American Airlines Increases Annual Fees on Co-Branded Rewards Credit Cards
American Airlines is raising the annual fees for its Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard and the Citi AAdvantage Business Mastercard to $150. This marks the first fee adjustment for these products since 2018. To justify the increase, the airline is introducing new cardholder benefits, including a TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit, enhanced mileage earnings on hotel bookings via its portal, and an annual statement credit for in-flight purchases. The move aligns with a broader trend among airlines and financial institutions to hike fees on premium rewards products. Major competitors such as United Airlines have implemented similar changes, while issuers like American Express and JPMorgan Chase have significantly raised fees on their flagship travel cards. These co-branded programs remain a vital high-margin revenue stream for airlines through the sale of miles to banking partners.
Topics: Airline Loyalty Programs Consumer Finance Credit Card Fees