Aug 6, 2014, 7:07 pm
Last edit by: VFR
AA Credit Card Domestic Baggage Benefit
All Citi AAdvantage and Barclaycard Aviator cards
All Citi AAdvantage and Barclaycard Aviator cards
Summary
If you have an American Airlines co-branded credit card (including the ones they currently advertise in the airport and onboard the aircraft) you will receive a waiver of your first checked bag fee on domestic (US and Canada) flights for a standard size/weight bag. The following general conditions apply:- Your flight must be marketed and operated by American Airlines.
- The primary cardholder must be a passenger on the reservation, and the primary cardholder's AAdvantage number must be in the reservation at least seven days prior to flight.
- If the account is closed, the benefit will no longer apply.
Which Credit Cards Does This Work For?
The following US credit cards include a waiver of the first bag fee:- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® card (+ 4 companions on the same reservation)
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive card (+ 8 companions on the same reservation)
- CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® (+ 4 companions on the same reservation)
- Aviator® Red MasterCard® (+ 4 companions on the same reservation)
- Aviator® Silver MasterCard® (+ 8 companions on the same reservation)
- Aviator® Business MasterCard® (+ 4 companions on the same reservation)
- Citi® / AAdvantage® MileUp℠ card
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Gold Card (not open to new applicants)
- CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Select® Card (not open to new applicants)
- Aviator® Blue MasterCard® (not open to new applicants)
- Aviator® MasterCard® (not open to new applicants)
Frequently Asked Questions
They wouldn't allow me to check my bag for free on my domestic reservation. Why could they do that?The most common reason a free bag is denied is the requirement the account must be open 7 days prior to air travel AND, the reservation must include the primary cardmember's American Airlines AAdvantage® number 7 days prior to air travel
Can I combine this with another reason that I get free bags to get 2 or more free bags?
No. If you have Gold status, you will still only get one bag for free (though it will include international itineraries).
Do I need to pay with my credit card to get this benefit?
No. The benefit is tied to your AAdvantage number, so you can pay in any way(another credit card, employer, online travel agency, etc.).
If my companions are on another PNR, can they use this benefit?
No. The other (up to four or eight) travelers and you must be on the same reservation.
Will this work on any reservation with AA?
The reservation must be entirely domestic (US & Canada).
If I'm connecting to an international (non-Canada) flight, can I use this benefit?
No.
If I'm connecting to another airline, can I use this benefit?
No.
Citi & Barclaycard AA Credit Card Free Domestic Checked Bag / Baggage / Luggage
Apr 5, 2013, 11:48 am
#106
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 299
What happens is your credit card gets 'linked' to your AAdvantage number once youre approved with Citi. So anytime you make a booking at the top of your PNR right under your status (if you have status) it states 'premium CC holder' or something to that effect, I forget the exact wording. This even gets appended if you don't use the Citi card to purchase the ticket as it used to be appended to all my PNRs in Sabre when i used to to have the Citi CC regardless of what payment was used or where the booking was made.
In other words, the system should automatically pick up you are entitled as long as your AAdvantage number is on the reservation.
In other words, the system should automatically pick up you are entitled as long as your AAdvantage number is on the reservation.
Apr 5, 2013, 12:15 pm
#107
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SNA/LAX
Programs: AA EXP, Go Bears!
Posts: 233
Apr 5, 2013, 6:41 pm
#109
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,342
I did a search for "citi checked bag", and got several threads and a lot of fragmented info. There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding here about this, so...
The free bag benefit and the Group 1 boarding benefit are tied to your AA FF # when you are the primary cardholder. If you AA FF # is in the reservation, you will get your benefits. You do NOT need to pay for anything with your card. If you do not get those benefits even though your AA FF # is in your reservation, I would print out the relevant page on the T&Cs on the card and show it to the check in agent (it seems like many agents don't even know the correct policy).
Well, does your boarding pass show Group 1 boarding then?
Edit: Just saw that you only had it approved three days before booking your flight. That may be a problem as the T&Cs say 7 days, but you should be able to call and ask an AAgent whether they see that you have the card tied to your AAdvantage #. If not, try that again at the airport.
The free bag benefit and the Group 1 boarding benefit are tied to your AA FF # when you are the primary cardholder. If you AA FF # is in the reservation, you will get your benefits. You do NOT need to pay for anything with your card. If you do not get those benefits even though your AA FF # is in your reservation, I would print out the relevant page on the T&Cs on the card and show it to the check in agent (it seems like many agents don't even know the correct policy).
Well, does your boarding pass show Group 1 boarding then?
Edit: Just saw that you only had it approved three days before booking your flight. That may be a problem as the T&Cs say 7 days, but you should be able to call and ask an AAgent whether they see that you have the card tied to your AAdvantage #. If not, try that again at the airport.
