Citi American AAdvantage Business Card Review: 65K Bonus Miles & Waived Fee

The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® is part of American Airlines’ portfolio of co-branded Citi credit cards, and it’s the only business credit card in the collection.

The Citi AAdvantage Business Card boasts a solid welcome offer with the annual fee waived for the first 12 months. On top of that, the card offers useful perks, plus can help you earn AAdvantage elite status, so there are lots of reasons to get this card. It’s a card that I personally have, and have gotten good value from. With that out of the way, let’s get into my in-depth Citi AAdvantage Business Card review.

Link: Learn more about the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®

Citi AAdvantage Business Card summary & key details

Before I get into my Citi AAdvantage Business Card review, here’s a brief summary of the key details of the card:

• Annual fee: $99, waived for the first 12 months
• Welcome offer: 65,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $4,000 within the first four months
• Rewards earn rate: 2x AAdvantage miles on American Airlines purchases, telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants, and gas stations, and 1x miles on all other purchases, plus 1x Loyalty Points per dollar spent
• Perks & credits: First checked bag free on domestic American itineraries, preferred boarding on American, 25% savings on inflight American purchases, companion certificate with spending
• Foreign transaction fees: None
• Best for: Business owners who want to earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points for their business spending

Below are what I consider to be the pros and cons of the Citi AAdvantage Business Card.

Citi AAdvantage Business Card welcome bonus & fee

The Citi AAdvantage Business Card is American’s primary co-branded business card. To start, let’s cover the welcome bonus, eligibility rules, annual fee, and more.

Welcome bonus of 65,000 AAdvantage miles

The Citi AAdvantage Business Card is offering a welcome bonus of 65,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first four months.

The minimum spending requirement is reasonable, given that you have four months to complete it. Personally, I value AAdvantage miles at ~1.5 cents each, so to me, those 65,000 miles are worth around $975.

For what it’s worth, this seems to be the “standard” welcome offer on the card. In the past, we’ve seen offers of up to 75,000 miles, though it’s anyone’s guess if/when such an offer returns.

American AAdvantage credit card eligibility rules

If you’re applying for the Citi AAdvantage Business Card, there are some restrictions to be aware of, as you’d expect. First, there are Citi’s general application rules, which include that you can only be approved for one Citi credit card every eight days, and at most two Citi credit cards every 65 days.

On top of that, there’s also the 48-month rule on this card, which means you can’t receive the bonus on this card if you’ve received a bonus on this exact card in the past 48 months. However, you are eligible for the bonus even if you’ve received bonuses on any other American Airlines credit cards.

$99 annual fee, waived for the first 12 months

The Citi AAdvantage Business Card has a $99 annual fee, though it’s waived for the first 12 months. This is a great way to “try” the card before you have to really pay an annual fee on it. You can also add authorized users to the Citi AAdvantage Business Card at no extra cost, which is useful if you have any employees you want to add.

Citi AAdvantage Business Card rewards structure

The Citi AAdvantage Business Card has a limited number of bonus categories that cardmembers can take advantage of, and on top of that, spending can also count toward elite status. Let’s talk about how that works.

Earn 1-2x AAdvantage miles on spending

When it comes to actually spending money on the Citi AAdvantage Business Card, there are some categories eligible for bonus miles:

• Earn 2x AAdvantage miles on eligible American Airlines purchases
• Earn 2x AAdvantage miles on telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants, and gas stations
• Earn 1x AAdvantage miles on all other purchases

Those are some potentially useful bonus categories, though there are also other cards offering bonuses in those categories.

Earn 1x Loyalty Points per eligible dollar spent

Nowadays elite status in the AAdvantage program can be earned with Loyalty Points, which is the currency that determines your status. AAdvantage elite status requirements are as follows:

• AAdvantage Gold status requires 40,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Platinum status requires 75,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Platinum Pro status requires 125,000 Loyalty Points
• AAdvantage Executive Platinum status requires 200,000 Loyalty Points

Spending money on AAdvantage credit cards earns you Loyalty Points, as you earn one Loyalty Point per dollar spent. This means your spending on the card can help you earn elite status (all the way up to Executive Platinum), and it can also help you earn Loyalty Point Rewards, allowing you to select from perks like systemwide upgrades, bonus miles, and more.

