Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard Review: Free Admirals Club Access

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Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard: A Complete Overview

The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) is ideal for frequent American Airlines travelers who prioritize lounge access. This card offers full membership to the Admirals Club, along with various perks that enhance the American Airlines experience. These include a complimentary checked bag, priority boarding, check-in, airport screening, and a boost toward elite status. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card Rating reflects the opinion of TPG's editorial team and is independent of the card issuer's influence.

While numerous credit cards offer airport lounge access, the specific lounges available to each cardholder can differ significantly. However, the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is the only cobranded card that provides complimentary entry to American Airlines' Admirals Club lounges.

The card comes with an annual fee of $595, which may seem high, but it’s still more affordable than an Admirals Club membership (currently priced at $850 for new members).

To qualify for the card, a credit score of at least 670 is generally recommended.

This card experienced significant changes (mostly negative) in mid-2023, and TPG's senior editorial director, Nick Ewen, expressed disappointment with the updates.

Let’s explore all the perks of this American Airlines cobranded card to help you decide if it belongs in your wallet — or if it’s time to let go.

Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite: Pros and Cons

Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite: Welcome Bonus Offer

The Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is offering 70,000 bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first three months of account opening. This bonus is valued at $1,085, according to TPG's latest mile valuations.

The highest offer we've previously seen on this card was 100,000 bonus points. For those who missed out on that impressive sign-up bonus, now’s the time to take advantage of this record-breaking deal.

Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite: Key Benefits

What sets this card apart from others is its inclusion of complimentary Admirals Club access. The primary cardholder receives full Admirals Club membership, granting access to you and your immediate family or two companions when you have a same-day boarding pass for American Airlines or one of its partners. Your AAdvantage account is linked to your card, so you don’t need to carry it to access the club.

Admirals Club memberships typically cost between $700 and $850, depending on your status level with American Airlines. So, the card’s annual fee essentially covers the cost of lounge access, not even accounting for the other benefits.

You can add up to 10 authorized users to your account. The first three users cost $175 annually, and each additional authorized user also carries a $175 fee. Every authorized user enjoys Admirals Club access for themselves and up to two companions. However, note that authorized users only receive access to the Admirals Club, not a full Admirals Club membership.

Three statement credits are available:

• Up to $120 back on eligible Avis or Budget car rentals each calendar year (credit restrictions were applied in July 2024)
• Up to $120 back on eligible Grubhub orders (up to $10 statement credit per month)
• Up to $120 in Lyft credits ($10 per month), but you must complete three eligible rides each month to receive this benefit

Here are some additional valuable benefits the card provides:

• Enhanced airport experience: You and up to eight people on the same reservation enjoy priority check-in (where available), expedited airport screening, and priority boarding. You can also check in at any business-class position (or first-class if business is unavailable), regardless of your ticket class.
• Free first checked bag on domestic flights: For American Airlines and regional partner flights, the first checked bag for you and up to eight companions on the same reservation is free. The flight must be marketed, sold, and operated by American Airlines to qualify.
• 25% off eligible inflight purchases: Enjoy a 25% discount on inflight food and drinks when paid with the card (excludes inflight Wi-Fi).
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck statement credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits when paying for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment ($100). This credit is available once every four years. Since Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck, it’s more beneficial to opt for Global Entry rather than just TSA PreCheck.

A few years ago, this card eliminated its travel protections, but it has since reintroduced several key benefits, including trip cancellation and interruption coverage, trip delay protection, lost baggage coverage, and car rental insurance.

Additionally, there are no foreign transaction fees, making this card an excellent option for international travel.

Earning Miles with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite

With the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, you earn 4 miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases. If you reach $150,000 in purchases during a calendar year, your earnings increase to 5 miles per dollar spent on American Airlines purchases for the rest of the year.

You’ll earn 10 miles per dollar on qualifying car rentals and hotel bookings made through American Airlines' car rental and hotel booking platforms, respectively.

For all other eligible purchases, you’ll earn 1 mile per dollar spent.

Cardholders receive a 10,000 Loyalty Points bonus after earning 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year. A second bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Points is awarded after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points in the same period.

You’ll earn these bonuses no matter how you accumulate your Loyalty Points. For instance, you could earn 50,000 Loyalty Points by purchasing American Airlines tickets and shopping through the AAdvantage portal and still receive the 10,000-point bonus simply for holding the card.

Redeeming Miles with the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite

The lowest-priced round-trip flights within the U.S. typically begin at 7,500 miles one-way for flights under 500 miles.

Previous web specials have included domestic cross-country flights for 5,000 miles each way in economy or 15,000 miles each way in first class, flights to Europe starting at 9,000 miles one-way, and flights to Brazil from 15,000 miles each way.

Alternatively, you can maximize the value of your AAdvantage miles by using them for premium-cabin awards on partner airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Etihad, and Qatar Airways.

TPG's managing editor for credit cards, Matt Moffitt, and credit card writer Danyal Ahmed both prefer using AAdvantage miles to book business-class flights with Etihad or Qatar Airways to destinations in the Middle East, India, and Africa.

One TPG reader shared how they used the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite card to rack up enough miles for multiple tickets to Hawaii:

"I charged everything to my CitiAAdvantage Mastercard. Once I accumulated enough miles, I booked tickets to Hawaii from the East Coast five times, totaling nine round-trip flights." — Arlene Finn via Facebook

Note: Responses submitted by readers have not been edited, reviewed, or endorsed by the issuers, and do not represent TPG's views on these cards.

The miles you earn with this card could help turn your dream vacation into a reality if you know how to redeem them effectively for maximum value.

Which cards rival the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite?

Since American Airlines isn't a transfer partner with any of the major points programs, except for Bilt Rewards, the main competitors to this card are typically other cobranded American Airlines cards. However, you can also gain significant value from general premium travel rewards cards.

• If you prefer a lower annual fee: The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard is an excellent mid-tier card offering benefits similar to elite status, all for a more affordable annual fee of $99. For more details, check out our full review of the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select.
• If you're not a frequent AA traveler: A premium travel rewards card like The Platinum Card® from American Express may be a better fit. It allows you to earn 5 points per dollar on flights (when booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel), up to $500,000 annually, then 1 point per dollar. You can also take advantage of a wide range of airline transfer partners. For more details, read our full review of the Amex Platinum.
• If you run a business: The Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) is a solid entry-level business credit card offering elite-level benefits and bonus earning opportunities in business categories. The first-year annual fee is waived, and both you and your employees can earn Loyalty Points. For more information, read our review of the Citi / AAdvantage Business World Elite Mastercard.

For more options, take a look at our comprehensive list of premium travel cards.

The details for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select card have been independently collected by Dinogo. The card information on this page has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Final Thoughts

With an Admirals Club membership starting at $700 annually, the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is definitely worth considering for any frequent American Airlines traveler. If you're after Admirals Club access, a generous sign-up bonus, and a way to accelerate your progress toward elite status, this card offers lasting benefits. However, if you're primarily seeking the best return on your spending, you may want to explore other options.