For Barclays AAdvantage cardholders, the time has come. On April 24, Citi will officially convert all existing Barclays AAdvantage cardholders to equivalent Citi-issued AAdvantage cards. Effective that date, Citi will become the exclusive credit card partner of American Airlines AAdvantage.
Many TPG readers have long wondered what happens to their AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® or other AAdvantage credit cards issued by Barclays. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming transition.
AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard information is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Switching from Barclays to Citibank: What you need to know
A Citi spokesperson confirmed that Barclays AAdvantage cardholders will receive details about the upcoming transition on January 31. Be sure to pay close attention to your emails throughout the day.
For now, there are some key details we need to remember. First, here’s a list of each Barclays AAdvantage card and its corresponding Citi card:
*Information for these cards was independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
While the transition will begin on April 24, a Citi spokesperson noted that it will take some time for cardholders to receive their new Citi cards. Citi will begin mailing cards on April 27, but you may not receive your card for eight weeks after that date.
According to Citi, your Barclays AAdvantage card will continue to be valid until you activate a new Citi AAdvantage card. At this time, we don’t know when the Barclays AAdvantage card will be discontinued, but we expect to have more information on January 31st.
Are Barclays AAdvantage cardholders eligible to receive a welcome bonus with the Citi AAdvantage card they receive?
A Citi spokesperson said Barclays AAdvantage cardholders will be subject to the same welcome bonus eligibility rules as Citi AAdvantage cardholders.
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In short, once you receive your new Citi AAdvantage card, you will not be eligible to earn the welcome bonus on that card for 48 months. Unfortunately, this is true even if you close your new Citi card immediately after receiving it.
Will Citibank honor the existing 0% APR offer on the Barclays AAdvantage Card?
Yes. Citibank will honor any introductory or promotional APR terms on a Barclays AAdvantage cardholder account until its expiration date.
What is Citi/AAdvantage Gold Card?
Applications for the Citi/AAdvantage Gold card stopped in 2018. This card is relatively basic, with an annual fee of $50. Earn 1 mile for every $1 spent on all purchases, and card members also receive discounts on in-flight food and beverage purchases.
A Citi spokesperson confirmed that the AAdvantage Gold Card will continue to be closed to new applicants, so the only way to get the card is to transfer from Aviator Blue.
bottom line
The sun sets on AAdvantage’s partnership with Barclays and rises on a new era of exclusivity with Citi. If you have an AAdvantage card from Barclays in your wallet, you’ll be getting a new Citi card this April. Until then, you can use your card to earn AAdvantage miles and loyalty points as usual.
Related: The best credit cards for American Airlines passengers
