{"id":36141,"date":"2023-11-30T16:00:54","date_gmt":"2023-11-30T16:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=36141"},"modified":"2026-04-08T13:51:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T13:51:08","slug":"american-airlines-business-credit-card","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/american-aadvantage\/american-airlines-business-credit-card\/","title":{"rendered":"Citi\u00ae \/ AAdvantage Business\u2122 World Elite Mastercard\u00ae Review: Benefits Justify the Fee"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Maybe you travel with American Airlines frequently. Perhaps you travel just a couple of times a year on family vacations. Either way, as a small business owner, freelancer, or contractor looking for some extra perks on your next flight, you should consider the <a data-ccid=\"3004019\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CitiBusinessAAdvantagePlatinumSelectWorldMasterCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Citi<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> \/ AAdvantage Business\u2122 World Elite Mastercard<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>With the Citi AAdvantage Business Card, your benefits can quickly add up. For example, you\u2019ll get the first checked bag free for you and up to four companions traveling on the same domestic itinerary, receive preferred boarding privileges, and save 25% on inflight purchases. Moreover, the Citi AAdvantage Business Card also offers an excellent sign-up bonus on top of everyday earning rates that can help you earn American Airlines miles from your business expenses.<\/p>\n<p>However, the card does have an annual fee, meaning it's not free to keep year after year. Is it worth it? Let us help you decide.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"3004019\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">Citi<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> \/ AAdvantage Business\u2122 World Elite Mastercard<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/11937067.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Citi\u00ae \/ AAdvantage Business\u2122 World Elite Mastercard\u00ae\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><a class=\"qs-how-apply\" data-ccid=\"3004019\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CitiBusinessAAdvantagePlatinumSelectWorldMasterCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">How to Apply<\/a><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nFor a limited time, earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 5 months of account opening.<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">Citi<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> \/ AAdvantage Business\u2122 World Elite Mastercard<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nFor a limited time, earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 5 months of account opening.<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$99, waived for first 12 months<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"wwl\">Why We Like It<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"hl\">Highlights<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-wwl\">The Citi AAdvantage Business Card is a great card to hold for any business owner that travels at least a few times per year with American Airlines. Get a free checked bag on domestic itineraries, priority boarding and a 25% discount on in-flight purchases. \r\n\r\nWith these perks, it's easy to justify the annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months.<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-hl\"><ul>\r\n<li>Free checked bags for you and up to 4 companions on domestic itineraries<\/li>\r\n<li>Priority boarding to help you win the race for overhead bin space<\/li>\r\n<li>A 25% discount on inflight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on cable and satellite providers<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at gas stations<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on select telecommunications merchants<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on car rentals<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/CitiBusAASelectMC\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-4-20ebc4699d#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div><\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_light_blue no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Page Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Citi_AAdvantage_BusinessCard_Pros\">Citi AAdvantage Business\u2122\u00a0Card Pros<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Citi_AAdvantage_BusinessCard_Card_Cons\">Citi AAdvantage Business\u2122\u00a0Card Card Cons<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Citi_AAdvantage_Business_Card_Welcome_Offer\">Citi AAdvantage Business Card Welcome Offer<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Citi_AAdvantage_Business_Credit_Card_Benefits\">Citi AAdvantage Business\u2122 Credit Card Benefits<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Annual_fee_waived_during_the_first_year\">Annual fee waived during the first year<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#First_checked_bag_free\">First checked bag free<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Preferred_boarding\">Preferred boarding<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#25_savings_on_in-flight_food_drinks_and_Wi-Fi\">25% savings on in-flight food, drinks, and Wi-Fi<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Earn_Loyalty_Points_from_spending\">Earn Loyalty Points from spending<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Earn_a_Companion_Certificate_through_spending\">Earn a Companion Certificate through spending<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Card_fees\">Card fees<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Citi_American_Airlines_Business_Credit_Card_Earning_Rates\">Citi American Airlines Business Credit Card Earning Rates<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Redeeming_Miles_With_the_Citi_AAdvantage_Business_Card\">Redeeming Miles With the Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Application_Eligibility_and_Restrictions\">Application Eligibility and Restrictions<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Cards_That_Compete_With_the_Citi_AAdvantage_Business_Card\">Cards That Compete With the Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2><span id=\"Citi_AAdvantage_BusinessCard_Pros\">Citi AAdvantage Business\u2122\u00a0Card Pros<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Annual fee waived during the first year.