A significant shift is underway for American Airlines AAdvantage cardholders. On April 24th, a complete transition will occur, as Citi takes over exclusive credit card partnership, absorbing all existing Barclays AAdvantage accounts.
For months, cardholders have wondered about the fate of their AAdvantage Aviator and other Barclays-issued cards. Now, clarity is emerging regarding this major change in the rewards landscape.
Detailed information regarding the transition will be delivered to Barclays cardholders on January 31st. It’s crucial to carefully review this communication upon arrival, as it will outline the specifics of your individual account.
Here’s a breakdown of how each Barclays AAdvantage card will correspond to a Citi-issued card: the Aviator World Elite Mastercard will become the American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard, the Aviator Blue will transition to the Citi / AAdvantage Gold World Elite Mastercard, and the Aviator Red will become the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard.
The Aviator Silver will be replaced by the Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard, while the Aviator World Elite Business Mastercard will become the Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard.
While the transition officially begins on April 24th, receiving your new Citi card will take time. Citi anticipates beginning to mail cards on April 27th, but allow up to eight weeks for delivery.
Your existing Barclays AAdvantage card will remain active until your new Citi card is activated. The exact date Barclays cards will cease to function is still unknown, but further details are expected on January 31st.
Regarding welcome bonuses, Barclays cardholders will be held to the standard Citi eligibility rules. This means you won’t be eligible for a welcome bonus on the new Citi card for 48 months, even if you close the account immediately upon receiving it.
Good news for those with existing 0% APR offers: Citi will honor all introductory and promotional rates currently in place on Barclays AAdvantage cards until their original expiration dates.
The Citi / AAdvantage Gold card, previously unavailable to new applicants since 2018, remains closed. The only way to obtain this card is through the transition from the Aviator Blue.
This marks the end of an era for AAdvantage’s partnership with Barclays and the beginning of a new, exclusive relationship with Citi. Until April, continue using your Barclays card to accumulate AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points as usual.
