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If you are a frequent American Airlines flyer, you have plenty of credit card options to help you earn additional miles and make the most out of every American Airlines flight. While Barclays and Citi both have a cobranded card partnership with American Airlines, Citi is the issuer with the largest number of American Airlines card options.
Here’s a rundown of the top Citi / AAdvantage credit cards and their current offers.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Welcome bonus: Earn 70,000 miles after spending $7,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $595
Best for: Those who want Admirals Club access.
According to TPG valuations, this bonus is worth an impressive $1,050.
The AAdvantage Executive card (see rates and fees) was overhauled in July 2023, including increased annual and authorized user fees and boosted earning rates. The card now earns 4 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases. And after you spend $150,000 on your card in a calendar year, you’ll earn 5 miles per dollar on American purchases for the rest of the year. Additionally, you’ll earn 10 miles per dollar on eligible car rentals and hotels booked through American’s car rental and hotel booking sites, respectively.
At $595, the AAdvantage Executive card has a much higher annual fee than other options but comes with a notable benefit for frequent flyers — Admirals Club access for you and any authorized users and up to two guests traveling with you when you have a same-day boarding pass for an eligible flight, loyalty point bonuses, travel protections, and statement credits for car rentals, food delivery, ride-hailing services and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck.
This card is most beneficial to those who fly American frequently and want elite benefits like valuable statement credits and Admirals Club access.
For more details, check out our full review of the AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard.
Apply here: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 within the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $99, waived for the first 12 months
Best for: Casual American Airlines flyers.
This welcome bonus is worth $750, according to TPG valuations. This card only charges a $99 annual fee (with the first year’s fee waived) and comes with no foreign transaction fees.
The Platinum Select offers 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines, restaurants and gas station purchases. As a cardholder, you’ll also earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage mile earned from purchases. A great feature of the personal card is the ability to earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card.
In addition to the 2 miles per dollar categories and the $125 flight discount, you’ll get benefits like preferred boarding, a free first checked bag for you and up to four companions, and discounts on inflight snacks and beverage purchases.
If you’re flying American Airlines often enough to want an upgraded flight experience but are uninterested in Admirals Club access or fast-tracking to elite status, this is a solid card option. It’s affordable to keep in your wallet, and the current bonus offers a large bang for your buck.
For more details, check out our full review of the AAdvantage Platinum Select card.
The information for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
Welcome bonus: Earn 65,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first four months of account opening.
Annual fee: $99, waived for the first 12 months
Best for: Business travelers.
This bonus is worth $975, according to TPG valuations. And for most small businesses, $4,000 is an attainable spending threshold to hit over four months.
You’ll earn an industry-standard 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, plus 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible business expenses, including telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rentals and gas stations. The card includes perks such as a free checked bag when flying American.
If you put $30,000 in spending on the card in a cardmember year, you’ll also be rewarded with a companion certificate — allowing you to take a companion on a flight for $99 plus taxes/fees. The certificate is granted upon account renewal, and the account must remain open at least 45 days after the anniversary date.
For more details, check out our full review of the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select.
The information for the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
Welcome bonus: Earn 10,000 miles and a $50 statement credit after making $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Annual fee: $0
Best for: Beginners looking to earn American Airlines miles.
The AAdvantage MileUp is Citi’s entry-level American Airlines cobranded card, offering a modest sign-up bonus worth $200 ($150 in miles according to TPG valuations, plus the $50 statement credit).
You’ll also get 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and at grocery stores. The grocery store bonus category includes grocery delivery services, but you won’t get the best return using this card for your weekly grocery runs. As a no-annual-fee card, it offers few perks, but you will get 25% savings on inflight drinks and snacks.
If you’re a beginner looking for an inexpensive way to earn American miles, this could be a good entry point into the Citi / AAdvantage credit card lineup. However, anyone taking more than a couple of American Airlines flights per year will likely be better off with an American Airlines card that features an annual fee since they offer greater earning rates and perks.
For more details, check out our full review of the Citi AAdvantage MileUp.
The information for the AAdvantage MileUp card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bottom line
If you are looking to boost your AAdvantage balance to save up for future travel — or if the sweet spots in the AAdvantage program align with your travel goals — this could be the time to pick up one of these cobranded American Airlines cards.
Remember that Citi doesn’t offer travel protections on most of its cards (but they have been reintroduced on the Executive card as of July 2023), which is something to consider before booking trips on your cobranded Citi card.
It can still make sense to have an American Airlines cobranded credit card in your wallet for the American Airlines-specific perks and mileage earning potential, but do the math on which card in your collection is best for booking airfare.
Also, make sure to note the restrictions on the sign-up bonus. With these Citi American Airlines cards, you won’t be able to earn the sign-up bonus on any version of the card if you have received a new account bonus for that same card in the past 48 months.
