Citi and American Airways are increasing their cobranded bank card lineup with the launch of the brand new Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®, obtainable beginning at the moment.
It has been a busy 12 months 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 accomplice. Within the broader context, this newest launch displays Citi ramping up its relationship with American forward of changing into the only real issuer of AAdvantage bank cards beginning subsequent 12 months. (Barclays will now not co-issue American Airways playing cards.)
TPG spoke with John LaCosta, Citi’s head of cobranded partnerships, who mentioned 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 mentioned.
This new mid-tier card is designed for semifrequent American Airways flyers. In case you fly with American not less than 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 supply
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 likely one of the extra beneficiant airline card presents we have seen lately, particularly at this mid-tier stage. It is price $1,395 primarily based on TPG’s October 2025 valuations.
Associated: Present presents on Citi / American Airways AAdvantage playing cards
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Annual payment
The annual payment on the Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard is $350.
It is priced according to 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 area for vacationers who need significant perks with out a $400-plus annual payment.
Associated: The whole 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 12 months.
Every go is legitimate for twenty-four hours, so when you’re on a connecting itinerary, you need to use 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 might personally worth them nearer to $35 per go to. That will put the lounge entry worth at about $140 a 12 months (or 40% of the annual payment).
Different journey advantages embrace:
- Companion certificates: This certificates is legitimate every cardholder 12 months for a round-trip home Principal Cabin ticket for $99 (plus taxes and costs, which must be $11.20 on a round-trip itinerary).
- Inflight credit score: This credit score is for as much as $100 per calendar 12 months for inflight purchases of meals and drinks. Given the inflight credit score is per calendar 12 months, you would rise up to $200 worth in your first cardholder 12 months when you apply for the cardboard and use this profit earlier than the top of 2025. (It resets on Jan. 1.)
- Free checked bag: Get pleasure from 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 (under).
- Most popular boarding: Get pleasure from 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 Applications credit score: Get pleasure from a International 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 will earn:
- 6 AAdvantage miles per greenback spent on eligible AAdvantage Accommodations 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
Basic journey rewards playing cards have a tendency to supply stronger returns in these classes.
The place the Globe turns into extra fascinating is in incomes elite standing with AAdvantage. After each 4 eligible American Airways flights, you will obtain a 5,000 “Flight Streak” Loyalty Level enhance (as much as 3 times per 12 months for a complete of 15,000 Loyalty Factors). You will additionally earn 1 Loyalty Level for each mile earned on this card.
For vacationers making an attempt to succeed in or preserve standing, these boosts may assist bridge the hole with out having to e-book additional flights. That is at present the one Citi-issued AAdvantage card to supply this profit.
Associated: 8 strategies that earned American AAdvantage Govt 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, much like what’s on the Strata Elite Card. You may select two retailers annually:
- 1stDibs (promoting luxurious furnishings, jewellery and artwork)
- Eligible AAdvantage Accommodations bookings
- Future Private Coaching
- Dwell Nation (occasion tickets and experiences)
Since this credit score is predicated on the calendar 12 months (just like the inflight credit score), you’ll be able to double-dip throughout your first 12 months for as much as $200 in worth when you apply for the cardboard and use the credit score earlier than the top of 2025.
There’s additionally a Turo credit score, which presents as much as $30 per rental as much as eight instances per 12 months (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 not possible that any bank card supplies protection for injury to a automobile booked by way of its platform, and it is even much less probably to offer legal responsibility protection for injury to different folks or automobiles. That is an enormous hole in safety, and I would not suggest counting on this credit score.
Different advantages embrace no international transaction charges and commonplace journey and procuring protections like baggage, automobile 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, mentioned, “We expect it is an actual various inhabitants of consumers that may be excited for this card. It is also this transition to extra premium journey expertise, obtainable for leisure vacationers … in all probability flying greater than a few times a 12 months, however would not fly 20 or 30 instances a 12 months.”
For vacationers who need lounge passes and elevated journey advantages however cannot justify the $595 annual payment on the Govt card, the Globe presents a center floor that is smart. You will get significant perks that you could realistically use as a semifrequent American Airways flyer with out overpaying for options you do not want.
Who can apply?
You may apply for this card even when you already maintain different Citi or Barclays cobranded AAdvantage playing cards.
A credit score rating of not less than 670 is really helpful for the perfect likelihood of approval.
Citi’s software guidelines are simple:
- You may solely apply for one Citi card each eight days and not more than two playing cards in a 65-day interval.
- Whereas Citi would not restrict the variety of playing cards you’ll be able to maintain, it does cap your complete credit score line throughout all Citi playing cards. In case your software goes pending, you’ll be able to name Citi’s reconsideration line to ask to shift credit score from an current card with a purpose to get accepted.
Citi can also be identified to be delicate to latest inquiries, so it could assist to area out your functions strategically.
My take
This card fills a distinct segment in Citi’s AAdvantage portfolio. It is constructed for vacationers who fly typically 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 Govt card.
I like that the Globe presents significant perks which can be comparatively straightforward to make use of, somewhat 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 benefit from the lounge passes, the companion certificates, the assertion credit and the big welcome bonus, it will possibly supply strong worth.
However, this card in all probability will not make sense when you’re an informal traveler who would not fly American typically sufficient to make use of the lounge passes or inflight credit score. And when you’re a daily American Airways flyer who values limitless lounge entry, the Govt 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 Govt, 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 12 months.
The $350 annual payment will be justified when you’ll make use of the lounge passes, the companion certificates and the assertion credit. However when you’re simply on the lookout for a low-fee approach to earn American Airways miles or want limitless Admirals Membership entry, this is not the fitting card for you.
Associated: How to decide on an airline bank card