<\/li>\n<li>Earn <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/loyalty-points\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Loyalty Points<\/a> toward elite status through credit card spending.<\/li>\n<li>Free checked bag and priority boarding as built-in benefits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span id=\"Citi_AAdvantage_BusinessCard_Card_Cons\">Citi AAdvantage Business\u2122\u00a0Card Card Cons<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>$99 annual fee in years two and beyond.<\/li>\n<li>Earning categories are modest and don't provide what other business cards offer.<\/li>\n<li><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/guide-to-companion-fares-companion-passes\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Companion certificate<\/a> is valuable but requires significant spending to earn.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_138451\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-138451 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/American-Airlines-planes-and-tail-fins-featured-300x240.jpeg\" alt=\"American Airlines planes and tail fins at a busy airport\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/American-Airlines-planes-and-tail-fins-featured-300x240.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/American-Airlines-planes-and-tail-fins-featured-768x614.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/American-Airlines-planes-and-tail-fins-featured-325x260.jpeg 325w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/American-Airlines-planes-and-tail-fins-featured.jpeg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: American Airlines<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h2><span id=\"Citi_AAdvantage_Business_Card_Welcome_Offer\">Citi AAdvantage Business Card Welcome Offer<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Currently, new applicants for the <a data-ccid=\"3004019\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CitiBusinessAAdvantagePlatinumSelectWorldMasterCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/a> can earn 65,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 5 months of account opening.<\/p>\n<p>If you value AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> miles on the conservative side \u2014 around 1.5\u00a2 per mile \u2014 the welcome offer on the Citi AAdvantage Business Card is worth roughly $975. But, you could potentially get much more if you redeem them for premium cabin international fares. In short, this is a highly valuable offer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/best-business-credit-cards\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Best Small Business Credit Card Offers Available This Month<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Citi_AAdvantage_Business_Credit_Card_Benefits\">Citi AAdvantage Business\u2122 Credit Card Benefits<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Even if you fly American Airlines only a few times per year, the <a data-ccid=\"3004019\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CitiBusinessAAdvantagePlatinumSelectWorldMasterCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/a> offers a suite of helpful benefits. Thankfully, these benefits can easily offset the cost of the card's annual fee.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Annual_fee_waived_during_the_first_year\">Annual fee waived during the first year<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The Citi AAdvantage Business Card&#8216;s annual fee is $99, waived for first 12 months. That gives you a year to test drive the benefits and see if this card is a keeper before you have to pay the annual fee in the second year.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"First_checked_bag_free\">First checked bag free<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>While not exactly a flagship perk, free checked bags on domestic itineraries are a quiet, hardworking benefit that provides ongoing value every time you fly. The value can quickly add up. Your first checked bag on American normally sets you back $30 each way. Just two round-trip flights per year would cover the out-of-pocket expense of holding the Citi AAdvantage Business Card each year \u2014 without taking into account the waived annual fee during the first year.<\/p>\n<p>Even better, the benefit covers up to five people (including the cardholder) traveling on the same reservation. Thus, one family vacation could put you ahead in terms of value.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Preferred_boarding\">Preferred boarding<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You\u2019ll get preferred boarding on American-operated and -marketed flights, which allows you to board with group 5 \u2014 directly after passengers with Oneworld or <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/elite-status\/\" rel=\"noopener\">American elite status<\/a>. Although you can board one group earlier with the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/american-aadvantage\/citi-aadvantage-executive\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Citi<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> \/ AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Executive World Elite Mastercard<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a>, Group 5 will put you in front of most of the crowd on most flights.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"25_savings_on_in-flight_food_drinks_and_Wi-Fi\">25% savings on in-flight food, drinks, and Wi-Fi<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you purchase inflight food, drinks, or Wi-Fi with your <a data-ccid=\"3004019\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CitiBusinessAAdvantagePlatinumSelectWorldMasterCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/a>, you\u2019ll enjoy a 25% savings. This is applied as a statement credit on your card account after an eligible purchase. The perk is valid on domestic flights operated by American and its regional carriers. If you get reimbursed for business expenses when traveling for work, the Citi AAdvantage Business Card puts money back in your pocket.