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The Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World Mastercard® was last reviewed on 17th March 2008
Summary - We recommend the Citi® Platinum Select®/AAdvantage® World MasterCard® to frequent flyer of American Airlines. This card allows the AAdvantage® frequent flyer to earn points. Find out more about this card.
Reward Formula - The Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World Mastercard® allows the cardholder to earn one AAdvantage® mile for every dollar you spend on purchases on the card. As a sign-in bonus, new cardholders get
25,000 miles after $750 of purchase has been made on the card during the first four months. You can earn up to 100,000 miles in one calendar year, but Executive Platinum, Platinum and Gold members can earn unlimited miles.
Annual Fee and APR - There is an annual fee of $85.00, but the first year fee is waived. The APR is at prime rate plus 9.99%, which appears to be the standard rate for all airline credit cards. Citibank uses the average daily balance method to calculate monthly balances.
Key AAdvantage® Highlights - Here are a few key features of the AAdvantage® program.
1. AAdvantage® members face no blackout dates for AAdvantage® award travel on American Airlines, American Eagle & AmericanConnection carriers
2. American Airlines partners with over 25 of the world’s top airlines, major car rental companies and hundreds of luxurious hotels worldwide
3. Platinum Select Card members enjoy Reduced Mileage Awards 7,500 fewer AAdvantage® miles to
select destinations
4. Small business related articles and advice and even personal business assistant.
Verdict - Citibank issues three AAdvantage® credit cards, the Bronze, Gold and Platinum Select. The Platinum Select is supposed to be a step up from the Gold version. The annual fee at $85.00 is more than the $50.00 annual fee of the Gold version. With the Platinum Select version, you get 25,000 bonus points instead of 15,000. Non-elite members can earn up to 100,000 miles with the Platinum version versus 60,000 miles for the Gold card. (Bear in mind that elite members can earn unlimited miles). Platinum Select cardholders also get a annual 7,500 reduced miles bonus which allows cardholders on selected rewards to use 7,500 less miles than normally required. The Gold card reduced mile bonus is slightly less at 5,000.
The disappointing aspect of the Platinum Select version is that for the extra $35.00 in annual fee over the gold version, you cannot earn double miles. So what would I recommend? I would say that if you are not an elite member of the AAdvantage® program, but spend more than $60,000 but less than $100,000 on your credit card, then you should get the Citi® Platinum Select®/AAdvantage® World MasterCard®.
However, if you are already an elite member, then I would suggest you get the Citi® Gold/AAdvantage® World MasterCard® because for a lesser annual fee, you still earn the same number of points as the platinum version and you are not restricted by the earnings cap.
Positives
25,000 bonus milesFirst year annual fee waived7,500 reduced miles offered every year
Negatives
Cannot earn double miles despite being the elite version
| Sign-on Bonus |
25,000 miles after $750 in purchase during the first 4 months
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| Miles Accumulation |
1 mile for every $1 spent on purchases |
| Anniversary Bonus |
3rd Quarter Reduced Miles Award allows card members to use less miles (save as much as 7500 miles) if redeemed in 3rd quarter on specific offers |
| Miles Expiration |
no expiration if account is active within 36 months |
| Caps on miles |
100,000 - Aadvantage® Executive Platinum, AAdvantage® Platinum and AAdvantage® Gold members can earn unlimited miles |
| Credit Limits |
no preset spending limits |
Purchase liability protection
No blackout dates |
| Introductory rate |
none |
| Annual Fees |
$85.00 |
| Purchase APR |
Prime Rate plus 9.99% |
| Balance Transfer APR |
Prime Rate plus 9.99% |
| Cash Advance APR |
Prime Rate plus 14.99% min 19.99% |
| Penalty/Default Rate |
Prime Rate plus 23.99%, or 28.99%, whichever is greater |
| Overdraft Advance Rate |
13.99% fixed (not available in some states> |
| Min Finance Charge |
$1.00 |
| Grace Period |
20 days |
| Balance Calculation Method |
Average Daily Balance (including new purchases) |
| Balance Transfer Fee |
3% of balance transfer, min $5.00 |
| Convenience checks fee |
n.a |
| ATM Cash Advance fee |
3% min $5.00 |
| Other Cash Advance fee |
3% min $5.00 |
| Foreign Currency Conversion fee |
3% |
| Over-the-credit-limit fee |
none |
| Late Payment fee |
$15.00 up to but less than $100
$29.00 from $100-$250
$39.00 for more than $250 |
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