The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is excellent for frequent travelers who want airline club membership.
At $450 per year, this co-branded card offers an annual complimentary Admirals Club membership for you and two guests. Plus, you can add up to 10 authorized users who can also enjoy Admirals Club lounge access.
Other travel benefits, like free first checked bag, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, 25% in-flight savings, and priority check-in and boarding, could also offset the steep annual fee.
Let’s take a deeper look at the special perks and benefits the Citi AAdvantage Executive card offers to see if paying the annual fee makes sense for your travel lifestyle.
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- Admirals Club Lounge Membership for Cardholders and Up to 10 Authorized Users with Two Guests
- Free Checked Bag (for you and 8 travel companions)
- Priority Boarding and Priority Check-In
- Global Entry / TSA Pre-Check Credit
- $450 Annual Fee
1. Welcome Bonus
The AAdvantage Executive Card currently offers the following welcome bonus:
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2. Admirals Club Lounge Access
The most enticing benefit of the Citi AAdvantage Executive card is a complimentary American Airlines Admirals Club membership worth anywhere from $500 to $650 per year.
You and two guests can access over 50 American Airlines Admirals Club locations around the globe when you fly on American Airlines or any OneWorld airline the same day. You can access these lounges without bringing your credit card, as your membership is tied to your AAdvantage account number.
Admirals clubs and lounges feature deluxe amenities and complimentary snacks, house drinks, and made-to-order specialties for an enjoyable experience before take-off. Some locations even have shower facilities and individual workstations.
3. Up to 10 Authorized Users Per Card
The Citi AAdvantage Executive card lets you add 10 authorized users who will enjoy access privileges to Admirals Club lounges at no extra cost.
However, authorized users only receive lounge access and not full membership.
- Authorized users should present their authorized user cards to enter an Admirals Club lounge, since they don’t have a credit card linked to an AAdvantage account number.
- They should fly on American Airlines or a OneWorld partner airline with a same-day boarding pass.
- They can bring immediate family (spouse, domestic partner, and/or children under 18) or up to two guests.
- They can’t access partner lounges, including Alaska Lounges.
This is an amazing travel perk if you often travel with family and friends. You’re practically paying $40 per person for 11 persons per year for Admirals Club lounge access with the $450 annual fee. That’s definitely much cheaper than a single-day pass.
4. Access to Other Lounges
Another perk of having a full Admirals Club membership is having access to other lounges worldwide. You can enter Alaska Lounges and many other partner lounges, including British Airways and Qantas lounges.
5. $450 Annual Fee
The Citi AAdvantage Executive card has a $450 annual fee, which still saves you on club membership costs. Plus, all the other premium travel benefits could easily offset the card’s annual fee.
6. Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Credit
This card offers a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit like many other travel cards.
TSA PreCheck is a membership program offering dedicated airport security lines and faster security screening (typically 5 minutes or less) at more than 200 airports across the United States and includes over 81 airlines.
Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck and expedited immigration upon arrival from an international trip back to the United States.
7. Free First Checked Bag
You and up to eight companions on the same reservation can get your first bag checked free on domestic American Airlines itineraries. This travel benefit doesn’t apply to international trips.
8. Priority Boarding
Cardmembers and up to eight traveling companions on the same reservation will get priority boarding privileges.
The sooner you can get to your seat, the less stress you experience and the more time you have to secure overhead bin space for your carry-on luggage.
9. Priority Check-In and Airport Screening
Cardholders and up to eight traveling companions on the same reservation will also get priority check-in and airport screening benefits.
Plus, you can check in at a business-class or first-class check-in position whatever the class of service you’re traveling.
10. 25% In-Flight Savings
You’ll receive 25% savings as statement credits when you buy food and drinks on American flights using your Citi AAdvantage Executive credit card.
11. 2X Miles on American Airlines Purchases and 1X Miles Everywhere Else
Cardmembers earn two AAdvantage miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. All other eligible purchases earn you 1 AAdvantage mile per dollar.
You can earn as many miles as you want each year.
12. Earn Loyalty Points Through Credit Card Spending
Citi has several co-branded AAdvantage cards that earn Loyalty Points, including the Executive card. A limited-time promotion from January 1, 2022 to February 28, 2023 allows you to earn 10,000 extra Loyalty Points after spending $40,000 in qualifying purchases.
The revamped AAdvantage loyalty program now makes it easier to earn AAdvantage status through everyday credit card spending.
Simply use your AAdvantage Executive card to book flights with American Airlines and partner airlines. Plus, you also earn Loyalty Points by engaging with AAdvantage partners through e-shopping at the AA shopping portal, staying in partner hotels, booking qualifying cruises, and a lot more.
Each eligible AAdvantage mile earns you one Loyalty Point. Welcome bonuses and bonus points in bonus categories do not earn Loyalty Points.
13. No Foreign Transaction Fees
This card has no foreign transaction fees on purchases outside the U.S., which is helpful if you travel internationally to help you avoid paying a 3% fee on those international purchases.
- bonus_miles_full
- Admirals Club Lounge Membership for Cardholders and Up to 10 Authorized Users with Two Guests
- Free Checked Bag (for you and 8 travel companions)
- Priority Boarding and Priority Check-In
- Global Entry / TSA Pre-Check Credit
- $450 Annual Fee