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Earn_Loyalty_Points_from_spending\">Earn Loyalty Points from spending<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>American Airlines significantly revamped its elite program over the past couple of years. Rather than requiring elite qualifying flights and dollars, everything has switched to a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/loyalty-points\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Loyalty Points<\/a> system. You'll earn 1 Loyalty Point for every dollar you spend with your <a data-ccid=\"3004019\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CitiBusinessAAdvantagePlatinumSelectWorldMasterCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/a>. Ultimately, you achieve <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/elite-status\/\" rel=\"noopener\">American elite status<\/a> faster due to this.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Earn_a_Companion_Certificate_through_spending\">Earn a Companion Certificate through spending<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Cardholders who spend $30,000 or more on purchases in a cardmember year and renew their account receive a $99 American Airlines companion certificate. The certificate is valid for a domestic economy flight. How does the companion certificate work? You (the cardholder) purchase a qualifying round-trip economy ticket on American. Then, you pay just $99 + taxes and fees (currently between $21.60 and $43.20) for a companion to fly with you.<\/p>\n<p>While certainly better than nothing, this isn't a game-changing benefit. You have to spend a substantial amount on the card to earn it, likely foregoing a higher return from spending on a different card. Considering that the certificate is only valid for economy travel within the lower 48 states, it would be hard to get more than $300 in savings.<\/p>\n<p>This would be roughly a 1% return on the $30,000 spent to earn the certificate. However, this perk offers some nice synergy if you plan to spend on your <a data-ccid=\"3004019\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CitiBusinessAAdvantagePlatinumSelectWorldMasterCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/a> to earn Loyalty Points.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Card_fees\">Card fees<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>While not a benefit, it's important to note that the American Airlines Citi AA Business card carries an annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months. As we've already mentioned, the benefits can easily outweigh this fee each year. On the plus side, the card doesn't charge <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/no-foreign-transaction-fee\/\" rel=\"noopener\">foreign transaction fees<\/a> and doesn't charge an additional annual fee for employee cards added to your account.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_46418\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/450\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-46418 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/American-Airlines-AA-Flagship-First-Class-Boeing-777-300ER-Photo-by-JT-Genter-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"American Airlines Flagship First Class seat\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/American-Airlines-AA-Flagship-First-Class-Boeing-777-300ER-Photo-by-JT-Genter-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/American-Airlines-AA-Flagship-First-Class-Boeing-777-300ER-Photo-by-JT-Genter-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/American-Airlines-AA-Flagship-First-Class-Boeing-777-300ER-Photo-by-JT-Genter-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/American-Airlines-AA-Flagship-First-Class-Boeing-777-300ER-Photo-by-JT-Genter-276x207.jpg 276w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/American-Airlines-AA-Flagship-First-Class-Boeing-777-300ER-Photo-by-JT-Genter-476x357.jpg 476w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/American-Airlines-AA-Flagship-First-Class-Boeing-777-300ER-Photo-by-JT-Genter.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: J.T. Genter\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h2><span id=\"Citi_American_Airlines_Business_Credit_Card_Earning_Rates\">Citi American Airlines Business Credit Card Earning Rates<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>We don't generally celebrate co-branded airline cards for their generous earning rates. The <a data-ccid=\"3004019\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CitiBusinessAAdvantagePlatinumSelectWorldMasterCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/a> doesn\u2019t dish up any surprises in this respect.<\/p>\n<p>Cardholders earn:<\/p>\n<ul>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on cable and satellite providers<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at gas stations<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on select telecommunications merchants<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on car rentals<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n<p>The earning rates don\u2019t compare well to the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/best-flexible-rewards-points-travel\/\" rel=\"noopener\">best flexible points<\/a>-earning rewards cards. However, thanks to the relative isolation of American\u2019s loyalty program (<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/hotels\/marriott-bonvoy\/marriott-transfer-partners\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Marriott Bonvoy<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/bilt-rewards\/transfer-bilt-points-to-avios\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Bilt Rewards<\/a> are the exceptions for transfers to American AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>), the Citi AAdvantage Business Card actually provides some of the highest earnings for American Airlines miles when considering the bonus categories it offers.<\/p>\n<p>If <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/earn-american-miles\/\" rel=\"noopener\">earning American miles<\/a> isn't critical, you'll want to use a different card. This is especially true for car rentals and gas stations, where you can earn much more on other cards, but that comes at the expense of not earning AA miles.