Citi and American Airways are increasing their cobranded bank card lineup with the launch of the brand new Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®, accessible beginning right this moment.
It has been a busy yr for Citi.
In July, the financial institution launched its top-tier Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see charges and costs) and added American Airways AAdvantage as a Citi ThankYou Rewards switch companion. Within the broader context, this newest launch displays Citi ramping up its relationship with American forward of changing into the only issuer of AAdvantage bank cards beginning subsequent yr. (Barclays will not co-issue American Airways playing cards.)
TPG spoke with John LaCosta, Citi’s head of cobranded partnerships, who stated Citi tried to do three issues as a part of the cardboard launch.
“One was elevated journey, get folks that have in these premium advantages … maximize their incomes potential to get standing faster with Loyalty Factors and supply flexibility across the worth we offer,” he stated.
This new mid-tier card is designed for semifrequent American Airways flyers. Should you fly with American at the least as soon as 1 / 4 however do not want or need the total Admirals Membership membership that comes with its top-tier card, the Globe is aimed squarely at you.
Welcome provide
The Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard has launched with a limited-time welcome bonus of 90,000 miles after spending $5,000 within the first 4 months of account opening.
This bonus is without doubt one of the extra beneficiant airline card provides we have seen just lately, particularly at this mid-tier degree. It is price $1,395 based mostly on TPG’s October 2025 valuations.
Associated: Present provides on Citi / American Airways AAdvantage playing cards
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Annual charge
The annual charge on the Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard is $350.
It is priced in step with different mid-tier airline playing cards just like the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Categorical Card and the United Quest℠ Card (see charges and costs).
That positions it squarely within the house for vacationers who need significant perks with no $400-plus annual charge.
Associated: The entire information to bank card annual charges
Lounge entry and journey perks
One of many largest attracts of this card is the inclusion of 4 Admirals Membership passes every calendar yr.
Every go is legitimate for twenty-four hours, so in case you’re on a connecting itinerary, you should utilize one go to entry a number of lounges on the identical day. For instance, flying from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) by way of Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL) would get you entry to golf equipment at each ATL and PHL utilizing the identical go.
Admirals Membership day passes usually price $79 every, however I would personally worth them nearer to $35 per go to. That may put the lounge entry worth at about $140 a yr (or 40% of the annual charge).
Different journey advantages embrace:
- Companion certificates: This certificates is legitimate every cardholder yr for a round-trip home Essential Cabin ticket for $99 (plus taxes and costs, which needs to be $11.20 on a round-trip itinerary).
- Inflight credit score: This credit score is for as much as $100 per calendar yr for inflight purchases of meals and drinks. Given the inflight credit score is per calendar yr, you can stand up to $200 worth in your first cardholder yr in case you apply for the cardboard and use this profit earlier than the tip of 2025. (It resets on Jan. 1.)
- Free checked bag: Take pleasure in your first checked bag free on home flights for you and as much as eight journey companions on the identical reservation; you do not have to make use of the cardboard to pay for the ticket to get the checked bag or boarding advantages (beneath).
- Most popular boarding: Take pleasure in Group 5 boarding, which is the primary group within the second boarding lane. (The 2 lanes are Teams 1 to 4 and Teams 5 to 9.)
- Trusted Traveler Packages credit score: Take pleasure in a World Entry/TSA PreCheck credit score of as much as $120 each 4 years.
Incomes charges and loyalty perks
The incomes charges themselves do not stand out as spectacular. You may earn:
- 6 AAdvantage miles per greenback spent on eligible AAdvantage Resorts bookings
- 3 miles per greenback spent on eligible American Airways purchases
- 2 miles per greenback spent at eating places, together with takeout and supply
- 2 miles per greenback spent on eligible “Rides and Rails” purchases, together with taxis, ride-hailing companies and public transit
- 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases
Common journey rewards playing cards have a tendency to supply stronger returns in these classes.
The place the Globe turns into extra attention-grabbing is in incomes elite standing with AAdvantage. After each 4 eligible American Airways flights, you will obtain a 5,000 “Flight Streak” Loyalty Level increase (as much as thrice per yr for a complete of 15,000 Loyalty Factors). You may additionally earn 1 Loyalty Level for each mile earned on this card.
For vacationers attempting to achieve or keep standing, these boosts might assist bridge the hole with out having to ebook additional flights. That is presently the one Citi-issued AAdvantage card to supply this profit.
