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Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite Mastercard overview
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Government World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and costs) is greatest for American Airways flyers who worth lounge entry. It gives a full Admirals Membership membership, in addition to a number of different advantages that make flying American Airways extra gratifying. These embody a free checked bag, precedence check-in, airport screening and boarding privileges and a lift towards elite standing. Card Score*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card score relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.
Whereas many bank cards supply airport lounge entry, the kinds of lounges every card will get you into can range vastly. There’s just one cobranded bank card that features complimentary entry to the American Airways Admirals Membership lounges: the Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite Mastercard.
The cardboard’s annual price is $595, which could appear steep however continues to be a lot cheaper than an Admirals Membership membership (presently $850 for brand new members).
To be permitted for the cardboard, a credit score rating of 670 or greater is really helpful.
This card underwent main (largely unfavorable) adjustments in mid-2023, and TPG senior editorial director Nick Ewen wasn’t thrilled with them.
Let’s evaluation all the advantages of this American Airways cobranded card that can assist you determine whether or not to hold — or hold — it in your pockets.
Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite professionals and cons
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Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite welcome supply
New Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite Mastercard cardholders can earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $7,000 throughout the first three months of account opening. This bonus is value $1,155, primarily based on TPG’s January 2025 valuations.
The highest supply we have seen on this card prior to now is 100,000 bonus miles. It is inconceivable to say if we’ll see a suggestion this excessive once more, however it’s doubtless that we’ll see an elevated welcome bonus in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later.
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Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite advantages
What units this card other than the competitors is that it gives complimentary Admirals Membership entry. The first cardholder receives a full Admirals Membership membership, which permits them and their quick household or two touring companions entry to the membership once they have a same-day boarding go for American or one among its companions.
This bank card will probably be tied to a cardholder’s AAdvantage account quantity, so there is no want to hold it to get membership entry.
Admirals Membership membership ordinarily prices between $700 and $850, relying in your standing degree with American. Meaning the annual price covers the lounge entry — with out all the opposite advantages factored in.
You’ll be able to add as much as 10 licensed customers. They value a further $175 annual price for the primary three licensed customers and $175 for every licensed person thereafter. Every licensed person receives Admirals Membership entry for themselves and as much as two touring companions. Simply remember that licensed customers solely get Admirals Membership entry, versus a full Admirals Membership membership.
There are three assertion credit out there:
- As much as $120 again on eligible Avis or Funds automobile leases each calendar yr (this credit score was restricted in July 2024)
- As much as $120 again on eligible Grubhub purchases each 12 billing statements (as much as a $10 assertion credit score on every month-to-month billing assertion)
- As much as $120 in Lyft credit yearly ($10 Lyft credit score every month), however you need to take three eligible rides every month first to obtain this credit score
Listed here are another useful perks the cardboard provides:
- Enhanced airport expertise: You and as much as eight vacationers on the identical reservation will get precedence check-in (the place out there), airport screening (the place out there) and boarding privileges. You’ll be able to even test in at any business-class check-in place (or first-class check-in when enterprise class just isn’t out there), whatever the class of service by which you are touring.
- First checked bag free on home itineraries: On home itineraries flown by American Airways or any regional subsidiary, the primary checked bag for you and as much as eight touring companions on the identical reservation is free. The flight should be marketed, offered and operated by American to qualify for the free checked bag.
- 25% off eligible inflight purchases: This primarily means 25% off inflight meals and drinks whenever you pay for them together with your card (not together with inflight Wi-Fi).
- World Entry/TSA PreCheck price assertion credit score: Get an up-to-$120 assertion credit score when paying your World Entry or TSA PreCheck utility price with this card. You may obtain the credit score as soon as each 4 years. Since you additionally obtain TSA PreCheck when enrolling for World Entry, there is no actual purpose it’s best to ever simply enroll in PreCheck.
This card eliminated journey protections just a few years again however has reintroduced journey cancellation and interruption, journey delay and misplaced baggage protections and automobile rental insurance coverage protection.
Lastly, there are not any international transaction charges, making this card a good selection when touring overseas.
Incomes miles on the Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite
With the Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite Mastercard, you will earn 4 miles per greenback on eligible American Airways purchases. Then, should you spend $150,000 on purchases in a calendar yr, you will earn a boosted fee of 5 miles per greenback spent on American purchases for the rest of the calendar yr.
You may additionally earn 10 miles per greenback spent on eligible automobile leases and lodges booked by American’s automobile rental and resort reserving websites, respectively.
Lastly, you will earn 1 mile per greenback spent on all different eligible purchases.
Cardholders earn a bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Factors after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Factors in a standing qualification yr. They obtain one other bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Factors after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Factors in the identical standing qualification yr.
You’ll obtain the bonuses no matter the way you earn the Loyalty Factors. For instance, you can earn 50,000 Loyalty Factors by shopping for American Airways tickets and buying by the AAdvantage portal and get the ten,000 bonus factors simply by holding the cardboard.
Redeeming miles on the Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite
The bottom round-trip tickets within the U.S. have a tendency to begin at 7,500 miles one-way for flights lower than 500 miles lengthy.
Internet specials beforehand supplied embody home cross-country flights for five,000 miles every method in economic system or 15,000 miles every method in firstclass, flights to Europe from 9,000 miles every method and flights to Brazil from 15,000 miles every method.
Alternatively, you can get a ton of worth by redeeming your AAdvantage miles for premium-cabin awards on associate airways, together with Cathay Pacific, Etihad and Qatar Airways.
TPG contributing editor Matt Moffitt and TPG bank cards author Danyal Ahmed‘s favourite method of redeeming AAdvantage miles is to e-book business-class flights on Etihad or Qatar Airways to the Center East, India and Africa.
One TPG reader put all of their spending on the Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite to build up sufficient miles for a number of tickets to Hawaii:
“I charged the whole lot to my CitiAAdvantage Mastercard. Once I received sufficient miles I booked tkts to Hawaii from the east coast 5 instances, a complete of 9 spherical journeys.” — Arlene Finn by way of Fb
Be aware: Reader-submitted responses haven’t been edited, reviewed or permitted by the issuers nor mirror TPG’s opinions of those playing cards.
The miles you’ll be able to earn with this card may make it easier to make the holiday of your goals come true if you know the way to redeem them for prime worth.
Which playing cards compete with the Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite?
American just isn’t a switch associate of any of the most important factors applications, aside from Marriott Bonvoy, so the most important opponents of this card are largely different cobranded American Airways playing cards. That mentioned, you may also get tons of worth from a extra common premium card.
For extra choices, try our full record of the perfect journey playing cards.
Associated: Selecting the perfect bank card for American Airways flyers
The knowledge for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Choose card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Backside line
Since an Admirals Membership membership begins at $700 every year, the Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite Mastercard ought to catch the attention of any frequent American Airways flyer’s consideration.
In order for you Admirals Membership entry and to spice up your AA mileage stability with a welcome bonus (whereas additionally easing elite standing necessities), this card gives ongoing worth. Nonetheless, you would possibly need to look elsewhere should you’re on the lookout for a card that offers you a higher return in your spending.
Apply right here: Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite Mastercard