Rewards Plan
Sign up Bonus
Credit Rating
0% Intro
Annual Fee
APR
- No limit on number of miles earned
- Domestical and International Rewards
- Annual Fee
- Blackout Dates
Rewards Plan
2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
Sign up Bonus
50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
0% Intro
PROS
- No limit on number of miles earned
- Domestical and International Rewards
CONS
- Annual Fee
- Blackout Dates
APR
21.24% - 29.99% (Variable)
Annual Fee
$99 (waived for the first 12 months)
Balance Transfer Fee
$5 or 5%
Credit Requirements
Good – Excellent
While the Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is not considered as one of the best airline credit cards, it offers some great rewrads for loyal AA customers.
When it comes to rewards. the card offers 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. There is a sign up bonus of 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
However, the card comes with annual fee of $99 (waived for the first 12 months) and the standard variable APR for purchases is 21.24% - 29.99% (Variable) based on your creditworthiness.
Overall, the Citi/ AAdvantage is a great card with great benefits. Although there are some drawbacks that might have you consider another card, this is certainly one that is worth taking a closer look at to see if the rewards and benefits fit what you are wanting in a travel rewards credit card, especially if you are a frequent flyer with American Airlines.
- No Limit on Miles Earned
- Wide Network of Airlines
- Sign-Up Bonus
- Mileage Benefits
- Domestical and International Rewards
- Free Checked bag and Preferred Boarding
- High Fees For Reward Changes
- Travel on Many Partner Airlines Can’t be Redeemed Online
- Blackout Dates on Some Rewards
- Annual Fee
Can I Redeem for Flights With Airline Partners?
American Airlines has no airline partners where you could redeem their miles. However, there is now a reciprocal arrangement in place between American Airlines and JetBlue. So, you can use your AAdvantage miles for a JetBlue flight, but you may not get as high a redemption rate as you would get with American Airlines.
Can I Get Pre Approval?
Unfortunately, this is not possible, the Aadvantage has a full application process, which will trigger a hard credit search when you complete the form on the website or apply by phone.
What is the Initial Credit Limit for the Cards?
The minimum credit limit for the AAdvantage Platinum Select is $1,500.
How Much is 10,000 Miles Worth?
AAdvantage miles have a lower redemption value with an average of 1.27 cents per mile or $127 for 10,000 miles. However, this is again dependent on your redemption method, so it is possible to find deals that offer a comparable redemption rate.
Does the Card Insurance Cover Flight Cancellations?
Unfortunately, the benefits package for either card does not include trip cancelation, delay or interruption insurance. So, if your flight is canceled, you would need to pay for any unreimbursed costs
What are the Top Reasons Not to Get it?
If you fly frequently, you may find that there are other cards that offer greater miles per dollar and have a more comprehensive benefits package that will easily outweigh any higher annual fees.
The AAdvantage Platinum Select has a low annual fee, which means that you don’t need to cover the costs before you start to see savings, which makes them better suited to less frequent travelers.
In This Review..
Benefits
Let’s take a look at the benefits of the Secured credit card and see if it’s the right one for your wallet or not.
- No Limit on Miles Earned
One of the best perks about the Citi/ AAdvantage Platinum Select WorldElite Mastercard is that the miles that a card holder can earn are endless, so the more you use the card ,the more rewards you can get.
Just make sure to redeem your miles at least every 18 months, because this is when the miles will expire if they haven’t been used. You can redeem your miles for free on the Citi website, which is also a great bonus, as some places don’t allow cardholders this option.
- Wide Network of Airlines
A rare feature that the Citi/ AAdvantage Platinum Select WorldElite Mastercard gives to cardholders is the fact that although it is an American Airlines travel rewards card, card holders can use their Citi/ AAdvantage Platinum Select WorldElite Mastercard with other oneworld Alliance Airlines.
You can also use it on other partner airlines and still receive the same great perks when it comes to flying.
- Sign-Up Bonus
Although the Citi/ AAdvantage Platinum Select WorldElite Mastercard has an annual fee of $99 (waived for the first 12 months) , this fee is waived for cardholders the first year.
The card's sign-up bonus that gives the card holder 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
It's a less than average bonus compared to other cards in this category – for example, the Amex Delta SkyMiles® Gold bonus is 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Mileage Benefits
The offers 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
You can also earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your cardmembership year and renew your card
- Domestical and International Rewards
The Citi/ AAdvantage Platinum Select WorldElite Mastercard offers a wide selection of travel rewards both domestically and internationally, including trips to Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and South America.
This is a rather extensive selection that spans a wide range of vacation options that many people will certainly enjoy.
- Free Checked bag and Preferred Boarding
Being able to have a free checked bag is extremely valuable. With the Citi/ AAdvantage Platinum Select WorldElite Mastercard, the first checked bag is free for you and for up to four other people on your reservation, which can save you as much as $300 dollars round trip per every trip that you take.
There is also preferred boarding option is also beneficial so you can get settled into your seat sooner in a lower number boarding group. Liked the checked bags, this perk can be applied to you and four other people on your reservation.
Drawbacks
Let’s take a look at the drawbacks of the Citi / AAdvantage credit card and see if it’s the right one for your wallet or not.
- High Fees For Reward Changes
If a cardholder were to claim a reward using the miles that they have accumulated and later try to change the rewards chosen for whatever reason, there is a penalty fee that comes along with this, which is something that other cards like the Barclay Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard don’t do.
