MBNA's AAdvantage credit card is a fairly reasonable offering for first timers in the air miles game. The highest sign up offer in recent times has been 35,000 points in early 2013, which was one of the best offers you could get for a free credit card in the UK. The AAdvantage credit card comes as an AMEX and Visa duo which allows you to earn at rates of 1.5 miles per £1 and 0.75 miles per £1 respectively. One of the best uses of large sign up bonuses (greater than 30k miles) is to spend them on a one-way business class flight to the Middle East or Indian Sub-continent from Europe. All OneWorld airlines are redemption partners of AAdvantage, as is Etihad which codeshares with Air Berlin on flights to Abu Dhabi. Just remember that to create an AAdvantage reservation there needs to be a published fare between your origin and destination city!
Agreed - have had these cards for a few years. Easiest way to keep the AAdvantage pile adding up here at home with everyday spend. And if you can get your hands on the AAdvantage Citi Platinum card, then I use that for all AA bookings. Worth the $95 fee for priority boarding, free bags etc etc plus 10% back on redeemed miles up to 10,000 per year. I believe a US address is required for this card, however.
