If you’re a frequent American Airlines flyer, you may assume that an AAdvantage cobranded card is the best option for your wallet. While AAdvantage credit cards certainly provide useful benefits, they’re far from your only option.
Now that Citi ThankYou Rewards points transfer at a 1:1 ratio to AAdvantage from certain premium Citi cards, there’s a suite of transferable rewards cards that could make sense for some American Airlines-focused setups.
Which route should you take?
In this article, I’ll compare one option from each camp: the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® (see rates and fees), the latest Citi / AAdvantage cobranded card which came out earlier this year, and the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see rates and fees), a premium travel card.
These cards hold more similarities than you’d figure on first glance, but a few key distinctions differentiate the two. Here’s what you should know.
AAdvantage Globe vs. Strata Elite comparison
CardCiti / AAdvantage Globe MastercardCiti Strata Elite Card
For a limited time, new applicants can earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 within the first four months from account opening.
For a limited time, new applicants can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 within the first three months from account opening.
AAdvantage miles
ThankYou Rewards points
1.65 cents per mile
1.9 cents per point
- 6 miles per dollar spent on eligible AAdvantage Hotels bookings
- 3 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (including flights)
- 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible “Rides and Rails” purchases (including public transit, ride-hailing services and taxis) and restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
- 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases
- 12 points per dollar spent on attractions, car rentals and hotels booked through Citi Travel
- 6 points per dollar spent on airfare booked through Citi Travel and restaurants (including restaurant delivery services) on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Eastern time
- 3 points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases outside of CitiNights
- 1.5 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
$350
$595
- Four Admirals Club Globe lounge passes each calendar year
- Four Admirals Club Citi Strata Elite passes each calendar year
- Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership for primary cardmembers and authorized users; up to two complimentary guests
- American Airlines companion certificate earned each year after card renewal
- Earn 1 Loyalty Point toward status per mile earned on the card
- First checked bag free (on qualifying domestic American Airlines itineraries) for the primary cardmember and up to eight companions on the same reservation
- No foreign transaction fees
- Preferred boarding on all American Airlines flights
- Receive a 5,000 “Flight Streak” Loyalty Point boost (up to three times per year, for a total of 15,000 Loyalty Points)
- Up to $240 in annual Turo credits (up to $30 per rental, up to eight times per year)
- Up to $120 in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credits every four years
- Up to $100 in statement credits every calendar year on inflight purchases when using your card on American Airlines flights
- Up to a $100 Splurge credit each calendar year (choice of two eligible categories; exclusions apply for Live Nation)
- Mastercard World Legend benefits
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to The Reserve by Citi Travel
- Up to $300 off a prepaid, minimum two-night hotel stay when booked through Citi Travel
- Up to $200 in semiannual statement credits for Blacklane chauffeur bookings
- Up to a $200 Splurge credit each calendar year (choice of two eligible categories, including American Airlines; exclusions apply for Live Nation)
- Up to $120 in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credits every four years
Authorized user annual fee
$0
$75
AAdvantage Globe vs. Strata Elite welcome bonus
For a limited time, new AAdvantage Globe cardholders can earn 90,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first four months from account opening.
Based on TPG’s valuations, this bonus is worth $1,485.
THE POINTS GUY
For a limited time, new Strata Elite cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first three months from account opening.
This bonus is worth $1,900, according to TPG’s valuations.
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When it comes to eligibility, Citi’s application rules allow one new card every eight days and no more than two in a 65-day period. There’s no cap on the number of Citi cards you can hold, but your total credit line is limited.
With American Airlines cobranded cards, you have to wait 48 months after earning a welcome bonus on the same card to earn the bonus again. Since the Globe is a new product, this shouldn’t cause problems.
Winner: Strata Elite. Its bonus is worth about $400 more than the Globe’s.
Related: The best credit card welcome bonuses currently available
AAdvantage Globe vs. Strata Elite benefits
The cards share a primary benefit: four Admirals Club lounge passes each calendar year. Both cards also provide up to $120 in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credits every four years. Neither card charges foreign transaction fees.
After that, they differ significantly.
For a $350 annual fee, the AAdvantage Globe features perks primarily oriented toward traveling on American Airlines. These include:
- American Airlines companion certificate earned each year after card renewal
- Earn 1 Loyalty Point toward status per mile earned on the card
- Receive a 5,000 “Flight Streak” Loyalty Point boost (up to three times per year for a total of 15,000 Loyalty Points)
- First checked bag free (on qualifying domestic American Airlines itineraries) for the primary cardmember and up to eight companions on the same reservation
- Preferred boarding on all American Airlines flights
The annual companion certificate is a fantastic benefit here, especially considering you don’t have to meet a spending threshold to receive it every year. The certificate costs $99 (plus taxes and fees from $11.20) and cannot be used on basic economy fares.
You can use it for travel within the contiguous 48 states, while residents of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands can use it for round-trip flights to the mainland.
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
If earning American Airlines elite status is important to you, the card’s 5,000 “Flight Streak” Loyalty Point boost for every four eligible American Airlines flights is another solid perk. American Airlines defines an “eligible flight” as any segment flown with or marketed by American Airlines, excluding award flights.
The Globe also provides up to $100 in statement credits every calendar year on inflight purchases when using your card on American Airlines flights.
The Globe comes with a “Splurge Credit” that provides statement credits of up to $100 on your choice of two merchants from the following list:
- 1stDibs
- AAdvantage Hotels
- Future Personal Training
- Live Nation (exclusions apply)
The Strata Elite provides broader airport lounge access than the Globe, providing a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership for primary cardmembers and authorized users. Up to two complimentary guests can enter a Priority Pass lounge with a primary or authorized cardholder. Priority Pass offers access to over 1,800 lounges worldwide.
The statement credits on the Strata Elite help offset its $595 annual fee. These include a hotel statement credit of $300 off a prepaid Citi Travel stay (minimum two nights) and a $200 Blacklane credit, earned as two biannual $100 statement credits for Blacklane chauffeur bookings.
The Splurge credit on the Strata Elite provides up to $200 in statement credits (double that on the Globe) on your choice of up to two of the following brands:
- 1stDibs
- American Airlines
- Best Buy
- Future Personal Training
- Live Nation (exclusions apply)
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
The Globe does not include American Airlines in its Splurge credit, but it does provide a $100 inflight purchase credit for AA.
Plus, Strata Elite cardholders can access The Reserve by Citi Travel, a collection of luxury hotels curated by Citi. When booked, cardholders receive multiple benefits, including a $100 experience credit (varies by property), daily complimentary breakfast for two, early check-in, free Wi-Fi, late checkout and room upgrades (subject to availability).
Finally, the Strata Elite confers Mastercard World Legend benefits, which include priority reservations at high-demand restaurants and access to event tickets worldwide.
Winner: Tie. If you want specific, AA-related perks, the Globe takes the cake. However, if you want wider lounge access and more statement credits to maximize, the Strata Elite is the better choice for you.
Earning rewards with the AAdvantage Globe vs. Strata Elite
These two cards earn different currencies. The AAdvantage Globe earns AAdvantage miles, while the Strata Elite earns Citi ThankYou points (which can be transferred to AAdvantage, but more on that later).
American Airlines Airbus A321XLR. AMERICAN AIRLINES
With the Globe, you’ll earn:
- 6 miles per dollar spent on eligible AAdvantage Hotels bookings
- 3 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (including flights)
- 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible “Rides and Rails” purchases (including public transit, ride-hailing services and taxis) and restaurants (including takeout and delivery)
- 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases
Based on TPG’s valuations, you’ll receive a 4.95% return on spending with American Airlines. Unless you frequently spend on AAdvantage Hotels, this bonus category doesn’t make a significant difference. The other categories provide low returns compared to other travel rewards cards on the market.
