Updated: October 25, 2024
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The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and the United℠ Explorer Card are both excellent choices for frequent flyers, offering valuable airline-specific perks. The Citi AA Platinum Select is the better choice for American Airlines loyalists due to its higher rewards rate on AA purchases and companion certificates.
However, the United Explorer Card can be considered for its lower annual fee and United Club passes, which add value for United Airlines travelers.
Citi AA Platinum Select is likely to be better for frequent American Airlines travelers who can meet the $20,000 annual spending requirement for the Companion Certificate. However, it may not be for users who cannot meet the spending threshold or do not frequently fly with American Airlines.
United Explorer is suitable for travelers who frequently fly with United Airlines and want to earn miles on dining and hotel stays, as the card offers 2X miles on these categories. However, if you rarely fly with United, this card may not be the best fit for you.
A point-by-point comparison helps you see how each card stacks up in areas like APRs, fees and rewards. For instance, if you want to earn travel rewards, the Citi AA Platinum Select is more rewarding because it offers 3X miles on American Airlines purchases. In contrast, the United Explorer offers 2X miles on United purchases.
The United Explorer is better, with a range of 21.49%–28.49% variable, slightly lower than the Citi AA Platinum Select's 21.24%–29.99% variable.
Citi AA Platinum Select has an annual fee of $99, which is waived for the first year. United Explorer's annual fee is also waived initially, but it is slightly higher at $95 after the first year. Both cards provide a cost-effective start, but United's fee is slightly lower thereafter.
Neither the Citi AA Platinum Select nor United Explorer offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases.
Citi AA Platinum Select offers 3X miles on American Airlines purchases, 2X miles per $1 on dining and gas, plus Loyalty Points. United Explorer provides 2X miles per $1 for dining, hotel stays and United purchases.
Citi AA Platinum Select is better for welcome offers, providing 75,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after $3,500 in purchases within three months. United Explorer offers 60,000 miles after $3,000 in spending for the same time.
United Explorer is better for those with a slightly lower credit score, typically needing a good to excellent score of 670–850, while the Citi AA Platinum Select requires an excellent score of 740–850.
Both Citi AA Platinum Select and United Explorer have comparable penalties and fees. They each charge a late fee of up to $41 and a penalty APR of up to 29.99% variable.
Citi, the issuer of the AA Platinum Select card, got a higher satisfaction rating of 4.1, which suggests superior customer service. United Explorer did not receive a specific satisfaction rating, though it is also a major airline co-branded card like the Citi card.
Citi AA Platinum Select has better card benefits, such as free checked bags for up to eight companions and inflight discounts. United Explorer provides similar perks but for fewer companions and with fewer inflight savings.
The Citi AA Platinum Select card generally offers better value for its rewards due to its higher estimated mile value of approximately 1.6 cents. This can be particularly beneficial for those who frequently fly with American Airlines.
The United Explorer has a slightly lower mile value of 1.4 cents but provides solid rewards for United Airlines purchases, dining and hotel stays.
For those indifferent to airline loyalty, the choice may depend on which airline you fly most often or the specific rewards categories you value. Below is a table summarizing the rewards categories for each card.
Category | Citi AA Platinum Select | United Explorer |
|---|---|---|
American Airlines Purchases | 3X miles | 1X miles |
United Airlines Purchases | 1X miles | 2X miles |
Hotels | 2X miles | 2X miles |
Dining | 2X miles | 2X miles |
Car Rentals | 2X miles | 1X miles |
Gas | 2X miles | 1X miles |
All Other Purchases | 1X miles | 1X miles |
Both the Citi AA Platinum Select and United Explorer cards offer miles that can be redeemed for flights. To avoid expiration, miles must be earned or redeemed every 18 months.
The Citi AA Platinum Select card has superior perks value for those who frequently fly with American Airlines. It provides a free checked bag for up to eight companions, preferred boarding and a $125 flight discount after meeting spending requirements. Meanwhile, the United Explorer includes two United Club passes annually, free checked bags and priority boarding, appealing to travelers who value lounge access. Both cards cater to travelers seeking enhanced travel experiences, with the Citi card offering more value for American Airlines loyalists.
The Citi AA Platinum Select card offers a range of perks that cater to frequent American Airlines travelers, with significant savings on checked bags and priority boarding.
Travel Perks
Status
Credits & Discounts
The United Explorer allows cardholders who are frequent flyers or loyal to United Airlines to enjoy travel perks and use credits.
Travel Perks
Status
Credits & Discounts
The Citi card offers 3X miles on American Airlines purchases, while the United card provides 2X miles on United purchases, dining and hotel stays.
Citi AA Platinum Select includes free checked bags on American Airlines, while the United Explorer card offers two United Club passes annually.
Citi AA Platinum Select has an annual fee of $99, which is waived for the first year. United Explorer's annual fee of $95 is also waived for the first year.
Neither the Citi AA Platinum Select nor the United Explorer charges foreign transaction fees.
Citi AA Platinum Select requires a higher, excellent credit score, but United Explorer is also available to those with a good to excellent score.
MoneyGeek's scoring process evaluates each card based on multiple use cases, ensuring the scores reflect the cards' strengths. In this comparison, the scores shown represent the best performance of each card in the 'Airline' category. Several factors determine this score:
For more details on our scoring process, review our ranking methodology.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
