The Barclays-issued AAdvantage cards are officially converting to Citi on April 24, and Citi just published the full playbook — including new cards with new account numbers and a no-login window April 24–26.
The sleeper detail is that for now your existing card’s legacy perks stay in place while you also pick up the standard Citi-version benefits, creating a temporary stacking window (especially valuable for Aviator Silver moving to Globe).
American Airlines renewed its credit card deal with Citibank and went exclusive. That means an end to Barclays-issued AAdvantage cards. Citi bought the Barclays back book, meaning existing Barclays cards transition to Citibank AAdvantage cards.
We now know the full plan for this.
- The changeover happens April 24.
- Customers receive new Citibank cards with new account numbers.
- Existing credit limits and card anniversary dates remain the same.
- No account login April 24 – 26.
And this is how the Barclays cards map onto Citibank-issued AAdvantage cards:
| Barclays Card | Becomes Citi’s: | |
| Aviator Red ($99) | AAdvantage Platinum Select ($99) | |
| Aviator Silver ($199) | AAdvantage Globe ($350) | |
| Aviator Blue ($49) | AAdvantage Gold ($50) | |
| Aviator ($0) | AAdvantage MileUp ($0) | |
| Aviator Business ($95) | AAdvantage Business ($99) | |
Each card keeps its unique benefits for an undisclosed period of time, in addition to getting the benefits of the Citibank version of the product. So for now, Aviator Silver keeps its unique benefits and gets Globe benefits, which is going to be great for status-earning in the coming year. Plus, the card keeps its existing $99 companion certificate at $20,000 spend in addition to the Globe’s card renewal companion certificate.
- Globe: “Earn a 5,000 Loyalty Point bonus after every 4 qualifying American Airlines flights (up to 15,000 additional Loyalty Points each status qualification year)”
- Aviator Silver: “Up to 15,000 additional Loyalty Points after qualifying spend each status qualification period” (5,000 Loyalty Points at each of $20,000, $40,000 and $50,000 spend)
Between my AAdvantage Executive card, Globe Card, and Aviator Silver -> Globe card that’s 65,000 Loyalty Points I will earn in bonuses in 2026 if it’s possible to stack Flight Streak bonuses from two Globe cards (I have inquired). I’ll spend $50,000 on the legacy Aviator Silver-cum-Globe product as part of this in addition to flights I take anyway, and that alone generates Platinum Pro, which makes requalifying for Executive Platinum super easy.
(HT: Danny Deal Guru)
Has anyone said what happens to cardholders of both? For example if you have the globe and silver. Red and platinum select etc.
Think it’s worth trying to upgrade right now from Red to Silver?
You will have more than one of the same card, if that is what you are asking?
Yes
The implications of Chris’ question may be, “What is the optimum path for a cardholder to take who ends up with 2 Globe cards (one as a result of the bank conversion)?” It wouldn’t make sense to pay the $350 AFx2 at the first renewal, would it? What is the best downgrade path? Do we have any sense as to what Citi will allow?
Do we know if accepting the transition will make us ineligible for sign up bonuses from Citi? I have the Aviator Red and may cancel before they move me and just apply for a Citi card.
It says AAdvantagr Aviator BLUE turns into the Citi AAdvantage GOLD card, not the mile up. The normal AAdvantage Aviator turns into the mile up. I didn’t know the Citi AAdvantage gold card was still being issued in the portfolio? How does someone get one?
@DP: the bonus eligibility language on new account bonuses reads, as follows:
American Airlines AAdvantage® new cardmember bonus offer not available if you received a new account bonus for or if you converted another Citi credit card account on which you earned a new account bonus into a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® account in the last 48 months.
It references past Citi account bonuses multiple times, so I’d infer that a previously earned Barclays bonus wouldn’t impact anything based on this language.
I am a bit confused. I currently have the Silver card. I took the 80k bonus to get the Citi card a few months ago If I get the Global card would I still qualify for the 15k LP bonus on the Silver card by spending 50K on that card?. If so does it have to be by April 24? Would the 15K LP (50k spending)bonus carry over the Global card? Would it even possible to to get the 15K LP Bonus on BOTH cards by spending 50K on each one?
Wondering if 0% FTF will transfer over from the no fee Aviator to the MileUp card. It’s a nice benefit to have.
HI Gary. Is this new card showing up as a hit against 5/24 on chase?
As a Barclays silver Aviator card holder, the thought of a conversion to Citi Aadvantage, without a sign up bonus, was gruesome.
So on Jan 10 I app’d Globe and was immediately approved. I’ve met the spend for the 90k mile bonus.
With coming conversion of Aviator Silver to a Globe now announced, guess I close my applied-for Globe at renewal!
I can see how some Aviator Silver cardholders might want to thread the needle on this, but to me, it’s mostly just a fee increase from $199 to $350 with the same benefits. I don’t know if I’ll be cancelling the card before the move or wait and see if they offer a retention bonus to keep it, but it better be good for the $350. This will end up giving me two AA business cards, AA gold, 3 platinums, a Globe, and an AA Exec. I don’t think I need all those annual fees much longer.
How will the membership fees work? My Barclay Silver fee just hit today at $199. When will I be charged the new $350 fee? April 2026?
I’ve got the exec, two silvers and the globe. Definitely closing something but not sure which and / or how many. The Barclays card is superior in every way if you spend. Every way.
If my red card is going to the platinum select card will my first yearly fee be waived this year and will I be able to get the Citi card SUB after meeting the requirements.?
Gary – As always, thank you for the additional info that the transition email did not include.
I had just recently (2 weeks ago) applied for Citi Globe, as I had an $8k spend (FSD Tesla)… With the bonus & purchase that’s 88,000 miles.
As someone else mentioned, I will keep my legacy transition Silver/ Globe and drop this new Citi after the renewal date.
Hopefully they will realize that keeping the added benefits for transitioned cards will ensure they keep all their “new” customers.
Now I’ve got to try to find a way to bet 20k more loyalty points for this year. (so close but so far to 250k).
Thanks again!
Vincent
So, for us, lower cardholders. From what I understand, since I already have a City Platinum AA card, I will get a new one from my Barclay Red Aviator card. My $20K limit will transfer, so I will have two identical Citi cards. Assume use one for small purchases once a month to keep active for the credit limit utilization, and if you want a larger AA credit, use the 2nd Citi card for larger purchases or if pay for AA trips vs using miles.
If they combined into the existing card, I would hope the separate credit limits would be combined as well. I have about 12 cc’s with combined limits of about $130k, but I only max out at about $5k on cards and pay them off way before the due date to maintain the low utilization rate. I am able to keep my credit score about 840.
My only negative is that each time I have refinanced my home, even with the same bank, they treat it like a new loan, so my length of credit history has gone down due to 2 refinances with the same bank in the last 10 years (now at 2.9% fixed for 30 years).
I suspect this will happen again if, like mortgages, the cc change with added Citi is treated as new and again hurts my years of credit factor.
So if I am understanding this right if we have had the Barclays AA card for over 4+ years when we transition to Citi we would be eligible for the new SUB? I currently do not have any Citi cards so wondering if I should keep this and let it transition or cancel and apply to get the SUB.