The CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has a phenomenal welcome bonus, offering 65,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $4,000 within four months.
The card has a reasonable $99 annual fee that’s even waived for the first 12 months.
Why you want to earn the welcome bonus
Personally, I value American miles at 1.5 cents each, so to me those 65,000 miles are worth $975. This is a phenomenal welcome bonus, especially when you consider that the annual fee is waived for the first year.
While American isn’t great about making award seats available on their own flights, there are so many great opportunities to redeem miles on partner airlines. Here’s American’s one-way award chart for premium cabin travel departing the US:
Contiguous 48 U.S. To: | Business Class | First Class |
|---|---|---|
Contiguous 48 U.S. States | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Canada & Alaska | 30,000 | 55,000 |
Hawaii | 55,000 | 80,000 |
Caribbean | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Mexico | 25,000 | 50,000 |
Central America | 25,000 | 50,000 |
South America Zone 1 | 30,000 | 55,000 |
South America Zone 2 | 57,500 | 85,000 |
Europe | 57,500 | 85,000 |
Middle East / India | 70,000 | 115,000 |
Africa | 75,000 | 120,000 |
Asia Zone 1 | 60,000 | 80,000 |
Asia Zone 2 | 70,000 | 110,000 |
South Pacific | 80,000 | 110,000 |
As you can see, 65,000 AAdvantage miles is just shy of enough miles for a one-way business class ticket from the US to Europe, South America, North Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and India, so there are so many great ways you can redeem those miles. After completing the minimum spend requirement to earn the bonus, you would essentially have enough for a one-way business class ticket.
Seriously, this credit card bonus alone could get you a one-way ticket in Qatar Airways’ spectacular Qsuites from Los Angeles to Doha to the Maldives, for example.
I consider to be Qsuites the world’s best business class. Each seat has a door, Qatar has the best business class food with a dine on demand service, and more.
Qatar Airways’ Qsuites on the 777
Are you eligible for the card?
The CitiBusiness AAdvantage Card welcome bonus isn’t available to those who currently have the card. It’s also not available to those who have opened or closed this card in the past 48 months.
So you’re eligible as long as you haven’t had this card in over 48 months.
Also keep in mind that applying for this card wouldn’t count as a further inquiry to Chase’s 5/24 limit, in case that’s something you’re concerned about.
Long term perks for the card
In addition to the great welcome bonus, the CitiBusiness AAdvantage Card offers:
- 2x miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases with American, as well as on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants, and at gas stations
- A first checked bag free on domestic itineraries for you and up to four companions on the same reservation
- A $99 American Airlines companion certificate after you spend $30,000 or more in purchases each cardmember year and renew your card
Bottom line
The CitiBusiness AAdvantage Card is offering one of the best welcome bonuses of any co-branded American Airlines card at the moment, and the annual fee continues to be waived.
My single favorite use of American AAdvantage miles is for travel in Qatar Airways Qsuites, and award availability on these flights is generally excellent, and can now even be booked on aa.com.
Being able to fly one-way to the Middle East or India in Qatar Airways business class with essentially one welcome bonus is pretty awesome, if you ask me.
I guess no reply about Q-suites routes after 15 January.
Lucky,
Can you let us know what us routes will have Q-seats after 15 January 2019?
Thanks
also, should you wait a little after 24 months since you closed the card? let's say you closed your last card 24 months ago on November 18 - should you wait until December 1st? or you are good to apply on the 19th?
If you want to fly Qatar business from the US to South Africa (via Doha) - is it one award of 75,000 or two separate awards (one to Doha and one from Doha to South Africa)?
is it certain can not get signup if have one openI
thought the deal on Citi Business was you could be approved if you had not opened or closed a card in 24 months
I have one turning 24 months in Feb and hoped to apply for a second
Your comment on AA not great as far as awards on their own metal is understatement at best. When I look, most of the availability is routing that a sane person would want to do.
not true^ was approved with a totally fake, one person biz with no income, no anything at all... just good old fashion will and determination, and loose morals
Citi will only approve you for a business card if you have revolving credit history of at least 5 years.