Whether you're a frequent flyer on American Airlines or fly them once a year, getting one of the airline's credit cards can be a smart choice. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® provides a generous welcome bonus and numerous benefits when flying the airline. You can also earn up to 2x miles on your purchases to turn your everyday spending into a future flight. Learn more about this American Airlines credit card, including how to earn and redeem miles and how it compares to other travel cards.

Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard

• Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee, then $99 after the first year

• Welcome offer: 50,000 miles after spending $2,500 within the first 3 months

• Rewards:

  • 2x miles on American Airlines purchases

  • 2x miles at restaurants and gas stations

  • 1x on all other purchases

• Recommended credit score: Excellent

• More details: First checked bag free, preferred boarding, inflight discounts, $125 AA flight discount (based on spending) and no foreign transaction fees.

APR

An airline credit card offers valuable earning power and benefits, but if you're carrying a balance and paying interest, it may not be worthwhile. The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard has a variable APR of 21.24% to 29.99% on purchases. When you pay off your statement balance each month, you have a grace period of at least 23 days to avoid interest.

Although this card does not have an intro APR, you can perform a balance transfer at the standard rate. However, it charges a variable APR of 21.24% to 29.99%. Additionally, Citi charges a balance transfer fee of 5% (minimum $5) of the amount transferred.

Cardholders may access cash through a cash advance. These transactions carry a variable APR of 29.99%, and the interest charges start accruing immediately. The bank also charges a cash advance fee of 5% (minimum $10) on the cash advance amount.

If you make a late payment or your payment is returned, a penalty APR applies to your account. The penalty APR is up to 29.99% variable, and it may apply indefinitely, even when you bring your account back into good standing.

Annual fee

The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard charges an annual fee of $99. However, new cardholders receive an intro annual fee of $0 during the first year. This allows them to use the card's earning power and benefits for a full year before having to pay an annual fee. This intro period allows you to decide whether it's worthwhile to keep year after year.

After the first year, this American Airlines credit card is worth keeping if you travel with the airline at least once a year. The card includes generous perks that mimic elite status, like preferred boarding and the first checked bag for free, that justify paying the fee. American Airlines charges $40 per bag in each direction that you fly. For a family of four, you'll save $320 on a roundtrip flight.

Welcome offer

When you apply for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard, you'll earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 within the first three months. This is an average of less than $850 per month, which should be easily attainable for most households if they use the card for everyday expenses, like groceries, gas, dining out, cell phone bills, and utilities.

Intro offer

This card does not include an intro APR offer.

Rewards rate

• 2x miles on American Airlines purchases

• 2x miles on purchases at restaurants and gas stations

• 1x miles on all other purchases

• 1x Loyalty Points for every mile earned on purchases

How to earn rewards

With the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard, cardholders can earn American Airlines miles in four primary ways.

• Welcome bonus. Focus your spending on this American Airlines credit card to meet the minimum spending requirement before the offer expires. You have four months to earn the bonus with your monthly expenses or by timing your application with a large purchase.

• American Airlines purchases. You'll earn 2x miles on any American Airlines purchase, including buying a ticket, getting an upgrade, paying airline fees, and inflight purchases of WiFi, drinks or food.

• Bonus categories. Take advantage of the card's 2x miles on dining and gas to maximize rewards on eligible bonus categories. There is no limit to the number of bonus miles you can earn on these purchases.

• Everyday purchases. Use the AAdvantage credit card to earn 1x miles on every dollar you spend throughout the month. When using the card regularly, the miles accumulate quickly toward a free flight.

How to redeem rewards

The American Airlines AAdvantage loyalty program offers numerous redemption options for its members. To get the most value from your airline miles, pay close attention to these redemptions.

• Booking flights on American Airlines. Redeem miles for any flight on American Airlines, with flight awards starting at just 7,500 miles one-way. The AAdvantage award chart shows the prices of flights in Main Cabin, Premium, and Business class to destinations around the world.

• Redeem miles with partner airlines. American Airlines is part of the oneworld Alliance and partners directly with several other airlines. Redeeming miles for these flights allows you to experience different airlines and reach new destinations.

• Upgrade your flight. Use your miles or a combination of miles and cash to get better seats on American, British Airways or Iberia.

• Access the Admirals Club lounge. Use your miles to purchase a day pass or an annual membership. Day passes are available for 7,900 miles, while memberships start at 75,000 (70,000 to renew).

Miles can also be used to book hotels or rental cars, get tickets for unique experiences or many other options.

Additional benefits

While the bonus categories of the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard are somewhat limited, you'll receive major value by taking advantage of the card's benefits when flying American Airlines. Here are a few of the benefits that you need to be aware of.

