In 2017, I launched my points and miles journey when I applied for my first airline credit card, enamored with the idea that my daily spending could translate into award travel.
Eight years later, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) remains a workhorse of my wallet. The same card that once made flying cheaper and more pleasant as a budget traveler has remained a card I frequently reach for as a TPG road warrior and flyer with elite status.
That’s thanks in part to its low annual fee, the boost it gives me toward American Airlines elite status and the travel savings it offers me each year.
A great credit card for beginners
Ask any of us here at TPG, and you’ll get a take on what the best credit card is for beginners.
Personally, I think a lower-annual-fee airline card like this one can be a great place to start.
In my case, the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select helped me dip my toe into earning airline miles on everyday purchases — and gain some cash-saving travel perks — before I felt ready for a card that offered transfers to a wider range of partner loyalty programs.
I also scored a welcome offer that jump-started my sum of AAdvantage miles that I later used to fly with my wife on a handful of trips early in our “redemption” era — most notably our honeymoon in the Cayman Islands.
Read more: Getting started with points, miles and credit cards to travel
Welcome bonus
Today, you could do the same with the current bonus for new applicants: 80,000 bonus miles for new cardholders who spend $3,500 in the first four months.
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That’s one of the best offers we’ve ever seen for this card.
It’s enough to get you and a travel partner to Europe, one-way, in premium economy. You could also score a lie-flat seat in American’s business-class cabin, or book several family members on a round-trip domestic flight.
But, as always, the welcome bonus is only part of the reason to apply for a new card.
Here’s why I’ve kept this one in my wallet for the better part of the decade, even as I’ve added a handful of additional (and more premium) cards to my wallet.
Read more: Current Citi American Airlines card welcome offers
Solid travel benefits for travelers without status
The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card offers a few elite-ish perks to passengers who don’t fly American enough to qualify for AAdvantage status.
First checked bag free
A top benefit: The first checked bag is free for you and up to four companions flying on the same reservation on domestic U.S. itineraries.
Considering that checked bags start at $35 one-way on American, a round trip for two travelers would more than justify the card’s annual fee, which is $99 ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year).
The baggage perk alone was a huge money-saver for my wife and me before I started routinely qualifying for elite status on American.
Earlier boarding
With this card, you’ll be able to board earlier than most passengers, which gets you better access to overhead bin space.
Cardholders will be able to board with Group 5, which puts you on the plane after the first-class and elite-tier flyers, but ahead of the masses.
Personally, I always found this to be a nice head start for getting on the plane.
Why I’ve kept the card even after earning status
Now, the two benefits I just mentioned (bags and boarding) are great if you don’t already have status.
But there’s a reason I’ve held on to the card long after becoming an AAdvantage elite member, which does come with even better baggage and boarding perks than this card offers.
Earning AAdvantage miles on everyday purchases
Ultimately, the top reason I carry an American credit card is to earn AAdvantage miles on everyday spending.
Unlike Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, American doesn’t currently have a true transfer partnership with a major credit card issuer.
So, the best way to earn AAdvantage miles on your regular spending is generally to carry one of its cobranded cards.
With the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card, you’ll earn:
- 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and at restaurants and gas stations
- 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases
To be fair, there are other cards that can earn you more total rewards. For instance, there are credit cards that earn as many as 4 points per dollar spent on restaurants and groceries, and Capital One has cards that offer double miles on all purchases.
But, again, none of those offer a way to convert your rewards into American AAdvantage miles.
Earning Loyalty Points for status
Another top reason I carry this card year after year: the boost you get toward AAdvantage elite status.
With each swipe, you’ll earn Loyalty Points that help you climb the status ladder. Specifically, cardholders can accrue 1 Loyalty Point for every base mile earned on eligible purchases.
This has helped me unlock AAdvantage status and, with it, complimentary access to Main Cabin Extra seats and first-class upgrades, not to mention Admirals Club access before long-haul flights.
For context, you need:
- 40,000 Loyalty Points to reach Gold status
- 75,000 for Platinum status
- 125,000 for Platinum Pro status
- 200,000 for Executive Platinum status
Combined with my extensive flying on American, this card has helped me leverage my everyday spending to reach Platinum status for multiple years running — a tier that comes with a host of benefits when I’m flying on American and its Oneworld alliance partners.
$125 annual certificate
Plus, I’m always pleased (and, somehow, a little surprised) when my annual $125 certificate arrives in the mail.
Cardholders get this when they spend $20,000 during their card anniversary year.
Other cards to consider
Very frequent American Airlines flyers looking for higher-end travel perks like lounge access might instead consider the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, which comes with a complimentary Admirals Club access — but carries a heftier $595 annual fee (see rates and fees).
There are also a host of travel cards the TPG team loves that offer flexible transfers to a wide range of airline and hotel partners, which can be a great way to get the most out of your loyalty currency based on the trip you’re looking to take. Some of our favorites include the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the American Express® Gold Card.
But, again, no issuers currently offer transfers to American.
Bottom line
As a traveler without any elite status in 2017, the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card was a great way to dive into the world of points and miles with AAdvantage mileage earnings on everyday purchases, and small perks to make my travel cheaper and smoother.
Today, as a TPG road warrior, the card is my launching pad to a higher status than I’d be able to earn on flying alone.
For those considering the card, I’d note that the 80,000-mile welcome offer (after meeting the minimum spend requirement) is one of the best we’ve seen for this card, valued at around $1,240, according to TPG’s latest valuations.
Even if you’re a relatively infrequent American passenger, the card can be a good investment just for the money you’ll save on checked bag fees.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select.
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