JMN57

OK - I'm finally going to breakdown and get an AA branded credit cards. I'm trying to figure out whether I'm better of getting a Barclay or Citi card. Specifically, I'm looking at the Barclay's Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard, Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard or the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard.

All of them have no FX fees. As I have a house in Italy where I spend significant time, that's a requirement. I'm leaning towards the Barclay's as it has rental car coverage of 31 days for non-primary residence countries (as does my Chase Sapphire Preferred card).

Any perspectives on which card is the best?

guv1976

The Citi card offers double redeemable miles on some non-AA purchases:

"Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at restaurants, gas stations, and eligible American Airlines purchases."

Of course, your CSP card earns 3X UR points on dining, which might be more valuable than 2X AA miles, depending on how you would use each "currency."

One purchase -- of any amount -- earns the SUB on the Barclays card; the Citi card has a minimum-spend requirement.
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JJeffrey

What is your goal with getting an AA credit card?

All of those cards are completely meh and not worth carrying around vs. a card like the CSP.

I would just sign up for whatever one you want (if not all 3), hit the sign up bonuses, then throw it in your drawer and forget you have it. Thats exactly what I do.

Chase points are way more valuable than AA miles.

JMN57

LPs (for status) and probably specifically AA Hotels driven LPs. Until recently, one could pick up some serious LPs via AA Hotels or Rocketmiles but now, in order to unlock LPs at higher amounts, one needs to book them with an AA card. Also, if I am in Italy for >30 days, having a second card (in addition to CSP) for another (new) rental would be useful on occasion.

guv1976

Usually, yes. But not always:




versus:

VegasGambler

I'm not really sure that that's true any more. My best use of Chase points is Hyatt. While I get good redemptions from Hyatt, my redemtions from AA might be slightly better. It's certainly close.

I think the minimum I've ever redeemed AA miles for was 1.9c per mile (and that was probably a waste). 3c per mile is becoming commonplace, and I'm talking about domestic economy awards on flights that I would buy anyway, not overpriced partner F awards that almost no one would ever pay the cash fare for.

Next week I'm doing a PHX-PHL round trip. Economy tickets were $336 ow (actually I suspect that was BE but I didn't click through to check). I got the flights for 12.5k miles each way (which I actually thought was high... I was originally planning to go to NYC and PHX-EWR was only 8.5k each way... but then decent hotels were in the $500/night range so I decided that it was finally time to visit Philly and knock it off my list)

This is not just a one-off; it's common. Almost every time I want to go somewhere domestically, the web saver economy awards work out to about a 2.5c to 3.5c / mile value.

GrayAnderson

How does the value proposition look for F/J?

[My main use of CSR points is probably going to be either Hyatt or SQ unless something screaming shows up via BA or UA...]

GrayAnderson

Two miles per dollar on gas purchases would actually be good for me. [I drive a 1970 Cadillac. That's not a trivial line item for me.]

VegasGambler

I never get F/J domestic awards; I just hope for an upgrade. I get them more often than not.

Sometimes they are reasonable (around 2x economy) but sometimes they are crazy. One of my 12.5k flights next week was 100k for F. But even when they are reasonable, like I often see when I fly PHX-BUR, I would rather pay 7k for econ than 15k for F. I have a very good upgrade rate on that route anyway. And it's a short flight; MCE is fine.

For international partner awards, I think that 115k or 120k RT probably works out to about 4-5c per mile? RTs are usually around $5k? But honestly I would not pay $5k for J; I would shoot for PE at around $2k. So honestly I'm probably saving more money per mile burned domestically than I am internationally.

But in any case; I think that this is at least similar value to Chase pts.

Isochronous

Is AA even worth it compared to the currencies available through Chase or Amex these days?

Cledaybuck

Of course, the aren’t equal for earning. You are almost always better off getting 3x Chase points at restaurants. On the flip side, 2x AA points for gas is probably better than 1.5x Chase points (assuming CFU), unless it is the 5x quarterly category on the Freedom.

VegasGambler

Better than what? Better than using my AA card directly? Sure.

Better than using my AA card to buy prepaid debit cards through the shopping portal for 3 miles and LP per dollar (+1 for the CC, so 4, + LP bonus if one is activated) and then using those at restaurants? Probably not. My CSR is staying in my wallet a lot when I eat out lately.

The real question is whether I should be using my CSR or my AA card to buy those things (or anything else where there's no bonus). I choose the AA card. I think that 1 chase point and 1 AA mile have similar value, but the LP puts it over the top.

Just about the only thing I'm not using my AA card for is, surprisingly, travel.

LowValueCustomer

Another consideration is that with the Aviator Red, you'll often get an offer to upgrade to the Aviator Silver, which has a higher ($200) AF but gives you up to 15K LP boosts (total) distributed across various spend milestones up to $50k. At that spend you'd also get a roundtrip companion ticket after your card anniversary but I find those pretty annoying to use. There's also a $25 onboard food/bev credit, a $50 onboard wifi credit, and a $100 global entry credit.

dc10forlife

One other benefit of the Aviator cards is that it supports chip+pin, which is nice to have at point of sale terminals in Europe. I don't think the Citi card supports this.

VegasGambler

Is there a particular place in Europe where this is an issue? I've often heard people saying this but I've never had a problem with a regular CC (no pin). Last year I was in Finland, Italy, and Malta and I used my regular credit cards at shops, restaurants, and hotels, and nothing was ever declined.