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Now that having an American Airlines AAdvantage credit card can play a significant role in earning American Airlines elite status, you may be thinking about adding a card to your wallet. But which one? In addition to lucrative opportunities to earn a new cardmember bonus, each of these co-branded cards from Citi offers something different, so let's look at the differences to help you make an informed decision.
From the modest American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® that has no annual fee to the benefit-packed Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® with lounge access and other perks that make you feel like a top-tier elite, it's easy to find the card that will deliver the most value for the cost.
In this post, we'll break down those benefits to help you decide which American Airlines AAdvantage card is right for you.
Page Contents
- A Great Mix of Benefits with a Modest Annual Fee: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
- Ideal for Business Owners who Occasionally Fly AA: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
- Top-Tier Perks for Frequent AA Flyers: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- Earn AAdvantage Miles Without Paying an Annual Fee: American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
- Who's Eligible for the American Airlines AAdvantage Cards?
- Our Take
A Great Mix of Benefits with a Modest Annual Fee: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
First up, we'll start with the card that strikes a solid balance between perks and cost. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® card is the most popular American Airlines AAdvantage credit card for a good reason. If you fly with American Airlines at least a few times a year, it's easy to come out ahead on the annual fee with a first free checked bag, priority boarding, and a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card.
With these perks, it's easy to justify the annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months.
- Free checked bags for you and up to 4 companions on domestic itineraries
- Priority boarding to help you win the race for overhead bin space
- A 25% discount on inflight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at restaurants
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at gas stations
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
AA Platinum Select feature benefits
- Priority boarding to help you win the race for overhead bin space.
- A 25% discount on inflight food and beverage purchases.
- Free checked bags for you and up to four companions on domestic itineraries. That's a value of up to $300 on round-trip fares. This perk is limited to flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by AA or its subsidiaries and limited to traveling companions on your same itinerary.
- Earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card.
- Extended warranty coverage and purchase protection.
If you aren't sure whether you'll be able to maximize the more expensive perks that come with one of the higher-cost American Airlines AAdvantage credit cards, this is the perfect addition to your wallet. Read our full review of the AA Platinum Select for more details.
Ideal for Business Owners who Occasionally Fly AA: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
The CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® is a quality option for small business owners considering the various American Airlines AAdvantage credit cards.
- Free checked bags for you and up to 4 companions on domestic itineraries
- Priority boarding to help you win the race for overhead bin space
- A 25% discount on inflight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on cable and satellite providers
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at gas stations
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on select telecommunications merchants
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on car rentals
- Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
AA Business Card feature benefits
- Priority boarding to help you snag overhead bin space.
- 25% savings on American Airlines inflight Wi-Fi when you use your card, helping you get work done while traveling.
- Free checked bags for you and up to four companions on domestic itineraries. That's a value of up to $300 on round-trip fares. This perk is limited to flights marketed by American Airlines and operated by AA or its subsidiaries and limited to traveling companions on your same itinerary.
- Receive a $99 AA Companion Certificate each cardmember year you spend $30,000+ on your card. Pay just the taxes when using the companion certificate (typically $21–$43).
- Free authorized user/employee cards.
Given that the card's annual fee is waived for the first year and then has an ongoing $99 annual fee, it's clear that flying even a few times a year with American Airlines can justify this fee. Depending on the number of checked bags between you and your “up to four” traveling companions, $30 per bag can add up quickly. Add in the 25% discount on in-flight purchases and flyers should get net positive value from the AA Business Card quickly.
Read our full review of the AA Business Card for more information.
Top-Tier Perks for Frequent AA Flyers: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® comes with a hefty annual fee. But, if American Airlines is your primary airline, this card costs less than paying for Admirals Club lounge access directly — and adds hundreds of dollars in additional value. Cardholders can take advantage of free checked bags for even more traveling companions, priority check-in, and reimbursement for your Global Entry / TSA PreCheck application fee. If you fly American Airlines a lot, this is likely the card for you.
- Complimentary Admirals Club membership for the primary cardholder
- Admirals Club membership for authorized user accounts
- First checked bag free on domestic AA flights for you and up to 8 companions
- Priority check-in, TSA screening lines, and boarding
- 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points after you spend $40,000 in purchases within the year
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- Earn 10X miles for every $1 spent on eligible hotels booked at aa.com/hotels and eligible rental cars booked through aa.com/cars
- Earn 4X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (increased to 5X miles through the end of the calendar year after you pass $150,000 in purchases annually)
- Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases
AA Executive Card feature benefits
- Admirals Club membership — valued at up to $850 per year.
- Authorized users also get Admirals Club access (at a cost of $175 for the first three authorized users, then $175 each thereafter).
