I receive compensation for content and many links on this blog. Citibank is an advertising partner of this site, as is American Express, Chase, Barclays and Capital One. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by my advertising partners. I do not write about all credit cards that are available -- instead focusing on miles, points, and cash back (and currencies that can be converted into the same). Terms apply to the offers and benefits listed on this page.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
[See rates and fees]
I’ve had the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® both recently and in the distant past, and it’s spending on this card that largely accounting for my first lifetime elite status with American Airlines way back in 2006. American’s miles are the currency I’ve spent the most over the years, and there’s no longer a great way to earn miles through another credit card besides an American branded one and then transfer those miles to AAdvantage.
And AAdvantage miles remain my go-to right now too, whether it’s booking Qatar Airways QSuites for next year or Cathay Pacific awards to go back to Southeast Asia. Any awards booked this year can be cancelled, with miles redeposited, at no cost – so these miles are the perfect way to start planning travel again.
Here are 9 reasons I think it’s a great idea to get the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®:
- 65,000 bonus miles the initial offer for this card is generous, 65,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $4,000 within the first 4 months of account opening.
- Redeem that bonus for two of the best products in the world Earn the bonus and meet the spending requirement you’ll have 69,000 miles. 70,000 by the way is what it costs from the US to the Mideast, India or Maldives on Qatar. You can even fly Qatar’s Qsuites, which may be the best business class in the world. (There’s an argument to be made for the new ANA business class having the title.)
Credit: Qatar AirwaysFlying business class from the US to Southeast Asia also costs 70,000 miles — and you can fly carriers including Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and Cathay Pacific.
Cathay Pacific - It’s almost like having Gold status, but without the upgrades Golds rarely get anyway. The card offers first checked bag on domestic American Airlines itineraries and preferred boarding on American flights.
- No annual fee the first year so the initial bonus doesn’t come with the card’s $99 annual fee, and the other card benefits like free checked bags and boarding privileges don’t either.
- First class awards. AAdvantage miles are great if you want to redeem for international first class because they have some of the best airlines in the world as their partners, airlines that offer an international first class product, and that make first class available to partners on points.I’ve been fortunate to regularly redeem my miles for Qantas first class, Cathay Pacific first class, and Etihad first class — not to mention that first class is available on Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and British Airways.
Qantas First Class - Doesn’t add to 5/24 Citibank business cards you carry aren’t reported to your personal credit so do not count towards Chase’s 5/24 restrictions. You can get this card without pushing up that numerator.
- Can get personal and business from both Citi and Barclays Miles you earn from this offer aren’t the end of the story. Citibank has a personal AAdvantage card too and American also partners with Barclays for its co-branded credit cards. As I’ve frequently heard flight attendants remind customers on flights, you can get AAdvantage cards from both Citi and Barclays. That’s four cards you can get earning the same mileage currency.
- No credit cards earn American AAdvantage miles faster. Delta and United have bank partners whose own products earn points faster than the co-brands do, where it makes sense to put your spending on another card and then transfer (from Amex) to Delta or (from Chase) to United. However there’s no bank card out there that earns American AAdvantage miles faster. The card earns 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations; 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on other purchases; 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible mile earned from purchases. This isn’t my go to card for spending but it’s a great way to earn elite status.
- Anecdotally easy to get I’ve had this card in the past but I was approved without difficulty when I last became a cardmember. Readers have had great success with it as well.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
The best course of action is to obtain the card, make a purchase, and check for bonus posts.
awesome 😉 i’d like to get one as well and totally sure it’s going to be great in next year for me 🙂
Serious question: have you really been able to regularly redeem AA miles for Qantas first class? If so, what tricks am I missing?
thanks
I applied for my wife last night (personal) card as we already both had the business. She was instantly approved 18.5k CL. We just met the downs on the AA Citi Exec MC and the 80 k mikes were deposited
Mike Murphy I just booked my wife and daughter two seats on CP J class JFK -Cebu for next July. Plenty of availability. I used AS miles. 100k total.
The Bilt Card can transfer to AA and it earns 2X on travel purchases and 3X on restaurants so actually there are other cards that earn AA miles faster. Oh and you can earn points by paying your rent.
Oh and no annual fee. And no foreign transaction fee. If you want to try it out please consider using my referral link. https://bilt.page/r/BPUI-SP96
What’s the best card to get if I’m planning to put 250k on it to get EP and the benefits at 175k and 250k come 3/1/23?
I think it is important to use such cards correctly. that’s why such shares are valuable
About AA airlines, I have flown AA business class on several different aircraft. I cannot ever do it again.
They’re seats do not have a leg rest for during very long flights! Unless you want to completely recline and or have the bed made up, you must sit with your feet on the floor.
