The recently introduced Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® (check rates and fees) is an excellent choice for occasional American Airlines travelers. With an annual fee of $350, new cardholders can earn 90,000 miles after spending $5,000 within the first four months of opening their account.
You might be questioning whether this card justifies its fee, especially if you don’t fly often. I’ve analyzed the figures to demonstrate how much you could save on just one trip.
Beyond its generous welcome bonus, here’s how the Globe Mastercard’s benefits can enhance your next getaway.
Related: 5 reasons why I believe American Airlines miles are worth more than miles from United Airlines and Delta Air Lines
Round-trip flights with American Airlines
For instance, if you want to fly from Pittsburgh to Las Vegas to catch New Kids on the Block in concert this February.
Once you meet the spending threshold and earn your welcome bonus of 90,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles, you can redeem those miles for flights. You could book two round-trip economy tickets from Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) for as low as 39,000 AAdvantage miles, plus just $22.40 in taxes and fees.
By using your AAdvantage miles, you could save nearly $1,000 on those same Main Cabin flights.
Flying Frugal estimates the value of AA miles at 1.55 cents each (as of December 2025 valuations). Redeeming your rewards in this way would give you around 2.5 cents per mile, maximizing your miles efficiently.
Related: I used ChatGPT to plan a last-minute trip to Las Vegas: Here’s what worked and what didn’t
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TSA PreCheck
You can expedite your security screening at both PIT and LAS by registering for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck, for which the Globe card offers a credit of up to $120 every four years.
I recently signed up for this and it has significantly eased my experience at airport security.
Checked Baggage, Lounge Access, Preferred Boarding, and Inflight Purchases
The Globe card offers a variety of advantages when flying American Airlines, contributing both to cost savings and enhanced comfort, even for occasional travelers.
On this Vegas trip, you might enjoy:
- Preferred boarding for the cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation.
- One free checked bag per person on domestic flights (cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation).
- Four Admirals Club lounge passes annually, allowing an adult (18+) to bring up to three children under 18 along on the same pass. These passes can be used at multiple lounges within a 24-hour period when traveling with American Airlines or any Oneworld partner.
- Up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year for inflight purchases on American Airlines flights when using your card (excludes codeshare flights operated by other airlines).
Checked baggage usually costs $35 per person each way, meaning a round-trip for two to the Vegas concert could save you $140 in baggage fees with this card.
This itinerary includes connecting flights through Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), making the Admirals Club passes particularly valuable, as they can be utilized at both PIT and CLT on outbound flights and again at CLT on return flights (unfortunately, there is no Admirals Club in LAS). Each lounge pass normally costs $79, so if you accessed three lounges for two people, you could save $474.
The inflight purchase credit can offset costs during your flights to and from Las Vegas, whether for inflight Wi-Fi, snacks, or even beverages to kick off your weekend before you land.
Related: Airline baggage fees: How much it costs to check a bag on major US airlines
Redeem AAdvantage Miles for Accommodations
Did you know that AAdvantage miles can also be used for hotel stays, providing additional savings for your next trip? While this option doesn’t typically yield the best value, AAdvantage cardholders benefit from improved redemption rates.
If you spend only 39,000 miles of your 90,000-mile welcome bonus on round-trip flights to Las Vegas, you’d still have 51,000 miles left to use for hotel savings.
The Flamingo Las Vegas, located in the heart of the Strip and near the Dolby Live venue, has a cash rate of $488.06 for a Deluxe City View Room for three nights, plus resort fees of $149.85.
*Prices accurate at the time of publishing.
For anyone redeeming AAdvantage miles for the same room at the same time, without a cobranded credit card or elite status, they’d need 64,600 AAdvantage miles to save the $488.06 (note that resort fees would still apply).
However, Globe cardholders can redeem only 48,400 AAdvantage miles for the same room during those dates, saving $448.06 on a three-night stay, equating to a redemption rate of around one cent per AAdvantage mile. Thus, redeeming your miles can result in significant savings.
Annual Splurge Credit for Concert Tickets
The card also provides an annual “Splurge Credit” of up to $100, allowing you to choose from two merchants: 1stDibs, AAdvantage Hotels, Future Personal Training, or Live Nation (exclusions may apply).
You can use the card to buy your New Kids on the Block concert tickets through Live Nation, saving up to $100. Just remember to select Live Nation as your preferred merchant and make your purchase directly through them.
If you’re planning a trip to Vegas without attending a Live Nation event, consider extending your stay or upgrading your room by using your Splurge Credit at AAdvantage Hotels.
Related: The best credit cards for concerts and music festivals
Conclusion
You might not fully appreciate just how rewarding the Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard can be, particularly if you don’t fly with American Airlines frequently.
For this particular trip to Vegas, after bonus rewards, your savings could total:
- $979 on flights by redeeming 39,000 AAdvantage miles
- $140 in checked baggage fees
- $474 on Admirals Club lounge access
- $100 on inflight purchases
- $120 on Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fees
- $488 on hotel accommodation with 48,400 AAdvantage miles through AAdvantage Hotels
- $100 on concert tickets through Live Nation
Overall, that amounts to a total savings of $2,401 from just one card on a single trip—a remarkable value considering the card’s annual fee is only $350.
For additional information, check out our complete review of the Globe card.
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard
