Citi and American Airlines refresh 2 credit cards with new perks, higher annual fees
Editor's Note
Citi and American Airlines are refreshing two of their cobranded credit cards, adding new earning categories, travel protections and statement credits while increasing both cards' annual fees from $99 to $150. Both cards will continue to offer a $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months.
The changes affect the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) and the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees).
Beginning Jan. 24, 2027, existing cardmembers will gain access to the new benefits.
Here's a closer look at the changes coming to both cards and what they mean for cardmembers.
What's changing for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select and Citi / AA Business
Both cards are gaining new ways to earn AAdvantage miles, up to $100 in annual inflight statement credits, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit and travel protections.
The Citi / AA Platinum Select is also adding lifestyle perks, while the Citi / AA Business is introducing a flexible bonus category for eligible business expenses and a discount on a business payments subscription.
Here's an overview of the changes on either card:
| Benefit | Citi / AA Platinum Select | Citi / AA Business |
|---|---|---|
Annual fee | Updated: Increases from $99 to $150 ($0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months) | Updated: Increases from $99 to $150 ($0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months) |
Bonus earning categories |
|
|
Inflight purchases | Updated: 25% discount replaced by up to $100 back in statement credits annually on inflight purchases | Updated: 25% discount replaced by up to $100 back in statement credits annually on inflight purchases |
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit | New: Up to $120 every four years | New: Up to $120 every four years |
Lifestyle benefits | New: Complimentary Walmart+ annual membership ($98 value), 50% off annual FOX One subscription | N/A |
Travel protections | New: Trip delay, trip cancellation/interruption, car rental and lost baggage protections | Enhanced: Trip delay, enhanced trip cancellation/interruption, rental car and lost/damaged luggage protections |
American Airlines flight discount | Updated: American Airlines flight discount of $125 increased to $150 after spending $20,000 or more in purchases during the card membership year and renewal | N/A |
Business Benefit | N/A | New: 25% off a Melio subscription plan |
According to Citi, both prepaid and pay-later reservations qualify for the new 3X earning rate on eligible AAdvantage Hotels and AAdvantage Cars bookings.
What's staying the same
Both cards will retain their existing earning categories, including 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. The Platinum Select will continue earning 2 miles per dollar at restaurants and gas stations, while the Business card will continue to earn 2 miles per dollar spent at car rental merchants, gas stations and telecommunications and cable and satellite providers.
Both cards will also retain the following benefits:
- Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights (for the primary cardmember and up to four companions on the same reservation)
- First checked bag free on eligible domestic American Airlines itineraries (for the primary cardmember and up to four companions on the same reservation)
- 10% savings on eligible American Airlines Vacations packages
- No foreign transaction fees
The Platinum Select will also retain up to $180 annually in statement credits (up to $30 per eligible trip) for Turo rentals. The Business card will retain its $99 companion certificate for a single round-trip main cabin domestic flight after spending $30,000 in purchases during the card membership year and renewing the card.
What the changes mean for cardmembers
Beyond the new benefits, there are a few key changes worth considering before the refresh takes effect.
Both cards' annual fees are increasing by $51
Beginning Jan. 24, 2027, both cards' annual fees will increase from $99 to $150. The $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months will remain. Existing cardmembers will see the increase at their next renewal after Jan. 24.
The new credits and expanded earning categories could help offset the $51 increase, particularly for those who regularly make inflight purchases or use the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit.
For Platinum Select cardmembers, the complimentary Walmart+ annual membership (valued at $98) and 50% discount on an annual FOX One subscription (base membership valued at $199.99 per year) could also help offset the higher fee.
John LaCosta, Citi's head of partnership cards and development for U.S. consumer cards, told TPG that customer feedback helped shape the refreshes, particularly the demand for more everyday earning opportunities, statement credits and travel protections. He said those additions make both cards competitive at their new $150 annual fees.
Combined with the cards' existing benefits, these additions could provide ongoing value. However, cardmembers who don't use the new credits or spend much in the expanded bonus categories may find it harder to justify the higher fee.
Related: How to decide if a credit card's annual fee is worth paying
The 25% inflight discount is being replaced
Both cards are replacing their existing 25% discount on eligible inflight purchases with up to $100 in annual statement credits per calendar year. The new credit covers eligible inflight food and beverages, as well as paid Wi-Fi when complimentary Wi-Fi isn't available.
The full credit can be used on one flight or spread across multiple flights, but Admirals Club purchases are excluded.
LaCosta told TPG that customer feedback helped drive the change, with cardmembers preferring a fixed-dollar benefit they could more easily track and use.
The new credit could offer greater savings. For example, spending $100 on eligible inflight purchases would previously have saved cardmembers $25 with the 25% discount, compared with up to $100 under the new credit.
The Citi / AA Business is adding a flexible earning category
Business cardmembers will be able to earn 2 miles per dollar in one additional category of their choosing: U.S. shipping providers, office supply stores or U.S. advertising services.
Cardmembers can change their selection quarterly, and those who don't choose a category will default to office supplies.
This could be valuable if your business has substantial shipping or advertising expenses, as there is no cap on the number of miles cardmembers can earn in their selected category.
The card is also adding a 25% discount on a Melio subscription plan, which could appeal to business owners who use the platform to manage payments.
Existing business management tools will also remain available.
Citi and American are focusing on everyday spending
The refreshes continue a busy year for the Citi / AAdvantage portfolio, following the introduction of the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® (see rates and fees) last year and a major refresh to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard® in August.
LaCosta told TPG that Citi has seen Platinum Select cardmembers increasingly use their cards for everyday purchases. "It's clearly a travel card first, but they are more and more becoming top-of-wallet cards for our customers," he said.
Scott Long, American Airlines' senior vice president of AAdvantage, echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that the refreshes are designed to keep cardmembers engaged with the loyalty program even when they aren't traveling.
The new streaming, rides and rails earning categories, along with lifestyle perks like Walmart+ and FOX One, reflect that shift.
Beyond earning redeemable miles, Long also highlighted the ability to earn Loyalty Points toward AAdvantage elite status through everyday credit card spending as a key differentiator for the cobranded cards.
While some competing airline credit cards offer exclusive award discounts for cardholders, American isn't introducing a similar benefit with these refreshes. Long told TPG that the airline continues to evaluate additional ways to deliver value to cardmembers.
Bottom line
The refreshed Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select and the Citi / AAdvantage Business will offer more earning opportunities, new travel protections and additional credits beginning Jan. 24, 2027.
However, the annual fees for both cards will increase by $51 after the first year.
For existing cardmembers, whether the changes are worthwhile will depend on how much value they can get from the new benefits. Those who regularly use the credits or expanded bonus categories may find the higher annual fee easier to justify.
Related: Airline credit cards vs. travel credit cards: Which are best?