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.)
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 | Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Earn 60,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $6,000 within the first 3 months of account opening. This offer is not available through affiliate channels, but might be available through this link. |
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My take on the current 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.
American Airlines credit cards
Here’s an overview of all of the credit cards offered by American Airlines in partnership with Citi.
Citi personal American Airlines credit cards
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
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.
Learn more and apply for the card_name - bonus_miles_full
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.
Learn more and apply for the card_name - bonus_miles_full
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.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Earn 60,000
American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $6,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
This offer is not available through affiliate channels, but might be available through this link.
Citi business American Airlines credit cards
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.
Learn more and apply for the card_name - bonus_miles_full
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.