Last edited by Apieinthesky; Apr 5, 2013 at 6:54 pm
Apr 5, 2013, 6:47 pm
#110
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,342
If your AA FF# is in the reservation, you'll get the free checked bag.
You actually can get your AA FF# in, even if you used Avios to book. A nifty trick is that the Finnar website should allow you to change your FF# from your BA one to your AA one.
Check out this thread for next time.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...points-aa.html
You actually can get your AA FF# in, even if you used Avios to book. A nifty trick is that the Finnar website should allow you to change your FF# from your BA one to your AA one.
Check out this thread for next time.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...points-aa.html
This would be akin to asking: I'm EXP. I booked an award for my parents. Will they get my EXP benefits? (The answer is no).
Also see my post 14 in this thread.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post20544253
Apr 5, 2013, 9:18 pm
#111
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: SEA
Posts: 174
I booked tickets prior to the rollout of this benefit, so had attached my AS FF#. When I saw the opportunity for free bags I called and switched to my AA FF#. Due to this switch, there was nothing in my records noting that I had the Citi card. Even so, just showing the card at bag check was enough to get the free bags - each direction. Both baggage checkers knew about the benefit. Of course, YMMV.
Apr 5, 2013, 10:09 pm
#112
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: MSP
Posts: 376
The benefits you get from the card has nothing to do with whether you pay with the card or not. The benefits are tied to your AA FF #. You'll get the benefits whether or not you book your reservation with the card, with a different card, or if someone else books the reservation for you.
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=15225.120
This is what I do:
I book from BA (usually from my wife's account) and I enter that the member is NOT a traveler.
I book the three tickets (usually 2 adults and one paid child) usually short haul
I PAY for the tickets with the AA card (as opposed to the BA card) (and this usually incurs a few cents of a foreign transaction fee.
I do not enter ANY mileage numbers for any travelers.
I call AA (never had to wait longer than two minutes) to get the record locator, add my AA mileage number (I often do that after on my own online, instead) and I add an infant in arms (unable to do that online, I believe.)
For the tickets booked for others, I did the same:
Entered that the account holder is not traveling.
Paid with the AA card
And that's it. - Didn't enter any mileage numbers (ba or aa) for either travelers, and they both got 2 free bags.
Apr 6, 2013, 3:56 am
#113
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,342
If that is really happening, then it is likely a glitch, like an earlier poster in that thread mentioned. It wouldn't be the first time that a glitch has happened with the Citi-AA program (recall that Citi cards gave cardholders PriorityAAcess for some amount of time previously)
Regardless, I stand by what I have said, as that is how it is supposed to work. Of course, a lot of things in the airline industry don't work as they should.
If you expect to get benefits you aren't entitled to due to a glitch, you can only be disappointed.
Regardless, I stand by what I have said, as that is how it is supposed to work. Of course, a lot of things in the airline industry don't work as they should.
If you expect to get benefits you aren't entitled to due to a glitch, you can only be disappointed.
Apr 8, 2013, 7:41 am
#114
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 299
Just an update after my weekend trip.
When checking in at DFW, they didnt say anything when I handed my CC, they just said they wanted my DL/ID.
When checking in at ORD, I did self check in, and it allowed me to add a bag free for each passenger for free. Looks to be hard coded in.
Thanks again for everyone's input.
When checking in at DFW, they didnt say anything when I handed my CC, they just said they wanted my DL/ID.
When checking in at ORD, I did self check in, and it allowed me to add a bag free for each passenger for free. Looks to be hard coded in.
Thanks again for everyone's input.
Apr 9, 2013, 8:50 am
#115
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 26
Question re Citi AAdvantage credit card and checked bag fees
According to the Citi site, my Visa is eligible for first free checked bags (up to 4 persons) on AA flights. i don't see where it says that the card has to be used to book the flights. We are flying to Hawaii Thursday on a BA Avios redemption. Can I just show the card to get the fees waived?
Apr 9, 2013, 8:57 am
#116
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Moderator action
Thread transferred to the AAdvantage forum, the best place to ask about any AA benefit, including those linked to their affinity credit cards.
Apr 9, 2013, 10:42 am
#118
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2012
Programs: A3, AA. Plasticy things! That give me, y'know, Stuff!
Posts: 6,293
Or, to save you the time of wading through search results, yes, it should work. The card should have your FF number attached to it and if that's on the booking or you use it when you check in then you'll get the freebie.
Apr 9, 2013, 12:30 pm
#119
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,342
Yes, that's true, but since OP is on a BA Avios redemption, it's likely his/her AA FF # is not in the reservation, in which case it needs to be added. There are a few ways to do this, which are documented in other threads, like these.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-bag-citi.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...nging-ffn.html