Associated: 8 strategies that earned American AAdvantage Government Platinum for 2025 and my technique for 2026
Assertion credit and different advantages
The cardboard additionally contains an as much as $100 Annual Splurge Credit score, just like what’s on the Strata Elite Card. You possibly can select two retailers every year:
- 1stDibs (promoting luxurious furnishings, jewellery and artwork)
- Eligible AAdvantage Resorts bookings
- Future Private Coaching
- Reside Nation (occasion tickets and experiences)
Since this credit score is predicated on the calendar yr (just like the inflight credit score), you may double-dip throughout your first yr for as much as $200 in worth in case you apply for the cardboard and use the credit score earlier than the tip of 2025.
There’s additionally a Turo credit score, which provides as much as $30 per rental as much as eight occasions per yr (for a complete of $240 in annual credit).
I will be trustworthy: This is not a promoting level for me. Turo itself says it is impossible that any bank card supplies protection for injury to a automotive booked by way of its platform, and it is even much less probably to supply legal responsibility protection for injury to different folks or automobiles. That is an enormous hole in safety, and I would not advocate counting on this credit score.
Different advantages embrace no overseas transaction charges and customary journey and purchasing protections like baggage, automotive rental and journey delay protection, in addition to prolonged guarantee and buy safety.
How does the Globe examine to different AAdvantage playing cards?
This card fills the hole between two of Citi’s current AAdvantage merchandise.
The data for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Choose Mastercard has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
In an interview with TPG, Scott Lengthy, American’s senior vp of AAdvantage, stated, “We expect it is an actual various inhabitants of shoppers that may be excited for this card. It is also this transition to extra premium journey expertise, accessible for leisure vacationers … in all probability flying greater than a few times a yr, however does not fly 20 or 30 occasions a yr.”
For vacationers who need lounge passes and elevated journey advantages however cannot justify the $595 annual charge on the Government card, the Globe provides a center floor that is smart. You may get significant perks you can realistically use as a semifrequent American Airways flyer with out overpaying for options you do not want.
Who can apply?
You possibly can apply for this card even in case you already maintain different Citi or Barclays cobranded AAdvantage playing cards.
A credit score rating of at the least 670 is advisable for one of the best likelihood of approval.
Citi’s utility guidelines are simple:
- You possibly can solely apply for one Citi card each eight days and not more than two playing cards in a 65-day interval.
- Whereas Citi does not restrict the variety of playing cards you may maintain, it does cap your whole credit score line throughout all Citi playing cards. In case your utility goes pending, you may name Citi’s reconsideration line to ask to shift credit score from an current card as a way to get authorised.
Citi can also be recognized to be delicate to latest inquiries, so it could assist to house out your purposes strategically.
My take
This card fills a distinct segment in Citi’s AAdvantage portfolio. It is constructed for vacationers who fly usually sufficient to worth lounge passes, a companion ticket and some additional Loyalty Factors however who do not want the total suite of premium advantages that include the Government card.
I like that the Globe provides significant perks which can be comparatively straightforward to make use of, relatively than a laundry listing of advantages most individuals won’t ever contact.
The Turo credit score is not a promoting level, and the on a regular basis incomes charges lag behind prime journey rewards playing cards. However for semifrequent American Airways flyers who can make the most of the lounge passes, the companion certificates, the assertion credit and the big welcome bonus, it will probably provide stable worth.
However, this card in all probability will not make sense in case you’re an informal traveler who does not fly American usually sufficient to make use of the lounge passes or inflight credit score. And in case you’re an everyday American Airways flyer who values limitless lounge entry, the Government card stays the higher match.
Backside line
The Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard is a welcome addition to the AAdvantage lineup. It is designed for vacationers who need one thing between the Platinum Choose and the Government, providing significant perks and an enormous limited-time welcome bonus at a mid-tier value level.
This launch additionally highlights how a lot Citi is investing in its partnership with American forward of changing into the airline’s unique cobranded card issuer subsequent yr.
The $350 annual charge may be justified in case you’ll make use of the lounge passes, the companion certificates and the assertion credit. However in case you’re simply in search of a low-fee solution to earn American Airways miles or want limitless Admirals Membership entry, this is not the correct card for you.
Associated: How to decide on an airline bank card
