max out the Chase 5/24 out of fear of some amazing card offer coming in the future that I'll miss out on. Any suggestions of getting over that fear? :)

I guess it's OK to do this and just be patient right?

I have had AA CC's for years and they have done me well! and though I have accounts with other airlines, I've focused my earnings to AAdvantage(1MM+). given you already have established Miles accounts with Delta and United, I second Furbys suggestion of the Marriot Bonvoy Card. where you can transfer points to most airlines, and get a 5k miles bonus at a certain point level. also being based in SLC, Doesn't DL have a much larger footprint there than AA? I would focus on the Airline you want to fly on, nothing worse than wanting to book a ticket and having 3 miles accounts that are all a little short of miles to do anything! RT

Think of all the other offers that you will definitely miss out on if you keep passing on other cards due to 5/24. A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush and all that. Don’t go for any old offer but there are plenty of good offers available from other card issuers at any random point in time. Make sure you have a long term strategy for using the miles though so that you don't end up with a bunch of miles in a program that for whatever reason your may never use, or never have quite enough miles to get anything worthwhile from them. Also make sure you have a strategy to ensure the miles do not expire, fairly easy and inexpensive to do if you research each program.

If you max out 5/24 solely on Chase cards then you will have most of the decent ones anyway. The Sapphire (Reserved or Preferred) now requires you to wait 4 years between applications so the cards from other issuers will fall off your credit report long before you become eligible for that one again. Most of the others require two years after you receive the bonus before you can apply again. If you apply for cards from other issuers shortly after you get 5 Chase cards they will also fall off your credit report by the time you are eligible to re apply for another Chase card. Remember you can prepay a lot of bills if you are struggling to make the spend requirement. I have been known to prepay my utilities up to 6 months in the future to meet a spend requirement on time.