When interested by cobranded airline playing cards, it is simple to solely take into consideration the playing cards from airways you ceaselessly fly with. In spite of everything, a number of the key advantages of airline playing cards embody precedence boarding, free checked luggage and a quicker path to elite standing with the affiliated airline.
I typically encourage folks to assume past a card’s airline or resort companion when deciding whether or not it is sensible for them.
Take the Citi® / AAdvantage® Govt World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and charges), for instance. This card gives a complimentary Admirals Membership membership to assist cardholders justify its $595 annual charge. On the floor, it looks like that will solely be helpful for American Airways’ largest followers.
However an Admirals Membership membership gives one thing additional: complimentary entry to Alaska Airways lounges. This is how Alaska loyalists can maximize this card with out ever setting foot on an American Airways flight.
Alaska Airways lounge entry
By the Admirals Membership membership you obtain along with your AAdvantage Govt, you will take pleasure in complimentary entry to Alaska lounges everytime you’re flying on a same-day American, Alaska or Hawaiian Airways flight. Observe that this entry is not prolonged to licensed customers, and you have to have your bodily card with you to enter.
A typical Alaska Airways lounge membership prices $595 a yr, the identical as this card’s annual charge. By placing that cash towards the AAdvantage Govt as a substitute of a lounge membership, you will take pleasure in Alaska lounge entry plus all of this card’s different advantages.
No matter whether or not you are flying with American, Alaska or a Oneworld airline, you can even get into Admirals Membership lounges for no added charge.
To entry companion lounges with simply an Alaska Airways lounge membership, you’d must pay $795 every year for the Alaska Lounge+ membership, $200 greater than what the AAdvantage Govt costs.
Whereas an Alaska Lounge+ membership gives entry to a couple lounges that the AAdvantage Govt does not, resembling three United Golf equipment, the vast majority of its companion lounges overlap with what you possibly can entry with this card.
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Each an Alaska Lounge+ membership and the AAdvantage Govt present entry to The Qantas Membership and Admirals Membership areas. I see no cause to pay $200 extra every year for a sliver of additional lounges to entry.
You possibly can ebook Alaska Airways flights with American Airways miles
American Airways miles can simply be used to ebook Alaska Airways flights, which means chances are you’ll by no means even must step on American Airways metallic to get extra worth out of this card past lounge entry. That mentioned, there are some nice itineraries that mix Alaska and American Airways flights.
For instance, you might ebook a one-way business-class ticket from Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) to Heathrow Airport (LHR) for 57,500 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and charges. In the event you have been to ebook this itinerary with money, you’d pay $3,483. That is a worth of 6 cents per level.
In the event you typically fly domestically, there’s loads of availability there, too. You can ebook a nonstop economic system flight on Alaska by way of American from Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS) to San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) for 12,500 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and charges.
In the event you have been to ebook with money, this flight would price $304, netting you 2.4 cents per level in worth. That is nice for a home economic system flight.
To be taught extra about what American Airways miles are price, take a look at our full information to the AAdvantage program.
The right way to earn American Airways miles
For a restricted time, you possibly can earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 within the first three months from account opening with the AAdvantage Govt. That is a ton of miles to make use of towards Alaska flights, and even an American flight or two when you discover an excellent deal.
Other than its welcome bonus, this card gives easy incomes charges that will help you rack up extra American miles. You may earn 10 miles per greenback spent on lodges booked by means of aadvantagehotels.com and automotive leases booked by means of aadvantagecars.com. Plus, you possibly can earn 4 miles per greenback spent on different American Airways purchases and 1 mile per greenback spent on every thing else.
In the event you spend $150,000 a yr or extra on this card, you will earn 5 miles per greenback spent on American Airways purchases as a substitute of 4 by means of the top of the calendar yr.
Whereas I usually do not advocate utilizing this card for non-American Airways purchases, if incomes miles towards award flights on Alaska is on the high of your precedence listing, it could make sense to drag this card out for sure purchases. That is very true when you’re making a purchase order that does not fall beneath a bonus class lined by one in all your different playing cards.
Associated: How I take advantage of Seats.aero every single day to seek out the very best airline award availability in seconds
Different helpful advantages
Regardless of being an American Airways-branded card, the AAdvantage Govt has further advantages you should utilize with out reserving a flight.
In the event you typically hire vehicles in your holidays, you will take pleasure in this card’s rental automotive assertion credit score. You possibly can earn as much as $120 again yearly on eligible pay as you go leases from Avis or Finances. Simply needless to say you will must ebook your rental on-line to obtain the credit score.
If renting a automotive is not one thing you often do, this card can nonetheless assist offset your transportation prices. You possibly can obtain as much as $120 again every year for Lyft rides. It’s a must to take three rides to obtain your $10 month-to-month credit score, so this profit is greatest for individuals who naturally use Lyft a number of instances a month.
Lastly, you possibly can obtain as much as $10 every billing assertion for Grubhub purchases. That is nice for anybody who likes to order takeout, even simply now and again. To make your credit score stretch additional, order pickup as a substitute of supply.
Whereas these credit are lifestyle-dependent, they’ll nonetheless present outsize worth for anybody who can simply reap the benefits of them.
A simple credit score for any traveler to make use of is that this card’s TSA PreCheck/World Entry software charge credit score. Even when you have already got TSA PreCheck or World Entry, you should utilize your AAdvantage Govt to pay for another person’s software.
Lastly, this card gives a variety of essential journey protections. You do not have to fly with American Airways to make use of these protections, to allow them to assist safeguard your subsequent flight with Alaska. Journey cancellation and interruption safety, misplaced baggage insurance coverage, and journey delay safety are a couple of essential advantages that you could depend on.
Backside line
To get Alaska lounge entry with a normal membership, you’d must pay $595 a yr. For a similar worth, you will get Alaska, Admirals Membership and Qantas lounge entry; American Airways miles to make use of for Alaska flights; assertion credit; and journey protections with the AAdvantage Govt.
It is a no-brainer for any Alaska loyalist to significantly think about making use of for the AAdvantage Govt. It is a good way to supercharge your subsequent Alaska flight, particularly because it’s at present providing an elevated 100,000-mile welcome bonus. Plus, when you’re ever interested by making an attempt American Airways, this card is prepared in your pockets that will help you out.
To be taught extra, take a look at our full evaluate of the Citi / AAdvantage Govt.
Apply right here: Citi / AAdvantage Govt World Elite Mastercard