This is very bad for circulation and swelling.
Every other airline I have traveled business class with has leg rests that come up without reclining your seat. So, it is the choice of AA to have these uncomfortable seats.
“However there’s no bank card out there that earns American AAdvantage miles faster.” Except for Wells Fargo Bilt with 3x Dining & 2x Travel everyday (double that first of each mth). Points can then be transferred to AA
Just curious, Gary – you & other bloggers purchased mill of AA miles thru the Simply Miles promo late 2021. Seems you wouldn’t have much of a need for a paltry addtl 65k AA miles with so much in bank already? Or free bags already carrying AA status?
As I’ve frequently heard flight attendants remind customers on flights, you can get AAdvantage cards from both Citi and Barclays. That’s four cards you can get earning the same mileage currency.
Citibank business cards you carry aren’t reported to your personal credit so do not count towards Chase’s 5/24 restrictions. You can get this card without pushing up that numerator.
I have to disagree with you about the ease of access to biz class tix let alone access to partner miles….I have 1mm miles to blow but refuse to spent 200m each way to go to Asia when previous it was easy to grabs a biz class award tix to hkg, bkk, del for no more than 160,000 round trip…now it’s 400,000 round trip OR MORE…not sure where you are looking but definitely NOT possible
Really a useful article and informative.
In addition to the BILT card mentioned above (please consider using my referral link: https://bilt.page/r/6CO7-AXCE ), the Citi Premier card also offers a transferable currency to AA.
@Gregwg – Citi Premier does not currently offer transfers to AA
Agree with Mike C regarding AA miles. My earned miles on AA seem to have devalued twofold. Business to Australia on AA is about a million miles for 2 passengers, regardless of the date. Miles to Europe on Business also increased proportionally. But, American does sell partner airlines to Australia (on Fiji) and Europe (on BA) for somewhat fewer miles. They also sell their tickets for fewer $$. Maybe there’s a pattern. AA did have a loyalty choice promotion to get 15% of your miles back on an award flight. So, I did get over 150,000 back on an Australia trip for me and my wife. But, it consumes a loyalty choice award (like a systemwide upgrade). Delta rebates 15% back every time on award flights for some of their card holders.
Super blog.
Didn’t realize you hit AA 1MM so late in the game. 😉
AA was my first airline lifetime elite status too, but I did it without credit cards. I did have a Citibank AA debit card, but the miles from it barely registered compared to my earning 300% of actual miles flown as a result of distance flown + 100% elite status bonus + c. 100% bonus from converting earned sets of 4 sticker upgrades into 10k miles. Actually that was more the way I made the 2MM mark than the 1MM mark but both were from distance based earning more than anything else. Most of my AA 1MM family and friends made it via bank card churning.
I can’t find Biz class on AA metal anywhere internationally on any date, to any destination. I found London for 93k in off-peak early December, but Asia, if you can find anything, is 300k+. 65k is good for a domestic trip but that’s about all.
Clarification of the post I just made.
I can’t find Biz class on AA metal anywhere internationally on any date, to any destination for under 200 or 300k one way.
@Dan You are not getting Qantas First class easily, or whenever you want. There was a limited amount of space last yr in F and there may have been some scattered this yr. Its a tough one. Their business class is still very good. If you only want this, in order to get space in F I dont think I would bother. Space to AU has been available due to lower demand. But it can be a tough award to book. If you are very flexible on time of year, that can help. I have also seen American drop last minute space from LAX at a very fair price. I saw that last yr when I was in Sydney.
The card has become useless I’ve had it for 18 years.. no free bag or privileges on international flights.. the number of miles to take a trip have become astronomical under the new system. They stopped cleaning the planes between turn around. One captain got on the speaker and told us to hurry up he had to get back. And it’s not 99 anymore.
Time for the scheduled reposting of this “article” huh Gary? Wonder if anything has changed since the first time you posted this advertisement more than a year ago? What should we believe: the countless times you post this or the numerous articles you post about how terrible AA & AAdvantage is?
Anyone considering the Citi Business AAdvatange credit card should be aware that there have been major issues for the past few months with Citi / AAdvantage failing to credit earned miles, including the bonus miles upon meeting the minimum spend requirement. There is an extensive discussion about this on Flyertalk (i’ll provide a link below). In any case, I highly recommend not applying until these issues are resolved.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage/2143535-citibusiness-aadvantage-platinum-mastercard-loyalty-points-post-but-0-miles-2.html#post35823494
Yeah, I am one of those waiting on the bonus.
Just a heads up, this credit card creates a “Business” account in your American Advantage account. After login you will see in the drop down menu a choice between “Personal account” and “Business account”. The miles get posted to your business account and then can be transferred to your personal account or the personal account of other members of your business account.