Chase Freedom Flex℠ vs Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select®

Chase Freedom Flex℠
VS
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select®
The short answer: The Chase Freedom Flex℠ delivers a bit more value for most spenders, but choose the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® if you spend more on gas.

Side-by-side comparison

Chase Freedom Flex℠Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select®
Annual feeNo annual fee$99
Welcome offer$200 cash bonus80,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles after $3,500 in 4 months
Dining3x2x
Groceries1x1x
Gas1x2x
Travel1x1x
Streaming1x1x
Everything else1x1x
Est. yearly rewards*$361$343
Points typePools with Chase → transferableLocked to American Airlines AAdvantage
NetworkMastercardMastercard

*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.

The verdict

On a typical year of household spending, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns about $361 a year in rewards and the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® about $343, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Chase Freedom Flex℠ has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® charges $99, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ delivers more total value, about $117 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on dining. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® stays locked to a single airline or hotel program. Favor the Chase Freedom Flex℠ if you will use travel transfers, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.

Pick the Chase Freedom Flex℠ if your spending leans toward dining. Pick the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® if your spending leans toward gas.

Read the full reviews

Frequently asked questions

Is the Chase Freedom Flex℠ or the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® better?
On typical household spending, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ comes out ahead, by roughly $117 a year with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. But the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® can be the better fit if your spending lines up with its stronger categories. Run both through the Cardocrat calculator to see your own numbers.
Can I have both the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select®?
In most cases yes, as long as you meet each issuer's approval rules (for example Chase's 5/24 rule). Many people hold complementary cards to cover more bonus categories, then pool or redeem the rewards together where the program allows.
Which has the better welcome bonus, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ or the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select®?
As of June 2026, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers $200 cash bonus and the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® offers 80,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles after $3,500 in 4 months. Welcome offers change often, so confirm the current offer on each card's page before applying.