Why I’ve saved this American Airways bank card in my pockets for years

In 2017, I launched my factors and miles journey once I utilized for my first airline bank card, enamored with the concept my day by day spending may translate into award journey.

Eight years later, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and costs) stays a workhorse of my pockets. The identical card that after made flying cheaper and extra nice as a price range traveler has remained a card I ceaselessly attain for as a TPG street warrior and flyer with elite standing.

That is thanks partially to its low annual price, the enhance it provides me towards American Airways elite standing and the journey financial savings it provides me annually.

An ideal bank card for freshmen

Ask any of us right here at TPG, and you will get a tackle what the greatest bank card is for freshmen.

Personally, I believe a lower-annual-fee airline card like this one is usually a excellent spot to begin.

In my case, the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Choose helped me dip my toe into incomes airline miles on on a regular basis purchases — and achieve some cash-saving journey perks — earlier than I felt prepared for a card that supplied transfers to a wider vary of associate loyalty packages.

I additionally scored a welcome provide that jump-started my sum of AAdvantage miles that I later used to fly with my spouse on a handful of journeys early in our “redemption” period — most notably our honeymoon within the Cayman Islands.

Learn extra: Getting began with factors, miles and bank cards to journey

Welcome bonus

At this time, you could possibly do the identical with the present bonus for brand new candidates: 80,000 bonus miles for brand new cardholders who spend $3,500 within the first 4 months.

That is one of many greatest provides we have ever seen for this card.

It is sufficient to get you and a journey associate to Europe, one-way, in premium economic system. You possibly can additionally rating a lie-flat seat in American’s business-class cabin, or guide a number of relations on a round-trip home flight.

However, as all the time, the welcome bonus is simply a part of the explanation to use for a brand new card.

Here is why I’ve saved this one in my pockets for the higher a part of the last decade, whilst I’ve added a handful of extra (and extra premium) playing cards to my pockets.

Learn extra: Present Citi American Airways card welcome provides

Strong journey advantages for vacationers with out standing

The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Choose card provides a number of elite-ish perks to passengers who do not fly American sufficient to qualify for AAdvantage standing.

First checked bag free

A prime profit: The first checked bag is free for you and as much as 4 companions flying on the identical reservation on home U.S. itineraries.

Contemplating that checked baggage begin at $35 one-way on American, a spherical journey for 2 vacationers would greater than justify the cardboard’s annual price, which is $99 ($0 introductory annual price for the primary 12 months).

The bags perk alone was an enormous money-saver for my spouse and me earlier than I began routinely qualifying for elite standing on American.

Earlier boarding

With this card, you’ll board earlier than most passengers, which will get you higher entry to overhead bin area.

Cardholders will be capable to board with Group 5, which places you on the aircraft after the first-class and elite-tier flyers, however forward of the plenty.

Personally, I all the time discovered this to be a pleasant head begin for getting on the aircraft.

Why I’ve saved the cardboard even after incomes standing

Now, the 2 advantages I simply talked about (baggage and boarding) are nice if you happen to do not have already got standing.

However there is a cause I’ve held on to the cardboard lengthy after turning into an AAdvantage elite member, which does include even higher baggage and boarding perks than this card provides.

Incomes AAdvantage miles on on a regular basis purchases

In the end, the highest cause I carry an American bank card is to earn AAdvantage miles on on a regular basis spending.

Not like Delta Air Traces and United Airways, American would not at the moment have a real switch partnership with a significant bank card issuer.

So, the easiest way to earn AAdvantage miles in your common spending is mostly to hold one in all its cobranded playing cards.

With the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Choose card, you may earn:

• 2 miles per greenback spent on eligible American Airways purchases, and at eating places and fuel stations
• 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases

To be honest, there are different playing cards that may earn you extra complete rewards. For example, there are bank cards that earn as many as 4 factors per greenback spent on eating places and groceries, and Capital One has playing cards that provide double miles on all purchases.

However, once more, none of these provide a strategy to convert your rewards into American AAdvantage miles.

Incomes Loyalty Factors for standing

One other prime cause I carry this card 12 months after 12 months: the enhance you get towards AAdvantage elite standing.

With every swipe, you may earn Loyalty Factors that assist you climb the standing ladder. Particularly, cardholders can accrue 1 Loyalty Level for each base mile earned on eligible purchases.

This has helped me unlock AAdvantage standing and, with it, complimentary entry to Fundamental Cabin Further seats and first-class upgrades, to not point out Admirals Membership entry earlier than long-haul flights.

For context, you want:

• 40,000 Loyalty Factors to achieve Gold standing
• 75,000 for Platinum standing
• 125,000 for Platinum Professional standing
• 200,000 for Government Platinum standing

Mixed with my intensive flying on American, this card has helped me leverage my on a regular basis spending to achieve Platinum standing for a number of years operating — a tier that comes with a bunch of advantages once I’m flying on American and its Oneworld alliance companions.

$125 annual certificates

Plus, I am all the time happy (and, in some way, just a little shocked) when my annual $125 certificates arrives within the mail.

Cardholders get this once they spend $20,000 throughout their card anniversary 12 months.

Different playing cards to think about

Very frequent American Airways flyers in search of higher-end journey perks like lounge entry would possibly as a substitute think about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Government World Elite Mastercard®, which comes with a complimentary Admirals Membership entry — however carries a heftier $595 annual price (see charges and costs).

There are additionally a bunch of journey playing cards the TPG group loves that provide versatile transfers to a variety of airline and lodge companions, which might be a good way to get essentially the most out of your loyalty forex based mostly on the journey you are seeking to take. A few of our favorites embrace the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs), the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card and the American Categorical® Gold Card.

However, once more, no issuers at the moment provide transfers to American.

Backside line

As a traveler with none elite standing in 2017, the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Choose card was a good way to dive into the world of factors and miles with AAdvantage mileage earnings on on a regular basis purchases, and small perks to make my journey cheaper and smoother.

At this time, as a TPG street warrior, the cardboard is my launching pad to a better standing than I would be capable to earn on flying alone.

For these contemplating the cardboard, I would word that the 80,000-mile welcome provide (after assembly the minimal spend requirement) is likely one of the greatest we have seen for this card, valued at round $1,240, in line with TPG’s newest valuations.

Even if you happen to’re a comparatively rare American passenger, the cardboard is usually a good funding only for the cash you may save on checked bag charges.

To be taught extra, try our full assessment of the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Choose.

Associated studying: