With the current sign-up bonus of 50,000 American Airlines miles on the Citi Platinum Select American Airlines card, you can get Big Travel all over the world.
This includes a First Class ticket from Vienna to South Africa that normally costs over $8,000.
Or take a family of 4 one-way from anywhere in the mainland US all the way to Alaska!
Visit Vibrant Sydney, Australia, With the Sign-Up Bonus From the Citi Platinum Select American Airlines Card! I’ll Share Other Big Travel Trips, Too!
I’ll share my top 6 Big Travel trips you can get with 50,000 American Airlines miles!
What’s the Deal?
Link: Citi Platinum Select American Airlines Card
For a limited time, the sign-up bonus on the Citi Platinum Select American Airlines card is 50,000 American Airlines miles after spending $3,000 in purchases within the 1st 3 months of opening your account.
You’ll also get:
- 2X American Airlines miles per $1 spent on American Airlines flights
- 1X American Airlines mile per $1 spent everywhere else
- 10% of the miles you redeem back in your account, up to 10,000 miles per calendar year
- Group 1 boarding
- Priority check-in
- 1 free checked bag for yourself and up to 4 companions traveling on the same domestic itinerary
The annual fee is $95, waived for the 1st 12 months.
The card has NO foreign transaction fees, so it’s great to carry all over the world.
Here are my tips on how to meet the minimum spending requirements!
Now might be a good time to apply if you plan on buying lots of presents for the holiday because the spending will be easier to complete!
6 Big Travel Trips You Can Get With the Citi Platinum Select American Airlines Card
Link: American Airlines Award Chart
Link: American Airlines Partner Award Chart
Link: Book American Airlines Award Flights Like a Pro
I’ve written about the best ways to use American Airlines miles. You can use them for award flights on American Airlines, their oneworld partners, or other partners like Alaska Airlines or Etihad.
Let’s look at the best ways to get Big Travel with the 50,000 American Airlines miles you can earn with the Citi Platinum Select American Airlines Card.
1. Off-Peak Awards to the Caribbean
Link: American Airlines Off-Peak Dates
I showed you how to redeem fewer miles to Europe with off-peak awards.
With American Airlines miles, you can fly off-peak for fewer miles to:
- Hawaii – January 12 to March 13, and August 22 to December 15
- The Caribbean & Mexico – September 7 to November 14
- Europe – October 15 to May 15
- Central America and Northern South America (Region 1 which includes Panama and Ecuador) – January 16 to June 14, and September 7 to November 14
- Southern South America (Region 2 which includes Brazil) – March 1 to May 31, and August 16 to November 30
- Japan – October 1 to April 30
Take Advantage of Off-Peak Awards and Get Big Travel to St. Maarten in the Caribbean!
American Airlines flies to lots of islands in the Caribbean. And better yet, you can fly there from anywhere in the mainland US, Canada, or Alaska for 25,000 American Airlines miles round-trip during the off-peak season.
50,000 American Airlines Is Enough to Fly You and a Partner to St. Maarten!
I found 2 award seats from Dallas to St. Maarten next September for 50,000 American Airlines miles plus ~$161.
The Exact Same Flights Would Cost Over $1,400 in Cash!
I looked up the same flights to see how much 2 of them would cost. The total came to ~$1,452! So the sign-up bonus on the Citi Platinum Select American Airlines card is worth well over $1,000 of Big Travel toward a romantic Caribbean getaway!
You can book these awards directly on the American Airlines website.
MVI_03771A friend sent me a video of an American Airlines plane coming in for landing over Maho Beach at St. Maarten. It’s a perfect place for gazing into the sky! 
2. First Class from Europe to the Middle East
One of the most luxurious experiences you can get in the air is in Etihad’s First Class.
Fly 1-Way in Etihad’s First Class From Europe to Abu Dhabi for 40,000 American Airlines Miles
For 40,000 American Airlines miles, you can fly from Europe to the Middle East or India, including exotic locations likes the Maldives.
I Loved Etihad’s First Class Seat!
Read about my trip to India in Etihad’s First Class seats!
Flights From London in First Class to the Maldives Would Cost ~$4,723 If You Paid for Them!
These flights usually cost thousands of dollars, so you save a lot of money and get Big Travel with your American Airlines miles!
You can also get a 1-way coach ticket all the way from the US to the Middle East or India (including the Maldives) for 45,000 American Airlines miles.
You have to call American Airlines to book your award on Etihad. Find out how to find and book an Etihad award seat step-by-step!
3. Four 1-Way Award Tickets to Alaska or 2 Round-Trips
Each leg of a trip within the mainland US, Canada, or Alaska costs 12,500 American Airlines miles each way.
That means you can fly from the bottom tip of Florida all the way to Alaska for 12,500 American Airlines miles!
Craving Wilderness and Mountains? Alaska Is Amazing If You Love the Outdoors!
Say you find a cheap ticket to or from Alaska. You can purchase the cheaper flights to get there, or back home. And then redeem American Airlines miles for the other direction!
