American Airlines has two main credit cards, each with different rewards and annual fees

American Airlines offers the AAdvantage Platinum Select and the AAdvantage Executive Platinum through Citi. The Platinum Select is the entry-level card — it has a lower annual fee and is designed for people who fly American occasionally or want to earn miles without paying much upfront. The Executive Platinum costs more per year but includes airport lounge access, higher sign-up bonuses, and extra perks like checked bag fee waivers.

Both cards earn miles on every purchase and offer bonus miles when you first open the account. The miles you earn can be used to book flights on American Airlines and its partner airlines, or transferred to hotel and car rental programs. The specific rewards rates, annual fees, and bonus structures change periodically, so the current offer you see may differ from what was available last year.

The main trade-off is straightforward: the Platinum Select has a lower annual fee but fewer perks, while the Executive Platinum costs more but includes benefits like lounge access that frequent flyers value. Your choice depends on how often you fly American and whether those extra benefits would actually save you money.

Key Takeaways

  • The AAdvantage Platinum Select is the basic card with a modest annual fee, while the AAdvantage Executive Platinum includes lounge access and higher bonuses but costs significantly more per year.
  • Both cards earn miles on purchases and offer sign-up bonuses, though the bonus amounts and earning rates vary and change over time.
  • Miles can be used to book American Airlines flights, partner airline flights, or transferred to hotel and car rental programs.
  • The Executive Platinum waives your first checked bag fee on American flights, which saves money if you check a bag regularly.
  • You should compare the annual fee against the value of perks and miles you would actually use before opening either card.

How the sign-up bonus works and what it costs

When you open either American Airlines card, Citi offers a sign-up bonus — typically a large number of miles if you spend a certain amount within the first few months. The bonus is not automatic; you have to meet the spending requirement to earn it. For example, a current offer might be 50,000 miles after you spend $2,500 in the first three months, but that specific number changes regularly.

The sign-up bonus is where most of the card's value sits for new cardholders. A 50,000-mile bonus might be worth $500 to $750 in flight value, depending on how you use the miles and which routes you book. However, you only get that bonus if you actually spend the required amount — the miles do not appear just for opening the account.

The annual fee is charged every year on your account anniversary, whether you use the card or not. The Platinum Select's annual fee is lower (typically $95 or less), while the Executive Platinum's is higher (typically $450 or more). If you do not plan to use the card after the first year, you should cancel before the anniversary date to avoid paying the fee again.

Earning rates on everyday purchases and flights

Both cards earn miles on every dollar you spend, but the rate depends on what you are buying. On American Airlines purchases — flights, seat upgrades, baggage fees — you typically earn more miles per dollar than you do on other purchases. On everything else, the earning rate is lower but still positive.

The Executive Platinum usually earns at a higher rate than the Platinum Select across most categories. For example, the Executive Platinum might earn 3 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases and 2 miles per dollar on restaurants and gas, while the Platinum Select earns 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases. These rates are not may provide and change at Citi's discretion.

The miles you earn never expire as long as your account remains open and you have account activity at least once every 24 months. Account activity includes earning miles, redeeming miles, or even a purchase on the card. If your account closes and you have not used it in 24 months, Citi may close it and you could lose your miles.

Airport lounge access and other perks

The Executive Platinum includes access to American Airlines Admirals Club lounges when you are traveling on an American Airlines flight. The Platinum Select does not include lounge access. An Admirals Club membership normally costs $650 per year on its own, so this benefit alone can justify the Executive Platinum's higher annual fee if you fly American frequently.

The Executive Platinum also waives the first checked bag fee on American Airlines flights for you and up to four companions on the same reservation. The standard checked bag fee is $40 for the first bag, so this saves money on every trip where you check luggage. The Platinum Select does not include this benefit.

Both cards offer purchase protection, extended warranty coverage, and travel accident insurance — standard benefits that protect you if a purchase is damaged or lost, or if you are injured during a trip. The Executive Platinum's travel insurance is usually more comprehensive. Neither card offers travel credits or statement credits like some airline cards do.

