The Citi® / AAdvantage® Government World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and charges) is a must have for American Airways frequent flyers and loyalists. It is a perfect method to earn AAdvantage miles at an accelerated fee, because it earns 4 miles per greenback on American Airways purchases. Plus, a complimentary Admirals Membership membership is a superb perk. It is properly well worth the card’s $595 annual charge.
Most significantly, having the Citi / AAdvantage Government is the best method to earn AAdvantage miles, for the reason that program just isn’t a switch accomplice with any issuer.
That mentioned, the cardboard is at the moment providing 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. That is fairly a suggestion; in accordance with TPG’s Could 2025 valuations, this bonus is value $1,650.
Although it could appear to be quite a bit (or maybe not sufficient for superior factors and miles fanatics), I need to aid you decide how good this 100,000-mile supply is and whether or not it needs to be taken benefit of or just handed up.
100,000-mile airline card welcome supply — frequent or not?
Through the years, bank card welcome bonuses have elevated fairly a bit. 10 years in the past, it was not frequent to see a welcome bonus of greater than 80,000 factors, not to mention 100,000 factors.
These days, it’s normal to see 100,000-point or mile presents.
Fairly lately, the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card provided a 100,000-point welcome supply (not accessible) final seen in the summertime of 2021. As well as, a number of different airline or resort cobranded bank cards generally supply a 100,000-point or mile supply or extra.
To checklist a pair, the Hilton Honors American Specific Aspire Card at the moment has a 150,000-point supply; up to now, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Enterprise American Specific Card has provided 110,000 bonus miles (not accessible).
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In my early days of utilizing factors and miles, seeing a 100,000-point-or-mile supply would excite me immediately. These days, they’ve grow to be extra commonplace, however I additionally know that not all factors and miles are equally useful.
The knowledge for the Hilton Amex Aspire has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Take note of valuation
Miles from totally different airways and factors from varied issuers all have their very own valuation. Seeing a improbable 100,000-mile supply could be thrilling — but when the miles are usually not value as a lot, it is in all probability a suggestion you may cross on.
In line with TPG’s Could 2025 valuation, AAdvantage miles are valued at 1.65 cents every, making the Citi / AAdvantage Government’s 100,000-mile bonus supply value $1,650. As compared, a 110,000 bonus miles supply on a Delta bank card would solely equate to $1,320, as Delta miles are value 1.2 cents every in accordance with our valuations.
On the flip aspect, the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked’s earlier welcome supply of 100,000 bonus factors (not accessible) was value a whopping $2,050, as Chase Final Rewards factors are value 2.05 cents a chunk in accordance with our Could 2025 valuation.
Redemption alternatives matter
Earlier than pulling the set off and making use of for a 100,000-mile supply for a cobranded bank card, you must ask your self what this bonus can offer you. Are you seeking to fly in a premium cabin with an airline or its companions? Are the bonus miles sufficient? Or do it’s worthwhile to earn much more miles on prime of the bonus to make your dream a actuality?
The price of an award ticket for an airline varies and could be summed up as being decided by whether or not there’s an award chart or not. If an airline has an award chart, this implies that there’s a fastened price to get from A to B. If an airline makes use of dynamic pricing, this implies the miles price of an award ticket is linked to the money worth of that very same ticket.
The AAdvantage program makes use of each an award chart and dynamic pricing. Miles redeemed for American Airways-operated flights or Fiji Airways are dynamic, that means award flight prices can generally be astronomical. The place the AAdvantage program shines and the place this 100,000-mile supply is finest maximized is with Oneworld or accomplice airways.
AAdvantage maintains an award chart for companions and presents fairly profitable pricing throughout the board, when in comparison with the horrific dynamic pricing of Delta or the excessive price of United miles redemptions. Listed below are some methods you’ll be able to maximize this 100,000-mile supply:
The 100,000-mile supply for the Citi / AAdvantage Government card is sort of the deal — and it may well result in some significantly nice redemptions.
If I have been to use for this card, the highest two redemptions on my thoughts can be a one-way ticket with JAL to Japan for 60,000 miles or a Qatar Airways Qsuite flight from the U.S. to the Center East for 70,000 miles.
Good method to earn AAdvantage miles
For my part, the AAdvantage program has maintained its robust worth proposition for factors and miles fanatics as a result of it is a loyalty program that is nearly fully closed off to switch companions.
Delta SkyMiles can obtain miles from American Specific Membership Rewards-earning playing cards, and United MileagePlus can obtain miles from Chase Final Rewards-earning playing cards, as a few examples.
In the meantime, Marriott Bonvoy is the one program that transfers to AAdvantage, however at a meager 3:1 ratio. This prevents the AAdvantage program from being flooded with miles, sustaining its worth.
By making use of for the Citi / AAdvantage Government card, you not solely obtain 100,000 miles but in addition have a gradual method of incomes AAdvantage miles at a quicker fee than different cobranded AA playing cards.
Cardholders earn 4 miles per greenback spent on American Airways purchases, however an impressive 10 miles per greenback spent on eligible accommodations booked via aadvantagehotels.com and on eligible automobile leases booked via aadvantagecars.com.
As well as, after spending $150,000 in purchases in a calendar yr, cardholders will earn 5 miles per greenback spent on American Airways purchases as a substitute of the usual 4 via the top of the calendar yr. For comparability, the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Choose (see charges and charges) earns 2 miles per greenback spent on American Airways, gasoline stations and eating places.
So, is the 100,000-mile AAdvantage Government supply among the finest offers ever?
Nicely, 100,000 AAdvantage miles is a big sum. If you happen to’re devoted to American Airways, likelihood is you have already got an honest stack of miles. If you wish to begin your dedication to American Airways, making use of for the Citi / AAdvantage Government card and incomes this welcome bonus is a superb begin.
Please keep in mind that this supply has been provided twice earlier than, in summer time 2024 and from summer time 2023 to early fall 2023. If you happen to missed it the primary two instances, the third time is the appeal. There isn’t any saying if this welcome supply will come once more or if we’ll see a greater one — so should you’re prepared, it is best to use as quickly as attainable.
I do need to word that this isn’t the best welcome supply we’ve got seen on any airline bank card. Cobranded Delta playing cards just like the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Enterprise have provided as much as 110,000 bonus miles up to now, and different SkyMiles bank cards have provided as much as 100,000 bonus miles as properly. The United Membership℠ Card has additionally provided as much as 120,000 bonus miles (not accessible).
That mentioned, American Airways miles are value greater than Delta SkyMiles or United miles per our Could 2025 valuations, so you should still have the ability to get extra worth out of this welcome supply versus different top-tier airline card bonuses.
As a factors and miles fanatic, assess which welcome bonus and loyalty program will get you to your subsequent vacation spot. From my perspective, the AAdvantage program has the very best worth proposition — but when this program just isn’t for you, then contemplate ready till your most well-liked airline has a limited-time welcome supply that fits your wants.
Backside line
A 100,000-mile supply with different playing cards has grow to be extra frequent lately, however the Citi / AAdvantage Government’s current supply is effective, as AAdvantage miles are value 1.65 cents every in accordance with TPG’s Could 2025 valuation. Furthermore, AAdvantage maintains a powerful accomplice award chart for redemptions, so the chances to maximise this excessive welcome bonus are quite a few.
Who is aware of what the longer term holds, however a suggestion akin to this shouldn’t be handed up should you’re seeking to tremendously increase your AA miles and use the cardboard’s greatest perk: Admiral’s Membership membership.
To study extra, take a look at our full overview of the Citi / AAdvantage Government Mastercard.
Apply right here: Citi / AAdvantage Government World Elite Mastercard
