If you held a Barclays Aviator Silver card as of April 24, 2026, you now hold the Citi AAdvantage Globe Mastercard. Citi and American Airlines have completed the Barclays transition, and approximately 250,000 Aviator Silver cardholders are looking at a new card in their wallet, wondering whether to keep it.
The short answer: if you received the Globe at the legacy $199 annual fee, almost certainly keep it. The math is compelling at that rate. If you are evaluating the Globe as a new applicant at $350, you need to use multiple benefits each year to come out ahead. Here is the full breakdown.
For background on the Barclays transition itself, see: Barclays AAdvantage Cards Moving to Citi: What Cardholders Must Do Now. For the mid-tier option at $99, see our Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select review.
Card Overview
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $350 ($199 for legacy Aviator Silver holders through at least Feb 28, 2027) |
| Welcome Offer | 60,000 AAdvantage miles after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months |
| Earning Rates | 6x AAdvantage Hotels; 3x American Airlines; 2x dining and transit; 1x everything else |
| Network | Mastercard |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | None |
Welcome Offer: 60,000 Miles
New applicants can earn 60,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months. That is a spend rate of roughly $1,333 per month, which takes more intentional effort than the $99 Platinum Select’s $2,500 total requirement.
60,000 miles is a strong starting balance. Realistic redemptions include a domestic round trip in first class (50,000 to 70,000 miles depending on route), a round trip to Europe in economy (30,000 to 40,000 miles on many oneworld partners), or the beginning of a premium cabin international redemption. AAdvantage miles are worth approximately 1.0 to 1.4 cents each when redeemed for saver awards, putting this bonus at $600 to $840 in potential travel value.
Earning Rates
The Globe earns at three distinct tiers:
- 6x miles on AAdvantage Hotels bookings: the highest earning rate on the card, available through the AAdvantage Hotels portal
- 3x miles on American Airlines purchases: flights, seat upgrades, inflight purchases, and other eligible AA spend
- 2x miles at restaurants: includes takeout and delivery; competitive for an airline card
- 2x miles on transit: taxis, rideshares, and public transit
- 1x miles on everything else
The 2x at restaurants is the same rate as the Platinum Select. If dining earning is a priority and you do not frequently use Admirals Club lounges, the $99 Platinum Select delivers identical restaurant rewards at a much lower fee. The Globe’s edge is in the premium benefits below, not in everyday earning rates.
Benefits That Offset the Annual Fee
4 Admirals Club Globe Passes
Each calendar year, cardholders receive 4 Admirals Club Globe Passes, each granting single-visit access to Admirals Club lounges at nearly 50 locations. Walk-in day-of access to an Admirals Club typically costs $59 to $79 per person. Using all 4 passes covers roughly $240 to $320 in lounge access value, which by itself makes a significant dent in the $350 annual fee.
Globe Passes work differently from full Admirals Club membership: they grant access for the cardholder only for a single visit, and they do not transfer to guests without purchasing guest access. If you typically travel with a companion and want both of you to have lounge access, factor in guest fees or compare against a card that includes companion lounge access.
$100 Inflight Purchase Credit
Cardholders receive up to $100 per year in statement credits on inflight purchases made on American Airlines flights. This applies to food, beverages, and other eligible inflight purchases charged to the card. If you fly American at least twice a year and buy anything inflight, this credit pays out without extra effort.
$100 Splurge Credit
Up to $100 per year in credits on select brands: 1stDibs, AAdvantage Hotels bookings, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation. For travelers, the AAdvantage Hotels credit is the most accessible option here. For entertainment-focused cardholders, Live Nation tickets qualify. The credit is split across eligible purchase types, so you are not required to spend it all with one brand.
Used together, the inflight credit and Splurge Credit reduce the effective annual fee from $350 to $150 before factoring in the lounge passes.
$240 Turo Credit
One of the more distinctive benefits: $30 back per eligible Turo car rental, up to 8 rentals per year ($240 total). If you use Turo regularly, this benefit can outpace the annual fee by itself. Turo is a peer-to-peer car rental platform that is particularly useful in cities where traditional rental cars are expensive or unavailable. If you have never used Turo, the annual cap of $240 is real value, but only if you actually book through the platform.
Companion Certificate
Starting in your second year of card membership, you earn a companion certificate after renewing the card. The certificate allows one companion to fly on a domestic American Airlines round-trip ticket for $99 plus taxes and fees. The companion certificate is typically available for economy fares and books at saver-level pricing. Value depends on the route: on a $300 round-trip ticket, the certificate saves approximately $201. On a $500 route, it saves $401.
The companion certificate is one of the Globe’s highest-potential benefits, but it requires renewing the card for year two and actually using the certificate before it expires.
First Checked Bag Free
The cardholder and up to 8 companions on the same domestic American Airlines reservation each get the first checked bag free. American charges $35 per bag each way. A round trip with one companion saves $140; with three companions saves $280. This benefit applies when the ticket is purchased with the Globe card on American Airlines directly. It does not apply to Basic Economy tickets.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit
Up to $120 reimbursement for Global Entry ($120) or TSA PreCheck ($85) every 4 years. This is a standard benefit among mid-to-premium travel cards and adds approximately $30 per year in effective value when averaged over the credit period.
For Aviator Silver Holders: Should You Keep the Globe at $199?
If you converted from an Aviator Silver card, Citi has committed to honoring the $199 annual fee through at least February 28, 2027. At that rate, the math is straightforward:
- $100 inflight credit: $199 – $100 = $99 effective fee
- $100 Splurge Credit: $99 – $100 = already negative
- 4 Admirals Club Globe passes (~$240-320 value): significant additional benefit
- Companion certificate, Turo credit, bag fee waiver: additional value beyond that
At $199, the Globe is very easy to keep. Use both statement credits and you are essentially being paid to carry the card before the lounge passes and companion cert are factored in.
When the legacy rate reverts to $350 (after February 28, 2027 at the earliest), reassess using the new applicant math below.
For New Applicants at $350: Is It Worth It?
At $350, the math requires using multiple benefits:
- Use the $100 inflight credit: effective cost drops to $250
- Use the $100 Splurge Credit (via AAdvantage Hotels or Live Nation): drops to $150
- Use 2 to 3 Admirals Club passes (at ~$70 each): drops to $0 to -$60
The card justifies $350 if you fly American at least 4 to 6 times per year and use the statement credits. If you fly American fewer than 2 to 3 times annually, the lounge passes and inflight credits may go unused, and the $350 fee is hard to justify against general-purpose travel cards that charge $95 to $395 with broader flexibility.
Who Should Get This Card
- Aviator Silver cardholders at the $199 legacy rate. Keep it. The credit value exceeds the fee immediately.
- Frequent American Airlines travelers who want lounge access without a full Admirals Club membership. 4 passes per year covers occasional lounge visits without the $850/year full membership cost.
- Regular Turo users who fly American. If you combine $240 in Turo credits with the statement credits, the card pays for itself entirely at $350.
- Travelers who regularly check bags with a companion. The bag fee waiver for up to 8 companions on a single reservation is extremely valuable for family travel.
Who Should Skip This Card
- You do not fly American Airlines regularly. All of the card’s key benefits are AA-specific. If Delta, United, or Southwest dominate your travel, none of these perks activate.
- You want daily spending rewards over premium airline perks. At $350, you can get the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X, both of which offer more flexible rewards and broader travel protections.
- You already have an Admirals Club membership. If you are AAdvantage Platinum or higher with complimentary club access, the 4 Globe passes are redundant.
- You want lounge access on every trip, not just 4 times a year. Globe Passes do not replace unlimited Admirals Club access. For daily lounge access, full Admirals Club membership or a higher-tier card is necessary.
Globe vs. Platinum Select: Which AAdvantage Card Should You Choose?
| Feature | Globe ($350) | Platinum Select ($99) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $350 | $99 (waived yr 1) |
| Admirals Club access | 4 Globe passes/year | None |
| AA earning rate | 3x | 2x |
| Restaurant earning | 2x | 2x |
| Statement credits | $200 (inflight + Splurge) | None |
| Turo credit | $240/year | None |
| Companions (bag waiver) | Up to 8 | Up to 4 |
| Companion certificate | Yes (yr 2+) | No ($125 discount cert at $20K spend) |
| Global Entry credit | $120/4 years | None |
The Globe is the right card if you value lounge access, fly American more than 4 times per year, and will use at least two of the statement credits. The Platinum Select is the right card if you fly American occasionally for the bag benefit and preferred boarding, without needing the premium perks.
Bottom Line
The Citi AAdvantage Globe Mastercard is a premium airline card for dedicated American Airlines travelers. At $199 (the legacy Aviator Silver rate), it is an exceptional deal with credits that exceed the fee. At $350, it requires commitment to the benefits: use the inflight credit, the Splurge Credit, and at least a couple of the lounge passes, and it justifies the cost. Skip it if you fly American infrequently or prefer a flexible travel card.