jmsnyc

Was thinking of applying for AA Plat Select until I saw this thread since I can get 60k and waived AF, Barclays no longer offers waived AF. Wonder if Barclays Aviator has any of the benefits AA removed

Yeah, Barclays still has:

dboise

I have been using the World Elite Executive card for several years and have relied on their travel benefits. I have made two claims using these benefits (canceling travel plans for medical emergency; hit a deer in Canada with rental car) and both times, had fabulous service with the travel benefits program and had covered with very little hassle. This, and the Admirals Club membership were the main reasons for this card.

But as of September, Citi has dropped their travel benefits program on this card. So now, I am wondering what to do. Has anyone found better cards that provide travel benefits and are linked with American Airlines? I am looking at the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, which has comparable benefits, but is not linked to American (that I can tell). Moreover, to get travel benefits, using another card, I would have to pay for flights using that card. Do I then lose any benefits of having the AA World Elite card? i.e. Priority boarding, free checked bags, etc.? I usually have enough status to get those benefits anyway, but wouldn't mind the back up. I assume that if kept the AA World Elite card, I could still use the Admirals Club, even if the flight is not paid for with the World Elite card.

I'd be very curious to know who else has been affected by Citi dropping travel benefits, and what (if any) cards look like good alternatives.

JJeffrey

You do not have to pay with the card to receive the benefits such as preferred boarding, checked bags, or AC access. All of that is tied to your AAdvantage number.

dboise

So even if I don't use the card to pay for a flight, I can still get card's free checked bag privileges, priority boarding, etc? Regardless of my elite status? I find that somehow surprising ... wouldn't that remove the incentive to actually use the card?

Herb687

Yes.

coolcoil

There is still some incentive from getting 2X miles for money spent on AA. But all-in-all, you are correct. I assume AA and Citi analyzed their options and decided this is the best path for them. UA and Chase came to a different conclusion.

xliioper

Many business flyers are required to use their corporate cards when flying for business. By extending the benefit to these flyers even when paying with another credit card, they still incent the flyer to continue to fly AA, even if AA does not get the extra revenue from Citi for the credit card purchase.

Visconti

I'm actually warming up to this card, and am eligible for the bonus with their new terms since I've never had it before. $450 for 50K miles and AC access (which I assume will include the new AS SFO if and when it opens), and I couldn't care less about the peripheral benefits they're adding or subtracting.

diver858

With the continued devaluation of the dis-aadvantage program, I only use the card for Admiral's Club access; currently purchase business tickets with my Ink Preferred, leisure with Sapphire Preferred.