It Just Got A Little Easier to Earn A Free Flight With American Airlines’ Co-Branded Credit Card
Anya Kartashova April 24, 2018
Citibank has announced new earning structure and benefits on its co-branded Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard.
To learn everything you need to know about Citi/AAdvantage cards, head HERE.
Double Miles on Gas, Dining
Effective July 22, in addition to purchases with American Airlines, card members will earn double miles in two more categories: gas station and restaurants. Typically, co-branded airline credit cards do not offer any bonus categories other than direct spending with that airline, so it’s refreshing to see more options to earn 2X miles.
$100 American Airlines Flight Discount
The AA Citi Platinum Select cardholders who spend at least $20,000 on their card during their card membership year will earn a $100 American Airlines flight voucher good for the next year. The discount will apply during the billing cycle after you renew your card for another year. A card membership year is defined as a 12-month period after the first billing statement. If you use the travel voucher every year, it will offset the annual cost of holding the card. Speaking of which…
Increased Annual Fee
The annual fee on the American Airlines Platinum credit card will go up from $95 to $99 per year. Not a huge increase, but something to consider when applying for the card. The fee will continue to be waived for the introductory year, and you can enjoy all the benefits of the card and evaluate whether it’s worth keeping it after year one.
Who’s Eligible for the Citi / AA Platinum Select Credit Card?
You can open one personal Citi card in an eight-day period and no more than two personal cards in a 65-day period. As a reminder, those who have opened or closed any Citi-issued co-branded American Airlines credit cards in the last 24 months are not eligible for the sign-up bonus. Those with Barclays-issued AA cards do not fall under the rules because these are two different banks.
In Conclusion
Personally, I prefer using my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card on dining purchases because the points are much more flexible. Still, new bonus categories on the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard certainly will help new and existing cardholders earn a free flight faster. The $100 AA flight discount will help high spenders offset the card’s annual fee, increase of which isn’t significant in the grand scheme of things.
What do you think of the new benefits on the American Airlines credit card from Citibank?
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Does this apply to the Executive World Elite MC?
We just booked a Business sAAver OW ticket MAD-ORD for 57,500 miles. We get 5000 mile rebate so 52,500 miles for a $6300+ ticket. Flying on Iberia and had $140 fee which we were fine with as we don't want to route through LHR. I am quite happy to redeem at 12 cent per point/mile. We use the miles to book US/Europe Business class on a regular basis.
The only way AA miles are worth anything is with sAAver pricing and even then we are talking at most 1 cent per point. Best case with the card is that you get 2 cents per $ purchased. I have two cards already that gives 5% cash back in those two categories. And my confidence level of getting saaver awards is fairly low. The only reason to hold any AA cobranded card is for the baggage fees waver for non-elites, and/or with the more expensive card, access to Admiral's club. In niether case does it make sense to use the card. These changes affect my decisions not at all. If AA wants us to use the co-branded cards, they need to change the value of AA points or start dishing out more like 3 pts/$ on everything (with some bonus cats to boot).
True, but again, my comment was reasonable saver awards. The card is only for certain routes, and not necessarily HUB-HUB traffic. Also, the few savers I find always involve a connection.
If only AA will have some reasonable saver awards.