How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® is worth it if you prefer to fly American Airlines for your business travel. Although it has an annual fee ($99, waived for first 12 months), the airline-specific benefits and generous earnings rate can help you make up for it and earn rewards quickly. With first checked bags free for you and up to four travel companions on the same reservation, you can save up to $400 per round trip. Plus, if you spend $30,000 in a year and card membership is renewed, you can earn the American Airlines Companion Certificate and potentially save hundreds of dollars in airfare.
The card may not be worth it for you if you’re looking for more premium perks like lounge access and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is a better option if you’re seeking to elevate your flying experience.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | Annual Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
 Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
75,000 miles
For a limited time, earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 5 months of account opening.
| 1X - 2X miles + 1X point
| $99, waived for first 12 months |
Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site Rates & Fees |
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Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
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60,000 miles
Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles after spending $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
| 1X - 2X miles
| $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 | ||
The New United℠ Business Card
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
75,000 miles
Earn 75,000 bonus miles and 2,000 PQP after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
| 1X - 2X miles
| $150 |
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
|
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
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50,000 miles
Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
| 2X - 5X Miles
| $0 intro for first year; $95 after that |
Generous sign-up bonus
For a limited time, earn 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 5 months of account opening. That can be more than enough to cover the cost of a domestic round-trip flight — for example, a flight from Chicago (ORD) to New York (LGA) only requires 25,000 miles plus $11.20.
Earn valuable miles on a variety of categories
The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® lets you earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations. Earn 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on other purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.
This is an excellent earning rate because American Airlines miles are both valuable and harder to earn since the airline is not a transfer partner of any major credit card rewards program. It’s also beneficial that there’s no cap on the elevated rewards you can earn — which is not the case for many other business rewards credit cards.
First checked bag free
You and up to four travel companions on the same reservation can check your first bag for free on domestic flights. This can save you up to $400 per round trip, which can help you easily recoup the annual fee.
Can earn Companion Certificate
An American Airlines Companion Certificate can help you save hundreds of dollars by lowering the cost of a travel companion. With the certificate, a companion’s ticket will only cost $99 plus taxes and fees.
You can earn an American Airlines Companion Certificate for domestic flights after spending $30,000 or more per year with the card and every year the card is renewed. Not every American Airlines credit card offers the chance to earn a Companion Certificate, so this is a major plus of the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®.
Earns Loyalty Points toward AAdvantage status
The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® lets you earn 1 Loyalty Point for every $1 you spend. This can help you reach AAdvantage status faster. AAdvantage loyalty status has four tiers that come with benefits to help you save even more:
| AAdvantage Gold® status | AAdvantage Platinum® status | AAdvantage Platinum Pro® status | AAdvantage Executive Platinum® status |
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No foreign transaction fee
There is a 0% foreign transaction fee, so you don’t have to worry about extra fees abroad.
Limited ways to redeem miles
Since the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® is a co-branded card, miles are less flexible than with a general travel credit card. There are several options for redeeming miles, but the most valuable way to use them is on American Airlines flights.
Some other redemption options include seat upgrades, alliance partner flights, hotels, car rentals, experiences and lounge access. You can’t redeem your miles for statement credits or cash back.
No complimentary lounge access
The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® doesn’t offer complimentary lounge access. However, you can redeem miles for Admirals Club® one-day passes. A one-day pass costs 7,900 miles, which is worth $79.
No travel or purchase protections
The card doesn’t offer purchase protection or travel protections like rental car insurance, trip cancellation insurance or baggage loss and delay insurance. You can still buy these protections on your own, but many other credit cards have travel insurance baked in at no extra cost.
You can earn 2 miles per dollar spent on purchases at U.S. Shipping providers and at U.S. providers for Advertising in select media on up to $50,000 of eligible purchases per category, per year. Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent at restaurants. Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases.
If you’re a Delta loyalist, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card may be a better fit despite the higher annual fee. Several Delta benefits help make up for the annual fee, like a $200 Delta flight credit for future purchases after spending $10,000 in a calendar year, 15% off Delta award flights when using delta.com and the Fly Delta app, first checked bag free on Delta flights and more.
If you fly United for business often, this card can certainly be worth it. You and one companion on the same reservation can check your first bag free, access two United Club one-time passes per year and earn two continental U.S. Economy Plus seat upgrades each year.
This card may also be a better choice for you if you’re looking for travel protections. The New United℠ Business Card provides trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, auto rental coverage and much more.
It has a simple rewards rate: Earn unlimited 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere; 5 Miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One's travel booking site.
If you’re looking for more flexibility with your miles, then the Capital One Spark Miles for Business is likely a better fit since you can take advantage of Capital One’s travel partners. Plus, it also offers up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® — which the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® does not.
The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® is excellent for business owners who are American Airlines loyalists looking to save on flights, companion fares, baggage fees and in-flight purchases. Its reasonable annual fee can be made up quickly with its savings on checked bags — and you’ll get rewards and other benefits on top of that.
However, it lacks complimentary lounge access and other travel perks like Global Entry/TSA PreCheck and travel insurance. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® or Capital One Venture X Business (see rates & fees) may be a better fit if you’re looking for more travel perks and protections and you’re willing to pay a higher annual fee.
To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
The information related to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
