Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® vs Ink Business Unlimited®
Side-by-side comparison
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® | Ink Business Unlimited® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $99 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 80,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles after $3,500 in 4 months | |
| Advertising | 1% | 1.5% |
| Shipping | 1% | 1.5% |
| Office supplies | 1% | 1.5% |
| Phone & internet | 1% | 1.5% |
| Travel | 1% | 1.5% |
| Everything else | 1% | 1.5% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $492 | $675 |
| Points type | Locked to American Airlines AAdvantage | Pools with Chase → transferable |
| Network | Mastercard | Visa |
*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 business spending, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® earns about $492 a year in rewards and the Ink Business Unlimited® about $675, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® charges $99, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The Ink Business Unlimited® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Ink Business Unlimited® delivers more total value, about $282 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and advertising. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Ink Business Unlimited® 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 Ink Business Unlimited® if you will use travel transfers, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Ink Business Unlimited® currently has the larger welcome offer (a limited-time offer above its usual amount, so treat it as a one-time boost). A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Ink Business Unlimited® if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, office supplies.