On the Strata Elite, you’ll earn:
- 12 points per dollar spent on attractions, car rentals and hotels booked through Citi Travel
- 6 points per dollar spent on airfare booked through Citi Travel and restaurants (including restaurant delivery services) on CitiNights purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Eastern time
- 3 points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases outside of CitiNights
- 1.5 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
You’ll receive an exceptional 22.8% return on Citi Travel purchases (excluding airfare), per TPG’s valuations, as well as an 11.4% return on airfare booked through Citi Travel, which is significantly better than that on the Globe.
Winner: Strata Elite. This card provides exceptionally high earning rates, especially when compared to the Globe.
Related: 10 of the best ways to redeem 100,000 Citi ThankYou Rewards points
Redeeming rewards with the AAdvantage Globe vs. Strata Elite
AAdvantage miles earned on the AAdvantage Globe are best redeemed for flights on American Airlines and its Oneworld alliance partners. You can also redeem your miles for upgrades and international awards.
One of my favorite ways to use AAdvantage miles is for short-haul domestic flights within the U.S., which start at just 5,000 miles one-way.
For a more luxurious flight experience, you can fly in a lie-flat business-class seat to Europe on American, Finnair or Iberia for 57,500 miles plus about $130 in taxes and fees.
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
You can redeem the ThankYou points earned on the Strata Elite for cash back, gift cards, statement credits or travel booked through Citi Travel.
However, these options unlock 1 cent per point or less in value, so we generally recommend transferring ThankYou points to a partner, such as American Airlines, to receive better value.
Winner: Strata Elite. Since ThankYou points are more flexible than AAdvantage miles, you’ll receive more options to redeem with this card.
Related: The 8 best ways to redeem up to 100,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles
Transferring rewards with the AAdvantage Globe vs. Strata Elite
ThankYou points you’ll earn on the Strata Elite can be transferred to one of Citi’s 22 transfer partners, including AAdvantage. Flexibility with the rewards on the Strata Elite is one of the card’s highlights, since you aren’t limited to only American Airlines redemptions with this card.
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
For instance, TPG lead points and miles writer Katie Genter recently transferred Citi ThankYou points to Virgin Atlantic to book two tickets on a nonstop KLM flight from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) in economy for 12,000 points and about $300 in taxes and fees per person.
You won’t be able to transfer the miles you earn on the AAdvantage Globe.
Winner: Strata Elite. You unlock many more redemption options across multiple other programs with its transferable rewards.
Related: Credit card transfer partners: Guide to transferring points and miles to airlines and hotels
Should I get the AAdvantage Globe or the Strata Elite?
If you don’t already have an American Airlines card, frequently fly with the airline and would find a lot of use in AA-specific perks such as free checked bags and priority boarding, the AAdvantage Globe will fit well into your strategy. The Globe is also an excellent choice if earning Loyalty Points toward status matters to you.
However, if you value flexibility, already have an AAdvantage card and would maximize its additional statement credits, the Strata Elite is the best choice for you.
Other factors worth considering: TPG values ThankYou points higher than AAdvantage miles, and the current bonus on the Strata Elite is higher than the one on the Globe. Plus, the Globe’s earning rates aren’t as impressive as those on the Strata Elite. If collecting as many rewards as possible is your top priority, the Strata Elite will come out on top for most.
Related: Best time to apply for AAdvantage cards based on offer history
Bottom line
If you’re deciding between the AAdvantage Globe and the Strata Elite, I recommend you take inventory of the cards in your wallet and the benefits you’ll use most.
If you fly American often and prefer lower fees, I see the Globe as a great fit. But if flexibility and premium perks matter most, I suggest the Strata Elite as a stronger all-around card.
To learn more, read our full reviews of the AAdvantage Globe Mastercard and the Strata Elite.
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard
Apply here: Citi Strata Elite Card
