Aviator red strategy question

[judokaal]

So I've had an Aviator Red since Sept 2019, currently sitting at a $12,500 limit and reading about the forthcoming CITI takeover of all the AA cards in 2026, I am wondering if i could do the following to reload on AA miles: 
- Downgrade my current Aviator to the no annual fee one
- Reapply for another Red for the easy 60K SUB
- Potentially add a CITI card in 2026 for another SUB

Doable right? I don't know if it is hard or easy to get them to downgrade...

[coldfusion]

Barclay has in the past been agreeable at least some of the time to allow downgrades from the Aviator Red (that hasn't always been the case for all product lines), while the Aviator White has been closed to new applications for a while a downgrade from your existing card might be allowed.   

What i don't know is what their current anti-churning (i.e. closing a card and then later reapplying for the same card in order to again earn a SUB) policies are, only that at one point years ago they added one where you couldn't be approved for a card that you had been previously been approved for within the last 24 months, which for you wouldn't be a problem.   I knew of people who before the crackdown had earned 3-4  40-60K mile Arrival+ signup bonuses via churning.  Hopefully someone can chime in with more recent information.

[cashorcharge]

I would side with @coldfusion and be weary since they are losing the AA portfolio at the end of 2025.  

If you're looking for a quick AA miles win....you may be better served taking the HP on a Citi AA card now.  They offer both "none" all the way to "high" AF cards with AA.

I had the Red, then after 12 month's, PC'd to the Silver and they've were really generous with my approval at the time and with their new SP CLI policy, I was able to get that even higher.  I had called them...and being "coy" said....I'm curious if I can PC my Silver Aviator to another Barclay Product since I wasn't flying AA as much...I was told no, that wasn't an option....however, I didn't ask to downgrade.