9 Reasons To Get Citi’s American Airlines Business Card Now – View from the Wing

CitiBusiness^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® Mastercard^® [See rates and fees]

I’ve had the CitiBusiness^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® Mastercard^® both recently and in the distant past, and it’s spending on this card that largely accounting for my first lifetime elite status with American Airlines way back in 2006. American’s miles are the currency I’ve spent the most over the years, and there’s no longer a great way to earn miles through another credit card besides an American branded one and then transfer those miles to AAdvantage.

And AAdvantage miles remain my go-to right now too, whether it’s booking Qatar Airways QSuites for next year or Cathay Pacific awards to go back to Southeast Asia. Any awards booked this year can be cancelled, with miles redeposited, at no cost – so these miles are the perfect way to start planning travel again.

Here are 9 reasons I think it’s a great idea to get the CitiBusiness^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® Mastercard^®:

1. 65,000 bonus miles the initial offer for this card is generous, 65,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $4,000 within the first 4 months of account opening.
2. Redeem that bonus for two of the best products in the world Earn the bonus and meet the spending requirement you’ll have 69,000 miles. 70,000 by the way is what it costs from the US to the Mideast, India or Maldives on Qatar. You can even fly Qatar’s Qsuites, which may be the best business class in the world. (There’s an argument to be made for the new ANA business class having the title.)
   Credit: Qatar Airways

   Flying business class from the US to Southeast Asia also costs 70,000 miles — and you can fly carriers including Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and Cathay Pacific.

   
   Cathay Pacific

3. It’s almost like having Gold status, but without the upgrades Golds rarely get anyway. The card offers first checked bag on domestic American Airlines itineraries and preferred boarding on American flights.
4. No annual fee the first year so the initial bonus doesn’t come with the card’s $99 annual fee, and the other card benefits like free checked bags and boarding privileges don’t either.
5. First class awards. AAdvantage miles are great if you want to redeem for international first class because they have some of the best airlines in the world as their partners, airlines that offer an international first class product, and that make first class available to partners on points.I’ve been fortunate to regularly redeem my miles for Qantas first class, Cathay Pacific first class, and Etihad first class — not to mention that first class is available on Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, and British Airways.

   
   Qantas First Class

6. Doesn’t add to 5/24 Citibank business cards you carry aren’t reported to your personal credit so do not count towards Chase’s 5/24 restrictions. You can get this card without pushing up that numerator.
7. Can get personal and business from both Citi and Barclays Miles you earn from this offer aren’t the end of the story. Citibank has a personal AAdvantage card too and American also partners with Barclays for its co-branded credit cards. As I’ve frequently heard flight attendants remind customers on flights, you can get AAdvantage cards from both Citi and Barclays. That’s four cards you can get earning the same mileage currency.
8. No credit cards earn American AAdvantage miles faster. Delta and United have bank partners whose own products earn points faster than the co-brands do, where it makes sense to put your spending on another card and then transfer (from Amex) to Delta or (from Chase) to United. However there’s no bank card out there that earns American AAdvantage miles faster. The card earns 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations; 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on other purchases; 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible mile earned from purchases. This isn’t my go to card for spending but it’s a great way to earn elite status.
9. Anecdotally easy to get I’ve had this card in the past but I was approved without difficulty when I last became a cardmember. Readers have had great success with it as well.

CitiBusiness^® / AAdvantage^® Platinum Select^® Mastercard^®

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