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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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What credit score do you need to get the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard?
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
Credit card writer Danyal Ahmed is an avid traveler, averaging about 100,000 aeronautical miles per year. He regularly applies that knowledge and his expertise in credit cards to his role as a credit card writer at TPG.
also contributed to this story
January 17, 2025 • 9 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Editorial note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Citi is a TPG advertising partner.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
A co-branded airline credit card offers benefits for frequent domestic flyers, including a complimentary first checked bag for the cardholder and up to four companions on the same reservation.
Eligibility for the card generally requires a good credit score, but approval also depends on other financial factors beyond just the score.
Cardholders can work toward elite status and earn airline miles at select merchants, with additional perks tailored to regular travelers with the airline.
There are restrictions on welcome bonus eligibility and application frequency, and the card does not include airport lounge access.
What to consider
You are not eligible for a welcome bonus if you have received one for the same card in the past 48 months or converted another card to this product within that timeframe.
To receive the checked bag benefit, your account must be open and your loyalty number added to the reservation at least seven days before travel; overweight and oversize fees still apply.
Application limits include no more than one new card every eight days and no more than two within a 65-day period.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of airline card benefits and step-by-step advice for improving approval odds or handling application denials.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
You can spend toward Million Miler status and build up your AAdvantage mileage balance for your next trip. If you’re considering applying for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select, you may be uncertain whether you have a high enough credit score to be approved. Here’s what you should know.
What credit score qualifies for approval?
Citi doesn’t publish specific credit scores needed to be accepted for its cards. After all, your credit score is just one of many considerations issuers take into account when deciding whether to approve a consumer for a card.
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But you’ll generally need a good credit score of at least 670 or higher to be approved for a rewards credit card like the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard. That said, it’s possible to get denied if your score is high, even if other aspects of your credit portfolio may be appealing to the issuer.
The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select is a cobranded American Airlines credit card issued by Citi. This credit card can easily be worth the $99 annual fee (waived for the first year) even if you only fly American Airlines domestically a few times per year.
This is because by simply having this card you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation get your first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries.
Citi does not seem to limit the number of credit cards you can have open. However, it does seem to have a maximum credit line that it is willing to extend across all of your Citi cards.
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So, if you have at least one other Citi credit card and aren’t approved for a new card, you may want to call Citi’s reconsideration line to see if shifting some credit from one of your current cards will allow you to open the new card.
You won’t be eligible to earn a welcome bonus on the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard if you’ve received a welcome bonus for the card within the last 48 months.
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
Specifically, the pricing and information section on the application page for this card notes:
American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® account in the past 48 months or if you converted another Citi credit card account on which you earned a new account bonus in the last 48 months into a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® account.
There are many ways to check your credit score for free. For example, many credit cards let you check your FICO score at no cost to you. It’s a good idea to track the progression of your score over time, especially if you’re working to improve your credit score.
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But it’s important to realize that you don’t have just one credit score. Instead, there are different calculation methods, such as FICO Score and VantageScore, and different credit reporting agencies, such as TransUnion and Experian.
Your credit score will vary based on the calculation method and credit reporting agency that is used.
Once you know your credit score range, you may wonder what factors affect your credit score. There are a few formulas for calculating your credit score, but none of the exact calculations are public.
FICO
This being said, FICO is relatively transparent about the different factors they assess and how much weight each is given:
Payment history (35%): Whether you’ve paid past credit accounts on time
Length of credit history (15%): How long your credit accounts have been established (including the age of your oldest account, the age of your newest account and the average age of all your accounts), how long certain credit accounts have been established and how long it has been since you used certain accounts
New credit (10%): The number of accounts you’ve opened recently
Credit mix (10%): The number of different types of credit accounts you have. This includes credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans, finance company accounts and mortgage loans
If your application is rejected, you’ll get a letter in the mail that states why Citi turned down your application. Depending on the reasons given for the rejection, you may want to use this information to improve your credit score before applying again.
Or, if you believe you can provide additional information that might lead to approval of your application, you can call Citi’s reconsideration line at 1-800-695-5171 and make your case.
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You’ll want to explain that you recently applied for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard, were surprised to see that your application was rejected and ask to speak to someone about getting that decision reconsidered.
Once the agent pulls up your application, be prepared to present a compelling argument for why Citi should approve your application.
It’s best to avoid applying again for a Citi card until you’ve addressed the reasons Citi gave for rejecting you.
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But, if you want to apply again or apply for a different Citi card, the consensus is that you can only apply for one Citi card (personal or business) every eight days and no more than two cards in a 65-day window.
As a Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select cardholder, you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation will each get a first checked bag free on domestic itineraries marketed by American Airlines and operated by American Airlines or American Eagle.
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To take advantage of this benefit, your credit card account must be open at least seven days before travel, and the reservation must include the primary credit card member’s American Airlines AAdvantage number at least seven days before travel. Overweight and oversize fees still apply.
There’s no single best credit card for American Airlines flyers. Instead, the best card for you depends on what you’re looking for in a card. The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select and AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard are both good options for American Airlines travelers who fly with the airline frequently enough to get at least $99 of value from the card’s checked bag allowance on domestic American Airlines itineraries.
The information for the AAdvantage Aviator Red card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
These cards have different earning rates and benefits, so you just have to decide which card’s benefits you prefer.
