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Review: Is the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select the best airline credit card for you?
Citi and American Airlines offer a number of co-branded credit cards, including the
The
Another handy perk, preferred boarding (Group 5), allows you to board just after first-class, business-class, and elite passengers. This gives you earlier access to coveted overhead bin space and more time to get settled into your seat.
Read more: Guide to the best American Airlines credit cards
You’ll also earn American Airlines miles for your everyday spending, including 2x miles on American Airlines purchases and at restaurants and gas stations, and 1x miles everywhere else. And when you use your card for eligible American Airlines inflight purchases, you’ll get a 25% discount in the form of a statement credit.
Plus, if you spend $20,000 or more on the
Note that you won’t be eligible for the bonus on the
Comparison: Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select vs other American Airlines cards
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Rewards rate |
2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases 2x miles at eligible restaurants and gas stations 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases |
2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases 2x miles on eligible purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants, and gas stations 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases |
2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases Admirals Club membership |
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Welcome bonus |
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Travel benefits |
Free first checked bag on American Airlines domestic itineraries Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights $125 American Airlines flight discount when you spend $20,000 or more in an account anniversary year and renew your card |
Free first checked bag on American Airlines domestic itineraries Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights 25% back on American Airlines inflight purchases Domestic companion certificate when you spend $30,000 on purchases in a calendar year and renew your card |
Free first checked bag on domestic American Airlines itineraries Priority screening, check-in, and boarding on American Airlines Admirals Club membership 25% back on inflight purchases as a statement credit Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit |
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Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select vs other airline credit cards
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Rewards rate |
2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases 2x miles at eligible restaurants and gas stations 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases |
2x miles on eligible United purchases 2x miles on dining/ delivery service purchases, and hotel stays booked directly with the hotel 1 mile per dollar on everything else |
2x miles on eligible Delta purchases 2x miles at US supermarkets and at restaurants worldwide 1 mile per dollar on everything else |
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Welcome bonus |
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Travel benefits |
Free first checked bag on American Airlines domestic itineraries Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights $125 American Airlines flight discount when you spend $20,000 or more in an account anniversary year and renew your card |
Two United Club one-time passes per anniversary year Free first checked bag on United flights* Priority boarding on United flights 25% back on United inflight purchases Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit Complimentary Premier upgrades 500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) for every $12,000 you spend on purchases**** Expanded access to United award flights |
Free first checked bag and priority boarding on Delta flights $100 flight credit when you spend $10,000 or more in a calendar year 20% off inflight purchases as a statement credit |
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*When you use your card to pay for your ticket, or the taxes and fees on an award ticket
****Up to 1,000 PQP in a calendar year for the United Explorer Card
How to earn miles with the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card
The
- 2 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases (including AA.com, American Airlines reservations, American Airlines Admirals Club, American Airlines Vacations, and American Airlines airport and city ticket counters)
- 2 miles per dollar at eligible restaurants (including cafes, bars, lounges, and fast-food restaurants) and gas stations
- 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases
How to use American Airlines miles
American Airlines is one of the few US airlines to still publish a region-based award chart. However, the number of miles required for an award ticket will depend on if there are seats available at the MileSAAver rate (the cheapest standard award) or only at more-expensive AAnytime prices, which can be more than double the saver award level.
You could also score a deeper discount if your route or date is included in American Airlines’ periodic Web Specials, which can sometimes shave thousands of miles off the price of a standard ticket.
Even if you don’t fly American Airlines, there’s a ton of value to be had from AA miles. Because American Airlines is part of the Oneworld alliance, you can redeem AAdvantage miles for award tickets on any of these Oneworld partners:
- Alaska Airlines
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Finnair
- Iberia
- Japan Airlines
- Malaysia Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Air Maroc
- Royal Jordanian Airlines
- S7 Airlines
- SriLankan Airlines
Another option is to use American Airlines miles for flights on the carrier’s non-alliance partners, which include Air Tahiti Nui, Cape Air, China Southern Airlines, Etihad Airways, Fiji Airways, GOL Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines (except for flights between the mainland US and Hawaii), and Silver Airways.
Read more: 5 reasons to get the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
Other options for redeeming American Airlines miles (most of which aren’t the best value) include car rentals, hotels, vacation packages, seat upgrades, Admirals Club airport lounge memberships, merchandise, gift cards, and charity donations.
Benefits and features
Along with the solid welcome bonus and earning on everyday spending, the
Free first checked bag
Unlike some other airline cards, like the
Even if you only travel American Airlines occasionally, having the
Preferred boarding
The struggle to find overhead bin space nowadays is real, and getting on the plane sooner can make the difference between finding a spot for your carry-on or having to put it in the baggage hold. With the
Group 5 passengers board right after elite flyers, first- and business-class travelers, and those who’ve paid extra for priority boarding or who have the premium
American Airlines $125 flight discount
Each card anniversary year in which you spend $20,000 or more, you’ll earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount certificate. Your discount code will come via email 8-12 weeks after renewing your card, and it’s valid for flights on American Airlines (and flights marketed by American Airlines on regional carriers Envoy Air, Republic Airways, SkyWest Airlines, Mesa Airlines, PSA Airlines, and Piedmont Airlines), as well as Oneworld partners.
The flight discount certificate is valid for one year from the date it’s issued, but keep in mind it can only be applied to itineraries that originate in the US, Puerto Rico, or US Virgin Islands.
American Airlines 25% inflight discount
When you use your
The credit should appear on your statement 8-10 weeks after your purchase. One important thing to note is that inflight Wi-Fi purchases (which aren’t processed by American Airlines) aren’t eligible for the discount.
Earn Loyalty Points toward elite status
The new American Airlines Loyalty Point structure makes it possible to earn AAdvantage elite status without ever leaving your house. In addition to earning Loyalty Points from flights (1 eligible AAdvantage mile earned = 1 Loyalty Point), you can earn Loyalty Points from non-flying activities, including spending on American Airlines credit cards, shopping through the AA Shopping Portal, and spending with partners.
Keep in mind you’ll only earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar you spend on the
World Elite Mastercard benefits
Because the
Fees and costs
The
Read more: 9 reasons you shouldn’t automatically ignore a credit card just because it has an annual fee
The card doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee, which makes it a good choice for international travel. As with other cards, there are fees for balance transfers, cash advances, and late or returned payments.
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card worth it?
If you fly American Airlines, even occasionally, the
However, if you aren’t usually an American Airlines flyer, or prefer earning rewards that don’t lock you into a single frequent flyer program, you may be better off opening a card that earns flexible rewards points, like the
What credit score do you need for the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card?
Usually, folks who are approved for the
Read more: What is a good credit score? It depends whether you’re asking VantageScore or FICO
If you’re still working on bringing up your credit score, read our guides on improving your credit score and how using credit cards can help boost your score.
Which American Airlines credit card is best?
The
However, there are other American Airlines cards to consider. For example, if you’re a very frequent flyer, the
Here’s our guide to the best American Airlines credit cards for a full rundown of your options.
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