Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard Credit Card Review

Best for:  Travelers willing to commit to using American Airlines often enough to earn bonuses and perks. 

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard is an exceptional rewards credit card for eclectic travelers who want to add American Airlines to their list of potential airlines. The Platinum Select features an easily achievable sign-up bonus and additional perks when you use it to book flights with American Airlines. 

Once you spend $2,500 in your first three months after opening your account, you’ll earn 50,000 bonus miles. For regular spending, you’ll earn 2x miles for every dollar you spend at restaurants, gas stations and on eligible American Airlines purchases. For everything else, you’ll earn 1x mile per dollar spent. 

With a $99 annual fee waived the first year, the Platinum Select is a great mid-tier option for American Airlines. It’s perfect for those who don’t fly American enough to take full advantage of its premium rewards card but still want to enjoy perks. 

The Basics 

• APR: 16.99% to 25.99% variable APR.
• Annual fee: $0 for the first 12 months, then $99 every year after.
• Rewards rates: You’ll earn 2x miles per dollar spent at restaurants, gas stations and on qualifying American Airlines purchases. For all other purchases, you’ll earn 1x mile for every dollar spent. 
• Intro offer: After you spend $2,500 within the first three months after opening your account, you’ll earn 50,000 bonus miles.

Standout features 

• Free checked bag: When you use your Platinum Select card to book domestic travel on American Airlines, you and up to four people traveling under the same reservation check the first bag for free.  
• Preferred boarding: You and up to four companions can get to your seat even faster with your Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard. You’ll enjoy priority boarding when your American Airlines AAdvantage number is listed on your itinerary. 
• Inflight savings: Save 25% on food and beverage purchases inflight when you use your American Airlines credit card. 
• Flight discount: If you spend $20,000 or more in purchases between your cardmember anniversaries and renewal, you’ll earn a $125 flight discount for a future American flight. 
• No foreign transaction fees,  which helps you save big when traveling abroad.

Best way to use this card 

You’ll make great use of your Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard by earning the sign-up bonus as quickly as possible. Once you hit the $2,500 mark in purchases, you’ll earn 50,000 bonus miles — enough to fly round trip from New York to London when you book an economy web special ticket. Of course, you should also keep your card handy for all of your purchases from American Airlines since you’ll earn 2x miles for every dollar you spend. 

Additional benefits hide below the surface of rewards miles and sign up bonuses. If you take your family on vacation, checking each of your first bags for free will save you some cash. American Airlines typically charges $30 for your first checked bag — saving you $120 each way for a family of four. Be sure to use this card for in-flight purchases such as drinks, food, and entertainment to earn your 25% discount. 

Keep in mind, the Platinum Select’s biggest perk is its sign up bonus, so the regular rewards rates aren’t high enough to justify making this card your everyday spender. With so few categories earning 2x miles per dollar, it’s a good idea to supplement this card with one that earns a better rewards rate more broadly. 

In a nutshell 

The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard takes care of you before, during and after your flight. With it, you’ll earn miles on every purchase, get access to a fantastic sign-up bonus, and enjoy benefits saving you even more time and money. 

If you enjoy flying American but don’t fly enough to justify the $450 annual fee of the Executive World Elite card, this card will be a great fit for you. Earning 2x miles for every dollar spent at gas stations, restaurants, and American Airlines, the Platinum Select will easily make up for its $99 annual fee after the first year.

However, if you don’t particularly enjoy flying American, it might not be worth the fee just to add another brand to your travel rewards portfolio. You’d be better off using either a co-branded card like the United Explorer Mileage Plus, a transferable rewards card like Venture Rewards from Capital One, or high-value cash back card like the Discover it® Cash Back credit card.