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Citi AAdvantage Annual Fee Increase: $150 and New Perks in 2027
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The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
The Citi AAdvantage annual fee is going up on two cards. Citi, American Airlines and Mastercard announced on Oct. 27, 2026, that the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and the Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® will both move from a $99 annual fee to $150 on Jan. 24, 2027.
The $51 increase comes with new bonus categories, an inflight credit, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit and added travel protections. Citi is not removing any existing perks, so the free first checked bag and preferred boarding stay.
This is the second Citi AAdvantage refresh this year. The premium Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard® moved to a $695 annual fee and the Mastercard World Legend tier earlier in 2026. See what changed on the Executive card.
The Citi AAdvantage Changes at a Glance
- New annual fee: $150 on both cards, up from $99.
- Effective date: Jan. 24, 2027.
- First-year fee: Citi still waives the annual fee for the first 12 months after account opening.
- Existing cardmembers: the new benefits start Jan. 24, 2027, and the $150 fee applies at your first renewal after that date.
- Not affected: the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® and the Citi AAdvantage Executive card are not part of this update.
Comparing Citi AAdvantage cards? The Executive card got its own refresh this year. Read the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Legend update.
What Is Changing on the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select?
Citi positions the Platinum Select as its card for occasional American Airlines travelers. The refresh adds bonus categories for everyday spending and several credits aimed at covering the higher fee.
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New Ways to Earn Miles
- 3X miles on eligible AAdvantage Hotels and AAdvantage Cars bookings made through aadvantagehotels.com and aadvantagecars.com
- 2X miles on select streaming services
- 2X miles on eligible Rides and Rails purchases
- The existing 2X at gas stations expands to include EV charging stations
The current earning stays in place: 2X miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, at restaurants and at gas stations, and 1X on everything else. You also keep earning 1 Loyalty Point for every eligible mile earned from purchases.
New Credits and Perks
- Inflight credit: up to $100 back in statement credits each year on inflight purchases.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck: up to $120 toward the application fee every four years.
- Flight discount: rises from $125 to $150, still earned after $20,000 or more in purchases in a cardmembership year and renewing the card.
- Walmart+: a complimentary annual membership for the primary cardmember, which Citi values at $98.
- FOX One: 50% off an annual subscription.
- Travel protections: trip delay, trip cancellation and interruption, worldwide car rental insurance and lost baggage protection.
What Stays the Same
The perks most cardholders use are unchanged. You still get your first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions on the same reservation, plus preferred boarding for the same group.
You also keep up to $180 a year in Turo credits (up to $30 per eligible trip), 10% off eligible American Airlines Vacations packages and no foreign transaction fees.
Add your Platinum Select to Kudos before Jan. 24, 2027. The Benefits Tracker shows which credits you have used against your annual fee, so you will know by your first $150 renewal whether the card is paying for itself.
Credits worth claiming. Track statement credits so you collect every one. See how to track card perks.
What Is Changing on the Citi AAdvantage Business Card?
The Citi AAdvantage Business card gets the same $150 fee and a smaller set of additions aimed at business spending.
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New Ways to Earn Miles
- 3X miles on eligible AAdvantage Hotels and AAdvantage Cars bookings
- 2X miles in one category you choose: U.S. shipping providers, office supply stores or U.S. advertising services
The existing 2X categories stay: eligible American Airlines purchases, car rental merchants, gas stations, and telecommunications, cable and satellite providers. Everything else earns 1X.
New Credits and Perks
- Up to $100 back in statement credits each year on inflight purchases
- Up to $120 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years
- 25% off a Melio subscription plan for managing business payments
- Added travel protections, including trip cancellation and interruption, lost or damaged luggage, car rental coverage and trip delay
The $99 American Airlines Companion Certificate stays, still earned after $30,000 in purchases in a cardmembership year and renewal. Each cardmember earns 1 Loyalty Point per $1 spent, and primary cardmembers earn an extra Loyalty Point per $1 on authorized user purchases through Dec. 31, 2028.
Another Citi AAdvantage credit. The Executive card now includes a dining credit too. See how the $200 inKind dining credit works.
When Does the New $150 Annual Fee Start?
