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If you frequently travel on American Airlines, a credit card that offers bonus miles on American Airlines purchases like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, issued by our partner Citi, should be on your radar. In addition to a generous sign-up bonus, cardholders earn an accelerated rewards rate on American Airlines purchases, as well as at gas stations and restaurants.
In this review, we’ll break down the pros and cons of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, as well as show how it compares with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®.
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular Purchase APR
20.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Intro BT APR
N/A
Regular BT APR
20.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Cash Advance Fee
5% of each cash advance; $10 minimum
Foreign Transaction Fee
0%
Balance Transfer Fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Generous sign-up bonus
Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Rewards on every purchase
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases.
AAdvantage miles can be redeemed in a variety of ways, including flights on American Airlines, American Eagle or any oneworld airline or partner airline, as well as flight upgrades on American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia flights. Miles can also be redeemed for car rentals, hotel stays, activities and tours.
Valuable travel benefits
Along with inflight savings and preferred boarding, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® offers a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 during your card membership year and renew your card. Plus, receive their first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation.
Annual fee
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® charges an annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months.
No introductory APR
Because the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® doesn’t offer an introductory APR on purchases or balance transfers, it’s not the best option if you plan to carry a balance or transfer a balance from a different credit card.
If you are an American Airlines loyalist who prefers premium benefits, like complimentary membership to the Admirals Club, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is a great alternative.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® lets you earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases. Unlike the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® does not offer bonus miles at restaurants or gas stations.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®’s premium status comes at a much higher price, however, with an annual fee of $450, compared with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®’s annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months.
That said, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®’s travel perks far outweigh its annual fee. For example, the Admirals Club membership alone is worth up to $650. The card also offers a Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee credit and priority boarding on American Airlines flights. Plus, the first checked bag is free for you and up to eight companions traveling on domestic American Airlines itineraries.
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| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card |
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Apply Now on Citibank's secure site
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Review Coming Soon |
Apply Now on Chase's secure site
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Apply Now on Capital One's secure site
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| Welcome Offer | |||
| Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening | Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. | Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel |
| Rewards Rate | |||
| Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases | Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases | 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| Annual Fee | |||
| $99, waived for first 12 months | $450 | $95 | $95 |
| Intro Purchase APR | |||
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Regular APR | |||
| 20.49% - 29.49% (Variable) | 20.49% - 29.49% (Variable) | 20.49% - 27.49% Variable | 20.24% - 28.24% (Variable) |
| Recommended Credit | |||
| Excellent/Good | Excellent/Good | Excellent | Excellent/Good |
| Card Details | |||
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | Additional card details unavailable | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card |
Overall, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® are both great options if you travel frequently on American Airlines.
If you can bear the expensive $450 price tag, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® may be the better choice — simply for its complimentary Admiral Club membership.
But if you’d prefer to test out a card for free the first year, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® will be your best bet. Along with waiving the annual fee the first year, the card offers a generous sign-up bonus and bonus miles on restaurant and gas station purchases.
