Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority vs. Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select: Which Is Better in 2026?

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® Breakdown

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The Platinum Select has no annual fee for the first year, then $99. It earns 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 on eligible American Airlines purchases, at restaurants, and at gas stations, and 1 mile per $1 on other purchases, with no cap on miles earned.

Why We Like It

• First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 4 companions on the same reservation.
• Preferred boarding on American Airlines flights for you and up to 4 companions.
• 1 Loyalty Point for every eligible AAdvantage mile earned from purchases, toward AAdvantage status.
• 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases, and no foreign transaction fees.

Drawbacks

• The $125 American Airlines flight discount requires $20,000 in purchases during your membership year and renewing the card.
• It doesn't include Admirals Club® access.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® vs. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority

Airline Loyalty

Pick the card for the airline you fly most. The Southwest Priority card rewards Southwest flyers, and the Platinum Select rewards American Airlines flyers.

Rewards and Redemption

Southwest points are used through Rapid Rewards, mainly for Southwest flights. AAdvantage miles are used for flights on American and its partner airlines.

Travel Perks

Both cards offer a free first checked bag, priority boarding of some kind, and 25% back or savings on inflight purchases. The Southwest card adds anniversary points, seat selection perks, and Companion Pass and A-List progress, while the Platinum Select adds Loyalty Points on every eligible mile.

Annual Fee

The Southwest Priority card costs $229 a year. The Platinum Select is $0 the first year, then $99.

Compare Cards With Kudos

Free Kudos tools can help you decide before you apply:

• Test Drive: See what you'd earn with a card before you apply, based on the spending you enter.
• Approval odds: See how likely you are to be approved for each card.
• Dream Wallet: Get card recommendations based on the spending you enter.
• Best card at checkout: The Kudos browser extension recommends the card in your wallet that earns the most when you shop online.

Who Should Choose the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority?

Choose the Southwest Priority card if Southwest is your main airline, especially if you travel with family or friends who can share the free checked bag benefit. The anniversary points and Companion Pass boost add the most value for regular Southwest flyers.

Who Should Choose the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®?

Choose the Platinum Select if you fly American a few times a year and want a free checked bag and preferred boarding for a lower annual fee. Earning Loyalty Points on everyday spending can also help you work toward AAdvantage status.

Alternatives to Consider

If you don't want to tie yourself to one airline, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns flexible points that transfer to partners including Southwest Rapid Rewards, for a $95 annual fee. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 2X miles on every purchase for a $95 annual fee (See Rates & Fees).

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Tips for Application Success

• Check your credit first: Airline cards generally require good to excellent credit.
• Review bonus rules: Issuers limit who can earn a welcome offer, so read the terms before you apply.
• Plan your spending: Meet any minimum spend with purchases you already planned.
• Match the card to your airline: The perks only pay off if you fly that airline.

Our Methodology

We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market, far more than the roughly 150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to give you a complete view of the credit card market so you can make confident decisions.

Our editorial team verifies card details against issuer sources. You can also explore the full dataset yourself with our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards, more than 95% of which do not pay us commissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Card Is Better for Earning Airline Elite Status?

The Platinum Select earns 1 Loyalty Point for every eligible AAdvantage mile earned from purchases. The Southwest Priority card earns 2,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $5,000 in purchases toward A-List or A-List Preferred.

Can I Transfer Points From Other Programs to Southwest?

Yes. Southwest Rapid Rewards is one of Chase's transfer partners for cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred. AAdvantage is not on that Chase partner list.

Which Card Offers Better Inflight Benefits?

They're similar. The Southwest Priority card gives 25% back on inflight purchases on Southwest flights, and the Platinum Select gives 25% savings on American Airlines inflight food and beverage purchases.