Citi AA Platinum Select has announced a new round of enhancements, effective January 24, 2027. The annual fee is increasing from $99 to $150, but the first year will remain fee-free. New benefits include up to $100 in annual in-flight purchase credits, a free Walmart+ membership, and more ways to earn bonus miles on everyday spending.

  • Annual fee: $99 → $150; the first-year annual fee waiver remains unchanged.
  • New 3x AA miles: Earn 3x miles on eligible hotel and car rental bookings through AAdvantage Hotels and AAdvantage Cars.
  • New 2x AA miles: Earn 2x miles on select streaming services and Rides and Rails (rideshares and public transit, among other things). The existing 2x earning at gas stations will expand to EV charging stations.
  • AA Flight Discount: After spending $20,000 per year and renewing the card, the flight discount will increase from $125 to $150.
  • New $100 annual in-flight purchase credit: Covers eligible in-flight food and Wi-Fi purchases and replaces the previous 25% discount on in-flight purchases.
  • New Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit: Up to $120 every 4 years.
  • New free Walmart+ membership: The primary cardholder receives a membership worth $98 per year.
  • New FOX One offer: 50% off an annual membership subscription.
  • New travel insurance: Includes coverage for flight delays, trip cancellation and interruption, rental car insurance, lost baggage, and more.

Overall, the annual fee is going up by $51, but the new Walmart+ membership and $100 in in-flight purchase credits alone can cover the increase. If you already fly AA regularly, these enhancements are a nice improvement. Existing benefits are also staying: 2x miles on AA purchases and dining, a free first checked bag, priority boarding, and up to $180 in annual Turo rental credits.

The airport application link is back to 80,000, with the same $3,500 spending requirement. You can apply directly using the link below.

The AA in-flight welcome offer has also increased to 80,000. You can enter any six-digit number in the promo code field (for example, 000000). In testing, someone who had repeatedly been denied was able to get approved using this link. Note that linked offers like this carry some risk, and it’s unclear whether you can earn the bonus again if you received this card’s bonus within the last 48 months. We’ll update this post if we learn more.

This is a great offer, so I’ve added the card to the welcome bonus rankings.

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Credit Card Overview

Apply now

Citi AA Platinum American Airlines Credit Card

No annual fee for the first year!

  • Welcome bonus: 80,000 AA miles (spend $3,500 in the first 4 months)
  • Rewards: 2X on AA website ticket purchases; 2x at restaurants and gas stations; 1x on all other purchases
  • Redemption: Best value when redeeming for flights between China and the U.S. or between the U.S. and Europe; business-class redemptions can also offer solid value.
  • Annual fee: $99（No annual fee for the first year）
  • Apply now>>

Highlights

  • Big-spend bonus: Spend $20,000 in a cardmember year and receive a $125 AA flight discount
  • AA flight benefits: Priority boarding, a free first checked bag, and 25% off in-flight food purchases.
  • Turo reimbursement: This card also includes a Turo reimbursement benefit, reimbursing $30 per rental, up to $180 per year. The promotion runs through October 18, 2026. Turo is a peer-to-peer car rental app that lets you rent directly from car owners. Promotion link

Citi card benefits

  • Price Rewind: If something drops in price, you can ask Citi to reimburse you for the difference.
  • Free FICO credit score: Provided by Equifax, with your score history displayed in a chart.
  • Private Pass: They once gave out free movie tickets, but I missed out.
  • Relatively generous retention offers: When the annual fee is due, threatening to close the card may get you a promotion.

About AA miles

AA is the world’s largest airline. It has ten hubs, so flying AA is convenient if you live in a city with one of them. Award tickets can also be easier to find, especially nonstop awards. AA maintains its own and its partners’ basic award charts, so you can still find some relatively good redemptions.

My take

This was the blogger’s second Citi card. The original reason for applying was to earn miles for round-trip flights between China and the U.S. (70,000 miles for a round-trip economy ticket). The card had gone largely unchanged for a long time, and most people still apply for the welcome bonus, then product-change to another Citi card with no annual fee after a year for better cash back and long-term value. For example:

So, just keep an eye out for higher welcome bonuses.

How to apply

  • The welcome bonus will be credited to your AA frequent flyer account. If you already have an AA frequent flyer number, enter it when you apply. If you don’t, it’s a good idea to register on the AA website first to get one. If you leave the field blank, a number will be assigned automatically, but you’ll need to call Citi to find out what it is.
  • If you received the welcome bonus for this card within the last 48 months, you won’t be eligible for the bonus this time.
  • If, within the last 48 months, you converted another card to an AA card after receiving a welcome bonus on that other card within the previous 48 months, you won’t be eligible for this application’s welcome bonus.
  • Citi application status link or call: 877-343-4118
  • 8/65/95 rule: You can apply for only one personal card every 8 days, only two personal cards every 65 days, and only one business card every 95 days. This refers to application submission limits, regardless of whether you were approved or not.
  • 24/48-month welcome bonus rule: If you have received a welcome bonus on a ThankYou Points card within the past 24 months, you will not be eligible to receive the bonus again. For AA products, the restriction is 48 months, but both rules apply only to the same card; there is no restriction across different card families.
  • You can call the reconsideration line (800-763-9795) to speed up the credit card approval process or ask a representative to review a denied credit card application again.
  • Having a Citi Checking/Gold relationship may help with your application.
  • More about applying for Citi credit cards

Application links