Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
American Airlines offers a suite of nine credit cards in partnership with Citi and Barclays. These cards all offer cardmembers increased earnings on American Airlines purchases and Loyalty Points for those seeking elite status. The cards carrying an annual fee offer perks like a free checked bag, and the high-end Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® offers the best airline lounge access benefit available on any credit card.
With a new American Airlines credit card, you can earn a welcome offer of American Airlines miles, good toward your next trip. Here are the details on the welcome bonuses offered in partnership with Citi.
(A future post will feature the welcome bonuses on the Barclays cards as well.)
Current American Airlines credit card welcome bonuses
American Airlines issues AAdvantage credit cards in partnership with both Citi and Barclays. Here are the current welcome bonuses on the Citi-issued AAdvantage cards.
| American Airlines Credit Card | Welcome Bonus | Full Welcome Bonus |
|---|---|---|
 American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card Annual fee: $0 | Earn 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles and receive a $50 statement credit | Earn 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles and receive a $50 statement credit after $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. |
 Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® Annual fee: $99 (Waived for the first 12 months) | Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles | Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening. |
 Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Annual fee: $595 | Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles | Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening. |
 CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® Annual fee: $99 (Waived for the first 12 months) | Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles | Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening. |
My take on the current American Airlines welcome bonuses
Out of the current crop of Citi AAdvantage welcome bonuses, the best bonus is the one on the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®. And, at this price point, that’s the best card to hold. It’s pretty easy to get more value from the business card’s companion certificate than you’ll get from the personal card’s $125 flight credit.
Citi and American Airlines seem to run promotions for a higher welcome bonus on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® from time to time. In fact, one recently ended (see our welcome bonus database for historical welcome bonus info.) If you’re considering this card, and are eligible, look to the CitiBusiness variant instead of wait for a larger bonus.
Generally, you can receive one bonus on each account once every 48 months.
More details about the American Airlines Citibank credit card welcome bonuses
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® welcome bonus
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® welcome bonus:
Earn 10,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles and receive a $50 statement credit after $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Click here to learn more and apply.
Our take on the welcome bonus: This is the standard welcome bonus on this card and we’ve not seen it change. It’s probably better to get the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and downgrade to this card.
The link above is a link directly to the bank’s website. We don’t make money when you use the above link, but we always show you the best offer.
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® card at a glance:
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 2x at grocery stores and American Airlines purchases. 1x on other purchases.
Benefits: 25% savings on American Airlines inflight food and beverages. Earns loyalty points.
More about the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® card
If you want to earn AAdvantage miles with no annual fee, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard is your option from city. The card gives you 2 miles for every $1 spent at grocery stores, and on eligible airlines purchases, and one mile for every dollar spent everywhere else.
Unlike many other airline credit cards with no annual fee, the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard can help you get American Airlines elite status. You earn one Loyalty Point for every mile you earn from purchases.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® welcome bonus
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® card welcome bonus:
Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
Click here to learn more and apply.
Our take on the welcome bonus: This is the best welcome bonus on this card within the last year. Citi previously offered a limited-time welcome offer, which offered 10,000 more miles.
The link above is a link directly to the bank’s website. We don’t make money when you use the above link, but we always show you the best offer.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® card at a glance:
Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee, $99 after the first year.
Rewards: 2x American Airlines, telecommunications, cable and satellite providers, car rental, and gas stations. 1x other purchases.
Benefits: First checked bag free on AA domestic itineraries. Preferred boarding. Earns loyalty points.
More about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
When you have the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, you get your first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four traveling companions in the same reservation. The card offers a 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases on American and a $125 American Airlines flight discount when you spend $20,000 during your card membership year and renew your card. The AAdvantage Platinum Select has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99.
You can also earn miles for your everyday spending. You get 2 miles for every $1 you spent at gas stations and at restaurants and 2 miles per dollar you spend on American Airlines purchases. You get 1 mile per dollar you spend everywhere else. And like the other American Advantage cards, you get one Loyalty Point for every mile you earn from purchases.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard welcome bonus
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard welcome bonus:
Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $7,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Click here to learn more and apply.
Our take on the welcome bonus: This welcome bonus is larger than all of the previous welcome bonuses we know about on this card, but Citi increased the annual fee on this card in 2023.
The link above is a link directly to the bank’s website. We don’t make money when you use the above link, but we always show you the best offer.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard at a glance:
Annual fee: $595
Rewards: 4x on American Airlines. 1x on other purchases.
Benefits: Admiral’s Club Membership. First checked bag free on American Airlines domestic itineraries. Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit.
More about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® offers perhaps the best value in airline club membership of any card. For the card’s $450 annual fee, you get an Admirals Club membership which includes access for your immediate family or two guests traveling with you. The card grants free checked bags for you and up to 8 travel companions, a 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases on American, and two miles for every dollar you spend on American Airlines purchases.
If you’re chasing American status the card also offers an extra boost in addition to the 1 Loyalty Point you get from every mile you earn from purchases. You earn up to 10,000 additional loyalty points when you spend $40,000 in purchases during your qualifying status year.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® welcome bonus
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® welcome bonus:
Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
Click here to learn more and apply.
Our take on the welcome bonus: The current welcome bonus is equal to the bonus on the consumer version of this card, so you might prefer this card if you’re trying to stay under 5/24.
The link above is a link directly to the bank’s website. We don’t make money when you use the above link, but we always show you the best offer.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® at a glance:
Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee, $99 after the first year
Rewards: 2x on American Airlines, telecommunications, cable and satellite providers, car rental, and gas stations. 1x other purchases.
Benefits: First checked bag free on AA domestic itineraries. Preferred boarding. Earns loyalty points.
More about the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
Small business owners can get the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®. Like the personal variant of the card, you get your first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four traveling companions in the same reservation and a 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases on American. Instead of a flight discount, you earn a companion certificate for domestic travel when you spend $30,000 or more on the card and your card is renewed. The card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99.
You also earn extra miles on a more generous suite of categories. Cardmembers earn 2 miles per dollar spent on cable and satellite providers, select telecommunications merchants, car rentals, gas stations, and eligible American Airlines purchases. Like the other cards, every mile you earn from your purchases will earn you 1 Loyalty Point.
A few notes on applying for Citi credit cards
- Citi has limits on the number of applications you can submit. You can only apply for one personal card every eight days and no more than two cards every rolling 65 days. Business cards are subject to the same eight-day limitation, but you can apply for no more than one business card every 95 days.
- You can get a new customer welcome bonus on Citi cards multiple times, but Citi has rules on how often you can earn a welcome bonus.
- ThankYou Point welcome offers are typically not available if you’ve received a new account bonus on the same card in the past 48 months.
- Welcome bonuses on AAdvantage cards are only available if you have not received a welcome bonus for the same card within the past 48 months.
- There is no limit to the number of Citi cards you can hold.
- You can check your application status on the Citi website or by calling 1-866-606-2787.
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.