Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World Mastercard® Cardholders Review

Summary - We recommend the ® Platinum Select®/AAdvantage® World MasterCard® to frequent flyer of American Airlines. This card now allows you to earn double miles (whereas previously, you could only earn one mile per dollar for all purchases) and right now, you can get a nice 40,000 bonus miles too.

Reward Formula - The Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World Mastercard® allows the cardholder to earn double AAdvantage® mile for every dollar you spend on purchases on the card. As a sign-in bonus, new cardholders get 30,000 miles after $750 of purchase has been made on the card during the first four months. If you spend $5,000 within the first six months, you will receive an additional 10,000 bonus miles. That means in total, you can get 40,000 bonus miles if you meet the spending requirements. But there is more. If you buy an American Airlines ticket with your card within the first twelve months, you will get a $100 statement credit. Essentially, that means that your total bonus miles equivalent during the first twelve months is actually worth 50,000 miles! 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.

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.

Since the World MasterCard is the upper tier version of AA's card, we should see how it fares versus the Gold Version.

Platinum Select AAdvantage World MasterCard vs the Gold Version - The Platinum Select version has a higher annual fee at $85 than the Gold version at $50. So what extra perks does one get over the Gold version? Well firstly, you get more bonus miles. With regards to the "reduced mileage program', the Platinum version allows you to use 7,500 less miles for airline ticket redemption vs 5,000 for the Gold version. And you also get to earn double miles for AA ticket purchases whereas the the gold version goes not allow you to earn double miles.

Verdict - Citi has got a few AAdvantage credit cards, the gold version, the Amex versions and even an elite version. The real issue for the AAdvantage flier is that American Airlines in now in chapter 11 bankruptcy. It is in the process of reorganizing it's cost structure. In all likelihood, it is still a viable entity and service will continue as normal. One should expect perhaps rumblings of some closure of hubs to "be more efficient". There will be some of you elite members who have lots of miles. I would suggest that you use them asap just to be safe.

For those of you who still fly AA frequently and want to get some miles quickly, this would be a good opportunity if you can meet the spending requirements (which is pretty reasonable by today's standard). If this describes you, then you might just want to get the ® Platinum Select®/AAdvantage® World MasterCard® for the sign up bonus.