Why the Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select is the best card for earning elite status

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Recently, American Airlines offered a complimentary AAdvantage status match for Delta flyers. Despite being a loyal Delta flyer for years, after the major shakeup last year with the Delta program, I was willing to make the switch. 

I decided to apply for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® * The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . With an annual fee of $99, waived for the first 12 months, it was the perfect card to test my potential loyalty to American Airlines. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to earn miles — but more importantly — redeem them for extraordinary value for travel. 

Here are a few reasons why I think it’s the best card for earning status and meaningful perks when you fly.

Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard overview

Last year, I received a mailer for a generous welcome bonus for the Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard. Right now, you can get 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles after spending $3,500 in purchases in the first four months of account opening.

But the welcome bonus was certainly not the only reason I applied for this card. Other benefits include:

• First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines flights for you and up to four travelers on the same reservation.
• Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights for you and up to four travelers on the same reservation.
• 25% off inflight purchases of food and beverages on American Airlines, issued as a statement credit.
• 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, restaurants and gas stations and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Ability to earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after spending at least $20,000 in purchases during your cardmembership year and renewing your card.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Loyalty Points are surprisingly easy to earn

At first, you may overlook the rewards rates on this airline card as they’re not as impressive on paper. After all, earning upwards of 4 miles per dollar spent at restaurants or even 5 miles per dollar spent on flights is possible with many excellent travel credit cards.

So, what gives? The key differentiator here is that, with the Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select, you’ll also earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible mile earned from purchases.

Loyalty Points are American Airlines’s sole elite qualification metric and you must earn a designated amount per year to earn your rite of passage as a status holder. It takes the following amount of Loyalty Points to earn status:

• AAdvantage Gold: 40,000.
• AAdvantage Platinum: 75,000.
• AAdvantage Platinum Pro: 125,000.
• AAdvantage Executive Platinum: 200,000. 

In fact, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible mile earned on any cobranded American Airlines credit card, whether that be the no-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® * The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. or the $595-annual-fee Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® * The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . 

For comparison’s sake, with the premium Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card (terms apply, rates & fees) — which comes with a much higher $350 annual fee — you can earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $20 of purchases made on your Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward achieving elevated Medallion Status for next Medallion Year. That’s a measly 1:20 ratio on earning elite status through Delta’s program.

It’s clear that American Airlines has made the playing field much more accessible with its frequent flyer program — all without having to pay exorbitant annual fees. Thanks to my Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard, I have a healthy stash of AAdvantage miles that I can redeem for domestic tickets as low as 5,000 miles, business class tickets on partners like Qatar Airways for just 70,000 miles one way and so much more.

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Citi Double Cash® Card

BLUEPRINT RATING

Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circumstances.

Rates & fees / Terms apply

Rates & fees / Terms apply

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On Citi’s secure website

BLUEPRINT RATING

Our ratings are based on specific use cases for each card. We compared this card to others in the same category and developed our rankings based on this criteria, along with our editorial input. Note that although we chose this card as the best in its category, the right card for you will depend on your own financial circumstances.

Welcome bonus

Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

$200 cash back

Annual fee

$0

Regular APR

19.24% – 29.24% (Variable)

Credit score

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Fair, Good, Excellent

Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.

Editor’s Take

Pros

• No annual fees.
• Introductory APR period on balance transfers.
• Excellent cash-back rewards.

Cons

• Charges foreign transaction fees.
• There’s a balance transfer fee.
• Few additional benefits.

The Citi Double Cash® Card is a top-notch choice for everyday use, due to its simple and generous rewards. Plus, the card’s lengthy introductory APR period on balance transfers makes it a great option for those who need to consolidate debt.

Card details

• Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
• Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
• If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
• There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).

Cardmembers earn bonus miles and Loyalty Points through AAdvantage Hotels

American Airlines cardmembers can earn up to a whopping 15,000 Loyalty Points per hotel stay through the AAdvantage Hotels program. This platform operates like an online travel agency, allowing you to book hundreds of hotels worldwide.

Most recently, I needed to book a one-night stay for an upcoming visit to New York. I wasn’t too picky about the hotel for such a quick trip, but I found that the Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza was offering 4,100 miles for cardholders (and just 400 miles for non-cardholders).

This $300 hotel room fits my needs, and I’ll earn 4,100 AAdvantage miles and 4,100 Loyalty Points for this stay. This is just another way American Airlines makes elite status much easier for cardholders to earn — compared to its major competitors — by offering bonus miles for booking relevant travel, such as hotel stays.

If you need additional ways to earn American elite status, you can also check out the AAdvantage eShopping portal and the AAdvantage Dining portal to earn more Loyalty Points without even stepping on a plane.

Cardmembers earn elevated airline benefits regardless of status

In 2023, I status-matched my Delta Platinum Medallion Status to American’s equivalent, Platinum Pro. Nearly two dozen flights later, I’ve enjoyed the benefits of holding status and earning bonus miles on all my routine purchases thanks to my Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard.

Even if you don’t have elite status yet, there are many overlapping benefits that you can enjoy just by holding the card. With this card, on eligible American flights, you can avoid the $40 first checked bag fee and join Group 5 boarding, giving you better access to those coveted overhead bins.

All told, these cardholder perks have elevated the overall flying experience, delivering a lot of value for a reasonable annual fee.

^{For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card please visit this page.}