The Citi® / AAdvantage® Govt World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and costs) is a must have for American Airways frequent flyers and loyalists. It is an excellent solution to earn AAdvantage miles at an accelerated charge, because it earns 4 miles per greenback on American Airways purchases. Plus, a complimentary Admirals Membership membership is a good perk. It is properly well worth the card’s $595 annual charge.
Most significantly, having the Citi / AAdvantage Govt is the only solution to earn AAdvantage miles, because the program will not be a switch associate with any issuer.
That mentioned, the cardboard is presently providing 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. That is fairly a proposal; in accordance with TPG’s Could 2025 valuations, this bonus is value $1,650.
Although it could look like loads (or maybe not sufficient for superior factors and miles lovers), I wish to show you how to decide how good this 100,000-mile supply is and whether or not it ought to be taken benefit of or just handed up.
100,000-mile airline card welcome supply — frequent or not?
Over time, bank card welcome bonuses have elevated fairly a bit. 10 years in the past, it was not frequent to see a welcome bonus of greater than 80,000 factors, not to mention 100,000 factors.
I recall making use of for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® World Elite Mastercard® in 2014 and being past excited that I’d earn 50,000 miles because the welcome bonus. The cardboard has since supplied as much as 75,000 bonus miles as a part of focused provides (although this supply will not be obtainable always).
These days, it’s normal to see 100,000-point or mile provides.
Fairly not too long ago, the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card supplied a 100,000-point welcome supply (not obtainable) final seen in the summertime of 2021. As well as, a number of different airline or resort cobranded bank cards generally supply a 100,000-point or mile supply or extra.
To listing a pair, the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card presently has a 150,000-point supply; up to now, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Enterprise American Categorical Card has supplied 110,000 bonus miles (not obtainable).
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In my early days of utilizing factors and miles, seeing a 100,000-point-or-mile supply would excite me immediately. These days, they’ve turn into extra commonplace, however I additionally know that not all factors and miles are equally worthwhile.
The knowledge for the Hilton Amex Aspire has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Take note of valuation
Miles from totally different airways and factors from numerous issuers all have their very own valuation. Seeing a improbable 100,000-mile supply may be thrilling — but when the miles will not be value as a lot, it is most likely a proposal you possibly can go on.
In line with TPG’s Could 2025 valuation, AAdvantage miles are valued at 1.65 cents every, making the Citi / AAdvantage Govt’s 100,000-mile bonus supply value $1,650. Compared, a 110,000 bonus miles supply on a Delta bank card would solely equate to $1,320, as Delta miles are value 1.2 cents every in accordance with our valuations.
On the flip facet, the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked’s earlier welcome supply of 100,000 bonus factors (not obtainable) was value a whopping $2,050, as Chase Final Rewards factors are value 2.05 cents a bit in accordance with our Could 2025 valuation.
Redemption alternatives matter
Earlier than pulling the set off and making use of for a 100,000-mile supply for a cobranded bank card, you need to ask your self what this bonus can give you. Are you seeking to fly in a premium cabin with an airline or its companions? Are the bonus miles sufficient? Or do it’s essential to earn much more miles on high of the bonus to make your dream a actuality?
The price of an award ticket for an airline varies and may be summed up as being decided by whether or not there’s an award chart or not. If an airline has an award chart, this implies that there’s a mounted value to get from A to B. If an airline makes use of dynamic pricing, this implies the miles value of an award ticket is linked to the money worth of that very same ticket.
The AAdvantage program makes use of each an award chart and dynamic pricing. Miles redeemed for American Airways-operated flights or Fiji Airways are dynamic, that means award flight prices can generally be astronomical. The place the AAdvantage program shines and the place this 100,000-mile supply is finest maximized is with Oneworld or associate airways.
