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The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is the mid-tier credit card option for American Airlines. It has a reasonable annual fee that gets waived the first year, and useful perks that can save you money every time you fly with the airline. See everything this American Airlines credit card offers and find out how it compares to the best credit cards in our full review.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.99% (Variable)
Rewards 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations, restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases, 1 mile per dollar on other purchases
1x - 2x miles
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Welcome Offer Earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $3,500 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
75,000 miles
The rewards program makes this a compelling card to carry with OK earning opportunities beyond just American Airlines purchases.
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
|
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
75,000 bonus points Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A Regular: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
This credit card is a good fit for: Travelers who fly with American Airlines multiple times per year and want valuable perks from an affordable card.
Of the American Airlines credit cards, this one offers the best combination of value and accessibility. It has perks anyone who flies regularly with American Airlines can use, while still being affordable (with a $99 annual fee, after the $0 intro annual fee the first year).
It's always nice to pay for flights with miles and save your cash. You'll be able to do that quickly after getting this card. It offers a sign-up bonus of 75,000 miles for a limited time, which you earn after making $3,500 in purchases in the first 4 months.
You'll also earn miles every time you use this card. It earns:
Here's the great thing about the AAdvantage® program: Loyalty Points are all it takes to earn elite status. You don't need to meet any flight requirements.
That means you could move up in the AAdvantage® program based entirely on your credit card spending. Many frequent flyer programs require a combination of points and taking flights to earn elite status, and the flight requirements can be difficult for anyone who doesn't travel on a monthly basis.
I love flying with just a carry-on, but sometimes, it's not doable. If you're going on a long trip, or you're traveling with kids, you might need more space. And if so, you definitely don't want to get hit with a $40 checked bag fee, both when you fly to your destination and on the way back.
With this card, you can check one bag free of charge on domestic American Airlines itineraries. Up to four travel companions on your reservation can each get a free checked bag, too. If you regularly fly with a checked bag, a credit card with this feature is a good addition to your wallet.
If you're the type of person who sticks to using one credit card, this card is a great choice. It gets more valuable the more you use it and spend on it.
When you spend at least $20,000 on purchases per year, you earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount. You can earn one of these every account year. This benefit alone outweighs the $99 annual fee.
This card includes a couple of perks that could be useful on American Airlines flights:
This card has most of the features you'd expect for an airline credit card in its price range. But there are a few areas where it comes up short compared to what other cards offer.
The biggest problem with this card is that it doesn't have any travel protections. Many other travel credit cards offer complimentary insurance covering lost or delayed luggage, trip cancellations or delays, and damage or theft of rental cars.
When a travel card doesn't have any travel protections, it's a serious issue. You're probably going to be booking all your flights with it, after all. While everyone hopes for a problem-free trip, it's also important to be prepared in case something goes wrong.
For example, if your checked luggage doesn't arrive, cards with lost luggage insurance will reimburse you for it. This American Airlines card doesn't, so you'd be stuck hoping that the airline compensates you. If you want baggage insurance, you'd need to pay for it yourself. For an idea of how much that can cost, American Airlines charges $5 for every $100 worth of checked bags.
The rewards rate on this card isn't great. It only has a few bonus categories (restaurants, gas stations, and American Airlines purchase). It also doesn't earn very much in those bonus categories, at 2 miles per $1. You might want to check out more credit card reviews to see if there's one that will get you more value on your spending.
To give you an idea, there are other travel cards that earn 3 to 5 miles per $1 in bonus categories. There are also cards that earn a flat rate of 2 miles per $1 on all eligible purchases. If you want to have enough miles to pay for a flight every year, it's probably going to take at least $20,000 to $30,000 in yearly spending to earn those miles, at least with this card.
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
A FICO® Score of 670 or higher is recommended to qualify for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. This airline card is aimed at consumers with good to excellent credit. Your credit score isn't the only factor that Citi looks at when you apply, but it's one of the most important.
You fly with American Airlines at least two to three times per year and you don't want to pay more than $100 for a credit card annual fee.
With the benefits it offers, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is great for the airline's budget travelers. You can get a free checked bag and preferred boarding while booking economy class. If you're aiming to cut your travel costs, this credit card can help you do it.
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
According to Citi, the minimum credit limit for this card is $1,500. On the high end, it's possible to get a credit limit of $20,000 or more, based on reports online. Citi determines your credit limit based on a number of factors, including your income and credit history.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is a Mastercard.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is fairly easy to get for applicants with good to excellent credit. Aim for a credit score above 670.
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The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Mastercard.