In early December 2024, American Airways and Citi introduced an extension of their decades-long partnership, together with a promise to go unique on the subject of bank cards.
For years, American Airways has supplied co-branded AAdvantage bank cards from two totally different banks: Citi and Barclays. That uncommon association dates again to the 2013 merger of American Airways with US Airways. Barclays was the issuer of US Airways’ playing cards, whereas Citi issued them for American Airways. After the merger, each issuers retained a portion of the mixed airways’ bank card portfolio.
However in its December announcement, Citi famous it is going to purchase Barclays’ suite of AAdvantage playing cards, changing into the unique issuer for American Airways and aiming to maneuver current Barclays cardholders over to Citi merchandise someday in 2026. Citi and American have each teased new advantages for flyers, however past that, the businesses have been brief on specifics, noting that extra particulars would finally observe.
I grew up close to a significant American Airways hub and have been an AAdvantage member since 1998. Whereas I don’t have any main complaints about flying American, its bank cards and perks for frequent flyers have been outpaced by opponents lately, which supplies me little incentive to decide on an American flight over Delta, United or Southwest. Ideally, Citi and American will take this chance to overtake these bank cards and make this system somewhat extra aggressive for flyers — beginning by, in the end, permitting the switch of Citi ThankYou factors to American Airways miles.
What’s staying the identical, for now
At the moment, a number of AAdvantage playing cards stay in the marketplace, together with two of the best-known American Airways client playing cards:
The 2 playing cards have related annual charges, and by way of ongoing rewards on American Airways spending, they’re equivalent. Each supply perks like early boarding, a checked-bag waiver, and a proportion low cost on qualifying in-flight purchases with American.
Nevertheless, they differ in some important methods, together with their sign-up bonuses and aspect advantages.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® World Elite Mastercard®
AAdvantage® Aviator® Purple World Elite Mastercard®
Annual charge
$0 intro for the primary 12 months, then $99.
Signal-up bonus
Earn 50,000 American Airways AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases inside the first 3 months of account opening.
Earn 60,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first buy and paying the $99 annual charge in full, each inside the first 90 days.
Rewards
• 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent at gasoline stations and eating places.
• 2 miles for each $1 spent on eligible American Airways purchases.
• 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases.
• 2 AAdvantage miles for each $1 spent on eligible American Airways purchases.
• 1 mile for each $1 spent on all different purchases.
Further advantages
• Precedence boarding and first checked bag free for cardholder and as much as 4 touring companions in your reservation.
• $125 annual American Airways flight low cost after you spend $20,000.
• 25% low cost on in-flight meals and beverage purchases.
• Precedence boarding and first checked bag free for cardholder and as much as 4 touring companions in your reservation.
• Annual companion certificates for $99 (plus taxes and costs) after you spend $20,000.
• 25% low cost on in-flight meals and beverage purchases.
• As much as $25 again as a press release credit score per 12 months for in-flight Wi-Fi purchases.
Barclays has no fast plan to drag the AAdvantage® Aviator® Purple World Elite Mastercard® from the market till the acquisition date is somewhat nearer. However given the similarities to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® World Elite Mastercard®, it appears unlikely that the AAdvantage Aviator playing cards would proceed to be obtainable to new cardholders as soon as Citi acquires Barclays’ portfolio.
As for current holders of the AAdvantage® Aviator® Purple World Elite Mastercard®, they’ll maintain utilizing their playing cards as regular for now, however main adjustments will likely be on the horizon for them, possible together with a completely new card. Citi famous in its information launch that it “will start transitioning [Barclays] cardmembers to the Citi portfolio in 2026,” though it is unclear what substitute product these prospects would get.
Bank card adjustments I’d prefer to see
In contrast with different airline playing cards, Citi’s American Airways playing cards are, effectively, kinda boring. Certain, you get a free checked bag and may board early, however these are fairly normal advantages. I hope this partnership conjures up Citi so as to add some attention-grabbing new perks to their playing cards.