AAdvantage maintains an award chart for companions and provides fairly profitable pricing throughout the board, when in comparison with the horrific dynamic pricing of Delta or the excessive value of United miles redemptions. Listed here are some methods you may maximize this 100,000-mile supply:
The 100,000-mile supply for the Citi / AAdvantage Govt card is sort of the deal — and it may result in some critically nice redemptions.
If I had been to use for this card, the highest two redemptions on my thoughts could be a one-way ticket with JAL to Japan for 60,000 miles or a Qatar Airways Qsuite flight from the U.S. to the Center East for 70,000 miles.
Good solution to earn AAdvantage miles
In my view, the AAdvantage program has maintained its robust worth proposition for factors and miles lovers as a result of it is a loyalty program that is virtually fully closed off to switch companions.
Delta SkyMiles can obtain miles from American Categorical Membership Rewards-earning playing cards, and United MileagePlus can obtain miles from Chase Final Rewards-earning playing cards, as a few examples.
In the meantime, Marriott Bonvoy is the one program that transfers to AAdvantage, however at a meager 3:1 ratio. This prevents the AAdvantage program from being flooded with miles, sustaining its worth.
By making use of for the Citi / AAdvantage Govt card, you not solely obtain 100,000 miles but additionally have a gradual manner of incomes AAdvantage miles at a sooner charge than different cobranded AA playing cards.
Cardholders earn 4 miles per greenback spent on American Airways purchases, however an excellent 10 miles per greenback spent on eligible lodges booked by means of aadvantagehotels.com and on eligible automotive leases booked by means of aadvantagecars.com.
As well as, after spending $150,000 in purchases in a calendar yr, cardholders will earn 5 miles per greenback spent on American Airways purchases as an alternative of the usual 4 by means of the top of the calendar yr. For comparability, the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Choose (see charges and costs) earns 2 miles per greenback spent on American Airways, fuel stations and eating places.
So, is the 100,000-mile AAdvantage Govt supply the most effective offers ever?
Nicely, 100,000 AAdvantage miles is a big sum. When you’re devoted to American Airways, likelihood is you have already got an honest stack of miles. If you wish to begin your dedication to American Airways, making use of for the Citi / AAdvantage Govt card and incomes this welcome bonus is a good begin.
Please do not forget that this supply has been supplied twice earlier than, in summer season 2024 and from summer season 2023 to early fall 2023. When you missed it the primary two occasions, the third time is the appeal. There isn’t any saying if this welcome supply will come once more or if we’ll see a greater one — so when you’re prepared, it is best to use as quickly as doable.
I do wish to word that this isn’t the best welcome supply we’ve seen on any airline bank card. Cobranded Delta playing cards just like the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Enterprise have supplied as much as 110,000 bonus miles up to now, and different SkyMiles bank cards have supplied as much as 100,000 bonus miles as properly. The United Membership℠ Card has additionally supplied as much as 120,000 bonus miles (not obtainable).
That mentioned, American Airways miles are value greater than Delta SkyMiles or United miles per our Could 2025 valuations, so you should still be capable of get extra worth out of this welcome supply versus different top-tier airline card bonuses.
As a factors and miles fanatic, assess which welcome bonus and loyalty program will get you to your subsequent vacation spot. From my perspective, the AAdvantage program has the most effective worth proposition — but when this program will not be for you, then contemplate ready till your most popular airline has a limited-time welcome supply that fits your wants.
Backside line
A 100,000-mile supply with different playing cards has turn into extra frequent in recent times, however the Citi / AAdvantage Govt‘s current supply is effective, as AAdvantage miles are value 1.65 cents every in accordance with TPG’s Could 2025 valuation. Furthermore, AAdvantage maintains a powerful associate award chart for redemptions, so the chances to maximise this excessive welcome bonus are quite a few.
Who is aware of what the longer term holds, however a proposal corresponding to this shouldn’t be handed up when you’re seeking to drastically enhance your AA miles and use the cardboard’s greatest perk: Admiral’s Membership membership.
To study extra, try our full overview of the Citi / AAdvantage Govt Mastercard.
Apply right here: Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard
