American Airlines Cards Transition
We have known for a while that the American Airlines' credit card partnership with Barclays is ending. The writing was on the wall for a while, and ultimately Citi won the battle and will be the sole issuer of AA cards. Now that the end is near, Barclays and Citi announced the American Airlines cards transition beginning April 24, 2026.
In this article we'll talk about the transition and what you should do if you currently hold an AA card from Barclays.
What Card Will I Get?
If you hold an American Airlines card by Barclays, you should have received a notice indicating what card you will get in the transition. While the card benefits differ slightly between Barclays and Citi, you will retain legacy Barclays benefits for a period of time.
The cards will transition as follows:
- AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® will transition to a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
- AAdvantage® Aviator® Silver World Elite Mastercard® will transition to a Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®
- AAdvantage® Aviator® Blue World Elite Mastercard® will transition to a Citi® / AAdvantage® Gold World Elite Mastercard®
- AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Mastercard® you will transition to a American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
- AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard® Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
Citi also has a landing page that explains the timeline of the transition and what card product you will receive. This page also features a very comprehensive FAQ section. You can learn more at LandingatCiti.com.
Should I Cancel my Barclays Card Before the American Airlines Cards Transition?
While the answer to this question will vary from person to person, for the vast majority of our readers the answer will be “no.” From my perspective, you only need to consider whether and when your annual fee is charged. If your annual fee was charged and will be due before the transition takes effect, you may want to consider closing this card. First, ask for a retention offer. Next, consider whether you have another card that will allow you to earn AA miles. If yes, you can evaluate the benefits of this card against the benefits of the card you currently hold. If your annual fee has not yet been charged and will not be due before the transition takes effect, keep the card open. You are unlikely to get a refund either way, and you'll have benefits you can leverage.
What Can I Do with my New Card When It Converts to Citi?
This is where things could potentially get interesting. Citi has historically allowed for product changes to any other card within its portfolio. Notably, this includes cards that earn Thank You Points. For example, you could product change your AA card to a Double Cash card or a Strata Premier. This can be especially valuable if you're not otherwise eligible for a sign up bonus on one of those cards. Or, if you're under 5/24 and don't want to use a personal card slot to obtain a new card. It is too soon to say whether this will actually be the case with the cards that are converted from Barclays.
Will My New Citi Card Count Against 5/24?
We do not expect that this card account should count as a new card on your 5/24, since it is an involuntary conversion of an existing card account and was not a new application. Other card transitions between issuers have not resulted in a 5/24 count impact.
Will I Be Eligible for a Citi American Airlines Card Bonus in the Future?
Citi's rules for sign up bonuses are based on sign-up bonus timing. The rules state that you are not eligible for the bonus on a card if you have earned a bonus on that specific card in the last 48 months, or if you converted another Citi card that you earned a bonus on in the last 48 months into that specific card account. Since you would not have earned a bonus on a Citi card when you opened a Barclays card, your existing Barclays card should not prevent you from earning a new sign up bonus. Even if Citi were to interpret the Barclays bonus as being the same as the Citi card you were converted to, closing a Barclays card would not speed up the timeline since it is calculated from when you last earned the bonus.
In short, ineligibility for a future AA card sign up bonus would require Citi to change its existing application rules. There are no indications that this will happen.
American Airlines Cards Transition from Barclays to Citi: ToP Thoughts
While we don't like to see fewer card options, especially for valuable American Airlines miles, not all of this news is bad. Consider keeping your existing Barclays AA card open for ongoing AA miles earning potential, and other possibilities with Citi.
How are you impacted by this transition? Come tell us your thoughts in the ToP Facebook group.
