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Compare the Features and Benefits of Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite MasterCard and
United℠ Explorer Card

Detailed Comparison Overview

Key Facts
Annual Fee
Avg. Min. Credit Score
Ongoing APR
Balance transfers fees
Best Multiplier
Avg. Point Value
(Learn More)
Bonus Offer
Rating
Review
Key features
Unique Card Benefits
Free Checked Bags
Priority Boarding
Extended Warranty
Purchase Protection
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Free Access to Credit Score
No Fees for Authorized Users
Airport Lounge Access
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Reimbursement
Primary Car Rental CDW Waiver
Trip Protections
Concierge Services
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
Annual Fee
$0 Introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $99
Avg. Min. Credit Score
670-850
Ongoing APR
20.24%-29.24% (Variable)
Balance transfers fees
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer; 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Best Multiplier
2x Airfare

On American Airlines airfare booked directly with American Airlines; otherwise earn 1X

2x Gas Stations
2x Dining Out / Food Delivery
1x Everything Else
Avg. Point Value
(Learn More)
$0.014
Bonus Offer

Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

Rating
YBCC Card Rate Stars Filled
YBCC Card Rate Stars Empty
(3.75) Our Review

Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.

Review

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite MasterCard is the perfect card for travelers that even periodically fly American. For a $99 annual fee (waived the first year), cardholders and travelers on the same reservation enjoy preferred boarding, a free checked bag on American Airlines flights, and 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases.

American Airlines carry-on bags in overhead bin

Cardholders earn 2x American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles at restaurants and gas stations and on eligible American Airlines purchases. All other eligible purchases earn 1x AAdvantage® miles per eligible dollar spent.

Each dollar spent on an American Airlines credit card earns 1 Loyalty Point. That means cardholders can earn elite status in the AAdvantage program just by spending on the AAdvantage® Platinum Select card. For example, you can earn AAdvantage® Gold elite status with just $40,000 in purchases on the card in a year.

Note that the sign up bonus and spending category bonuses count as American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles. That means you won’t earn Loyalty Points on these AAdvantage® bonus miles. As an example, if you spend $5,000 at gas stations in a year, although you’ll earn 10,000 AAdvantage® miles on these purchases, it will only count as 5,000 Loyalty Points.

American Airlines currently charges $40 for a first checked bag on domestic itineraries. Considering you and up to four travel companions can check a bag for free, this one credit card perk can save you up to $400 per round-trip flight. The catch is that this perk only is offered on domestic flights. Unfortunately, cardholders can’t check a bag for free on American Airlines international flights.

Ground crew loading a checked bag into an American Airlines aircraft

Read more
Unique Card Benefits
yes
Free Checked Bags
yes
Priority Boarding
yes
Extended Warranty
yes
Purchase Protection
yes
No Foreign Transaction Fees
yes
Free Access to Credit Score
yes
No Fees for Authorized Users
yes
Airport Lounge Access
no
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Reimbursement
no
Primary Car Rental CDW Waiver
no
Trip Protections
no
Concierge Services
no
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
no
Annual Fee
$0 Introductory Annual Fee for the first year, then $95
Avg. Min. Credit Score
670-850
Ongoing APR
20.99%-27.99% (Variable)
Balance transfers fees
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Best Multiplier
2x Airfare

On United flights only; otherwise earn 1X

2x Dining Out / Food Delivery
2x Hotels
1x Everything Else
Avg. Point Value
(Learn More)
$0.012
Bonus Offer
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
Rating
YBCC Card Rate Stars Filled
YBCC Card Rate Stars Empty
(4.05) Our Review

Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.

Review

The United Explorer card is one of the best credit cards out there for occasional United flyers. That’s because you’ll get useful perks, such as free first checked bags, priority boarding privileges, a 25% food and beverage discount on board United operated flights, and even get a taste of airport lounge access with two anniversary United Club passes. Plus. the annual fee is waived the first year, then just $95 thereafter.

Consider this scenario: Even if you only fly United a couple of times per year, the Explorer Card is worth it for the free checked bag benefit alone. Keep in mind, this applies to the primary card holder and one companion on the same reservation, as long as you use the card to pay for your ticket. At $40 for one checked bag, and $160 for a round-trip flight for two people, it’s easy to get value that exceeds the card’s annual fee.

In addition to the sign-up bonus earned after account opening, the United Explorer card earns a decent 2X miles on United Airlines purchases, 2X miles on dining, including eligible delivery services, 2X miles on hotel stays when booked with the hotel and 1x miles on all other purchases. Also, the card helps to fast track your United elite status goals with 1 PQP earned for every $20 you spend on purchases with your Explorer Card (up to 1,000 PQPs in a calendar year). These PQPs can be applied toward your Premier status qualification — up to the Premier 1K level.

If you’re in need of extra miles besides flying on United flights, keep in mind that Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to the United Mileage Plus program at a 1:1 ratio to help you top up your miles balance.

While the United Explorer card is a fantastic option for the occasional United flyer, those that travel more often with the airline might want to consider other options, including United’s other, more premium, credit cards.

In more simple terms, the Explorer card fits the “occasional United flyer” once or twice per year mold, while the $250-per-year United Quest fits the “semi-frequent United flyer.” Then, there’s the United Club Infinite Card for the “frequent United flyer.” If you’re looking for a United Club membership and need more than just two one-time passes, you’ll probably be better off with the United Club Infinite Card, which comes with a full United Club membership but also charges the highest annual fee of the United cards at $525.

Read more
Unique Card Benefits
yes
Free Checked Bags
yes
Priority Boarding
yes
Extended Warranty
yes
Purchase Protection
yes
No Foreign Transaction Fees
yes
Free Access to Credit Score
yes
No Fees for Authorized Users
no
Airport Lounge Access
yes
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Reimbursement
yes
Primary Car Rental CDW Waiver
yes
Trip Protections
yes
Concierge Services
yes
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
yes

Learn more about these cards today

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