Authorized user Loyalty Points earning quirk

One quirk to be aware of with the Citi AAdvantage Business Card is that spending from authorized users will count toward their own total of Loyalty Points, rather than toward the Loyalty Points total of the primary cardmember.

This is one of the few cards that directly rewards authorized users in that way (at the expense of the primary cardmember). Obviously the primary cardmember is still on the hook for making sure that all bills are paid, but it sure is unique to see an authorized user earning rewards in that way.

When it comes to the AAdvantage miles (beyond the Loyalty Points), those will post to the AAdvantage Business program account, and can then be distributed by the primary cardmember as they see fit.

AAdvantage Loyalty Points double dip opportunity

Officially, the Citi AAdvantage Business Card earns one Loyalty Point per dollar spent, credited to either the primary cardmember or the authorized user. However, this is where an incredibly rewarding promotion (of sorts) comes into play.

For a couple of years now, select Citi AAdvantage Business Card users have been targeted for a Loyalty Points double dipping opportunity. The idea is that authorized user spending earns Loyalty Points for both the authorized user and primary cardmember, so think of it as a “two for one” status opportunity.

Currently this is valid through December 31, 2026, though it has been extended before, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it extended again. Let me emphasize this isn’t a published card perk, so if you’re not already eligible, there’s no guarantee that you will be. That being said, eligibility does seem to be very widespread, so I think odds are good.

No foreign transaction fees

The Citi AAdvantage Business Card has no foreign transaction fees, so this can be a good option for purchases you make abroad.

Citi AAdvantage Business Card benefits & perks

In addition to the great welcome bonus and the ability to earn elite status with spending, there are some other reasons to get the Citi AAdvantage Business Card, which may justify the annual fee for some small businesses. Let’s go over the benefits and perks you should be aware of with this card.

First checked bag free on American Airlines

Primary cardmembers on the Citi AAdvantage Business Card receive a first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for themselves and up to four companions traveling on the same reservation. There’s no need to actually pay for the ticket with the card, you just have to make sure it’s linked to your AAdvantage account.

American ordinarily charge $45-50 for the first checked bag, so that’s a $90-100 value per person roundtrip (and if you had four companions all checking a bag, that would be a value of $450-500).

Preferred boarding on American Airlines

Primary cardmembers on the Citi AAdvantage Business Card receive preferred boarding on American Airlines flights. Having this card allows you to board with Group 5 on American Airlines flights, which should help to ensure that you can board while there’s still room in the overhead bins. This applies globally, and there’s no need to pay for the ticket with the card, as long as you’re the primary cardmember with your AAdvantage account linked.

25% inflight savings on American Airlines purchases

Those with the Citi AAdvantage Business Card receive 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases on American Airlines flights when paying with the card. You’ll pay the full amount in advance, and then you’ll receive a statement credit for 25% of that amount. If you fly American with any frequency and make inflight purchases, this could save you a bit of money.

American Airlines companion certificate with spending

You can receive a domestic main cabin companion certificate when you spend a minimum of $30,000 in purchases on the Citi AAdvantage Business Card in a cardmember year, and when you renew your card. Personally, this isn’t something that I’d take advantage of unless you were going to spend that much anyway, since there are better cards on which you can spend that much money.

When it comes time to redeem the companion certificate, there are some restrictions to be aware of:

• It’s only valid for travel within the lower 48 states
• It’s only valid for a roundtrip ticket in economy
• You have to book your ticket through American Airlines Meeting Services, so it can’t be booked online
• The certificate is valid for one year from the date of issue
• You have to pay $99 plus taxes and fees when redeeming it
• The companion booked with this certificate isn’t eligible for mileage accrual or upgrades

American AAdvantage Business program benefits

AAdvantage Business is American’s free small business rewards program:

• AAdvantage Business offers the individual traveler one bonus Loyalty Point per dollar spent on eligible airfare (that’s not a redeemable mile, but just a Loyalty Point toward earning elite status)
• AAdvantage Business offers the business one AAdvantage redeemable mile per dollar spent on eligible airfare (which can be transferred to an individual member)

As you can see, it’s a nice way to rack up additional rewards for money you’d spend with American anyway. There’s a card benefit in here as well, though. Usually to be able to redeem through this program, you need at least five unique travelers who have credited flights to the AAdvantage Business account, totaling at least $5,000 in revenue over the course of a year.

However, if you have the Citi AAdvantage Business Card, the AAdvantage Business program minimum is waived, so there’s no minimum spending or minimum number of travelers. That can help you be rewarded much more easily with the program.

Is the Citi AAdvantage Business Card worth it?

There’s a lot of merit to applying for the Citi AAdvantage Business Card. For one, the card is offering a good welcome bonus with the annual fee waived for the first year.

Furthermore, the benefits for having the card, including a first checked bag free, preferred boarding, and inflight savings, could more than justify the annual fee after the first year for many, especially if you’re an occasional American flyer. I also think people undervalue the benefit of getting access to the AAdvantage Business program without any minimums, since that can make all your travels on the airline more rewarding.

As far as spending on the card goes, this is a card I’d primarily consider for those purposes if you’re pursuing elite status with American AAdvantage. Nowadays a lot of people are spending their way toward status, given how American has evolved its loyalty program.

However, if you’re not going for elite status, this isn’t the credit card that I’d recommend using for your everyday business spending. That’s because there are so many other cards that are more rewarding for everyday spending.

How does the Citi AAdvantage Executive Card compare?

While it’s a personal card, some people may also be considering the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard® (learn more), which is American’s most premium co-branded card.

This card has a $695 annual fee, but is incredibly perks rich, as the card offers an Admirals Club membership, up to 40,000 bonus Loyalty Points per year (unrelated to card spending), more priority services on American, and up to hundreds of dollars in annual credits.

If you fly American frequently and value Admirals Club access, this card could definitely be worthwhile.

How does the Citi AAdvantage Globe Card compare?

While also a personal card, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® (learn more) is another potentially lucrative co-branded American card.

It has a $350 annual fee, and offers many benefits, including up to 15,000 bonus Loyalty Points as a “Flight Streak” bonus, up to $100 in annual American inflight credits, an annual American Airlines companion certificate, four Admirals Club passes per year, and more.

How does the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card compare?

The single most direct comparison to the Citi AAdvantage Business Card is the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® (learn more), as the products have a lot of overlap. Both have similar fees, and similar perks (first checked bag free, preferred boarding, etc.).

So what are the differences?

• The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card earns 2x miles on American Airlines purchases, gas stations, and restaurants, and 1x miles on all other purchases, so the bonus categories are different
• The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Card offers a $125 flight discount after spending $20,000 or more on the card in an anniversary year and then renewing, rather than the companion certificate after spending $30,000

What other business credit cards should you consider?

If you’re just looking for a well-rounded and rewarding business card with an annual fee that gives you a lot of flexibility, here are some other cards to consider:

• The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (learn more) is one of the best value business cards, as it has a $95 annual fee, and has lucrative 3x Ultimate Rewards points bonus categories
• The Capital One Venture Business (learn more) has a $95 annual fee, and offers a flat 2x Capital One miles per dollar spent, so that’s a great rewards structure
• The American Express® Business Gold Card (learn more) has a $375 annual fee (Rates & Fees), but it has some big 4x points bonus categories and credits that can help offset that fee

Citi AAdvantage Business Card FAQs

Bottom line

The Citi AAdvantage Business Card is offering a good welcome bonus with the annual fee waived for the first year. 65,000 miles is a great bonus, and is a reason to pick up this card and see how it works out for your small business. The card also offers perks like a first checked bag free and preferred boarding, which some people might get value out of.

On top of that, spending on American Airlines credit cards can help you earn status, as you earn one Loyalty Point per dollar spent. For some people, that could be enough reason to put some spending on this card.

If you want to learn more about the Citi AAdvantage Business Card, follow this link.

The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: American Express® Business Gold Card (Rates & Fees).