6 reasons to get the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
Editor's note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Citi is a TPG advertising partner.
Every year, the TPG Awards honor excellence in credit cards, loyalty programs and travel. Please click here to read more about our winner selection process and methodology for the 2024 TPG Awards.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® with its $595 annual fee (see rates and fees), is a valuable travel card that makes a strong addition to most frequent flyers' wallets. Due to its lounge access and extensive benefits for American Airlines loyalists, it received the crown for the Best Premium Airline Credit Card at the 2024 TPG Awards.
Despite the program's changes and devaluations in recent years, there are still some ways to get great value from both the card and the AAdvantage program.
Here are six reasons why the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard would make a solid addition to your card lineup.
Welcome offer
The first reason is straightforward and relatively obvious: the valuable sign-up bonus.
The Citi /AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is currently offering 70,000 bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first three months of account opening. This bonus is worth $1,155 based on TPG's December 2024 valuations.
Related: The best uses of American Airlines AAdvantage miles
Admirals Club membership
One of the best perks of this card is the Admirals Club membership it includes. With the Executive World Elite Mastercard, you can enter the Admirals Club whenever you present a same-day boarding pass for an American Airlines flight or an Oneworld partner flight. This also includes two guests or your immediate family (defined as a spouse or domestic partner plus dependent children under the age of 18).
Primary cardholders also have access to Alaska Airlines lounges departing or arriving on a flight operated by Alaska or American Airlines.
It's also worth pointing out that the annual fee on the card ($595) is actually less than purchasing a membership outright — Admirals Club membership ordinarily costs between $700 and $850, depending on your status level with American.
But this perk doesn't stop here.
Authorized user access to Admirals Club
Many credit cards give benefits to authorized users. This can often extend to lounge access when it comes to premium travel rewards cards. The Executive World Elite Mastercard, on the other hand, allows you to add authorized users, and those authorized users get access privileges to American Airlines Admirals Club® lounges, just like the primary cardholder.
The cost for up to three authorized users is $175 and $175 for each authorized user thereafter.
This has the potential to provide a ton of value for friends or family members who travel even a few times a year. Sure, you can bring in two guests or your immediate family as the primary cardholder, but what if your spouse, parent or close friend is traveling alone? Adding them as an authorized user will get them into the Admirals Club regardless of whether they are traveling with you.
Related: Admirals Club membership guide
Statement credits
Another fantastic perk of the Executive World Elite Mastercard is that it offers three valuable statement credits:
- Up to $120 back on eligible Avis or Budget car rentals every calendar year (this credit was restricted in July 2024)
- Up to $120 back on eligible Grubhub purchases (up to a $10 statement credit on each monthly billing statement)
- Up to $120 in Lyft credits ($10 Lyft credit each month), but you have to take three eligible rides each month first to receive this credit
That means you can get up to $360 back annually in statement credits if you can take advantage of these perks every month.
Related: Statement credits checklist
Free checked bags
There are many ways to avoid checked baggage fees when traveling, and cobranded airline credit cards are a great way to accomplish this goal. With the Executive World Elite Mastercard, you and up to eight traveling companions on the same reservation can check a bag for free on all American-operated domestic flights.
This saves each passenger $80 per round-trip flight within the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, so the savings can really add up.
Keep in mind that this perk applies regardless of whether or not you use the card to book the ticket. This is especially beneficial if you want to use another credit card that provides valuable rewards on airfare purchases or are required to book a ticket using a company card.
Global Entry credit
A final great reason to apply for the Executive World Elite Mastercard is the up-to-$120 statement credit you get for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years.
I'd strongly encourage you to go for the gold with Global Entry, as your Trusted Traveler number provides PreCheck regardless of the airline you're flying. Getting Global Entry is a terrific way to speed up your security experience.
One of the best things about this perk is that you can use it for anyone, not just yourself or an authorized user. Citi will simply look for an applicable charge on your statement and will credit you the membership fee, even if the card was used for a friend or family member's application.
Bottom line
The Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard offers a lucrative welcome offer, but the benefits on the card go beyond the miles you'll earn.
Access to Admirals Club privileges (which extends to authorized users), perks when flying American, and Global Entry credit make the card a terrific value proposition, even with the steep annual fee. Hopefully, this post has given you some insight into why you should consider adding it to your wallet.
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard