Cit Conversion to AAdvantage Card

[Anonymous]

So far it seems like an option (even though I've heard otherwise due to changes with AAdvantage Platinum). I want to pool together some ideas from members of the community. 

My AT&T card will be turning a year old on 6/2 and since Citi's Expedia cards aren't useful to most people, and since I'm working on removing myself from the TY points program for a number of reasons, including what will be a conversion of an old TY points card to the Double Cash... So now I've decided to look at the AAdvantage cards to replace the AT&T card with. 

I currently own a Delta Gold card. As most people know, Delta's miles aren't worth as much as AAdvantage miles in most cases, but I also find AAdvantage miles to be less flexible in terms of saaver redemptions and departure times (I only had one flight option when I flew out a couple of months ago on AA). 

Basically I want to redeem mostly domestic flights (including Hawaii) and Carribean first class or business seats, even if it means my spending habits will only net me a one way trip (with the other way being a bought ticket). I plan to fly 1-2 times a year at the most... Maybe 3 if I really stretch it. 

Which AAdvantage card should I get? I'm open to looking at all three (consumer, not business) cards. 

[Anonymous]

I'm gonna start off with the obvious and point out the AA SUBs - you're PCing to an AA card? Do you care about the 60k SUB for the AA Plat with no fee in year 1? Cuz you know if you PC another card to an AA card you'll be ineligible for the AA SUBs for 24 months...

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:
I'm gonna start off with the obvious and point out the AA SUBs - you're PCing to an AA card? Do you care about the 60k SUB for the AA Plat with no fee in year 1? Cuz you know if you PC another card to an AA card you'll be ineligible for the AA SUBs for 24 months...

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My exposure with Citi is pretty high. I churned an AAdvantage card less than two years ago. 

[Anonymous]

Well, first thing I'd consider is that for the 2x category spending on the Platinum card, youre probably better off just using your limitless card, so really you're looking at these cards for the perks. The gold doesn't really seem to offer much at all. To me, priority boarding and free checked bag aren't worth much, I can pack for a 5 day trip in my personal item, and since I fly out of DFW and have an Amex Platinum, I can take advantage of the centurion lounge which devalues the 25% food discount and the enhanced lounge benefits of the AA Executive card. So in my case, I don't think any of these cards are really worth the annual fee. Plug in your own factors to see if the perks of any of those cards makes sense. If you always fly with 3 other people and everyone checks a bag, the $95 fee of the Platinum is easily worth it for just a single annual round trip.

[redpat]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Well, first thing I'd consider is that for the 2x category spending on the Platinum card, youre probably better off just using your limitless card, so really you're looking at these cards for the perks. The gold doesn't really seem to offer much at all. To me, priority boarding and free checked bag aren't worth much, I can pack for a 5 day trip in my personal item, and since I fly out of DFW and have an Amex Platinum, I can take advantage of the centurion lounge which devalues the 25% food discount and the enhanced lounge benefits of the AA Executive card. So in my case, I don't think any of these cards are really worth the annual fee. Plug in your own factors to see if the perks of any of those cards makes sense. If you always fly with 3 other people and everyone checks a bag, the $95 fee of the Platinum is easily worth it for just a single annual round trip.

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You are forgetting that you can have up to 10 AUs w/ AA Exec.  In addition having AA lounge access it comes in pretty handy when trying to rearrange flights not having to wait in long lines.  Last month I missed my connector at CLT and had some weather delays, once I landed made a beeline to AA lounge w/ only four people in front of me and had me rebooked w/ a better flight than they originally changed me to in a matter of minutes, I walked by the huge lines.

[wasCB14]

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@redpat wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:
Well, first thing I'd consider is that for the 2x category spending on the Platinum card, youre probably better off just using your limitless card, so really you're looking at these cards for the perks. The gold doesn't really seem to offer much at all. To me, priority boarding and free checked bag aren't worth much, I can pack for a 5 day trip in my personal item, and since I fly out of DFW and have an Amex Platinum, I can take advantage of the centurion lounge which devalues the 25% food discount and the enhanced lounge benefits of the AA Executive card. So in my case, I don't think any of these cards are really worth the annual fee. Plug in your own factors to see if the perks of any of those cards makes sense. If you always fly with 3 other people and everyone checks a bag, the $95 fee of the Platinum is easily worth it for just a single annual round trip.

