diff --git a/pygmt/helpers/decorators.py b/pygmt/helpers/decorators.py
index 017aeb0710a..3374af11d29 100644
--- a/pygmt/helpers/decorators.py
+++ b/pygmt/helpers/decorators.py
@@ -17,12 +17,12 @@
 
 COMMON_DOCSTRINGS = {
     "area_thresh": r"""
-        area_thresh : float or str
+        area_thresh
             *min_area*\ [/*min_level*/*max_level*][**+a**\[**g**\|\ **i**]\
             [**s**\|\ **S**]][**+l**\|\ **r**][**+p**\ *percent*].
             Features with an area smaller than *min_area* in km\ :sup:`2` or of
-            hierarchical level that is lower than *min_level* or higher than
-            *max_level* will not be plotted [Default is ``"0/0/4"`` (all features)].""",
+            hierarchical level that is lower than *min_level* or higher than *max_level*
+            will not be plotted [Default is ``"0/0/4"`` (all features)].""",
     "aspatial": r"""
         aspatial : bool or str
             [*col*\ =]\ *name*\ [,...].
diff --git a/pygmt/src/coast.py b/pygmt/src/coast.py
index cd6123a1665..93e45ebc15a 100644
--- a/pygmt/src/coast.py
+++ b/pygmt/src/coast.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def _alias_option_C(lakes=None, river_lakes=None):  # ruff: ignore[invalid-funct
 
 
 @fmt_docstring
-@use_alias(A="area_thresh", E="dcw")
+@use_alias(E="dcw")
 def coast(
     self,
     resolution: Literal[
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ def coast(
     shorelines: bool | str | Sequence[int | str] = False,
     lakes: str | None = None,
     river_lakes: str | None = None,
+    area_thresh: float | str | None = None,
     map_scale: str | None = None,
     box: Box | bool = False,
     projection: str | None = None,
@@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ def coast(
     Full GMT docs at :gmt-docs:`coast.html`.
 
     $aliases
+       - A = area_thresh
        - B = frame
        - C = lakes, river_lakes
        - D = resolution
@@ -320,6 +322,7 @@ def coast(
         )
 
     aliasdict = AliasSystem(
+        A=Alias(area_thresh, name="area_thresh"),
         C=_alias_option_C(lakes=lakes, river_lakes=river_lakes),
         D=Alias(
             resolution,
diff --git a/pygmt/src/grdlandmask.py b/pygmt/src/grdlandmask.py
index 0c8d8b0f81d..a6f66144c48 100644
--- a/pygmt/src/grdlandmask.py
+++ b/pygmt/src/grdlandmask.py
@@ -10,13 +10,12 @@
 from pygmt.alias import Alias, AliasSystem
 from pygmt.clib import Session
 from pygmt.exceptions import GMTParameterError
-from pygmt.helpers import build_arg_list, fmt_docstring, use_alias
+from pygmt.helpers import build_arg_list, fmt_docstring
 
 __doctest_skip__ = ["grdlandmask"]
 
 
 @fmt_docstring
-@use_alias(A="area_thresh")
 def grdlandmask(
     outgrid: PathLike | None = None,
     spacing: Sequence[float | str] | None = None,
@@ -25,6 +24,7 @@ def grdlandmask(
     resolution: Literal[
         "auto", "full", "high", "intermediate", "low", "crude", None
     ] = None,
+    area_thresh: float | str | None = None,
     region: Sequence[float | str] | str | None = None,
     registration: Literal["gridline", "pixel"] | bool = False,
     verbose: Literal["quiet", "error", "warning", "timing", "info", "compat", "debug"]
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def grdlandmask(
     cores: int | bool = False,
     **kwargs,
 ) -> xr.DataArray | None:
-    r"""
+    """
     Create a "wet-dry" mask grid from shoreline database.
 
     Read the selected shoreline database and use that information to decide which nodes
@@ -43,7 +43,13 @@ def grdlandmask(
 
     Full GMT docs at :gmt-docs:`grdlandmask.html`.
 
-    $aliases
+
+    **Aliases**
+
+    .. hlist::
+       :columns: 3
+
+       - A = area_thresh
        - D = resolution
        - E = border_values
        - G = outgrid
@@ -116,6 +122,7 @@ def grdlandmask(
         raise GMTParameterError(required=["region", "spacing"])
 
     aliasdict = AliasSystem(
+        A=Alias(area_thresh, name="area_thresh"),
         D=Alias(
             resolution,
             name="resolution",
diff --git a/pygmt/src/select.py b/pygmt/src/select.py
index ca3267a2c2e..34894c3182f 100644
--- a/pygmt/src/select.py
+++ b/pygmt/src/select.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 
 @fmt_docstring
 @use_alias(
-    A="area_thresh",
     C="dist2pt",
     F="polygon",
     G="mask_grid",
@@ -48,6 +47,7 @@ def select(
     resolution: Literal[
         "auto", "full", "high", "intermediate", "low", "crude", None
     ] = None,
+    area_thresh: float | str | None = None,
     projection: str | None = None,
     region: Sequence[float | str] | str | None = None,
     verbose: Literal["quiet", "error", "warning", "timing", "info", "compat", "debug"]
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ def select(
     Full GMT docs at :gmt-docs:`gmtselect.html`.
 
     $aliases
+       - A = area_thresh
        - D = resolution
        - J = projection
        - R = region
@@ -221,6 +222,7 @@ def select(
         column_names = data.columns.to_list()
 
     aliasdict = AliasSystem(
+        A=Alias(area_thresh, name="area_thresh"),
         D=Alias(
             resolution,
             name="resolution",