1. Will we lastly have the ability to switch Citi ThankYou factors to American?
Out of all of the journey rewards I’ve accrued, I’m most protecting of my American Airways miles and least possible to make use of them on a whim. That is partly as a result of I earned a number of these miles the onerous manner — really flying. Nevertheless it’s principally as a result of they’re not precisely a renewable useful resource. I can’t earn as many American sign-up bonuses as, say, Chase bonuses, and ongoing rewards for spending on American Airways playing cards are considerably decrease than I’d earn by utilizing my Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card or Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card.
And in contrast to the airline’s opponents, you may’t switch any proprietary bank card factors to American. Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska and Hawaiian Airways all accomplice with not less than one bank card issuer, permitting sure cardholders to switch rewards to the airline’s loyalty program. Why doesn’t American?
Sure, there are some workarounds: You’ll be able to switch Marriott Bonvoy factors to American (at a really terrible switch fee). I usually switch bank card factors from Chase, AmEx or Capital One to British Airways after which ebook a home American Airways flights utilizing Avios. Nevertheless it’s inconvenient and a problem if it’s essential change your flight.
Previously, sure Citi cardholders and Bilt cardholders might switch factors to American, however neither partnership proved to be everlasting. If Citi might snag a long-term deal permitting cardholders to switch its proprietary ThankYou factors to American, it might be a giant win for flyers and an enormous increase for the not too long ago revamped Citi Strata Premier℠ Card. I’d personally apply for that card as quickly as doable.
2. Would Citi undertake Barclays’ distinctive sign-up bonus?
The sign-up bonus on the AAdvantage® Aviator® Purple World Elite Mastercard® is likely one of the best you may get, as a result of any type of buy will set off it, no minimal required, past the annual charge: Earn 60,000 AAdvantage® bonus miles after making your first buy and paying the $99 annual charge in full, each inside the first 90 days. It’s invaluable, too. NerdWallet estimates that these factors might be price $960. It’s uncommon to discover a sign-up bonus that may get you many round-trip flights only for making a single buy. Citi’s American Airways playing cards, together with playing cards from aggressive airways, usually require you to spend 1000’s of {dollars} to get that type of sign-up bonus.
3. Or maybe supply a companion move, as Barclays’ Aviator Purple does?
Citi might additionally select to present holders of its client playing cards the chance to earn a companion move by spending, much like Southwest’s co-branded playing cards. To get that airline’s companion move, flyers must take 100 qualifying Southwest flights or earn 135,000 factors in a 12 months. However bank card spending and sign-up bonuses on Southwest playing cards will rely towards this quantity.
If Citi have been to supply a companion move on its client playing cards, it might most likely look extra much like the present perks on the AAdvantage® Aviator® Purple World Elite Mastercard® and the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® Mastercard®, which each require a big quantity of spending in a 12 months to earn the move ($20,000 and $30,000, respectively). It’s a lot more durable to earn a companion move with these playing cards, however hey, not less than it’s an choice for heavy spenders.
4. Reductions on reward redemptions?
Delta and United cardholders each have entry to cheaper rewards flights. Delta cardholders get an computerized 15% low cost, whereas United cardholders get cheaper charges on sure flights. An identical perk could be a giant win for American flyers.
5. Resurrect million miler spending for cardholders?
American Airways offers lifetime standing to anybody who earns 1 million miles. Years in the past, cardholders might spend their manner towards this achievement. Bringing this again could be a welcome perk for loyalists who gained’t fly sufficient within the foreseeable future to earn lifetime standing the normal manner.
American stopped together with cardholder spending towards the million miler program in 2011, nevertheless it’s not unimaginable that the airline might carry it again. Between Might and December 2020, spending on American Airways playing cards counted towards the million miler program.
The knowledge associated to the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® Mastercard® has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or supplied by the issuer or supplier of this services or products.
