We’ve talked before about keeping your travel costs down by using credit card sign up bonuses for free flights.  With this strategy, you can reap the benefits of a $500 flight per person and a free flight.  The problem we’ve seen is that credit card companies want to hand out as few signup bonuses as possible.  How do you get around this limitation?  Try another credit card company!

American Airlines has partnered with Citibank bank to offer the Citi Platinum AAdvantage Card.  In exchange for spending a certain amount within a specific time frame (usually $1000-$2000 in the first three months of opening the card), Citibank will give you anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 miles (depending whatever the current promotion is).  We always recommend that you wait for the 50,000 mile bonus.  You also earn 2 miles for each dollar spent on American Airlines transactions and 1 mile for each dollar spent anywhere else.

So, sign up for the card and meet the spending requirement in order to receive the initial bonus.  American flights to anywhere within the continental United States (over 700 miles in distance) can be redeemed for 25,000 miles round trip at the MileSAAver level.  You will also receive 10% of your redeemed miles back, up to 10,000 AAdvantage miles per year.  So, if you redeemed 100,000 miles in a year (for four free round trips), you will receive back 10,000 AAdvantage miles into your account to be used for future trips.

The Citi Platinum AAdvantage Card also offers one free checked bag each for the card holder and up to four additional travelers on the same reservation (up to five free bags).  This can save you significant money in baggage fees for a round trip flight.  The card holder and all traveling companions on the same ticket will also receive priority boarding, which could make finding space for your carry on bags in the overhead bins much easier.

The annual fee on the card is $95, but is waived for the first year.  You can only receive the sign up bonus if you haven’t opened or closed the same card within the last 18 months.  The card must be active in order to get the benefits of the card, including the free checked bags, priority boarding, and 10% redemption of miles.

For one credit card sign up bonus of 50,000 miles, you and your traveling companion can travel anywhere round trip within the 48 states.  The Caribbean, Mexico, and Central American can be reached for 35,000 miles round trip.  Hawaii can be reached for 45,000 miles round trip!  With free miles from credit card signup bonuses, you can start traveling for less money!

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