Are you an Alaska Airlines loyalist? Here's why you need the Citi / AAdvantage Executive
When thinking about cobranded airline cards, it's easy to only think about the cards from airlines you frequently fly with. After all, some of the key benefits of airline cards include priority boarding, free checked bags and a faster path to elite status with the affiliated airline.
I often encourage people to think beyond a card's airline or hotel partner when deciding whether it makes sense for them.
Take the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees), for example. This card provides a complimentary Admirals Club membership to help cardholders justify its $595 annual fee. On the surface, it seems like that would only be useful for American Airlines' biggest fans.
But an Admirals Club membership offers something extra: complimentary access to Alaska Airlines lounges. Here's how Alaska loyalists can maximize this card without ever setting foot on an American Airlines flight.
Alaska Airlines lounge access
Through the Admirals Club membership you receive with your AAdvantage Executive, you'll enjoy complimentary access to Alaska lounges whenever you're flying on a same-day American, Alaska or Hawaiian Airlines flight. Note that this access isn't extended to authorized users, and you must have your physical card with you to enter.
A standard Alaska Airlines lounge membership costs $595 a year, the same as this card's annual fee. By putting that money toward the AAdvantage Executive instead of a lounge membership, you'll enjoy Alaska lounge access plus all of this card's other benefits.
Regardless of whether you're flying with American, Alaska or a Oneworld airline, you can also get into Admirals Club lounges for no added fee.
To access partner lounges with just an Alaska Airlines lounge membership, you'd have to pay $795 each year for the Alaska Lounge+ membership, $200 more than what the AAdvantage Executive charges.
While an Alaska Lounge+ membership provides access to a few lounges that the AAdvantage Executive doesn't, such as three United Clubs, the majority of its partner lounges overlap with what you can access with this card.
Both an Alaska Lounge+ membership and the AAdvantage Executive provide access to The Qantas Club and Admirals Club locations. I see no reason to pay $200 more each year for a sliver of extra lounges to access.
You can book Alaska Airlines flights with American Airlines miles
The AAdvantage Executive earns American Airlines miles. While that might initially seem useless to an Alaska loyalist, it's actually the opposite.
American Airlines miles can easily be used to book Alaska Airlines flights, meaning you may never even have to step on American Airlines metal to get more value out of this card beyond lounge access. That said, there are some great itineraries that blend Alaska and American Airlines flights.
For example, you could book a one-way business-class ticket from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Heathrow Airport (LHR) for 57,500 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and fees. If you were to book this itinerary with cash, you'd pay $3,483. That's a value of 6 cents per point.
If you often fly domestically, there's plenty of availability there, too. You could book a nonstop economy flight on Alaska via American from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) for 12,500 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and fees.
If you were to book with cash, this flight would cost $304, netting you 2.4 cents per point in value. That's great for a domestic economy flight.
To learn more about what American Airlines miles are worth, check out our full guide to the AAdvantage program.
How to earn American Airlines miles
For a limited time, you can earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening with the AAdvantage Executive. That's a ton of miles to use toward Alaska flights, or even an American flight or two if you find a great deal.
Aside from its welcome bonus, this card offers simple earning rates to help you rack up more American miles. You'll earn 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels booked through aadvantagehotels.com and car rentals booked through aadvantagecars.com. Plus, you can earn 4 miles per dollar spent on other American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar spent on everything else.
If you spend $150,000 a year or more on this card, you'll earn 5 miles per dollar spent on American Airlines purchases instead of 4 through the end of the calendar year.
While I generally don't recommend using this card for non-American Airlines purchases, if earning miles toward award flights on Alaska is at the top of your priority list, it may make sense to pull this card out for certain purchases. That's especially true if you're making a purchase that doesn't fall under a bonus category covered by one of your other cards.
Related: How I use Seats.aero every day to find the best airline award availability in seconds
Other useful benefits
Despite being an American Airlines-branded card, the AAdvantage Executive has additional benefits you can use without booking a flight.
If you often rent cars on your vacations, you'll enjoy this card's rental car statement credit. You can earn up to $120 back every year on eligible prepaid rentals from Avis or Budget. Just keep in mind that you'll have to book your rental online to receive the credit.
If renting a car isn't something you usually do, this card can still help offset your transportation costs. You can receive up to $120 back each year for Lyft rides. You have to take three rides to receive your $10 monthly credit, so this benefit is best for those who naturally use Lyft multiple times a month.
Finally, you can receive up to $10 each billing statement for Grubhub purchases. This is great for anyone who likes to order takeout, even just once in a while. To make your credit stretch further, order pickup instead of delivery.
While these credits are lifestyle-dependent, they can still provide outsize value for anyone who can easily take advantage of them.
An easy credit for any traveler to use is this card's TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credit. Even if you already have TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, you can use your AAdvantage Executive to pay for someone else's application.
Finally, this card offers a range of important travel protections. You don't have to fly with American Airlines to use these protections, so they can help safeguard your next flight with Alaska. Trip cancellation and interruption protection, lost baggage insurance, and trip delay protection are a few important benefits that you can rely on.
Bottom line
To get Alaska lounge access with a standard membership, you'd have to pay $595 a year. For the same price, you can get Alaska, Admirals Club and Qantas lounge access; American Airlines miles to use for Alaska flights; statement credits; and travel protections with the AAdvantage Executive.
It's a no-brainer for any Alaska loyalist to seriously consider applying for the AAdvantage Executive. It's a great way to supercharge your next Alaska flight, especially with its welcome bonus. Plus, if you're ever curious about trying American Airlines, this card is ready in your wallet to help you out.
To learn more, check out our full review of the Citi / AAdvantage Executive.
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees