Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard review: Best for American loyalists

Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard overview

The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) is best for businesses that often fly American Airlines. It has a $0 introductory annual fee (then $99), no foreign transaction fees and travel perks like a free checked bag and inflight savings. Still, its earning rates lag behind more flexible business cards.Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Business owners loyal to American Airlines should consider the cobranded Citi AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard.

Along with its $99 annual fee ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year), it has perks that make for a better passenger experience when flying on American.

Note that the card has a recommended credit score of 740 or higher.

Here's why your business should consider this card if you and your employees travel regularly with American Airlines.

Citi / AA Business pros and cons

Citi / AA Business welcome offer

New cardholders of the Citi AAdvantage Business can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first five months of account opening.

TPG's September 2025 valuations peg AAdvantage miles at 1.55 cents each, making this welcome bonus worth $1,163.

This is the highest welcome offer we've seen on the card, so it's worth taking advantage of if it's been on your radar.

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Employee spending counts toward your welcome bonus, so adding employee cards to your account is a great incentive.

Citi / AA Business benefits

The Citi AAdvantage Business card comes with several benefits that will be useful to American Airlines business travelers, including:

• First checked bag free: You and up to four travel companions on the same reservation will get a free checked bag on domestic flights. This is worth up to $80 per person on a round-trip flight, so you can quickly cover the card's annual fee with this perk alone.
• Inflight savings: Receive a 25% discount on inflight Wi-Fi, food and drinks when paying with your card.
• Companion certificate: Earn a certificate for one round-trip domestic (48 contiguous states, unless you're from Alaska or Hawaii) main cabin itinerary after spending at least $30,000 on the card during your membership year and renew the card for the next year. Redeeming the certificate costs $99 (plus taxes and fees), and you must book the flight on American Airlines or one of its regional partners.

Cardholders can also add employee cards at no additional cost, which is a great way for your business to earn AA miles on employee spending.

Related: Why small businesses that use American AAdvantage need a cobranded business card

Earning miles on the Citi / AA Business

With the Citi AAdvantage Business card, you'll earn 2 miles per dollar spent on the following categories:

• Cable and satellite providers
• Car rental merchants
• Eligible American Airlines purchases
• Gas stations
• Telecommunications merchants

And you'll earn 1 mile per dollar spent on everything else.

Although this card offers bonus miles per dollar spent in some popular business categories, common business purchases such as hotels, office supplies and shipping aren't included — they'll earn only 1 mile per dollar spent.

You can give employees their own cards, allowing you to earn miles on their spending in addition to your own. Miles earned by the primary cardholder and any authorized user's card will be deposited into the AAdvantage Business program account and can be transferred to the AAdvantage account of the primary account holder or an employee.

The AAdvantage program also allows cardholders of any AA cobranded card to earn Loyalty Points, which can help them achieve elite status with American Airlines. You'll earn 1 Loyalty Point for every dollar spent on your card.

Plus, through Dec. 31, both the primary cardholder and an authorized user of an employee card will earn Loyalty Points in their respective AAdvantage accounts on purchases made using employee cards.

Redeeming miles on the Citi / AA Business

The AAdvantage program has several sweet spot redemptions that can help you get the most out of your miles via premium redemptions. Some of the most valuable partners you can redeem AA miles for are Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qantas and Qatar Airways.

TPG credit card writer Danyal Ahmed recently used his miles to book a one-way ticket in Qatar's Qsuite product from Doha to Los Angeles for 70,000 AAdvantage miles (plus around $200 in taxes and fees).

Related: Your ultimate guide to American Airlines AAdvantage

Which cards compete with the Citi / AA Business?

For businesses that travel frequently, the main competitors to the Citi AAdvantage Business are business credit cards that earn transferable rewards.

• If you prefer American Express: The American Express® Business Gold Card has a much higher $375 annual fee (see rates and fees) but offers higher earnings in key business categories (subject to a spending cap), more redemption options, a slew of statement credits and superior business travel and purchase protections. For more information, read our full review of the Amex Business Gold.
• If you prefer Chase: The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has a $95 annual fee and allows cardholders to earn bonus points in select business categories and on travel (on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases each anniversary year). You can move your points to Chase's transfer partners for maximum value. For more information, read our full review of the Ink Business Preferred.
• If you prefer Capital One: The Capital One Venture X Business card earns bonus miles on select travel booked through Capital One's travel booking site and unlimited 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases. Cardholders also get a $300 annual credit to use through Capital One's travel booking site and 10,000 bonus anniversary miles each year. For more information, read our full review of the Venture X Business.

For additional options, check out our full list of the best business credit cards.

The information for the Ink Business Preferred has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: How to choose the best credit card for your business expenses

Is the Citi Citi / AA Business worth it?

If you fly American Airlines and check a bag frequently, you can easily justify the card's $99 annual fee (after the first year). However, if you aren't committed to American Airlines, you'll likely get more value from a different airline cobranded card or business rewards travel card.

Bottom line

The Citi / AAdvantage Business isn't the most versatile business card, but it delivers strong, airline-specific perks at a relatively low cost. If you're loyal to American Airlines and regularly check bags or want to earn miles and Loyalty Points through business spending, this card can be a worthwhile tool.

However, if you need richer earning categories, flexible points or broader travel protections, you'll likely find better long-term value with a general business rewards card.

Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Business

For rates and fees of Amex Business Gold Card, click here.