American Airlines Citi cards raise annual fee to $150
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Two American Airlines Citi cards will cost $150 a year from January 24, 2027, up from $99.
- It is the first fee rise for the Platinum Select card since 2018, according to CNBC.
- New credits cover plane food, airport security checks, and everyday spending rewards.
American Airlines and Citi will raise the yearly fee on two travel credit cards to $150. The fee is $99 today. The change starts on January 24, 2027.
The two cards are the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card and the Citi AAdvantage Business card. Both cards earn miles for American Airlines flights. The fee rise is $51 a year.
New card holders still pay no fee for the first 12 months.
This guide explains what changes, what stays the same, and who gains from the new perks. It uses plain words so any reader can follow the math.
What happened
American Airlines and Citi announced the changes on October 27, 2026. The two firms run the cards together. Mastercard is the payment network on both cards.
The Platinum Select card is for people who fly from time to time. The Business card is for small firms and their staff. Both cards will get new perks on the same date the fee rises.
Existing card holders get the new perks from January 24, 2027. They pay the new $150 fee at their next renewal after that date. That detail comes from The Points Guy and One Mile at a Time.
The fee rise is the first for the Platinum Select card since 2018. CNBC reported that fact, based on what an airline spokeswoman said. In 2018, the fee rose from $95 to $99.
What is new on the Platinum Select card
The Platinum Select card gets new ways to earn miles. Miles are points you can swap for flights. You earn 3 miles per dollar on hotel bookings through AAdvantage Hotels.
You earn the same rate on car bookings through AAdvantage Cars.
Gas stations now pay 2 miles per dollar. That rate now covers electric car charging too. Streaming services pay 2 miles per dollar.
Rides and rail trips also pay 2 miles per dollar.
The card adds a credit for airport security checks. You can get up to $120 back every four years. That covers Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
These are fast-track security programs for travelers.
Plane purchases get a new credit too. You can get up to $100 back each year. It covers food, drinks, and paid Wi-Fi on flights.
It replaces an old 25 percent discount on plane purchases.
Two lifestyle perks join the card. You get a free Walmart+ membership for one year. American Airlines puts its value at $98.
You also get 50 percent off a FOX One streaming plan for one year.
The flight discount on the card gets bigger. It rises from $125 to $150. You must spend $20,000 in a card year and renew the card.
Then you get the discount on an American Airlines flight.
Travel cover also improves on the card. It now covers trip delays and cancelled trips. It covers car rental damage and lost bags too.
These are safety nets if travel plans go wrong.
What is new on the Business card
The Business card gets the same 3 miles per dollar on hotel and car bookings. It also gets a flexible bonus category. The card holder picks one of three types of spending.
The choices are shipping firms, office supply shops, or ad services.
That pick pays 2 miles per dollar with no cap. The Points Guy reported that card holders can change the pick each quarter. If no pick is made, office supplies is the default.
The Business card gets the same two credits as the personal card. That means up to $100 back each year on plane purchases. It also means up to $120 back every four years for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Business owners get a discount on a payments tool. The card gives 25 percent off a Melio plan. Melio helps firms manage and pay bills.
Travel cover on the card also gets stronger. It covers trip delays, cancelled trips, lost bags, and car rentals.
What stays the same
Many core perks do not change on either card. Both cards still pay 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases. Both cards still give 1 mile per dollar on all other spending.
Both cards still give free preferred boarding. That means you board the plane early. Both cards still give a free first checked bag on domestic flights.
That perk covers the card holder and up to four travel companions.
Both cards still give 10 percent off American Airlines Vacations packages. Neither card charges fees on purchases made abroad. The Platinum Select card keeps its car rental credits.
It pays up to $30 per trip, up to $180 a year, on Turo rentals.
The Business card keeps its companion certificate. It costs $99 for a round-trip domestic flight in the main cabin. You must spend $30,000 in a card year and renew the card.
American Airlines also keeps its other cards unchanged. The no-fee MileUp card, the Globe card, and the Executive card are not part of this change.
Why it matters
A $51 fee rise sounds small on its own. It adds up over years of card use. Card holders should check if the new credits cover that extra cost.
The math is simple for frequent flyers. One plane food credit of $100 nearly pays the whole rise. The security check credit of $120 spreads over four years.
That is $30 a year in value if you use it.
The Walmart+ membership is worth $98 on paper. It only helps if you use its delivery and fuel perks. The streaming and rides categories help people who spend there each month.
People who rarely fly may gain little from the new perks.
American Airlines leaders said the goal is to match how members spend today. Citi leaders said the same in the joint announcement. They pointed to more everyday spending on these cards.
The cards are still travel cards first, but they now reward daily life too.
What happens next
Nothing changes for card holders until January 24, 2027. New applicants get the new perks at once, according to One Mile at a Time. Existing holders wait for that date for both perks and the new fee.
Card holders should mark two dates. The first is January 24, 2027, when the new perks start. The second is their own renewal date after that day.
That is when the $150 fee first appears on their bill.
Travelers who hold these cards can plan now. Check your spending on gas, streaming, and rides. Check if you will use the plane food credit.
Check if you need Global Entry or TSA PreCheck in the next four years.
If the credits fit your life, the higher fee may pay for itself. If they do not, the card may be worth less than before. Either way, the choice is now clear well ahead of the January start date.
This article is for information only and is not financial advice.
Travelers can learn how American Airlines dropped three destinations from its route map this year. Flyers may also want to know why airlines dim cabin lights for takeoff and landing. For your rights when flights fill up, read how airlines overbook flights and handle bumping.
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