Citi reached an agreement to acquire the Barclays American Airlines Co-branded Card portfolio and will begin transitioning cardmembers to the Citi portfolio in 2026. Barclays cardmembers will continue to experience the same benefits they do today. More information about the transition will be made available in the coming months. The attractive cardmember base, size and strength of the combined portfolio are poised to help accelerate growth for Citi’s Branded Cards business and overarching U.S. Personal Banking business.
In addition, the agreement creates an innovative alignment between the Citi ThankYou and AAdvantage® card programs and is designed to drive incremental value for both companies and produce a significantly expanded loyalty and rewards offering for AAdvantage® members and Citi-branded cardmembers. As exclusive issuer, Citi will take on all American Airlines acquisition channels, including inflight and at airports.
Could we see American Airlines becoming a transfer partner for Citi ThankYou Points in the near future? Or will AA Miles be exclusive to their co-branded cards as they are now?
If the former, this would make the Citi setup (Custom Cash + Double Cash + Strata Premier + Rewards+) a very attractive setup in my opinion since this can generate a ton of points.
Campbell said:
I burned Citi in a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in 2020 and have a Barclays AA card; what will this mean for people like me?
When I worked at American Express and we went through the JetBlue and Costco transitions, a portion of cardmembers were rejected by Barclays/Citi for one reason or another. Those cardmembers were transitioned to Amex Everyday. Barclays may do the same with whatever their proprietary card is if Citibank doesn’t want to extend credit to certain cardmembers.
@Brady
Strange that the View card isn’t included in the main Barclays credit cards list page. Can only seem to be able to get to it from a Google search.
Leander said: @Brady
Strange that the View card isn’t included in the main Barclays credit cards list page. Can only seem to be able to get to it from a Google search.
You can’t apply for it—they only made it when the Uber card (also the Apple financing card) was discontinued so people could keep their credit line.
Hopefully AA will become Citi’s transfer partner. TPG’s report did say one of Citi’s representatives mentioned that it will benefit AA cardholders and Citi-branded card members. Hopefully that means AA will become a transfer partner for Citi-branded card holders to transfer their points to.
@Leander
It’s annoying, but there are several easy ways to keep points active: buying gas at Shell, using Simply Miles, or through the AA shopping portal.
I suspect that expiration is one of the reasons AA points remain reasonably valuable.
Chance said: @Quade
I hope not because that would surely end up massively devaluing AAdvantage miles.
Maybe, maybe not. It just depends on AA’s wants really. It doesn’t really matter if they are a transfer partner or not. Hyatt is a transfer partner for Chase and BILT, and their points are doing somewhat fine. Maybe AA will limit their reward seats or find other ways to maintain their mileage value.
Dammit I was considering the Barclays AA card, but if it’s gonna become Citi, then no thanks . I guess I’m never gonna get an American Airlines credit card.
Leander said:
Dammit I was considering the Barclays AA card, but if it’s gonna become Citi, then no thanks . I guess I’m never gonna get an American Airlines credit card.
You could always get it now, get the sign-up bonus, and cancel it when they try to switch it over to Citi.
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I was considering the Barclays AA card, but if it’s gonna become Citi, then no thanks 
. I guess I’m never gonna get an American Airlines credit card.