How to use miles for flights and other redemptions

Miles are redeemed through the AAdvantage program, which you access on American Airlines' website or mobile app. You search for flights the same way you would search for a regular ticket, but instead of paying dollars, you pay miles. The number of miles required depends on the route, the time of year, and how far in advance you book — peak travel times cost more miles than off-peak times.

You can also use miles to book flights on partner airlines including British Airways, Qantas, Japan Airlines, and others. Partner airline bookings sometimes offer better value in miles than American Airlines flights, but they can be harder to find and may have more restrictions. You can transfer miles to hotel and car rental partners as well, though the value is usually lower than using them for flights.

Miles do not have a fixed dollar value — what one mile is worth depends entirely on how you use it. A mile used on a short domestic flight might be worth less than a cent, while a mile used on a premium cabin international flight might be worth several cents. This is why comparing the sign-up bonus to a dollar amount is only an estimate.

Comparing the Platinum Select to the Executive Platinum

The decision between these two cards comes down to whether the Executive Platinum's perks are worth the higher annual fee. If you fly American Airlines at least four or five times per year and check a bag, the checked bag fee waiver alone saves you $160 to $200 annually. Add lounge access, which you would otherwise pay $650 for, and the Executive Platinum can pay for itself quickly.

If you fly American less frequently or never check bags, the Platinum Select is the better choice. You still earn miles on every purchase and get a sign-up bonus, but you avoid paying for perks you would not use. The lower annual fee also means you need to earn fewer miles just to break even on the card's cost.

A third option is to hold the Platinum Select for a year or two, then upgrade to the Executive Platinum when you know you will fly more. Some cardholders do this strategically to capture multiple sign-up bonuses over time, though Citi has rules about how often you can earn bonuses on the same card.

What happens to your miles if you close the card

Your miles belong to your AAdvantage account, not to the credit card itself. If you close the credit card, your miles stay in your account and you can still use them to book flights. The card and the frequent flyer account are separate — closing one does not close the other.

However, if you close your AAdvantage account entirely and do not have any account activity for 24 months, American Airlines will close the account and you will lose your miles. As long as you keep your AAdvantage account open, your miles are safe even if you cancel the credit card.

This is why many people keep an American Airlines credit card open even after the sign-up bonus is earned — it keeps the account active and protects the miles balance. If you decide to cancel, make sure you have used or transferred any miles you want to keep before the account closes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get the sign-up bonus more than once?

Citi limits how often you can earn the sign-up bonus on the same card. You typically have to wait a certain period (often 24 months) after earning a bonus before you can earn it again on the same card. You can sometimes earn bonuses on both the Platinum Select and Executive Platinum if you have never held either card before.

Do I have to fly American Airlines to use this card?

No. Both cards earn miles on any purchase you make, not just American Airlines flights. You can use the card for groceries, gas, restaurants, and everything else. The earning rate is just higher on American Airlines purchases and certain categories like dining.

What if I want to cancel the card after the first year?

You can cancel anytime. If you cancel before your annual fee is charged, you avoid paying it. If the fee has already been charged, contact Citi to ask about a refund — some cardholders receive a refund if they cancel within a short window after the fee posts. Your miles remain in your AAdvantage account after you cancel the card.

Are there other American Airlines cards I should know about?

Citi occasionally offers co-branded cards with other issuers or limited-time versions of the main cards. The Platinum Select and Executive Platinum are the standard offerings. You can check Citi's website or American Airlines' website to see if any other versions are currently available.

How do I know if a sign-up bonus is worth it?

Compare the bonus miles to the annual fee and the spending requirement. If the bonus is worth more in flight value than the annual fee costs, and you can meet the spending requirement without changing your normal spending habits, it is likely worth opening the card. If you would have to spend money you would not normally spend just to reach the bonus, the math usually does not work out.