Amex Green vs Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red: Which Is Better In 2025?

AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® Breakdown

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Why We Like It

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This card offers a straightforward path to earning AAdvantage® miles and enjoying elite-like perks, making it a strong choice for frequent American Airlines travelers.

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• Its welcome offer is one of the easiest to earn, typically requiring just a single purchase to qualify.
• Cardholders receive valuable travel perks, including a free first checked bag and preferred boarding on domestic American Airlines flights.
• You can earn a companion certificate each year, which allows a guest to fly with you on a qualifying domestic trip.

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Pros

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• Features a welcome offer that is exceptionally easy to earn, often requiring just a single purchase.
• Provides valuable travel benefits like a free first checked bag, preferred boarding, and an annual companion certificate.
• Earns AAdvantage® miles on every purchase, with no foreign transaction fees on international spending.

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Cons

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• An annual fee is required.
• The rewards structure is limited for purchases outside of American Airlines.
• Lacks an introductory APR offer for new purchases or balance transfers.

AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® vs American Express® Green Card

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Categories

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Deciding which is better, Amex Green or Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red, comes down to your specific travel habits and what you value in a rewards card.

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• American Express® Green Card: This card is best for travelers who want to earn high rewards on a broad range of travel and dining expenses and value the flexibility of transferable points.
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®: This card is designed for frequent American Airlines flyers who want to earn miles and enjoy airline-specific perks.

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Redemption

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American Express® Green Card: Rewards are earned as highly flexible Membership Rewards® points, which can be transferred to various airline and hotel partners or redeemed for travel and statement credits.

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AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®: This card earns AAdvantage® miles, which are primarily redeemed for award flights on American Airlines and its oneworld® Alliance partners.

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Travel Perks

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• American Express® Green Card: This card is part of the flexible American Express Membership Rewards® program, allowing cardholders to book travel through AmexTravel.com or transfer points to numerous airline and hotel partners. It has no foreign transaction fees. For airport perks, the card provides annual statement credits for LoungeBuddy access and CLEAR Plus membership. Terms apply.
• AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®: This card’s ecosystem is centered on American Airlines and its oneworld® Alliance partners. It does not have foreign transaction fees. While it lacks airport lounge access, it offers other valuable airline-specific perks like a first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries, preferred boarding, and in-flight savings.

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Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

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For a data-driven approach to finding the best card for your wallet, a tool like Kudos can help you compare thousands of credit cards to find the perfect match.

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• Test drive a credit card: Using your real spending data, you can simulate how much you would earn with a card before you apply, all without affecting your credit score.
• Welcome offer guarantee: If you find a better public welcome offer within three months of approval, Kudos will match it.
• Detailed approval odds: Receive a comprehensive analysis of your approval chances for a card based on your credit report.
• Kudos Boost: Earn extra rewards on top of your credit card rewards when you shop at your favorite stores.
• Personalized recommendations: Get matched with cards that will earn you the most rewards based on your unique spending history.

Who Should Choose the American Express® Green Card?

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The American Express® Green Card is an excellent choice for frequent travelers who also dine out often and are adept at leveraging rewards programs. Its primary value lies in earning high rewards on travel and restaurant purchases, with points that can be transferred to various airline and hotel partners. This card is best suited for the savvy consumer who enjoys the challenge of maximizing points and can take full advantage of the card's travel credits to offset its annual fee.

Who Should Choose the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®?

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The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is tailor-made for frequent flyers of American Airlines who want to quickly accumulate miles and enjoy airline-specific perks. This card is particularly valuable for travelers who can take full advantage of benefits like a free first checked bag, preferred boarding, and an annual companion certificate. Ideal candidates typically have a good to excellent credit history, making them eligible to leverage these travel-focused features.

Alternatives to Consider

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If our Amex Green vs Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red comparison has left you feeling like neither card is the perfect match, don't worry. There are plenty of other excellent travel rewards cards on the market to consider.

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Tips for Application Success

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Before You Apply

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• Check your credit score - Most travel rewards cards require a good to excellent credit history for approval.
• Review the welcome offer requirements - Make sure you can comfortably meet any minimum spending without forcing purchases.
• Assess the card’s benefits - Ensure the perks and rewards align with your typical travel and spending habits.

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Application Strategy

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• Be persistent - Try different application methods if you don't get the desired offer initially.
• Understand the inquiry type - Some applications only result in a hard pull if you accept the offer.
• Note the offer structure - Welcome offers can be earned with a single purchase or by meeting a spending goal.

Our Methodology

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We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.

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Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Which card is better for frequent American Airlines flyers?

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The AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® is the superior choice for loyal American Airlines customers, as it offers airline-specific benefits like a free first checked bag and preferred boarding. The American Express® Green Card offers broader travel rewards but no direct perks with American Airlines.

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What are the main differences in the rewards programs?

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The Green card earns flexible Membership Rewards points that can be transferred to numerous travel partners. In contrast, the Aviator Red card earns AAdvantage® miles for use exclusively with American Airlines and its partners.

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Can I transfer points from the American Express Green card to American Airlines?

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No, you cannot transfer American Express Membership Rewards points directly to the American Airlines AAdvantage® program. However, you can book American Airlines flights by transferring your points to one of its Oneworld alliance partners, such as British Airways.

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