• First checked bag free. The cardholder and up to four companions traveling on the same itinerary get the first checked bag free on domestic flights. American Airlines charges $40 per bag in each direction, so these savings can add up quickly.

• Preferred boarding. Get on the plane quicker with access to Group 5 boarding. This boarding group is normally reserved for travelers who've purchased a Main Cabin Extra ticket or earned 15,000 Loyalty Points.

• Discount on inflight purchases. When using your AAdvantage credit card to buy food or beverages during your flight, you will receive a statement credit of 25% of your purchases.

• Earn an American Airlines discount. When you spend $20,000 or more by your card's anniversary date, you'll receive a $125 discount on a future American Airlines flight.

• No foreign transaction fees. Bring your American Airlines credit card with you on every trip because you won't be charged foreign transaction fees on purchases outside the U.S. This benefit can save up to 3% on all purchases made in other countries.

Who is the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard best for?

The AAdvantage credit card is best for travelers who fly American Airlines at least once a year. This card has a generous welcome bonus and earns up to 2x miles on American Airlines purchases and select bonus categories. It includes the first checked bag free, which can be a huge savings for travelers who prefer to check bags. The preferred boarding benefit also gets you on the plane faster if you'd rather bring carry-on luggage and want access to the overhead bins.

If you're unsure of how much value you'll get out of the card, the first year's annual fee is waived. This provides ample opportunity to use it to earn the welcome bonus, get American Airlines miles on your purchases and enjoy benefits typically reserved for those with elite status.

Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard pros

• Annual fee waived the first year

• Earn up to 2x miles on purchases

• Benefits when flying with American Airlines

• No foreign transaction fees

Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard cons

• Does not include travel protections, like trip delay or lost baggage

• Limited bonus categories

• No intro APR offers

Where can you use Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard?

The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum credit card can be used at almost any store that accepts credit cards as a form of payment. Mastercard is one of the most widely accepted types of credit cards in the U.S. and abroad. The card does not charge foreign transaction fees, so it is a good choice to bring with you on any trip.

How to make a Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard payment

• Online at Citi.com

• Citi mobile app (Apple, Google)

• Set up recurring payments

• Regular mail to P.O. BOX 9001037, Louisville, KY 40290-1037

• Overnight mail to Citibank Express Payments, 6716 Grade Lane Building 9, Suite 910, Louisville, KY 40213

• Over the phone by calling (800) 950-5114

• In-person or by ATM at a Citibank branch

Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard customer service info

• Customer service is available 24/7

• Phone number: (800) 950-5114

• Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard login page

Alternative cards to consider

The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard is an excellent choice for some travelers, but it isn't the best travel credit card in every situation. Before applying for this card, consider these alternatives instead.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

• Annual fee
  $95
• Welcome offer
  Enjoy a $250 Capital One Travel credit, plus earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
• Card type(s)
  Travel
• Purchase APR
  19.99% - 29.99% variable
• Recommended credit score
  Good, Excellent

• Rewards rate
  • 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • 2x miles on all other purchases

• Benefits
  • Receive up to a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fees
  • Receive a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and early check-in at eligible hotels
  • Access Hertz's Five Star membership tier, offering free upgrades, a wider selection of vehicles, and more

Why we like it: Busy travelers love the Capital One Venture Card because it earns an unlimited 2x miles on every purchase, so they don't have to remember bonus categories or worry about spending caps. Miles earned can be redeemed for cash back, to buy gift cards, and to book travel, including covering travel purchases made in the last 90 days. Capital One also partners with more than 15 airlines and hotels, so you can transfer miles to book award travel. The card includes access to the Lifestyle Collection of hotels, Hertz Five Star elite status, up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck reimbursement, and two passes to the Capital One Lounge each year.

Learn more

Read our full review of the Capital One Venture rewards card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• Annual fee
  $95
• Welcome offer
  Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months (that's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠)
• Card type(s)
  Travel
• Ongoing Purchases APR
  21.49% - 28.49% Variable
• Recommended credit score
  Excellent/Good

• Rewards rate
  • 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel
  • 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
  • 2x points on all other travel purchases
  • 1x points on all other purchases

• Benefits
  • Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel
  • Earn up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel
  • On every account anniversary, earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year

Why we like it: The Chase Sapphire Preferred is another general travel credit card that earns flexible points. You can earn up to 5x points on your purchases, and points are worth 25% more when booking travel through Chase. The card comes with generous travel and purchase protections, including primary rental car coverage. You'll also get an annual $50 hotel credit when booking rooms through Chase. Points can be redeemed for cash, travel, gift cards, and more, but the highest value tends to come when transferring to one of its 14 airline and hotel partners. 

Learn more

Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card

This article was edited by Rebecca McCracken

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