American Airlines and Citi have announced that they are extending their successful partnership, which has lasted for over 37 years. Starting in 2026, Citi will become the exclusive issuer of the AAdvantage® co-branded credit card portfolio. The ten-year agreement is expected to significantly expand the benefits for both AAdvantage® and Citi card members as well as enhance their loyalty and rewards programs, creating additional opportunities for customers to engage with both brands.
Citi CEO Jane Fraser said, “American Airlines and Citi have built something truly special together — a partnership rooted in delivering excellence to our customers. We’re now excited to take this relationship to greater heights through an expanded customer base and a series of new loyalty and reward offerings. Together, we’re creating more opportunities to welcome new cardmembers, deepen our connection with our existing ones, and make our co-branded card the clear favorite in everyone’s wallets.”
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom added, “American is proud to have launched the first airline loyalty program, and with Citi, the travel industry’s first co-branded credit card. The strength of our relationship with Citi has enabled us to deliver first-class products and customer service to millions of AAdvantage card members. This expanded partnership will unlock even more value and exciting new benefits for all of our customers in the future.”
Under the new agreement, Citi will acquire the Barclays American Airlines co-branded card portfolio, transitioning cardmembers from Barclays to Citi’s offerings starting in 2026. Barclays card members will enjoy the same benefits they currently receive.
The partnership will also feature an integrated approach between Citi’s ThankYou program and the AAdvantage® card offerings, promising new and innovative loyalty and rewards benefits for customers. Citi will take over all American Airlines acquisition channels, both inflight and at airports, ensuring an expanded customer base and more rewarding experiences for cardmembers.
The Citi®/AAdvantage® card portfolio includes a range of products from no-fee to high-fee and premium cards that include the Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, the American Airlines AAdvantage ® MileUp® Card, and the Citi®/AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®.
Learn more about what AAdvantage® status can offer you here: https://www.aa.com/web/i18n/aadvantage-program/overview.html?anchorEvent=false&from=comp_nav
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