Citi's pricing lists the annual fee as $99 as of Oct. 27, 2026, and $150 as of Jan. 24, 2027. When you pay it depends on whether you already have the card.
If You Already Have the Card
You get the new benefits on Jan. 24, 2027, and pay $150 at your first renewal after that date. If your card renews before Jan. 24, you pay $99 one more time and still get the new perks for most of that year.
For example, if your anniversary is in December, you pay $99 in December 2026, start using the new credits in January, and see the first $150 fee in December 2027. If your anniversary is in March, the $150 fee posts in March 2027.
Cardmembers who have had the card for less than a year should watch their statements, where Citi will confirm when the new fee applies.
If You Are Applying Now
Citi still waives the annual fee for the first 12 months after you open either card. Your first annual fee posts after that waiver ends, at the $150 rate that takes effect Jan. 24, 2027.
Is the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Worth $150?
For most cardholders, the answer comes down to two things: how often you check bags on American Airlines, and whether you will use at least one of the new credits.
A single new credit can cover the $51 increase on its own. If you use the full $100 inflight credit, the card's effective cost drops to $50 a year. If you would pay for Walmart+ anyway, the $98 membership on its own covers more than the increase.
Calculation formulated by Kudos, based on the new $150 annual fee minus the full value of each credit as stated by Citi.
Count the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit only in a year you actually apply, and skip it entirely if another card already covers it. The $150 flight discount only matters if you already put $20,000 or more a year on this card.
Who Should Keep It
The card makes the most sense if you fly American a few times a year with checked bags, especially with family or friends on the same reservation. The free first checked bag for up to five travelers adds up quickly on a single round trip.
Who Should Reconsider
If you rarely fly American, travel with carry-ons only, and would not use the inflight credit or Walmart+, the card is now $51 a year more expensive for perks you do not use. A no-annual-fee card may earn more on your everyday spending.
Kudos shows your spending by category, so you can compare the new 2X categories to where your money actually goes before your next renewal.
How the Platinum Select Compares to Other Citi AAdvantage Cards
Citi now offers four personal American Airlines cards at different price points:
- American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card: no annual fee and no free checked bag, built for earning miles at low cost.
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®: $150 starting Jan. 24, 2027, with the checked bag benefit and the new credits above.
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®: a $350 annual fee and a mid-tier set of travel perks.
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Legend Mastercard®: a $695 annual fee and Admirals Club membership, aimed at frequent American flyers.
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If you fly American often enough to want lounge access, the Executive card's 2026 refresh is worth a look. Our breakdown of the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Legend card covers the new $695 fee and perks, and our guide to its $200 inKind dining credit explains how to use it.
To see these cards side by side with your own spending, use the free Kudos Explore Tool.
What Existing Cardmembers Should Do Before Jan. 24, 2027
- Find your account anniversary. That date tells you when you will first pay $150.
- List the credits you would really use. Add up only those, and compare the total to the $51 increase.
- Check the new categories against your spending. Gas, EV charging, streaming and rideshare are common, so the new 2X categories may earn more than you expect.
- Decide before the fee posts. If the card no longer fits, call Citi to ask about your options before your renewal.
A multi-card rewards plan can also show whether the Platinum Select earns its spot next to the other cards in your wallet.
The Bottom Line
A $51 fee increase is easy to absorb if you fly American with checked bags and use even one of the new credits. If you do not, the refresh gives you a clear deadline to review the card before your first $150 renewal.
Citi AAdvantage Annual Fee FAQ
How much is the new Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select annual fee?
$150 a year, up from $99, starting Jan. 24, 2027. The Citi AAdvantage Business card moves to $150 on the same date.
Is the first-year annual fee still waived?
Yes. Citi says the annual fee on both cards is waived for the first 12 months after account opening.
When do existing cardmembers get the new benefits?
On Jan. 24, 2027. The $150 fee applies at your first renewal after that date.
Does the free checked bag stay?
Yes. The first checked bag remains free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for the primary cardmember and up to four companions on the same reservation.
Is the Citi AAdvantage Executive card changing too?
Not in this update. The Executive card already moved to a $695 annual fee and the World Legend tier earlier in 2026. See what changed on the Executive card.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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