Citi and American Airlines 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 yr for Citi.
In July, the financial institution launched its top-tier Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see rates and fees) and added American Airlines AAdvantage as a Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partner. Within the broader context, this newest launch displays Citi ramping up its relationship with American forward of changing into the sole issuer of AAdvantage credit cards beginning subsequent yr. (Barclays will no longer co-issue American Airlines 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 individuals 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. 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 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 affords we have seen lately, particularly at this mid-tier stage. It is value $1,395 based mostly on TPG’s October 2025 valuations.
Associated: Current offers on Citi / American Airlines AAdvantage cards
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Annual price
The annual price on the Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard is $350.
It is priced according to different mid-tier airline cards just like the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and the United Quest℠ Card (see rates and fees).
That positions it squarely within the house for vacationers who need significant perks and not using a $400-plus annual price.
Associated: The complete guide to credit card annual fees
Lounge entry and journey perks
One of many greatest attracts of this card is the inclusion of 4 Admirals Club passes every calendar yr.
Every cross is legitimate for twenty-four hours, so in the event you’re on a connecting itinerary, you need to use one cross 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) through Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL) would get you entry to golf equipment at each ATL and PHL utilizing the identical cross.
Admirals Membership day passes sometimes 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 price).
Different journey advantages embody:
- Companion certificates: This certificates is legitimate every cardholder yr for a round-trip home Major 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 would stand up to $200 worth in your first cardholder yr in the event 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 well-liked 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 Packages credit score: Get pleasure from a Global 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 Motels 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 providers and public transit
- 1 mile per greenback spent on all different purchases
General travel rewards cards have a tendency to supply stronger returns in these classes.
The place the Globe turns into extra fascinating is in earning elite status with AAdvantage. After each 4 eligible American Airways flights, you will obtain a 5,000 “Flight Streak” Loyalty Level enhance (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 reach or maintain status, these boosts may assist bridge the hole with out having to e book additional flights. That is at the moment the one Citi-issued AAdvantage card to supply this profit.
Associated: 8 methods that earned American AAdvantage Executive Platinum for 2025 and my strategy for 2026
Assertion credit and different advantages
The cardboard additionally consists of an as much as $100 Annual Splurge Credit score, similar to what’s on the Strata Elite Card. You’ll be able to select two retailers annually:
- 1stDibs (promoting luxurious furnishings, jewellery and artwork)
- Eligible AAdvantage Motels bookings
- Future Private Coaching
- Reside Nation (occasion tickets and experiences)
Since this credit score relies on the calendar yr (just like the inflight credit score), you possibly can double-dip throughout your first yr for as much as $200 in worth in the event you apply for the cardboard and use the credit score earlier than the top of 2025.
There’s additionally a Turo credit score, which affords as much as $30 per rental as much as eight instances 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 most unlikely that any bank card gives protection for harm to a automotive booked by way of its platform, and it is even much less probably to offer legal responsibility protection for harm to different individuals or automobiles. That is an enormous hole in safety, and I would not suggest counting on this credit score.
Different advantages embody no foreign transaction fees and commonplace journey and purchasing protections like baggage, automotive rental and journey delay protection, in addition to prolonged guarantee and buy safety.
How does the Globe evaluate to different AAdvantage playing cards?
This card fills the hole between two of Citi’s current AAdvantage merchandise.
The knowledge 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 vice chairman of AAdvantage, mentioned, “We expect it is an actual numerous inhabitants of consumers that might 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 yr, however would not fly 20 or 30 instances a yr.”
For vacationers who need lounge passes and elevated journey advantages however cannot justify the $595 annual price on the Government card, the Globe affords a center floor that is sensible. You may get significant perks that you may realistically use as a semifrequent American Airways flyer with out overpaying for options you do not want.
Who can apply?
You’ll be able to apply for this card even in the event you already maintain different Citi or Barclays cobranded AAdvantage cards.
A credit score of at the least 670 is really helpful for the very best probability of approval.
Citi’s application rules are easy:
- You’ll be able to 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 possibly can maintain, it does cap your complete credit score line throughout all Citi playing cards. In case your software goes pending, you possibly can name Citi’s reconsideration line to ask to shift credit score from an current card with the intention to get accredited.
Citi can be identified to be delicate to latest inquiries, so it could assist to house 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 Government card.
I like that the Globe affords significant perks which can be comparatively straightforward to make use of, somewhat than a laundry record 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 high 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 massive welcome bonus, it might supply strong worth.
Alternatively, this card in all probability will not make sense in the event you’re an informal traveler who would not fly American typically sufficient to make use of the lounge passes or inflight credit score. And in the event you’re an everyday American Airways flyer who values limitless lounge entry, the Executive card remains the better fit.
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 worth 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 price will be justified in the event you’ll make use of the lounge passes, the companion certificates and the assertion credit. However in the event you’re simply on the lookout for a low-fee technique to earn American Airways miles or want limitless Admirals Membership entry, this is not the correct card for you.
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