- Travel on Many Partner Airlines Can’t be Redeemed Online
As mentioned earlier, the Citi/ AAdvantage Platinum Select WorldElite Mastercard allows miles and benefits to be accumulated on various partner airlines of American Airlines, which is a rare perks that many places don’t allow. Even though this perk is great, trying to redeem these miles on the same partner airlines can’t be done.
This can be a major hassle, since cardholders can become accustomed to using the partner airlines for travel, and might want to use one in particular when redeeming their reward miles for a trip.
- Blackout Dates on Some Rewards
Although this is quite normal for most travel rewards cards, blackout dates on claiming rewards can be a hassle for anyone who is hoping to use these points at a specific time for a reason.
The blackout dates on the Citi/ AAdvantage Platinum Select WorldElite Mastercard aren’t anything ridiculous, but it still can be a major inconvenience that no one would want to deal with.
- Annual Fee
The Citi/ AAdvantage Platinum Select WorldElite Mastercard includes an annual fee of $99 (waived for the first 12 months) .
This is quite similar to other cards in this catergory, such as the Delta SkyMiles® Gold or the United Explorer annual fee which is $95 ($0 first year).
Simulation: How Much Miles You Can Earn?
If you're a frequent traveler, there is no doubt you can leverage your AAdvantage Platinum Select card to get a bunch of miles rewards, in addition to another benefits it offers. But how much exactly can you earn?
In order to understand that, we need to calculate the miles based on the card terms and spend per each category. However, everyone has its own habits, so it's important to adjust the according to your specific category breakdown. If you'd like to explore it compared other cards, check out our Citi AAdvantage card vs Delta Skymiles Blue comparison.
| |
|---|---|
Spend Per Category | Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® |
$10,000 – U.S Supermarkets | 10,000 miles |
$4,000 – Restaurants
| 8,000 miles |
$4,000 – Airline | 8,000 miles |
$3,000 – Hotels | 3,000 miles |
$4,000 – Gas | 8,000 miles |
Total Miles/Points | 37,000 miles |
Estimated Redemption Value (Flights) | 1 point = ~1.5 cent |
Estimated Annual Value | $555 |
How to Redeem Your Miles Rewards?
There are many redemption options are available with Citi AAdvantage rewards.
You can use your miles to book flights to over 1,000 destinations worldwide. American Airlines awards are flexible, and you can use your accumulated miles for Business and First Class upgrades, car rentals, hotel stays, or vacation packages.
Best Ways to Maximize Miles Rewards
Here are some pointers to help you make the most of your AAdvantage Platinum Select membership:
- Research: There are various strategies for making the most of your AAdvantage miles, but they all revolve around spending the time to thoroughly research your flight options and understand all types of benefits the card offers.
- Leverage Sign up bonus – the minimum spending required in the first 3 months is definitely reasonable – don't waste it.
- Be Flexible: If you can be flexible with your travel dates and itinerary, and have the time and patience to research your options, you could save thousands of miles, especially if you plan on taking long international flights and purchasing premium seats.
While the average value for a mile is about 1.5 to 2 cents, with careful planning, it is possible to get a higher value. Unfortunately, the opposite can also be true. If you simply book any flight, you risk undervaluing yourself and receiving a value of less than one cent per mile.
Is the AAdvantage Platinum Select Right for You?
Overall, the Citi/ AAdvantage is a great card with great benefits. Although there are some drawbacks that might have you consider another card, this is certainly one that is worth taking a closer look.
With the generous sign-up bonus, annual fee waived the first year, and the other benefits that can come along with it, it can be a great choice – especially if you are a frequent flyer with American Airlines.
Compare The Alternatives
There are several other travel-focused credit cards that offer higher travel reward rates and bonuses when signing up.
Let’s take a look at them and see if one is better suited for you than the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum card:
 |
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|
United℠ Explorer Card | Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | |
Annual Fee | $95 ($0 first year) | $99, $0 intro first year. See Rates and Fees. | $99 (waived for the first 12 months)
|
Rewards |
1X – 2X
2x per $1 spent on United purchases, hotel accommodations, restaurants & eligible delivery services and 1x per $1 spent on all other purchases
|
1X – 2X
2X miles on delta purchases, at restaurants worldwide (including take-out and delivery in the U.S) and at U.S. supermarkets, and 1x miles on all other eligible purchases
|
1X – 2X
2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
|
Welcome bonus |
60,000 miles
60,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open
|
40,000 Miles
40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months
|
50,000 Miles
50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
|
Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 | $0. See Rates and Fees. | 0% |
Purchase APR | 21.99% – 28.99% variable | 20.99%-29.99% Variable | 21.24% – 29.99% (Variable) |
FAQ
Similar to other American Airlines cards, the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite card does not have any form of car insurance coverage.
There is no limit on how many miles you can earn throughout any calendar year, which means that you can continue accumulating miles to save for your dream vacation.
The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select require good to excellent credit and it is this which is one of the key factors to determine your eligibility.
The card issuers will use your income level to set your initial credit limit and ensure affordability. This means that you may be required to submit proof of income as part of the application process.
AAdvantage miles can expire, but this is only if there is 18 months of account inactivity. If there are no transactions on your account for more than 18 months, you may lose any remaining miles balance. However, if you keep your account active, you should not have any expiration issues.
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