American Airlines is raising the annual fee for two of its rewards credit cards for the first time since 2018 and adding new benefits like a TSA PreCheck credit and points from spending on hotels.
The fee on the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard will go up to $150 a year from $99. That is the first increase since 2018, when it raised the fee from $95 to $99, a spokeswoman said.
The Citi AAdvantage Business Mastercard will also have a fee increase and will now cost $150 a year.
Airlines and their bank partners have been steadily raising fees on rewards credit cards.
Those cards generate billions of dollars a year for airlines, which make money when miles are sold to banks, which then give them to customers. American's move, announced Tuesday, follows similar increases by rivals such as United Airlines .
Meanwhile, American Express last year raised the fee on its popular Platinum card , which comes with airport lounge access, to $895 a year from $695. JPMorgan Chase increased the annual fee on its competing card, the Sapphire Reserve , to $795 from $550.
The new perks for the American card include 3X AAdvantage miles earnings on hotels booked through American's portal, a credit of up to $120 every four years for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and a $100 annual statement credit on in-flight purchases like food.
