Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® Review

A few weeks ago, I was planning on getting the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card as my next credit card since it’s currently offering its best offer: 5 Marriott Free Night Awards after spending $5,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

However, a different credit card has now come to my attention as my possible fourth credit card: The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. This card recently announced an elevated introductory offer as a summer special: Earn 80,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $3,500 within the first 4 months of account opening.

I was planning on getting the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card to help cover the hotel stays of planning a family vacation to Hawaii. However, the AAdvantage Platinum card will also be extremely useful for my situation, especially since I’m traveling to Japan soon, and one of my base airports is an American Airlines hub.

A Special Introductory Offer

One of the strongest benefits of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is its introductory offer. Currently, you can earn 80,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $3,500 within the first 4 months of account opening.

Additionally, you’ll have a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, and then each subsequent year will be priced at an annual fee of $99.

80,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles can take your travels very far, especially since they’re considered to have high value.

For example, you can fly in Japan Airlines’ business class from Tokyo to various American cities such as Chicago starting at just 60,000 AAdvantage miles. Japan Airlines is widely regarded for its premium service, especially its exceptional business class service. Award availability for Japan Airlines’ business class is high in demand, and I recommend grabbing a seat for 60,000 miles as soon as you see it.

Additionally, you can use AAdvantage miles to book business class seats with Qatar Airways’ QSuites. Qatar Airways has been consistently ranked as the best airline in the world, and QSuites are an exceptional experience.

Business class seats start at 70,000 miles from the U.S. to the Middle East, and you can add on a connection to Africa for just an additional 5,000 miles.

You could fly all the way from Los Angeles (LAX) to Johannesburg (JNB) via Doha (DOH) in Qatar Airways’ QSuite business class for just 75,000 miles.

This is a massive value redemption. The first leg from Los Angeles to Doha takes 15 hours and 30 minutes, and the second leg from Doha to Johannesburg takes 8 hours and 25 minutes. This means you’ll be spending an entire day’s worth of flying in business class.

This same flight itinerary would cost over $5,000 in cash. By redeeming your AAdvantage miles carefully and strategically, you can easily save thousands of dollars and fly across the world without needing to pay exorbitant prices.

Earning More Miles

In addition to the introductory offer of 80,000 bonus miles, you can earn more AAdvantage miles by simply spending with your card. Here’s how the earning rate breaks down:

• 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases
• 2x miles at restaurants
• 2x miles at gas stations
• 1x miles on all other purchases

Additionally, you’ll earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage mile you earn from purchases. These loyalty points help you to reach AAdvantage status faster.

The bonus earning rates aren’t particularly strong. There are many other cards out there that deliver higher earning rates for the same categories, such as 3x points on dining with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and 4x points on travel booked directly with an airline with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

I don’t think I would find much use out of the card after getting the introductory offer, as I’d rather use my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to earn Chase points on dining and travel purchases. However, since my Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card doesn’t earn bonus points at gas stations, I might use the AAdvantage Platinum card there.

Benefits with American Airlines

You’ll receive a variety of benefits when flying with American Airlines with your Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. These benefits include, but are not limited to:

• First checked bag free: Get the checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 4 travel companions on the same reservation
• Preferred boarding: Enjoy preferred boarding on American Airlines flights, which is Group 5 of the boarding process.
• Save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases: Save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases on American Airlines flights
• $125 American Airlines flight discount: Earn a $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more during your card membership year and renew your card.

As someone based out of Philadelphia (PHL), which is an American Airlines hub, I’ll be able to find some value in these benefits, especially with the free checked bag and preferred boarding. The free checked bag can easily help me save $35 on every American Airlines flight I take since I don’t have AAdvantage status.

However, it is worth noting that if you already have a free checked bag because of your AAdvantage status, the status benefit won’t stack with the card benefit, and vice versa. You can only receive your first checked bag free with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®.

Final Remarks

If you're a frequent flyer with American Airlines, or even someone with just a couple of major trips coming up, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® offers immense upfront value.

The current 80,000-mile intro offer is one of the highest we’ve seen and can easily cover one or more international flights in premium cabins, including bucket-list experiences like Japan Airlines business class or Qatar QSuites.

While the ongoing earning rates aren’t industry-leading, the card’s airline-specific perks, such as a free checked bag, preferred boarding, and in-flight savings, add real value, especially if you fly American Airlines even a few times a year.

For someone like me, based near an AA hub and planning international travel, this card makes a compelling addition to my wallet, at least for the first year.

Whether you’re looking to maximize a one-time windfall of miles or deepen your relationship with the AAdvantage program, this card can open the door to luxury travel for less.

TL;DR:

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® currently offers a standout 80,000-mile welcome bonus after spending $3,500 in 4 months, with no annual fee for the first year ($99 thereafter). These miles can unlock incredible award flights, including premium cabins on Japan Airlines or Qatar QSuites. The card also provides airline perks like a free checked bag, preferred boarding, and 25% savings on inflight purchases with American Airlines. While ongoing earn rates (2x on AA, restaurants, gas) aren’t industry-best, the card is ideal for travelers based near an American hub or planning international trips, offering great upfront value and solid travel benefits.