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The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite MasterCard® is a great card for loyal American Airlines clients that want an Admirals Club access and other glamorous benefits. You have the opportunity to earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles after making $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
If Admirals Club airport lounge access doesn’t really mean anything to you, then you should consider getting a different credit card.
Other than the Admirals Club access, the other features on this card won’t be able to balance out for the large annual fee.
American Airlines (AA) is the largest airline in the Dallas and Fort Worth area.
They have about 6,700 flights every day to almost 350 locations in more than 50 countries.
Citi / AAdvantage Executive Card Quick Facts
Citi/ AAdvantage Excutive Card Bonus Miles
Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles after making $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
Here are some ideas on meeting the spending requirement.
What are AAdvantage Miles Worth?
Compared to other airline-branded credit card, depending on how you use your miles will reflect their value. Typically, the value for every AAdvantage mile will be worth about $0.014. The airline and destination spot will have a role in the value of your miles when you fly.
You’ll be able to redeem your miles with American Airlines, American Egal, and OneWorld flights. You can even redeem with their other partners (more on that below).
These AAdvantage miles will also be good for gift cards, magazines, seat upgrades, car rentals, and hotel bookings. To receive the best value for your miles would be to use them for flights. Being a cardholder will mean you get reduced mileage reward privileges.
Whenever you’re ready to use your AAdvantage miles to buy a round-trip domestic MileSAAver flight, you’ll be able to reserve award travels for:
- 7,500 miles on longer destinations
- 2,000 miles on shorter destinations
Their destinations do change every month, MileSAAver seats will be limited. To reserve a flight, just call American Airlines or go to their ticket office for more information.
If looking for the best value for your miles is in your wheelhouse, it’s definitely worth the extra leg work. However, if calculating numbers and values isn’t for you, then you should consider a general travel rewards card instead.
Citi/ AAdvantage Executive Card Top Features
Admirals Club consists of a group of airport lounges. They have about 50 American Airlines lounges and almost 60 partner lounges globally. Being a cardholder will give you access to any of these Admirals Club lounges. Even your family or no more than 2 travel buddies will be able to join you.
You’re able to put no more than 10 authorized users (they will receive their own cards) with no additional charge. Authorized users will also gain access to the Admirals Club without having the primary cardholder there. They will even allow no more than 2 of their travel companions to have access to this too.
A one-day Admirals Club pass will be $59 for non-cardholders. This means, having access to the lounge about 8 times a year will be able to cover the annual fee that comes with this card.
A one-year Admirals Club membership will be $650 (base AAdvantage membership status), so the $450 card cost is great.
How much are your checked bags charging you for your recent trips? if it’s $30 for each, that can build up real fast.
If you fly with American Airlines in the United States, your first checked bag (and the first bag for no more than 8 people) will be for free.
When there are about 8 people in your party, you can saving about $540 per round-trip. This is a great benefit for a credit card that’s airline-branded.
You and no more than 8 travel buddies on the same booking will be able to benefit from:
- Priority check-in
- Priority airport screening (where available)
- Boarding privileges
Going through the airport and plane will be less chaotic.
Get a 25% savings on American Airlines inflight food and beverages. You have to charge your card with these expenses to be able to qualify.
With this benefit, it will be able to cover your application charge for Global Entry or TSA Prechecks. Receive no more than $100 statement credit for every 5 years. Global Entries will include the TSA Precheck, this is a great option.
Do you want an elite status and are willing to charge your card with a good amount? Then you will be able to gain 10,000 AAdvantage Elite Qualifying Miles. This will be worth about $40,000 in expenses in one year.
You can get mileage bonuses, upgrades, extra airport perks, and more when you get the elite status.
If you aren’t in the Dallas or Fort Worth area, the Citi / AAdvantage Executive card is still beneficial. With airline partners, you’ll be able to use and gain AAdvantage miles towards travel to more than 1,000 global locations.
Be sure that your miles won’t expire. Gain or redeem them with American Airlines or an AAdvantage airline partner at least 1 time every 18 months.
Buy things overseas without having to stress over any foreign transaction fees with the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard.
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Bottom Line
The Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is an amazing card to have if you fly with American Airlines or their partner airlines often.
With that in mind, there are some restrictions that you need to remember such as:
- Annual fee. Having this card will come with an annual fee of $450. It’s a decent cost for the benefits that come with this card. However, you should see if this is a good fit fir you first before committing to this credit card.
- Low ongoing rewards rate. You can only get bonus miles towards American Airlines expenses. If you compare it to the Citi/AAdvantage Platinum Select Card, they will have double miles towards gas and dining.
- Complicated rewards structure. If you want to get the best value for your points, you need to calculate some major planning.
If premium glamorous benefits don’t catch your eye, then you should consider other travel rewards cards that have good rewards offers with a cheaper annual fee charge.
*The AAdvantage Executive card is issued by Citi Bank. Compare it to other credit card offers.*
Compare this card to other Citi cards that earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles:
- American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp Mastercard
- Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
- CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard
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