AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®

For the right traveler, the $99 annual fee is easy to justify. If you fly American often enough to use the free checked bag benefit, especially with family or companions on the same reservation, this card can pay for itself quickly. The inflight Wi-Fi credit and the chance to earn a companion certificate add a little more value, but the bag benefit is the main reason to carry it.

It is less compelling as an everyday rewards card. Earning 2x on American purchases and 1x everywhere else is straightforward, but not especially strong if your goal is maximizing points on daily spending. This is a card to keep for American Airlines perks and occasional airline purchases, not one most readers should use for all of their non-bonus spend.