This could be a great way to bring the family on vacation. Or pay for a round-trip ticket for 2, and pay for the other 2 in cash. Be sure to run the numbers to find the best way for you!
Four 1-Way Flights From Miami to Anchorage Would Cost $1,722
I found four 1-way flights next July to trade Miami’s hot sunshine for midnight sun in Alaska for ~$1,722. So using your miles for expensive flights is a fantastic deal!
You can book this award ticket on the American Airlines website.
4. One-Way to Australia
You can fly American Airlines and its partner Qantas to Australia for 37,500 American Airlines each way from the US. So you’ll need more American Airlines miles for a round-trip ticket. Or you can use another type of miles to fly home (or, like the example before, pay for the cheaper direction!).
Pick a Day, Any Day! Coach Award Seats Are Available Every Day Next September
I found a coach award seat available every day in September 2016 from Los Angeles to Sydney!
A 1-Way Award Flight to Sydney, Australia, Costs 37,500 American Airlines Miles + ~$26
And keep in mind you can connect in Los Angeles from anywhere in the continental US for NO added cost.
You can book your award flight online.
5. First Class From Europe to Africa
If you’re planning a big trip and want to visit Africa along the way, you can fly First Class from Europe to anywhere in Africa for 50,000 American Airlines each way.
Visit Cape Town, South Africa, and Have a Look at the Cape of Good Hope for Yourself!
I found First Class flights on British Airways from Vienna to Cape Town.
Fly From Europe to Cape Town in British Airways First Class for 50,000 American Airlines Miles!
For comparison, I looked up the same flights on the British Airways website.
You’d Pay Over $8,000 for These Seats!
These flights are selling for ~$8,427! So this is not only a terrific way to redeem your miles, but a great way to arrive in style to visit a new country (or continent!).
Keep in mind fuel surcharges for this ticket are ~$380. But for a First Class flight, it might be worth it.
You can book this award on the American Airlines website.
6. Japan to China or Singapore on JAL or Cathay Pacific
With 50,000 American Airlines miles, you can visit 2 very different regions in Asia. You can fly from Region 1 (which includes Japan) to Region 2 (which includes China and Singapore) for:
- 20,000 American Airlines miles each way in coach
- 30,000 American Airlines miles each way in Business Class
- 40,000 American Airlines miles each way in First Class
American Airlines has 2 great partners in Asia.
Fly JAL or Cathay Pacific…or Both on the Same Trip!
You can fly JAL non-stop to Singapore, or you can fly Cathay Pacific with a connection in Hong Kong. And for either partner, the mileage cost is the same!
Both JAL and Cathay Pacific Have Amazing First Class Seats!
See more of Asia and try out 2 terrific airline partners. You could fly round-trip from Japan to China or Singapore in coach for 40,000 American Airlines miles, or fly 1-way in First Class for the same amount.
You can search for seats on the British Airways website and then call American Airlines at 800-882-8880 to book them. There’s usually a $25 fee to book award tickets over the phone, but because they’re not able to be booked online, you can ask the agent to waive the fee.
Earn More American Airlines Miles
Link: Citi AAdvantage Executive Card
If you need more American Airlines miles, the fastest way to earn them is to sign-up for a new credit card.
With the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, you’ll earn 50,000 American Airlines miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the 1st 3 months of opening your account.
And with the Citi AAdvantage Executive Card, you can earn another 50,000 American Airlines miles after spending $5,000 within the 1st 3 months of opening your account.
This Citi Executive card has a higher minimum spending requirement and the annual fee of $450 is NOT waived the 1st year, but it comes with lots of benefits. You’ll get an American Airlines Admirals Club membership and 1 free checked bag for yourself and up to 8 companions traveling with you. Check out my full review!
If you sign-up for both American Airlines credit cards, you’ll have at least 100,000 American Airlines miles to use for award flights! Because they’re considered different card products, it’s possible to get both!
And here are all the ways you can earn American Airlines miles. This includes transfers from Starwood Preferred Guest directly to American Airlines. Remember, you’ll earn 5,000 bonus miles for every 20,000 Starwood points you transfer!
Note: Citi will only approve 1 credit card application per day, and no more than 2 every ~65 days. And you should wait at least ~8 days between applications.
Bottom Line
You can get Big Travel with Small Money from the 50,000 American Airlines miles sign-up bonus with the Citi Platinum Select American Airlines card.
Redeem the miles for round-trip flights within the mainland US, Canada, or Alaska for a family vacation. Or if you want to splurge, you can fly in Etihad’s luxurious First Class cabin from Europe to the Middle East or India, or enjoy JAL and Cathay Pacific’s First Class on the same trip from Japan to Singapore!
I hope these give you ideas. Tell me about your favorite way to use your American Airlines miles!
* If you liked this post, why don’t you join the 20,000+ readers who have signed-up to receive free blog posts via email (only 1 email per day!) or in an RSS reader …because then you’ll never miss another update!