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You are forgetting that you can have up to 10 AUs w/ AA Exec.  In addition having AA lounge access it comes in pretty handy when trying to rearrange flights not having to wait in long lines.  Last month I missed my connector at CLT and had some weather delays, once I landed made a beeline to AA lounge w/ only four people in front of me and had me rebooked w/ a better flight than they originally changed me to in a matter of minutes, I walked by the huge lines.

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Do I have this right?

AA Exec: The primary gets a full AC membership (no need to fly AA, two guests). AUs are free and get access when flying AA, with 2 free guests.

Delta Reserve: The primary get SC access but not full membership. AUs are free but do not get SC access. Guests are discounted ($29 vs. $50) but not free.

I recall having an AA flight cancelled while waiting in AC and I was second in line to get on the next flight. I think it was in JFK T8-B.

[redpat]

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@wasCB14 wrote:

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@redpat wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:
Well, first thing I'd consider is that for the 2x category spending on the Platinum card, youre probably better off just using your limitless card, so really you're looking at these cards for the perks. The gold doesn't really seem to offer much at all. To me, priority boarding and free checked bag aren't worth much, I can pack for a 5 day trip in my personal item, and since I fly out of DFW and have an Amex Platinum, I can take advantage of the centurion lounge which devalues the 25% food discount and the enhanced lounge benefits of the AA Executive card. So in my case, I don't think any of these cards are really worth the annual fee. Plug in your own factors to see if the perks of any of those cards makes sense. If you always fly with 3 other people and everyone checks a bag, the $95 fee of the Platinum is easily worth it for just a single annual round trip.

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You are forgetting that you can have up to 10 AUs w/ AA Exec.  In addition having AA lounge access it comes in pretty handy when trying to rearrange flights not having to wait in long lines.  Last month I missed my connector at CLT and had some weather delays, once I landed made a beeline to AA lounge w/ only four people in front of me and had me rebooked w/ a better flight than they originally changed me to in a matter of minutes, I walked by the huge lines.

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Do I have this right?

AA Exec: The primary gets a full AC membership (no need to fly AA, two guests). AUs are free and get access when flying AA, with 2 free guests.

Delta Reserve: The primary get SC access but not full membership. AUs are free but do not get SC access. Guests are discounted ($29 vs. $50) but not free.

I recall having an AA flight cancelled while waiting in AC and I was second in line to get on the next flight. I think it was in JFK T8-B.

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AUs don’t have to fly AA to get access.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Well, first thing I'd consider is that for the 2x category spending on the Platinum card, youre probably better off just using your limitless card, so really you're looking at these cards for the perks. 

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It is true that I'm looking for some nice perks to make traveling cheaper, more fun, as well as the protections. 

I might not have put this in the OP, but USAA probably is going away. I really don't appreciate them preventing me from transferring out to other accounts just because someone who sent me an ACH transfer didn't have enough money in their account and it "bounced." I mean I've been a member for 15 months and this is how they act? Now my money is stuck there... I can't even use Zelle to transfer funds. 

The Double Cash will be replacing the Limitless as soon as early this week. 

You also have to remember for 2x points on the AAdvantage card, that's 4% back if you can redeem your points for 2 cents each. 

[Anonymous]

Folks, the solution for the AA Executive card is easy... 

Is Admirals Club access worth it for use 3-6 times a year (round trip) at $450? 

If not, then that card is easily eliminated. 

[redpat]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Folks, the solution for the AA Executive card is easy... 

Is Admirals Club access worth it for use 3-6 times a year (round trip) at $450? 

If not, then that card is easily eliminated. 

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MDV, don’t you have any close friends and family that travel that you can add them as an AU?.