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/best-cards-for-bonus-spending-categories\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Best Rewards Credit Cards for Each Spending Category<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Redeeming_Miles_With_the_Citi_AAdvantage_Business_Card\">Redeeming Miles With the Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>American Airlines makes it easy to redeem miles at <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aa.com\/\" rel=\"noopener\">aa.com<\/a>. You also get the best value when redeeming miles for American Airlines or partner flights. We don't recommend any other ways of redeeming your miles, such as buying an <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/admirals-club-access\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Admirals Club<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/a> membership or renting a car with your miles.<\/p>\n<p>You'll typically get the best value when redeeming miles for international, premium cabin tickets. However, American uses dynamic award pricing for its own flights, which start at just 7,500 miles one-way for domestic itineraries. This is the official price, but we've found flights even cheaper.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few examples of <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/best-ways-to-use-american-miles\/\" rel=\"noopener\">American Airlines redemption sweet spots<\/a>, offering great value for using the miles earned with your Citi AAdvantage Business Card:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>First class between the U.S. and Japan on oneworld partner JAL for 80,000 miles one-way<\/li>\n<li>Business class to Africa on American and other oneworld partners for 75,000 miles one-way<\/li>\n<li>Economy (20,000 miles) and premium economy (25,000) flights to northern South America<\/li>\n<li>Domestic short-haul tickets on American Airlines or regional partners; sometimes, you can find good deals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img data-aspectratio=\"749\/548\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-99539 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/LAX-DOH-CPT-AAdvantage-75k-award-300x219.png\" alt=\"LAX-DOH-CPT award redemption with AA miles , 75,000 per person in business class\" width=\"749\" height=\"548\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/LAX-DOH-CPT-AAdvantage-75k-award-300x219.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/LAX-DOH-CPT-AAdvantage-75k-award-1024x749.png 1024w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/LAX-DOH-CPT-AAdvantage-75k-award-768x562.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/LAX-DOH-CPT-AAdvantage-75k-award.png 1392w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 749px) 100vw, 749px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A major upside of award travel on American is the flexibility. American Airlines allows a full refund of award tickets. Interested in more about American award redemption? Check out our guide to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/aa-award-travel-rules\/\" rel=\"noopener\">American Airlines award travel rules<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:\u00a0<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/creative-ways-to-earn-extra-loyalty-points\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Playing the American Airlines Loyalty Points Game<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Application_Eligibility_and_Restrictions\">Application Eligibility and Restrictions<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To qualify for the <a data-ccid=\"3004019\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CitiBusinessAAdvantagePlatinumSelectWorldMasterCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/a> welcome bonus, you'll need to mind <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-application-rules\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Citi's 48-month<\/a> rule. Note that earning a welcome bonus on a <em><strong>personal<\/strong><\/em> Citi AA card doesn\u2019t affect your eligibility here, stated as follows:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;American Airlines AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> \/ AAdvantage Business\u2122 World Elite Mastercard<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> account in the past 48 months.&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Since this is a small business card, you may be asked to provide some documentation on your business to qualify for the card. But, your business doesn\u2019t need to be a giant corporation. In fact, you can qualify for a small business card as a contractor or freelancer \u2014 or even operating a side hustle. For example, do you sell items on eBay or rent your spare room on Airbnb? These can qualify you for a business card. For more information, you can check out our resource on <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/how-to-get-a-business-credit-card\/\" rel=\"noopener\">how to qualify for a business card<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Another bonus of getting the Citi AAdvantage Business Card is that it won\u2019t appear on your personal credit report. Thus, it won\u2019t add to your <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-5-24-rule\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Chase 5\/24 count<\/a>. This is important if you are trying to get back under 5\/24 to apply for Chase's business and personal cards.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, know that Citi doesn't tend to approve anyone for more than one small business card in a 90-day period.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/rewards-card-application-rules\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Cards_That_Compete_With_the_Citi_AAdvantage_Business_Card\">Cards That Compete With the Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"compare-cards-wrap compare-count-cards-3 compare-p-chase\"><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/2f4559e9-ec54-463f-a2a2-40c399feb8de.