Citi American Airlines card welcome offers: Earn a best ever 80,000 miles with the Citi AA Platinum Select card
Editor's Note
Quick summary
If you are a frequent American Airlines flyer, you have plenty of credit card options to help you earn additional miles and make the most out of every American Airlines flight. Plus, right now, there's a best-ever offer on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees.
While Barclays and Citi both have a cobranded card partnership with American Airlines, Citi is the issuer with the largest number of American Airlines card options. In fact, Citi will become the exclusive issuer of the AAdvantage cobranded card portfolio starting in 2026.
Here's a rundown of the top Citi / AAdvantage credit cards and their current offers. Holding one of these cards could be a straightforward way to score a business-class ticket on American or its Oneworld partners.
Comparison of the Citi AA welcome offers
| Card | Welcome offer | Offer value* | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | For a limited time earn 80,000 miles after spending $3,500 within the first four months of account opening. | $1,240 | $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months, then $99 thereafter (see rates and fees |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first three months of account opening. | $1,085 | $595 (see rates and fees) |
| Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® | Earn 65,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first four months of account opening.
| $1,008 | $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months, then $99 thereafter. (see rates and fees) |
| American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® | Earn 15,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. | $233 | $0 |
* Bonus value is based on TPG's July 2025 valuations.
The information for the Citi AAdvantage MileUp card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite is Citi's mid-tier AA option.
Welcome bonus: For a limited time earn 80,000 miles after spending $3,500 within the first four months of account opening.
According to TPG's July 2025 valuations, this welcome bonus is worth $1,240. This is the highest welcome offer we have seen on the card, making now the perfect time to apply.
Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months, then $99 thereafter.
Best for: Casual American Airlines flyers.
Earning rates: Cardholders earn:
- 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 2 miles per dollar spent on restaurants and gas station purchases
- 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases
As a cardholder, you'll also earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage mile earned from purchases, and this card does not charge foreign transaction fees.
A great benefit of this card is the ability to earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount after spending $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renewing your card.
You'll also receive benefits like preferred boarding, a free first checked bag for you and up to four companions on domestic American Airlines itineraries, and discounts on inflight snacks and beverage purchases.
If you fly American Airlines often enough to want an upgraded flight experience but are uninterested in Admirals Club access, this is a solid card option. It's affordable and easy to keep in your wallet.
To learn more, check out our full review of the AAdvantage Platinum Select.
Apply here: Take advantage of the best ever offer of 80,000 miles with the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite
Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
The Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite is AA's top-tier personal card.
Welcome bonus: Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first three months of account opening.
According to TPG's July 2025 valuations, the current 70,000-mile welcome bonus is worth $1,085. This is the standard offer we typically see on this card and you might be better off waiting for a higher offer.
Annual fee: $595
Best for: Those who want Admirals Club access
Earning rates: Cardholders earn:
- 10 miles per dollar spent on eligible car rentals and hotels booked through American's car rental and hotel booking sites, respectively.
- 4 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases
Also after spending $150,000 on your card in a calendar year, cardholders earn a boosted rate of 5 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases for the rest of the year.
At $595, the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite has a much higher annual fee than other options but comes with a notable benefit for frequent flyers: Admirals Club access for you, any authorized users and up to two guests traveling with you when you have a same-day boarding pass for an eligible flight.
The card also comes with loyalty point bonuses, travel protections and statement credits for car rentals, food delivery, ride-hailing services and Global Entry/TSA PreCheck.
This card benefits those who fly American frequently and want valuable statement credits and elite perks like Admirals Club access.
To learn more, check out our full review of the AAdvantage Executive.
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite
Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard
The Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard is Citi's business card for AA loyalists.
Welcome bonus: Earn 65,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first four months of account opening.
According to TPG's July 2025 valuations, this bonus is worth $1,008. For most small businesses, a spending threshold of $4,000 is an attainable goal over four months. This offer is in line with the card's typical bonus, according to offer history, so if you can, you'd be better off applying when the offer is higher.
Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months, then $99 thereafter
Best for: Business travelers
Earning rates: Cardholders earn:
- 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible business expenses, including telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rentals and gas stations
- 1 mile per dollar spent on everything else
With this card, you'll get a free checked bag when flying a domestic American Airlines itinerary.
If you put $30,000 in spending on the card in a cardmember year and renew your card, you'll be rewarded with a companion certificate, which allows you to take a companion on a flight for $99 plus taxes and fees. The certificate is granted upon account renewal, and the account must remain open for a full billing cycle after the anniversary date.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Citi AAdvantage Business Mastercard.
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard
American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® card is Citi's entry-level AA product.
The information for the AAdvantage MileUp card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Welcome bonus: Earn 15,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. This welcome bonus is worth $233, according to TPG's July 2025 valuations. This is the standard offer we typically see on this card.
Annual fee: $0
Best for: Beginners looking to earn American Airlines miles
Earning rates: Cardholders earn:
- 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
- 2 miles per dollar spent at grocery stores including grocery delivery services
- 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases
As a no-annual-fee card, it offers few perks, but you will get 25% savings on inflight drinks and snacks.
If you're a beginner looking for an inexpensive way to earn American miles, this could be a good entry point into the Citi / AAdvantage credit card lineup.
However, anyone taking more than a couple of American Airlines flights per year will likely be better off with an American Airlines card with an annual fee, since those offer greater earning rates and perks.
To learn more, check out our full review of the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp.
Bottom line
If you are looking to boost your AAdvantage balance to save up for future travel — or if the sweet spots in the AAdvantage program align with your travel goals — this could be the time to pick up one of these cobranded American Airlines cards.
Remember that Citi doesn't offer travel protections on many of its cards (but they are present on the Executive card), so keep this in mind when booking trips on your cobranded Citi card.
It can still make sense to have an American Airlines cobranded credit card in your wallet for the American Airlines-specific perks and mileage earning potential, but do the math on which card in your wallet is best for booking airfare.
Also, make sure to note the restrictions on the welcome bonus. With these Citi American Airlines cards, you won't be able to earn the welcome bonus on any version of the card if you have received a new account bonus for that same card in the past 48 months.
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite