Citi AAdvantage Globe Review: Companion Certificate Can Offset $350 Fee
The Bottom Line
If you want a Companion Certificate for an American Airlines flight, this is the only card that delivers.
Rates, fees and offers
Rates, fees and offers
Annual fee
$350
Rewards rate
3x
Bonus offer
For a limited time, earn 90,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $5,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
Intro APR
N/A
Ongoing APR
APR: 19.99%-29.99% Variable APR
Cash Advance APR: 29.99%, Variable
Penalty APR: Up to 29.99%, Variable
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
0%
More details from Citibank
More details from Citibank
- For a limited time, earn 90,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $5,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
- American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received AAdvantage® bonus miles for a new AAdvantage® Globe™ account in the past 48 months or if you converted another Citi credit card account on which you earned a new account bonus in the last 48 months into a AAdvantage® Globe™ account.
- Every calendar year, receive four Admirals Club® Globe™ Passes.
- Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit of up to $120 every 4 years.
- Earn 3 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Companion benefit
Lounge access
Free checked bag
Early boarding
Bonus categories
Cons
Annual fee
Rewards have limited flexibility
Requires good/excellent credit
Detailed Review
Nearly a year after Citi announced it would become the exclusive issuer of co-branded American Airlines credit cards, the two companies debuted a new card from that partnership: the $350-annual-fee Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®.
Branded as a "midtier" airline card (though definitions of that term tend to vary), it sits just below Citi and American’s priciest option — the $595-annual-fee Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® — while still offering a few of its own luxury perks.
In fact, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® boasts a couple of benefits not found on its more expensive sibling, or on any of Citi’s other American AIrlines cards, for that matter: a companion certificate, plus a "Flight Streak" feature that can help cardholders attain AAdvantage status more quickly.
You'll also get several other valuable perks, including a "Splurge Credit" that you can use toward a handful of eligible purchases — although not toward American Airlines flights, it should be noted.
Also of note: The companion certificate isn't exactly "free"; you'll owe $99, not including taxes and fees. But that benefit could still save you a bundle and, alone, might make the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® the best fit for frequent American fliers.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®: Basics
Card type: Airline.
Annual fee: $350.
Sign-up bonus: For a limited time, earn 90,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $5,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
Rewards:
6x AAdvantage miles on eligible AAdvantage Hotels bookings.
3x AAdvantage miles on eligible American Airlines purchases.
2x AAdvantage miles at restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
2x AAdvantage miles on eligible Rides and Rails purchases, including taxis, rideshares and public transit.
1x AAdvantage mile on all other purchases.
Rewards are not capped.
NerdWallet values American miles at 1.3 cents each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data on hundreds of economy routes, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 1.3 cents or more in value from your American miles.
APR: The ongoing APR is 19.99%-29.99% Variable APR.
Foreign transaction fee: $0.
Other benefits:
Every calendar year, receive four Admirals Club Globe Passes valid for 24 hours.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit of up to $120 every 4 years.
One American Airlines companion certificate every card anniversary for a single round-trip qualifying domestic flight in main cabin. Redeemable for $99 plus taxes and fees.
Up to $100 in statement credits on in-flight purchases.
Up to a $100 annual "Splurge Credit" on up to two of the following: AAdvantage Hotels bookings, 1stDibs, Future Personal Training and Live Nation.
Up to a $240 annual Turo credit. Receive a $30 statement credit for each eligible completed trip on Turo.
Free first checked bag on qualifying domestic American Airlines flights for the cardholder and up to eight travelers on the same reservation.
Priority boarding in group 5 for the cardholder and up to eight travelers on the same reservation.
Flight Streak bonus of 5,000 Loyalty Points after flying four qualifying American Airlines flights, up to 15,000 Loyalty Points each status qualifying year.
Compare to Other Cards
Benefits and Perks
Companion certificate
Not even the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® with its $595 annual fee boasts a companion certificate benefit. But you get one every card anniversary with the AAdvantage Globe card. Just note the fine print: The companion certificate is only good for a qualifying round-trip domestic flight in main cabin.
It’s also not completely free: You’ll still pay $99, not including taxes and fees.
Flight perks
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® comes with a host of benefits to make air travel more affordable and comfortable. Cardholders get:
Every calendar year, four Admirals Club Globe Passes, valid for 24 hours. One pass grants admission for one adult and up to three children under the age of 18.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit of up to $120 every 4 years.
Up to $100 in statement credits on in-flight food, drinks and Wi-Fi on American domestic flights.
Free first checked bag on qualifying domestic American Airlines flights for the cardholder and up to eight travelers on the same reservation.
