Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® vs Capital One Spark Cash Select
Side-by-side comparison
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® | Capital One Spark Cash Select | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $99 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $750 cash back | |
| 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 Capital One → transferable |
| Network | Mastercard | Mastercard |
*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 Capital One Spark Cash Select 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 Capital One Spark Cash Select has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Capital One Spark Cash Select 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 Capital One Spark Cash Select 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 Capital One Spark Cash Select if you will use travel transfers, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the two are currently comparable in size. Note that Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® is running a limited-time offer above the usual amount, so that edge may not last. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Capital One Spark Cash Select if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, office supplies.