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"United\u2120 Business Card\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">United\u2120 Business Card<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\"><strong>Limited Time Offer<\/strong> Earn up to 110,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQP after qualifying activities<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a class=\"btn-use qs-apply-now\" title='United\u2120 Business Card' data-ccid=\"4048193\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/UnitedBusinessCard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Apply Now<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$150<span class=\"compare-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"4048193\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005111&type=3&u1=c6948f78bb2330063c8258820683be97&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--5\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Good, Excellent<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul>\r\n<li>2x on United<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> purchases*<\/li> \r\n<li>2x on local transit and commuting \u2014 including train tickets, taxicabs, mass transit, tolls and ride share services<\/li>\r\n<li>2x at gas stations, restaurants and office supply stores<\/li>\r\n<li>1x on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n*8x total miles on eligible United flights<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img data-aspectratio=\"150\/95\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/CardArt-Delta-SkyMilesGoldBusinessAmericanExpressCard.png\" alt=\"Delta SkyMiles\u00ae Gold Business American Express Card\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">Delta SkyMiles<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Gold Business American Express Card<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 60,000 after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. <\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a class=\"btn-use qs-how-apply\" title='Delta SkyMiles\u00ae Gold Business American Express Card' data-ccid=\"4028094\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/GoldDeltaSkyMilesBusinessCreditCardfromAmericanExpress\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">How to Apply<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150<span class=\"compare-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"4028094\" href=\"https:\/\/www.americanexpress.com\/us\/credit-cards\/card-application\/apply\/prospect\/terms\/delta-skymiles-gold\/42732-9-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><br>(Terms apply)<\/span><\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--5\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Excellent, Good<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul>\r\n<li>2X miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per dollar on eligible U.S. purchases for advertising in select media (annual cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases)<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per dollar on eligible U.S. shipping purchases (annual cap of $50,000 in eligible purchases)<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per dollar on eligible dining purchases<\/li>\r\n <li>1X miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-card\"><div class=\"compare-pre\"><div class=\"compare-image\"><div><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/61a11a52-f743-4f5b-b43d-c09fba53aecd.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Ink Business Preferred\u00ae Credit Card\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-name\">Ink Business Preferred<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Credit Card<\/div><div class=\"compare-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.<\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-apply\"><a class=\"btn-use qs-apply-now\" title='Ink Business Preferred\u00ae Credit Card' data-ccid=\"3006145\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/InkBusinessPreferredCard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Apply Now<\/a><\/div><div class=\"compare-fee-score\"><div class=\"compare-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee<\/strong><p>$95<span class=\"compare-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"3006145\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=g3lR0xvjyAU&offerid=1753725.10005142&type=3&u1=ab13e7fbd5e3ba2e76556fd171b8d75b&subid=639396\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/div><div class=\"compare-rating compare-rating--5\"><strong>Credit Score<\/strong><p>Excellent, Good<\/p><\/div><\/div><div class=\"compare-earning\"><ul>\r\n<li>3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year<\/li>\r\n<li>1X point per $1 on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>If you want a small business card earning airline miles but aren't sold on AA,<\/strong> consider the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/united-mileageplus\/united-business-card\/\" rel=\"noopener\">United\u2120 Business Card<\/a>. With a $150, this card offers 5,000 bonus miles each year if you also hold a United personal credit card, a free checked bag on flights (including one companion), a $125 United travel credit after making five United purchases of $100+ in a cardmember year, and 2x miles on United, transit, commuting, gas, restaurant, and office supply store purchases. Our <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/united-mileageplus\/united-business-card\/\" rel=\"noopener\">United Business Card review<\/a> provides more information.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If you want a small business card earning airline miles on a different airline,\u00a0<\/strong>look at the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/delta-skymiles\/delta-gold-business\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Delta SkyMiles<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Gold Business American Express Card<\/a>. The annual fee structure is similar: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (<a data-ccid=\"4028094\" href=\"https:\/\/www.americanexpress.com\/us\/credit-cards\/card-application\/apply\/prospect\/terms\/delta-skymiles-gold\/42732-9-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a>). Cardmembers receive priority boarding and free checked bag benefits, can earn a $200 Delta Flight Credit after making $10,000 in purchases in a calendar year, and get 15% off Delta award flight bookings. This latter benefit can be used an unlimited number of times. Our <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/delta-skymiles\/delta-gold-business\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Delta Gold Business Amex review<\/a> has additional details.