Priority boarding in group 5 for the cardholder and up to eight travelers on the same reservation.
Welcome offer
New cardholders are eligible for a generous welcome bonus. The current offer: For a limited time, earn 90,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $5,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
Depending on how you use those miles, that welcome offer could net you several domestic flights.
Accelerated path toward status
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® is the only Citi-American co-branded card that offers Flight Streak bonuses to move cardholders closer to status within American Airlines’ AAdvantage loyalty program.
Globe cardholders will earn 5,000 Loyalty Points after flying four qualifying American Airlines flights, up to 15,000 Loyalty Points each status qualifying year.
And like other Citi AAdvantage credit cards, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® earns 1 Loyalty Point toward AAdvantage status for every 1 eligible AAdvantage mile earned from qualifying purchases.
Fliers need 40,000 Loyalty Points to earn the airline’s lowest tier, AAdvantage Gold, and at least 200,000 to earn the highest tier, AAdvantage Executive Platinum.
Rewards
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® earns decent ongoing rewards at restaurants and public transit; it’s the only Citi AAdvantage card that earns bonus rewards in the latter category. The card also earns a respectable 3x miles on eligible American Airlines flights, a shade better than the rate offered by the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®.
However, the AAdvantage Globe card earns the most rewards on hotels booked through the AAdvantage Hotels platform. For extra savings, pay for your next AAdvantage Hotels stay with the card and earn 6x miles on that purchase. Then, use your annual Splurge Credit up to $100 toward the cost.
Here's how the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® stacks up against its sister cards on key benefits.
• 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services, and on eligible American Airlines purchases. • 1 AAdvantage mile per $1 spent on other purchases. | |
• 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants and on eligible American Airlines purchases. • 1 AAdvantage mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. • First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 4 traveling companions on the same reservation. | |
• 6 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on eligible AAdvantage Hotels bookings. • 3 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. • 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent at restaurants, including takeout and delivery. • 1 AAdvantage mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. • First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 8 traveling companions on the same reservation. • One American Airlines companion certificate every card anniversary for a single round-trip qualifying domestic flight in main cabin. Redeemable for $99 plus taxes and fees. | |
•10 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on eligible car rentals and hotels booked through AA. • 4 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (5 miles per dollar after spending $150,000 in total on the card in a calendar year). • 1 AAdvantage mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. • First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 8 traveling companions on the same reservation. • Admirals Club airport lounge membership and access for up to 2 guests or immediate family members traveling with the cardholder. | |
• 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. • 1 AAdvantage mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. • First checked bag free for cardholder and up to 4 traveling companions on the same reservation. |
Drawbacks and Considerations
Annual fee
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® carries an annual fee of $350. That puts it in competition with similarly priced co-branded cards from other airlines, like the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and The New United Quest℠ Card.
It's a far cry from the price tags of some truly "premium" cards, and the Globe's perks — if used properly — should easily outstrip that cost. But it's still not exactly a cheap product to hold. Frequent American Airlines fliers who don’t want to pay a three-figure annual fee may want to consider the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. Its annual fee is $99, waived for the first 12 months, and it also offers free checked bags and a 25% in-flight discount on food and drinks — no companion certificate, though.
Niche statement credits
If you’re serious about recouping the annual fee on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®, you’ll want to take advantage of the card’s perks and statement credits, some of which are easier to use than others, depending on your spending habits.
For example, the card’s biggest statement credit is for Turo rides. But that’s not much use to you if you aren’t renting cars on a regular basis, or if you prefer another car rental agency. The credit also can’t be redeemed all at once. Each Turo booking returns a $30 statement credit until the $240 annual limit is reached.
Similarly, the $100 statement credit toward 1stDibs, a home decor and jewelry retailer, may not appeal to all cardholders.
How To Decide If It's Right For You
For travelers who love the savings gained from a companion certificate, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® is the only choice for American Airlines fliers.
Note, though, that the companion certificate and the free checked bags for up to eight travel companions — two of the card’s most valuable benefits — apply only to domestic flights. Regular international travelers may find another airline card more useful.
Transfer points to American Airlines
The card earns 3x ThankYou Points on popular spending categories including travel, supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations, making it a solid top-of-wallet card. Those ThankYou Points can be redeemed for gift cards, cash back or even transferred to American Airlines. If you want more redemption flexibility and the ability to transfer points to American, Citi is the only credit card issuer that can claim American as a travel partner.
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Methodology
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About the author
Jae Bratton
Lead Writer & Content Strategist
