Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select

From Miles to Rewards: A Deep Dive into the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Card

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select is one of many American Airlines credit cards including the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp, Citi AAdvantage Executive, AAdvantage Aviator, AAdvantage Aviator Silver, AAdvantage Aviator Red, and AAdvantage Aviator Blue.

For a card with a mid-range annual fee ($99), the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select comes with a respectable array of card benefits. In addition, the ability to earn bonus points for purchases at American Airlines, gas stations, and restaurants are interesting.

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Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Details

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select earns 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage(R) bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

The card has a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year. The annual fee is $99 every year thereafter. Separately, the card charges no foreign transaction fees.

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Benefits

Free Checked Bags, Priority Boarding, Inflight Food and Beverage Discounts, and an American Airlines Flight Discount are the card benefits.

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select offers a free first-checked bag on domestic American Airlines flights for the card member and up to four passengers traveling on the same reservation. To receive a free checked bag, you must be flying on American Airlines, American Eagle, Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. flights.

Preferred boarding is another card member benefit. The card member plus up to four passengers traveling on the same reservation are able to board after Priority Boarding is complete. This benefit allows you to board with group 5 on domestic American Airlines, American Eagle, Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. flights.

Card members receive a 25% discount on inflight food and beverages. To receive the 25% discount, your card must be used to purchase food and beverages on domestic American Airlines, Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., or Piedmont Airlines, Inc. flights. The statement credit will appear on your account 8-10 weeks after the transaction posts to your account.

A $125 American Airlines Flight Discount is available by spending $20,000 on the card in a card membership year and the card is renewed for a subsequent year. The Flight Discount expires one year from its date of issuance. The Flight Discount can be redeemed towards the base airfare, taxes, and fees of American Airlines, Envoy Air Inc., Republic Airways Inc., SkyWest Airlines, Inc., Mesa Airlines, Inc., PSA Airlines, Inc., Piedmont Airlines, Inc. or Oneworld codeshare flights originating in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or U.S. Virgin Islands.

How to Earn Miles with Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select earns miles at the following rates:

  • 2X miles at gas stations and restaurants
  • 2X miles on American Airlines purchases
  • 1X miles on all other purchases
  • 1 Loyalty Point per eligible AAdvantage mile

For comparison, the cards below earn points at the following rates:

How to Redeem Miles with Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select

Examples of ways to receive value from redeeming your American Airlines miles include:

  • 70,000 miles to book Etihad and Qatar business class between the U.S. Middle East & India
  • 70,000 miles to book Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines between the U.S. and Asia 2 (Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.)
  • 75,000 miles to book Etihad and Qatar business class between the U.S. and Africa
  • 80,000 miles to book Japan Airlines first class between the U.S. and Japan

Common Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Questions

Does AA Platinum Select get lounge access?

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select does not offer lounge access per this article.

Is AA Platinum Select worth it?

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select comes with free checked bags, priority boarding, and the ability to earn loyalty points per this article.

What is AA Platinum Select?

The card earns 2X miles on purchases at American Airlines purchases, restaurants, and gas stations per this article.

What are the benefits of American Airlines Platinum?

Upgrades confirmed 48 hours before departure, 60% status mileage bonus, 2 free checked bags, Oneworld priority boarding, Oneworld priority security, and Oneworld partner lounge access per this page.

Conclusion on Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select comes with Free Checked Bags, Priority Boarding, Inflight Food and Beverage Discounts, and an American Airlines Flight Discount. In addition, the card earns 2X miles on purchases at American Airlines purchases, restaurants, and gas stations.

What do you make of the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select? Please let me know in the comments or by sending me an email on my contact page.

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