<\/li>\n<li><strong>If you want rewards you can use with multiple airlines and hotel programs,\u00a0<\/strong>the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/ink-business-preferred\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Ink Business Preferred<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Credit Card<\/a> may be what you're looking for. With a $95 annual fee, the card provides quality travel insurance benefits and earns 3x points on the first $150,000 of annual spending across bonus categories, including travel and various business expenses. Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be used with 14 airline and hotel partners, though American Airlines admittedly isn't one. However, AA partners like British Airways and Iberia are, and other partners include Hyatt, Air Canada, and JetBlue. Find out more in our <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/chase-ultimate-rewards\/ink-business-preferred\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Ink Preferred review<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/airlines\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Best Airline Credit Card Offers This Month<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Final_Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you fly American even a couple of times per year, this card can easily pay for itself. If you typically check bags, then it takes just one or two round-trip flights per year for the card benefits to offset the annual fee. Plus, the annual fee is waived for the first year, meaning you can take the card for an extended test drive at no expense. The <a data-ccid=\"3004019\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CitiBusinessAAdvantagePlatinumSelectWorldMasterCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Citi AAdvantage Business Card<\/a> currently offers a high-value 65,000-mile sign-up bonus after you meet the minimum spend requirement. In turn, it will fast-track your efforts to redeem your next award flight, and you can earn Loyalty Points toward elite status through your spending.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, if you don\u2019t plan on flying American, you would be better off with another card, such as one from another airline or a flexible rewards card like the Ink Preferred.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"3004019\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">Citi<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> \/ AAdvantage Business\u2122 World Elite Mastercard<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.nextinsure.com\/imaging\/opt\/11937067.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Citi\u00ae \/ AAdvantage Business\u2122 World Elite Mastercard\u00ae\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><a class=\"qs-how-apply\" data-ccid=\"3004019\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CitiBusinessAAdvantagePlatinumSelectWorldMasterCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">How to Apply<\/a><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nFor a limited time, earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 5 months of account opening.<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">Citi<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> \/ AAdvantage Business\u2122 World Elite Mastercard<sup>\u00ae<\/sup><\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nFor a limited time, earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 5 months of account opening.<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$99, waived for first 12 months<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"wwl\">Why We Like It<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"hl\">Highlights<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-wwl\">The Citi AAdvantage Business Card is a great card to hold for any business owner that travels at least a few times per year with American Airlines. Get a free checked bag on domestic itineraries, priority boarding and a 25% discount on in-flight purchases. \r\n\r\nWith these perks, it's easy to justify the annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months.<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-hl\"><ul>\r\n<li>Free checked bags for you and up to 4 companions on domestic itineraries<\/li>\r\n<li>Priority boarding to help you win the race for overhead bin space<\/li>\r\n<li>A 25% discount on inflight food, beverage, and Wi-Fi purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on cable and satellite providers<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent at gas stations<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on select telecommunications merchants<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on car rentals<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases<\/li>\r\n<li>Earn 1X mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/CitiBusAASelectMC\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-4-20ebc4699d#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Leverage your business expenses to fly for free on American Airlines with the Citi\u00ae \/ AAdvantage Business\u2122 World Elite Mastercard\u00ae, thanks to its everyday earnings and solid welcome bonus. Plus, enjoy a suite of benefits when you fly American that can more than pay for the card each year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":138451,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[12055],"tags":[12776,12657,12232,12620,12785],"coauthors":[36394],"class_list":["post-36141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-credit-cards","tag-american-aadvantage","tag-business","tag-card-offers","tag-card-reviews","tag-citibank"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36141"}],"version-history":[{"count":71,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":256068,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36141\/revisions\/256068"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/138451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36141"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=36141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}