A significant shift is underway for frequent flyers loyal to American Airlines. In late April, all American Airlines-branded Barclays credit cards will transition to Citi, marking a major change for those invested in the AAdvantage program.
For years, I’ve strategically utilized Barclays AAdvantage Aviator cards to climb the ranks towards elite status, leveraging their Loyalty Points benefits. Now, with this transition looming, many readers have asked about my plans for these cards.
I’ve held the AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard for a long time, valuing its unique perk: a pathway to accelerated status. Earning up to 15,000 Loyalty Points through qualifying spending has been instrumental in achieving AAdvantage Executive Platinum status.
Initially, I worried this valuable benefit would disappear. Fortunately, Citi has confirmed that legacy Aviator cardholders will retain these perks “for a limited time,” and will also inherit benefits from their new, mapped Citi cards.
My Aviator Silver card will become the Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard. This means I’ll keep my preferred Loyalty Point earning structure, along with $50 in annual inflight Wi-Fi credits and a $99 companion certificate.
But the benefits don’t stop there. The Globe card adds four Admirals Club lounge passes annually and 5,000 bonus Loyalty Points for every four qualifying American Airlines flights – a substantial boost.
Even more appealing is a $100 annual Splurge Credit, usable at select merchants like AAdvantage Hotels and Live Nation, plus up to $100 in statement credits for inflight purchases. The Globe card also offers enhanced earning rates, including 6 miles per dollar on hotel bookings and 2 miles per dollar at restaurants.
While transitioned cardholders won’t qualify for the current Globe card’s welcome bonus, I’m proactively applying for a new Globe card to capture that 90,000-mile offer. Once my Aviator Silver converts, I’ll have two Globe cards and will then evaluate whether to keep both.
The annual fee is a consideration; the Globe card’s $350 fee is higher than the Aviator Silver’s $195. However, Citi has assured cardholders they’ll retain their current annual fee for now, with any future changes communicated in advance.
Importantly, all spending accumulated on my Barclays card *before* the transition will count towards unlocking benefits on the new Citi card, a reassuring detail for existing cardholders.
My other card, the AAdvantage Aviator Red, will transition to the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select. Current benefits, like the $99 companion certificate and $25 in inflight Wi-Fi credits, will continue for a limited time.
The Platinum Select also offers a $125 American Airlines flight discount after $20,000 in spending and 2 miles per dollar on dining and gas. Like the Silver transition, existing cardholders won’t be eligible for the Platinum Select’s welcome bonus.
Since I already possess the Citi Platinum Select, I plan to let my Aviator Red convert and then assess whether keeping both cards is worthwhile. Both cards currently have an annual fee of $99.
Ultimately, I’m embracing this change. I’m keeping both cards and eagerly anticipating the Citi versions, hoping to retain existing perks while exploring new benefits. I’ll share a follow-up assessment once I’ve navigated the annual fees and determined my long-term strategy.
This transition presents an opportunity to maximize rewards and maintain elite status within the AAdvantage program, and I’m prepared to navigate the changes to ensure I continue to fly comfortably and efficiently.
