Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Citi is a TPG advertising partner.
If you’re thinking about applying for the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® — formerly known as the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® — but are uncertain whether your credit score qualifies you for approval, we can help with that. Let’s look at the different factors you should consider before deciding on whether or not you should apply for this small-business rewards credit card.
The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® 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.
What credit score do you need to get the Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard?
Although the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® is a small-business credit card, your personal credit score will be considered during the application process. Some issuers also check your business credit score during the application process, if your business has a credit history.
Citi doesn’t publish specific credit scores that are needed to be approved for the Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard. After all, your credit score is just one of many factors that Citi will take into account when deciding whether to approve your application. But you’ll generally need a good credit score of at least 730* to be approved for a rewards credit card.
It is, however, possible to get approved with a lower score depending on your specific application details.
*The Points Guy credit ranges are derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.
Related reading: Best business credit cards of 2024
Who should get the Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard?
The Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard is a solid card if you want extra perks when flying American Airlines.
As a cardholder, you’ll get the first checked bag free on American Airlines domestic itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling on the same reservation. The $99 annual fee is waived the first year, but in subsequent years it’s easy to justify the annual fee if you check at least four bags a year.
The card is currently offering a sizable 75,000-mile sign-up bonus after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first five months of account opening. You earn 2 AAdvantage miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, as well as spending with telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and gas stations. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar.
How many card accounts can I have open?
Citi doesn’t seem to limit the overall number of credit cards you can have open. Citi also seems to have a maximum credit line that it may extend across all of your Citi cards, though. So, if you have at least one other small-business credit card with Citi and aren’t approved for a new card, you may want to call Citi’s reconsideration line to see if shifting some credit from one of your current small-business cards will allow you to open the new card.
Related reading: How many credit cards should I have?
Who is eligible for a sign-up bonus?
The card application notes that “American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard account in the past 48 months.” So, if you’ve received a sign-up bonus for this card in the last four years, you won’t be eligible to earn another bonus at this time.
Related reading: Earning another AAdvantage card sign-up bonus: What you need to know
Do I need a business to get a business credit card?
Yes, you do need a business to get a business credit card, but many types of small businesses can be eligible, including some work that you may not have previously considered. For example, selling items online, providing music lessons, tutoring children, freelance jobs or managing a rental property can all make you eligible for a business credit card.
You don’t have to have a registered business to apply for a business credit card. You can select “sole proprietor” as the type of business when filling out the application, enter your name as the business name and enter your Social Security number as your tax ID number.
How to check your credit score
There are many ways to check your consumer credit score for free. For example, many credit cards let you check your FICO score for no charge. It’s a good idea to track your score’s progress over time, especially if you’re looking to improve your credit score. You can also check your business credit score, but you’ll usually need to pay to see your actual score or a full credit report.
It’s important to realize that you don’t just have one credit score. Instead, there are different calculation methods and credit reporting agencies. Your business and personal credit scores will vary based on the calculation method and credit reporting agency that is used.
Factors that affect your credit score
Once you know your credit score range, you may wonder what factors affect your credit score. Let’s focus on your personal credit score since we know that Citi will consider this score for all applicants of the Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard.
There are a few formulas for calculating your credit score, but none of the exact calculations are public. Nonetheless, FICO is relatively transparent about the different factors they assess and how much weight each is given:
- Payment history (35%): Whether you’ve paid past credit accounts on time.
- Amounts owed (30%): The relative size of your current debt and the ratio of your current debt to your available credit.
- Length of credit history (15%): How long your credit accounts have been established (including the age of your oldest account, the age of your newest account and the average age of all your accounts), how long certain credit accounts have been established and how long it has been since you used certain accounts.
- New credit (10%): How many new accounts you have opened recently.
- Credit mix (10%): How many different types of credit accounts you have, such credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans, finance company accounts and mortgage loans.
What to do if you get rejected
If your application is rejected, you’ll get a letter in the mail that states why Citi turned you down. Depending on the reasons, you may want to use this information to improve your credit score before applying again. Or, if you believe you can provide additional information that might lead to approval of your application, you can call Citi’s reconsideration line to make your case.
If you call the reconsideration line, be prepared to answer questions about your business and present a compelling argument for why Citi should approve your application.
Related reading: How bad is it to get denied for a credit card?
How long to wait before applying again
It’s best to avoid applying again until you’ve addressed the reasons Citi gave for rejecting you. But, if you want to apply again or apply for a different Citi card, the consensus about applying for Citi credit cards is that you can only apply for one card (personal or business) every eight days, no more than two cards in a 65-day window and no more than one business card in a 90-day window.
How much are American Airlines AAdvantage miles worth?
According to TPG’s valuations, American Airlines miles are worth 1.58 cents each. The current sign-up bonus for the Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard is worth $1,185. If you use your miles wisely, you can redeem your AA miles for far greater value.
Credit card writer Danyal Ahmed has redeemed his miles for as much as 6.5 cents a piece when booking Qatar Airways business class for 70,000 miles.
Related reading: How (and why) to calculate award redemption values
Bottom line
If you’re an American Airlines loyalist and a business owner, the Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard is a good choice as you earn bonus miles in business-specific categories and on travel with American Airlines.
Elitelike benefits such as priority boarding and free checked bags are enough to help offset the $99 annual fee. If your credit score is at least 730 and you have an overall good credit profile, the card with its current welcome offer could be a great value add for your business.
