I Have No Idea Who The AAdvantage Globe Card Is For, But I Still Grabbed One

AAdvantage Globe Card Approval

I wanted to discuss my recent AAdvantage Globe card approval a bit. This is a weird one, since the Globe card is one of the few cards that I have no idea who it is intended for. That is a rarity with credit cards, at least for me. There are bad card launches and refreshes from every card issuer, but I can usually see the intent they had at least. That is not the case with this recently launched card. I find that kind of surprising for a card with a $350 annual fee. After saying all of that, I grabbed one anyway.

Earning Structure

Hey, maybe I am the crazy one here. Maybe the value is obvious to everyone else. Let’s go through the earning structure and card perks to see if I am oblivious to the value this card offers.

• 6x AAdvantage miles on AAdvantage hotel bookings
• 3x AAdvantage miles on American Airlines purchases
• 2x AAdvantage miles on
  • Restaurants
  • Taxis
  • Rideshares
  • Public transport
• 1x AAdvantage miles on everything else
• You will also earn 1x loyalty points on every dollar of eligible spend

I don’t see anything in the card’s earning structure that moves the needle much. Earning 2x on a lot of transportation is probably the most unique thing here, but it isn’t a huge area of spend for a lot of people (including me).

Card Perks

When you get into the $300+ realm of credit card fees you expect some pretty juicy perks, right? At a minimum, you expect a ton of coupons that you can try to squeeze value out of, like blood from a stone. Well, here is what the AAdvantage Globe card offers for its $350 annual fee:

• Four Admirals Club Globe passes each year.
  • These hit her account immediately and are supposed to be super charged Admirals Club passes. They should work even if they are turning away regular passes because of capacity issues.
• $100 credit towards eligible in-flight purchases on American Airlines each year.
• $120 in statement credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment.
• $240 in Turo credits annually, available as $30 per eligible Turo trip.
• $100 in Splurge Credits annually, valid for two of the following:
  • AAdvantage Hotel bookings
  • 1stDibs
  • Future Personal Training
  • Live Nation
• American Airlines Companion Certificate
  • Earn a $99 American Airlines Companion Certificate starting in your second card membership year upon renewal.

My Thoughts On The Perks

I am really squinting here, and I just don’t see it. The splurge credit would be pretty good if they included all of the options the Strata Elite gets for it. I don’t have any concert plans on the books, so I guess I’ll try to grab a hotel somewhere for that.

If the $100 American Airlines credit was for flights, then that would be something. Limiting it to in-flight purchases really kills the value here, at least for me. Anyone that has AAdvantage Platinum status and above is already getting free drinks in Main Cabin Extra on their flights. I guess I could grab a ton of snack boxes on my way off the plane somewhere.

I don’t use Turo, and making that a per trip credit is devious. The $99 companion certificate only comes in year two, and I don’t use the one I get from my AAdvantage Business card already. Both of those get a zero valuation for me.

The Admirals Club passes are the only thing that I really find interesting. I would put those at around $25 – $30 worth of value for each one.

Other Notable Perks

Here are some other notable perks of the American Airlines AAdvantage Globe card:

• One free checked bag for up to eight travelers on the same reservation
• Group 5 boarding for up to eight travelers on the same reservation
• No foreign transaction fees
• Mastercard Legend benefits

Most of this can be had with the $95 card.

So Why Grab The AAdvantage Globe Card Then?

The 90,000 AAdvantage mile welcome offer, after spending $5,000 in 3 months, is why I still grabbed the Globe card. If I am only able to get $100 – $200 in value back that is fine. I am okay paying $250 in net cost to get 90,000 AAdvantage miles.

The Citi application rules kind of force you to look at the Globe as a worthwhile card to get as well. Since you can get each individual American Airlines product every 48 months, instead of a family rule, I might as well get the clock rolling on this card.

Seriously Though, Who Is This Card For?

When the AAdvantage Globe card launched I figured it would be for American Airlines loyalists that don’t value lounge access much. Maybe it would offer some unique perks, or a better way to earn Loyalty Points etc. Something more in line with the Atmos Summit card.

Boy, was I wrong. This card’s perks don’t really make sense for anyone that has status with American Airlines. The coupons are so limited that I don’t even really think it makes sense for someone that wants to feel like they have status either.

I never thought I would say this, but the AAdvantage Executive card looks like the much better value proposition to me long term. Even at the inflated $595 annual fee, at least it gets my entire family in the lounge whenever I want. (Yes, I realize it isn’t as good as it was when you could bring 10 people off the street with you.) Sadly, I think the $10 monthly GrubHub credit the Executive card gets is better than any of the Globe’s card perks too.

AAdvantage Globe Card Approval: Final Thoughts

My AAdvantage Globe card approval was born out of Citi’s application rules and a very compelling welcome offer. I don’t plan on keeping the card long term unless something drastically changes.

Does anyone plan on keeping this card past the first year? I don’t see one redeeming feature the card offers. The Admirals Club Globe passes are nice, but they are not worth $350. Let me know if I am missing something down below, or over in the MTM Facebook Group.