- The highest earning rate on AA purchases of any card: 4 miles per $1 spent.
- Earn 5x on AA purchases for the remainder of the year after spending $150,000 on purchases with your card.
- 10x miles on aa.com/cars and aa.com/hotels bookings.
- Free first checked bag for you and up to eight traveling companions. At $30 per bag, this can be $240 in savings on a one-way flight and $480 on round-trip itineraries.
- 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points after earning 50,000 Loyalty Points in a qualification year.
- Another 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points in a qualification year.
- Extended warranty coverage and purchase protection.
- Priority check-in, priority security lanes, and priority boarding help you move through the airport faster.
- Trip cancellation and interruption protection, trip delay protection, lost baggage protection, and worldwide car rental insurance.
- Reimbursement of your application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
- $120 in annual credits for eligible rentals with Avis or Budget annually.
- $10 in monthly credits for eligible GrubHub purchases (up to $120 annually).
- $120 in annual Lyft credits (available as $10 in each month that you take three or more eligible rides).
Check out our full AA Executive Card review for more details.
Earn AAdvantage Miles Without Paying an Annual Fee: American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® is the entry-level card in the American Airlines AAdvantage family of credit cards. If you want to earn American Airlines miles but don't want to pay an annual fee, this card is the perfect option to add to your wallet.
- 10,000 AAdvantage® miles and a $50 statement credit after making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- 2X AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases and at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services
- Save 25% on inflight drinks and snacks when you use your card on American Airlines flights
- $0 annual fee
- 2 AAdvantage® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services
- 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 1 AAdvantage® mile for every $1 spent on other purchases
You won't receive the long list of benefits found on the cards above, but you can put away a tidy sum of miles without having to pay an annual fee. Two benefits are worth highlighting.
AA MileUp Card feature benefits
- Earn 2X AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases and at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services.
- Save 25% on inflight drinks and snacks when you use your card on American Airlines flights.
Who's Eligible for the American Airlines AAdvantage Cards?
Citi's only restriction on getting a sign-up bonus on its American Airlines AAdvantage credit cards is whether or not you've gotten a sign-up bonus on that card in the last four years. If you have received a sign-up bonus on one of these cards in the previous 48 months, you won't be eligible to get that same card. Here's an example:
“American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® account in the past 48 months.”
Each card has this same verbiage stating you can't get the bonus again within 48 months on that same card.
However, there is no restriction on applying for any of these cards if you already hold a different American Airlines card. Thus, you can get the AA MileUp Card if you have the AA Executive Card or AA Business Card, and vice versa.
In short, if you're applying for a card you've had before, you'll need to proceed carefully. Make sure that you no longer have the card, and ensure it's been at least 48 months since the last time you earned the sign-up bonus. Otherwise, you won't be eligible.
Additionally, there is a general rule with all Citi credit card applications. You can only apply for one personal card every eight days and can only open a maximum of two cards in a 65-day period. With Citi's business credit cards, you can only apply for one every 95 days.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
Our Take
American Airlines AAdvantage co-branded cards allow you to bank a substantial balance of American Airlines miles, plus you'll get access to some fantastic perks and benefits when flying on AA. If you only fly American Airlines a couple of times per year, the AA Platinum Select is the perfect American Airlines co-branded card. Between the free checked bags and in-flight discounts, it's easy to justify the annual fee on this card. But you may want to move up or down in the perks department, depending on how frequently you fly with AA.
Whether you're an American Airlines fan or simply looking to diversify your points portfolio, there's an American Airlines credit card to suit your budget.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
consulto para saber si hay alguna tarjeta de credito argentina que tenga convenio con AAdvantage de AA?
Lamentablemente no. No hay nada para Argentina en esta lista. https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-program/miles/partners/credit-card/international-credit-and-debit-cards.jsp
Do we still get AA points for commenting in the Award Wallet blog? I haven’t seen the notification pop up in a while.
Unfortunately, no. AA has prohibited AwardWallet from tracking activity on users’ accounts, which means we can’t offer miles for commenting – https://awardwallet.com/blog/earn-bonus-miles-for-commenting/
I usually fly once per year with my kids for our annual family vacation, and the airport near us is a major AA hub so we usually fly AA. The annual fee would be worth it if only to save $$$ on the checked bags. What is your advice for maximizing rewards accumulation when you start amassing multiple rewards cards and you’re working towards a redemption?
Since you’re in a hub, you might want to consider earning Chase, Capital One, and/or Amex points. All three programs transfer to British Airways and BA can charge reasonable rates on nonstop AA flights – including just 7,500 Avios for flights under 650 miles. Since there’s a lot more ways to earn British Airways Avios, you can redeem through BA when it’s reasonable and use AA miles when AA’s the better option.