Every bank card issuer has its personal set of restrictions it makes use of to information approvals and decide welcome supply eligibility. Standards embody the variety of playing cards you may apply for, the timing of your purposes and the way typically you may earn a welcome bonus on the identical card.
With American Airways providing substantial welcome presents on its lineup of playing cards, these of you who’ve had considered one of its playing cards up to now could also be questioning whether or not you are eligible for a second bonus.
In the meanwhile, each Citi and Barclays challenge AAdvantage bank cards, so there are a number of units of software restrictions to concentrate on for those who’re contemplating including one other American Airways card to your arsenal. Here is what you want to bear in mind.
AAdvantage bank cards
Let’s begin with the lineup of card choices.
| Bank card | Welcome bonus | Annual payment | Welcome bonus worth (based mostly on TPG’s April 2025 valuations) |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airways AAdvantage® MileUp®*
|
Earn 15,000 miles after spending $500 in purchases throughout the first three months of account opening. | $0 | $248 |
| AAdvantage® Aviator® Pink World Elite Mastercard®* | Earn 60,000 miles after making a purchase order and paying the annual payment throughout the first 90 days of account opening. | $99 | $990 |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® World Elite Mastercard®*
|
Earn 50,000 miles after spending $2,500 within the first three months of account opening. | $99 ($0 introductory annual payment for the primary 12 months) | $825 |
| Citi® / AAdvantage Enterprise™ World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and charges) | Earn 75,000 miles after spending $5,000 in purchases throughout the first 5 months of account opening. | $99 ($0 introductory annual payment for the primary 12 months) | $1,238
|
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Government World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and charges) | Earn 70,000 miles after spending $7,000 throughout the first three months of account opening. | $595 | $1,155 |
*The knowledge for these playing cards has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Citi / AAdvantage card software restrictions
In case you’ve earned an AAdvantage welcome bonus on a selected Citi / AAdvantage card, you will not be eligible to earn the bonus once more for one more 48 months.
Right here is the high-quality print beneath the cardboard software hyperlink for the Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite Mastercard:
American Airways AAdvantage® bonus miles usually are not accessible in case you have obtained a brand new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Government account up to now 48 months or for those who transformed one other Citi bank card account on which you earned a brand new account bonus within the final 48 months right into a Citi® / AAdvantage® Government account.
The phrases apply for every particular person card, versus the whole Citi / AAdvantage card household. For instance, for those who just lately utilized for the Citi Platinum Choose, you don’t want to attend 48 months to use for a Citi Government Mastercard to obtain that card’s welcome bonus.
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The one exception is for those who product-change your card to a different AAdvantage card after incomes the welcome bonus. For instance, for those who modified your Platinum Choose to a Citi Government Mastercard, you’d nonetheless want to attend 48 months from while you earned your welcome bonus on the Platinum Choose to earn one on the Government.
An vital distinction that it’s best to know is that the 48-month ready interval begins while you “obtain a brand new account bonus” for a selected Citi / AAdvantage card. That’s not the identical as while you have been “authorized for the cardboard,” “obtained the cardboard,” “activated a card” and different widespread phrases you may see from an issuer.
On this case, semantics matter as a result of the bonus posted to your AAdvantage account might have been posted a number of months after you have been authorized for the cardboard itself.
Associated: Selecting the very best card for American Airways flyers
Barclays AAdvantage Aviator card software restrictions
Barclays is a little more imprecise than Citi relating to welcome bonus restrictions. Remember the fact that Barclays at present accepts purposes for only one of their AAdvantage playing cards, the Aviator Pink.
Based mostly on our knowledge factors, for those who’ve closed a card, you usually want to attend six months to be eligible for the welcome supply once more. Nonetheless, some software pages, just like the one on the AAdvantage Aviator Pink, state the next:
You will not be eligible for this supply for those who at present have or beforehand had an account with us on this program.
On this case, the “might not” on this sentence implies that you may be authorized for a brand new card as a earlier cardholder, meet the minimal spending requirement and nonetheless miss out on the welcome bonus. Once more, your mileage might range, notably with Barclays.
Citi and Barclays are separate issuers, so that you’re allowed to open an AAdvantage bank card with each issuers whereas additionally receiving the welcome bonus. TPG bank cards author Danyal Ahmed earned the welcome bonus on each the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Choose and Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Pink.
Remember the fact that Citi is about to grow to be the sole issuer of AAdvantage bank cards in 2026. In case you’ve exhausted your Citi card choices, take into account a Barclay-issued AAdvantage card when you nonetheless can.
Associated: The various flavors of Barclays’ AAdvantage Aviator bank cards
Backside line
Citi and Barclays each have distinct guidelines concerning software approvals and welcome bonus eligibility for his or her AAdvantage bank cards.
Whereas Citi is much less imprecise with restrictions, it additionally imposes a prolonged ready interval of a minimum of 48 months earlier than you may obtain one other welcome bonus. The principles with Barclays are much more subjective, giving the corporate extra energy to disclaim approval or a bonus ought to it take into account your software unworthy.
In any case, for those who’re authorized and eligible for a welcome bonus, ensure you can full the minimal spending necessities throughout the interval allotted. Welcome bonuses could make the distinction between taking your dream journey or being caught at residence, so it is vital to earn them when you may.
Associated: The right way to redeem miles with the American Airways AAdvantage program
