What the Citi American Airlines Card is and who it's built for

The Citi American Airlines Card is a co-branded credit card issued by Citi in partnership with American Airlines. It's designed for people who fly American Airlines regularly or want to earn rewards on everyday purchases that convert to airline miles. The card comes in two versions: one with an annual fee and one without, though the no-fee version has lower earning rates.

This card makes sense if you already book flights with American Airlines and want to accumulate miles faster than you would with a regular rewards card. It's less useful if you rarely fly American, prefer other airlines, or want cash back instead of miles. The card's value depends entirely on whether you'll actually use the miles you earn before they expire.

Key Takeaways

  • The Citi American Airlines Card comes in two versions: one with an annual fee that earns more miles per dollar, and one with no annual fee that earns fewer miles.
  • Both versions earn miles on American Airlines purchases and everyday spending, but the earning rates and sign-up bonuses differ between them.
  • You need a valid Social Security number and U.S. address to open the card, and Citi will check your credit report.
  • American Airlines miles expire after 18 months of account inactivity, so you must use or earn miles regularly to keep them.
  • The card's real value depends on whether you'll redeem the miles you earn — unused miles are worth nothing.

The two versions and their annual costs

Citi offers two versions of this card. The Citi American Airlines Card (the standard version) charges an annual fee, currently $99. In return, you earn more miles per dollar spent and receive a larger sign-up bonus. The Citi American Airlines Card No Annual Fee charges nothing per year but earns fewer miles on most purchases and offers a smaller sign-up bonus.

The annual fee version makes financial sense only if you'll earn enough extra miles to cover the $99 cost. For example, if you spend $10,000 per year on the card and the fee version earns you an extra 1 mile per dollar on some categories compared to the no-fee version, you'd earn 10,000 extra miles — which may or may not be worth $99 depending on how you value miles. Most people value a mile at 1 to 1.5 cents, so 10,000 miles would be worth $100 to $150. The math is close, which is why many people choose the no-fee version for simplicity.

How you earn miles on this card

Both versions earn miles on American Airlines tickets purchased directly from American Airlines, and on everyday purchases like groceries, gas, and restaurants. The earning rate varies by version and category. The fee version typically earns 3 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on other purchases. The no-fee version earns 1 mile per dollar on all purchases.

You also receive a sign-up bonus if you meet a spending threshold within a set timeframe — usually something like 50,000 miles if you spend $2,500 in the first three months. This bonus is the biggest chunk of miles most cardholders earn in the first year. After that, your miles come from regular spending and occasional bonuses for reaching annual spending milestones.

What happens to miles you don't use

American Airlines miles expire after 18 months of account inactivity. "Inactivity" means you haven't earned or redeemed any miles in that period. If you have the card but don't use it and don't fly American, your miles will disappear. Even one mile earned or redeemed resets the clock, so you need to stay active to keep your balance.

This is a real constraint. If you earn 50,000 miles from a sign-up bonus but don't book a flight for two years, those miles are gone. You can't sell them or transfer them to someone else. Before you open this card, think honestly about whether you'll actually book flights with American Airlines within 18 months of earning miles.

How to use your miles to book flights

Miles are redeemed through the American Airlines website or by calling their reservations line. You log into your AAdvantage account (American's frequent flyer program, which is linked to your card), search for flights, and choose to pay with miles instead of money. The number of miles required depends on the route, time of year, and how far in advance you book.

Short domestic flights might cost 7,500 to 12,500 miles. Cross-country flights typically run 25,000 to 50,000 miles. International flights can cost 40,000 to 100,000 miles or more. These prices fluctuate, and American uses a dynamic pricing system, meaning the same flight might cost different amounts depending on demand. You can also use miles to upgrade a paid ticket to business or first class, though this usually requires more miles than booking an economy seat outright.

What you need to open the card

To open a Citi American Airlines Card, you need a valid Social Security number, a U.S. mailing address, and a phone number. Citi will pull your credit report, so you should have a credit score of at least 670 to have a reasonable chance of approval, though the exact requirement is not public. If you've had recent late payments, collections, or a very high debt-to-income ratio, you may be denied.

The process takes about 10 minutes online. Citi will tell you when ready whether you're approved, pending, or denied. If you're approved, the physical card arrives in 7 to 10 business days. You can request a rush card in some cases. Once the card arrives, you can add it to your AAdvantage account online or by phone to start earning miles on purchases.

Comparing this card to other airline cards

Other airlines offer co-branded cards through different banks. United has cards through Chase, Delta has cards through American Express, and Southwest has cards through Chase. Each card has different earning rates, annual fees, and sign-up bonuses. If you fly multiple airlines equally, a general rewards card that earns cash back or points you can use anywhere might be better than locking yourself into one airline.

The Citi American Airlines Card is most valuable if American is your primary airline — either because you live near a hub, your employer books American flights, or you have family you visit regularly on American routes. If you're flexible about which airline you fly, you might earn more value from a card that doesn't tie you to one carrier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this card to book flights for other people?

Yes. Miles in your AAdvantage account can be used to book flights for anyone, not just you. You can book a ticket for a family member or friend. The person flying doesn't need to have the card or even be a member of AAdvantage — you just need their name and date of birth to complete the booking.

What happens if I close the card?

Closing the card does not when ready cancel your miles. Your miles stay in your AAdvantage account as long as you remain active (earning or redeeming miles at least once every 18 months). However, you'll lose any benefits tied to the card itself, like bonus miles for annual spending or anniversary bonuses. If you close the card and don't use your miles for 18 months, they will expire.

Can I get the sign-up bonus more than once?

Citi's rules typically allow you to earn a sign-up bonus once per product every 24 months. So you could theoretically close the card, wait two years, and open it again to earn another bonus. However, Citi's exact rules change, so check their current terms before planning this strategy.

How do I know if my miles are about to expire?

Log into your AAdvantage account online or through the American Airlines app. Your account shows your current mile balance and the date of your last activity. If it's been more than 18 months since you earned or redeemed miles, your balance will show as expired. American also sends email warnings before miles expire, though these sometimes go to spam.

Is there a way to keep miles from expiring if I don't fly?

Yes. You can earn miles without flying by using the card to make purchases, or by transferring miles from a co-branded card partner (though this is rare). You can also buy miles directly from American Airlines, though this is expensive and usually not worth it. The cheapest way to stay active is straightforward to use the card occasionally on everyday purchases.