By Shawn Gallagher
Credit cards are a great way to earn miles through daily spending and bonuses. The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard, one of American Airlines’ cobranded cards, does this very well. It’s popular among those who occasionally fly American Airlines.
This card offers solid benefits in addition to earning miles. Let’s take a look at what you can get out of this card, and what kind of welcome offer is available right now.
Benefits
You’ll get several benefits when having this card. Here’s an overview:
- 1 free checked bag on domestic itineraries
- Group 5 preferred boarding
- 25% savings on inflight food/beverage purchases
- $125 discount when spending $20K during membership year
Some of these benefits are complimentary with AAdvantage Gold status, like the free checked bag. However, it may be nice to have if you don’t have status yet.
Related: American Airlines Boarding Groups Explained
Earning Miles And Loyalty Points
This credit card is a great way to earn miles and reach AAdvantage status quickly. Here’s a look at the earning rates:
- 2 miles per dollar spent on qualifying American Airlines purchases
- 2 miles per dollar spent at restaurants and gas stations
- 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases
You’ll also earn loyalty points when you earn miles. It’s a simple 1 loyalty point per 1 mile earned.
This card has a $99 annual fee, which is waived for the first year.
Credit Card Welcome Offer
As of today, October 23, 2024, American Airlines is offering 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 in the first 3 months. I’d say go for it if you absolutely need the miles right now, but I’ve seen this offer go higher, so I would wait if I can. I’ve seen offers of around 75,000 bonus miles.
OFFER: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after meeting spending requirements upon opening a Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
Bottom Line
This is a great card for casual American Airlines passengers. The free checked bag is good to have, and group 5 boarding means you won’t have to worry much about having to gate check a bag. The card will help you earn miles and reach status faster and is a good deal when you take advantage of a good welcome offer.
If you want more perks, I’d look at the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, which gives you a complimentary Admirals Club membership with a $595 annual fee. But if you don’t want to pay the hefty fee, this one is a solid option.
All photos taken by the author.