Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, updated regularly with new information and offers. You can earn 75,000 bonus points by applying directly through Citi.com instead of the 70,000 points available through TPG’s affiliate link. We are committed to making the most bonuses available to our readers.
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American Airlines AAdvantage miles are one of my favorite currencies to book flights with, so I’m always looking for ways to increase my balance.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is typically the first choice of many travelers. Meanwhile, earning transferable currency points has benefits; The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees) is a great way to earn bonus points on everyday purchases. Although Citi ThankYou points don’t transfer to American Airlines, they do transfer to many Oneworld airlines, which can be a great way to redeem points.
If you’re torn between earning more AAdvantage miles or points transferable to OneWorld partners, here’s how to choose between Citi Strata Premier and Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select.
Information for the Citi/Advantage Platinum Select Card has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
City Strata Premier Vs. Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Comparison
| City Strata Premier | Choose City AAdvantage Platinum | |
| Welcome offer | Earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Note that new cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus points by applying directly through Citi.com instead of the 70,000 points available through TPG’s affiliate link. |
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 in the first three months of account opening. |
| Annual fee | $95 | $99, first year waived |
| earning rate | 10 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com
3 points per dollar spent at restaurants, gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, supermarkets, air travel and other hotels 1 point per dollar on all other purchases |
2 miles per dollar on dining, gas and eligible American Airlines purchases
1 mile per dollar on all other purchases |
| benefits |
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City Strata Premier Vs. Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Welcome Offer
New Citi Strata Premier cardholders earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Based on TPG’s July 2024 valuation, this welcome offer is worth $1,260. In the past, Citi has offered up to 80,000 bonus points for the card. However, the current offer is better than their usual offer and is worth considering. We’d like to note that new cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus points by applying directly through Citi.com instead of the 70,000 points available through TPG’s affiliate link.
New Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select cardholders earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 in the first three months of account opening. According to TPG’s valuation, AAdvantage miles cost 1.55 cents a piece, making the offer worth $775. The welcome offer on this card varies. When I opened this card several years ago, I got 75,000 bonus miles, one of the more attractive offers that come around from time to time.
Winner: City Strata Premier. A large welcome bonus offer gives new cardholders more value for redemption.
RELATED: Here are the best credit card welcome offers
City Strata Premier Vs. Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Benefits
For a low annual fee travel card, Citi Strata Premier offers easy benefits for cardholders.
The easiest and most straightforward dollar-amount benefit you can use is the $100 annual hotel savings benefit. When you book a hotel reservation of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) through CitiTravel.com, you’ll receive a $100 discount on your stay. This benefit is available once per calendar year and can help offset the card’s $95 annual fee. Note that most hotels do not offer elite status benefits, points or stay credits when booking through a third-party site.
Additionally, the card offers travel protection to ensure your trips are as stress-free as possible if something goes wrong. These protections include trip delay, cancellation and interruption (common carrier) protection, lost or damaged baggage insurance and secondary car rental coverage. As a travel card, you can expect no foreign transaction fees.
The CitiAdvantage Platinum Select Card is a cobranded credit card with benefits tied to Flying American Airlines. You and up to four companions on the same reservation get a free checked bag. You’ll also receive Group 5 priority boarding on flights marketed and operated by American Airlines and a 25% discount (as a statement credit) on inflight food and beverage purchases on domestic AA flights. The card does not charge any foreign transaction fees.
You can also receive a $125 flight discount certificate after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card. You also earn loyalty points when spending on the card.
Winner: City Strata Premier. The card’s travel protections put it ahead of the Citi AA Advantage Platinum Select, which has benefits tied to AA and offers no such protections.
Citi Strata Premier Vs. Earn rewards with Citi AAAdvantage Platinum Select
The Citi Strata Premier is a great card for everyday purchases because of its wide range of bonus-earning categories.
Like other travel cards, the card earns bonus points when booking through its own travel portal. Cardholders earn 10 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com. Cardholders also earn 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants, gas stations, EV charging stations, supermarkets, air travel and other hotels. Finally, the card earns 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
In comparison, Citi AAAdvantage Platinum Select has limited earning potential. Cardholders earn 2 miles per dollar on dining, gas and eligible American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases. In addition, cardholders earn one loyalty point for every AA mile earned by spending on the card, which can help them earn elite status with American Airlines.
Winner: City Strata Premier. The card has a wide range of bonus-earning categories that will pay out when redeeming points in the future.
RELATED: Why the Citi Strata Premier is 1 of my favorite cards in my wallet
Citi Strata Premier Vs. Redeeming Rewards with Citi AAAdvantage Platinum Select
You can redeem Citi ThankYou points in a variety of ways. Points can be redeemed for statement credits, cash rewards, third-party gift cards or transfers to Citi’s 19 travel partners. When redeeming through the Citi ThankYou portal, each point is worth 1 cent; However, consider transferring your points to an airline or hotel partner for better value.
AAdvantage miles earned through Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select can only be redeemed for flights with American Airlines, Oneworld member airlines or partner airlines of the AAdvantage program. As a cardholder, I exclusively use my AA miles for redemptions on oneworld airlines such as Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways.
Because the AAAdvantage program dynamically awards AA-metal ticket prices, in addition to subpar business-class hard and soft products, you’re better off redeeming your miles with other Oneworld partners who offer a dramatically better experience in premium cabins. To maximize your miles and redemption options, familiarize yourself with the AAdvantage award chart and program rules.
Winner: City Strata Premier. This card has an upper hand as it allows users to redeem points through various methods, including transferring them to travel partners.
Related: 7 Reasons to Get the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Card
Citi Strata Premier Vs. Transferring awards with Citi AAAdvantage Platinum Select
As a cobranded card, Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select miles cannot be transferred. However, Citi Strata Premier has 19 transfer partners, some of which are useful for those looking to redeem their rewards for more value.
Significant transfer partners include Avianca LifeMiles and Air France-KLM Flying Blue. Several other airlines are also accessible, including Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Qantas Frequent Flyer, JetBlue TrueBlue and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles. Whichever program you choose, know that transfer times can vary, and it’s always good to plan ahead and confirm availability before transferring your points to frequent flyer programs.
Winner: City Strata Premier. The card has transfer partners that allow redemptions on Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance airlines.
Related: City Prestige Vs. City Premier
Should I get Citi Strata Premier or Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select?
If you value more earning power across multiple categories and the ability to transfer points to redeem with airline or hotel partners, the Citi Strata Premier is the card for you. However, if you fly American Airlines frequently, are aiming for elite status with the airline (and its Oneworld equivalent), and want to save money on domestic flights with free checked bags, Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select is the right choice.
Bottom line
Citi Strata Premier offers a high sign-up bonus and earns up to 3 points per dollar you spend across several key categories. It’s a fantastic mid-tier card for many travelers. American Airlines fans, who don’t just fly with American, can also take advantage of what AAdvantage Platinum Select has to offer. Carefully consider the features of each card before deciding which one to apply for.
To learn more, check out our full reviews of Citi Strata Premier and AAdvantage Platinum Select.
Apply at: City Strata Premier
Learn more: Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select
Related: What Credit Score Do You Need to Get a Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard?