4 Things to Do When You Get the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
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The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is an excellent card option for the more casual American Airlines flyer. It offers several benefits to make flying with American Airlines more enjoyable — and to help you maximize your mileage earnings.
In the guide below, you’ll find four things to know about and take advantage of once you have your new Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® in hand.
1. Enjoy preferred boarding and free checked bags
The perks of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® are geared toward making flying on American Airlines more rewarding and enjoyable, too. As a cardholder, you get preferred boarding and one free checked bag on domestic American Airlines flights for yourself and up to four travel companions on the same reservation.
You’ll board with Group 5 — while that isn't at the front of the pack, you’ll trim off some wait time. It’s worth noting that your Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® account must be open at least seven days for this benefit to apply.
2. Earn the welcome bonus
The card is currently offering the following welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. We value American AAdvantage miles at 1.7 cents each, so this welcome offer is worth plenty.
3. Score the big spend bonus
With the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® you'll earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount each year when you spend at least $20,000 and renew your account.
If you find it worth going for this bonus, the best way to maximize it further is by taking advantage of the card’s 2X bonus categories.
Here’s the breakdown of the card’s earning rates:
2 miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
2 miles per $1 spent at restaurants and gas stations.
1 mile per $1 spent on everything else.
Earning the extra flight discount is a nice perk for those who regularly fly with American Airlines on paid fares.
However, an important point to note is that there are better cards out there for restaurant and gas station purchases. For example, the Citi Prestige® Card (annual fee: $495) earns 5 points per $1 at restaurants, and the Citi Premier® Card (annual fee: $95) earns 3 points per $1 at gas stations and restaurants.
» Learn more: Citi Premier review: Potentially lucrative for travelers
4. Use your card on in-flight purchases
Another card perk that can save American Airlines flyers some money is the 25% discount on eligible in-flight purchases. You’ll get the discount in the form of a statement credit when using the card to pay for in-flight food and beverages on American Airlines.
Although this perk isn't a game-changer, it can save you some cash if you're a loyal American Airlines flyer who regularly buys in-flight food and drinks.
The information related to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and Citi Prestige® Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express
Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card