American Airlines Raises Two Credit Card Fees to $150

American Airlines and Citi will increase annual fees on two co-branded travel credit cards from $99 to $150 while expanding their rewards and travel benefits. Announced Tuesday, October 27, 2026, the changes affect the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard and Citi AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard, with existing cardholders scheduled to receive the new benefits beginning January 24, 2027.

According to The Points Guy and CNBC, both cards will retain a $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months. The updated packages include additional mileage-earning opportunities, travel-related statement credits and other benefits, although the higher fees will increase the ongoing cost of keeping either card.

The Platinum Select card will add lifestyle benefits alongside expanded travel protections and new rewards categories. Its new features include a credit of up to $120 every four years toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, as well as a $100 annual statement credit for eligible in-flight purchases, including food, according to CNBC.

Cardholders will also earn three times the AAdvantage miles on hotel bookings made through American Airlines' booking portal. The Points Guy additionally reported that the Platinum Select package will include a complimentary Walmart+ membership valued at $98.

The business version will introduce a flexible bonus category for eligible business expenses and a discount on a business payments subscription, according to The Points Guy. Both cards will see their annual fees rise by $51, an increase of approximately 51.5% from the previous $99 charge.

The Platinum Select fee increase marks the first adjustment since 2018, when the annual charge rose from $95 to $99, an American Airlines spokeswoman told CNBC. The latest changes come as airlines and financial institutions continue adjusting the pricing and benefits of rewards credit cards.

These cards also provide revenue to airlines through agreements with issuing banks, which purchase miles and distribute them to customers through card rewards programs. CNBC reported that American Airlines' announcement follows similar fee increases across the industry.

American Express raised the annual fee on its Platinum card from $695 to $895 in 2025. JPMorgan Chase also increased the annual fee on its Sapphire Reserve card from $550 to $795, according to CNBC.

Separate figures cited by Cleveland.com from a 2025 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report show that credit cardholders paid more than $31 billion in fees during 2024, the highest nominal total recorded. The report attributed the increase to higher late fees and annual fees, while also documenting changes in the proportion of consumers paying annual charges.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report stated, "Between 2022 and 2024 the percentage of consumers who paid an annual fee declined, but the average annual fee rose," according to the passage published by Cleveland.com. The report linked this shift to an increase in the total amount collected through annual fees.

The report further stated, "This resulted in an increase in total annual fees charged to the highest level in our data at $8.7 billion in 2024." The figures highlight the growing contribution of annual charges to overall credit card fees as issuers revise their products.