American Airlines Platinum Card: A Comprehensive Review

The American Airlines Platinum Card is a premium credit card that offers a wide range of benefits to frequent flyers. It's designed for those who want to take their travel experience to the next level.

You can earn 5X miles on flights booked directly with American Airlines, which can add up quickly if you're a regular traveler. This is especially true if you're already flying with American Airlines most of the time.

One of the standout features of the card is the Admirals Club lounge access, which gives you a chance to relax and recharge before your flight. You'll also get access to the Flagship Lounge, which is a more exclusive experience.

The card also offers a $200 annual airline fee credit, which can help offset the cost of checked bags, change fees, and other travel expenses.

The American Airlines Platinum Card offers a range of benefits and perks that can enhance your travel experience. You'll receive a first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines flights, saving you up to $80 roundtrip per person.

Having this card also gets you preferred boarding on American Airlines flights, allowing you to board with Group 5 and reducing the likelihood of overhead bin space issues.

The personal American credit cards offer some fantastic benefits. One of the most notable is the $0 intro for the first year, then $99 annual fee.

You can earn 15,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles after making $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, or 60,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.

Earning miles is a breeze with this card, especially when you shop at grocery stores, earning 2 miles per $1 spent, or at gas stations and restaurants, earning 2 miles per $1.

The Free Checked Bag perk is a game-changer for travelers. Just for having the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card, you receive a first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines flights.

You don't actually have to pay with the card to use this perk, but rather the AAdvantage number of the primary cardmember just has to be on the reservation. This benefit also applies for up to four additional passengers traveling on the same itinerary.

American usually charges $40 one-way per checked bag, for a total of $80 roundtrip. So if you had four companions, you're looking at savings of up to $400 on a roundtrip ticket.

Having a good boarding spot can make all the difference in your travel experience. With preferred boarding, you can board with an earlier group and have a better chance of finding overhead bin space.

You can get preferred boarding on American Airlines flights just for having the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card. No need to pay with the card, just have the primary cardmember's AAdvantage number on the reservation.

Boarding with Group 5 is not priority boarding, but it's early enough that you shouldn't have issues with overhead bin space. Many travelers value this perk for that reason alone.

The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card has some of the least restrictive eligibility rules out there. This means you have a good chance of getting approved, even if you've had other credit cards before.

American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles aren't available if you've received a new account bonus for a Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select account in the past 48 months. You'll need to wait at least 48 months to be eligible again.

Having other AAdvantage cards from Barclays or Citi won't stop you from getting this card, though. Having the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard or American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp card, for example, won't disqualify you.

You can earn AAdvantage miles on eligible purchases, which can be redeemed for flights on American Airlines and its Oneworld alliance partner airlines.

One-way flights within the contiguous 48 US states can be booked for as few as 12,500 miles in Main Cabin (MileSAAver) or 25,000 miles in Business.

Redeeming miles can take you to a variety of destinations, including Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Europe.

Here's a breakdown of the one-way flight prices for each region:

You can also earn Loyalty Points for every eligible AAdvantage mile earned from purchases, which can help you reach AAdvantage status faster.

The American Airlines Platinum Select World Elite card has a 20.24% to 29.24% Variable APR.

You'll earn 2x miles at restaurants, gas stations, and eligible American Airlines purchases, and 1x miles on all other purchases.

The card has no foreign transaction fees, making it a great option for international travelers.

Here are the key benefits of the card:

The card also comes with a welcome offer of 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

Choosing the right American Airlines credit card can be a bit overwhelming, especially with so many options available. The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp card is a great option for those who want to earn miles with no annual fee.

The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard is best for AA flight discounts, while the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard offers Admirals Club access and Global Entry credit. If you're a business owner, the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard is a good choice for a companion certificate.

To find the best American Airlines credit card for you, consider your travel needs and preferences. If you're a frequent flyer, the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard or the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard might be a good fit.

Here's a comparison of some of the top American Airlines credit cards:

The annual fee for the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is $595, while the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard has a fee of $99, waived for the first 12 months. The American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp card has no annual fee.