Citi American Airlines AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard Review (Old Review NOT being Updated)
Updated April 7, 2023. Please see the updated review here.
The Facts
The Math
In the past we used to not recommend this card for general spending, as the old Amex SPG (before August 2018) returned 25% more AA miles than any AA cobranded cards. However, effective August 2018, AA cobranded credit cards have become the best way of earning AA miles via credit card general spending.
Citi AA Executive vs. Barclays AA Aviator Silver: Barclays designed this premium card carefully as it wasn't able to secure an contract with American Airlines for the Admirals Club access - so the annual fee is $250 lower than Citi AA Executive which provides lounge access. Barclays actually finds a sweet spot with this product since no other cards in the market offer a 3-2-1 earning structure for American miles. In addition, Barclays offers an annual $99 companion certificate for up to two guests with $20K spending, better in-flight F&B benefit (daily $25 credit vs. Citi's 25% discount), better EQM earning (Barclays gives flexibility for yo to earn 5K EQMs for each $20K spending while Citi just gives you 10K EQMs for $40K spending), and EQD earning potential. So if you don't need lounge access, Aviator Silver will be a clear winner. You will consider Citi Executive/AA for the lounge access and/or when you desperately need another 10K EQMs from Citi Executive/AA in addition to the 10K EQMs from Aviator Silver.
To see how Citi AA Executive competes with other cards with similar annual fees, please check out our featured review Comparing High-end Cards covering Amex Platinum Card, Amex Delta Reserve, Amex Hilton Aspire, Amex Marriott Brilliant, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase United MP Club, Citi Prestige, Citi AA Executive, U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve, CNB Crystal, and MasterCard Black Card.
The Conclusion
Citi AA Executive Card will be your card of choice if Admirals Club and American EQMs are your primary concern. It is currently one of the Top 10 Credit Card for Perks.
The Facts
- Annual Fee: $450 for primary card; $0 for up to 10 authorized users. The annual fee on the primary card is reduced to $350 for Citigold or Citi Priority clients.
- Signup Bonus: 50,000 miles after spending $5,500 within 3 months of new account opening. This bonus won't be available if you have received a new account bonus on this card in the past 48 months. Historical Best Bonus: 100,000 miles in 2014; 80,000 miles in 2022; 75,000 miles a couple of times in the past years.
- Application Landing Page
- Rewards: 2x miles on American Airlines purchases, and 1x everywhere else. Starting in 2022, you also earn one Loyalty Point per dollar spent on the card, which means you could achieve AAdvantage Gold status solely with the card by spending $30K, Platinum status by spending $75K, Platinum Pro status by spending $125K, or Executive Platinum status by spending $200K, in a calendar year. In addition, between 1/1/2021 and 2/28/2022, you will earn a bonus of 10,000 EQMs (Elite Qualifying Miles) after spending $40K; between 1/1/2022 and 2/28/2023, you will earn a bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Points after spending $40K.
- Best Use of AAdvantage miles: AAdvantage is the frequent flyer program of American Airlines, a member of oneworld alliance. AAdvantage miles are generally valuable when redeemed on American Airlines or it partners flights.
- American Airlines Benefits: (1) The biggest perk come with the $450 annual fee is the annual Admirals Club membership, which entitles the primary card holder unlimited access to 80+ American, Qantas and select Alaska lounges. You may bring your immediate family or up to two guests for free. Starting December 2015, an authorized user has access to American lounges without having to fly American Airlines and s/he can also bring the immediate family or up to two guests for free. Note that the difference in the lounge access for the primary card holder and the authorized user is that the primary card holder has the full Admirals Club membership (Admirals Clubs, Flagship lounges, Qantas, and select Alaska lounges) while the authorized users only have access to Admirals Clubs. Please see our featured review to learn more about airport lounge access. (2) Reduced Mileage Awards (saving up to 7,500 miles on certain routes). (3) Check the 1st bags free for you plus 8 passengers on your reservation. (4) Receive priority check-in, priority security screening, and priority boarding for you plus 8 passengers on your reservation. (5) 25% discount for in-flight food and beverage purchases.
- World Elite MasterCard Benefits: MasterCard Luxury Hotels & Resorts (a collection of 2,000+ luxury hotels worldwide that offer complimentary breakfasts for two, room upgrades upon availability, early check-in, late check-out, and a special amenity such as a certain amount of hotel credit up to $100 per stay, free internet, or welcome gift, etc.), MasterCard Travel & Lifestyle Services (offers for hotels, airfare, private jets, airport concierge, car rentals, chauffeured cars, cruise lines, tours, vacation packages, golf, sports and entertainment event tickets, etc.), complimentary ShopRunner membership (free two-day shipping and returns at participating stores), complimentary DoorDash benefits (3 months of complimentary DashPass membership & $5 off first two orders per month through 9/30/2022), monthly $5 Lyft credit after 3 rides each month, 5% discount for every HelloFresh order, $5 rewards for every $20+ Fandango purchase, the Dining Program (special amenities at participating restaurants), the Nightlife Program (exclusive access to and recognition at participating night clubs), Priceless Cities, Priceless Surprises, Priceless Causes, Priceless Golf, 24/7 World Elite concierge service, MasterCard Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection (up to $800 for a stolen or damaged phone as long as you charge your monthly cellphone bills to the card), MasterCard ID Theft Protection, etc.
- Other Benefits: (1) Waived foreign transaction fees. (2) Get reimbursed the application fees for Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85), for quicker custom and security check point clearing. (3) Citi Entertainment - special access to entertainment, sports, dining, and virtual events, in terms of presale and preferred tickets, exclusive offers, etc.
- Other Facts: this card has a metal design and weighs about 18 grams.
- History: The Admirals Club membership has always been the signature perk of this card; however, in early 2014 Citi gave its own Prestige Card similar access with slightly reduced coverage and obviously made the co-branded AAdvantage card look like an overpriced product considering Prestige offered better additional perks in general. In December 2015, Citi finally enhanced the co-branded AAdvantage card by offering Admirals Club access to the authorized user(s) and adding Global Entry reimbursement.
The Math
In the past we used to not recommend this card for general spending, as the old Amex SPG (before August 2018) returned 25% more AA miles than any AA cobranded cards. However, effective August 2018, AA cobranded credit cards have become the best way of earning AA miles via credit card general spending.
Citi AA Executive vs. Barclays AA Aviator Silver: Barclays designed this premium card carefully as it wasn't able to secure an contract with American Airlines for the Admirals Club access - so the annual fee is $250 lower than Citi AA Executive which provides lounge access. Barclays actually finds a sweet spot with this product since no other cards in the market offer a 3-2-1 earning structure for American miles. In addition, Barclays offers an annual $99 companion certificate for up to two guests with $20K spending, better in-flight F&B benefit (daily $25 credit vs. Citi's 25% discount), better EQM earning (Barclays gives flexibility for yo to earn 5K EQMs for each $20K spending while Citi just gives you 10K EQMs for $40K spending), and EQD earning potential. So if you don't need lounge access, Aviator Silver will be a clear winner. You will consider Citi Executive/AA for the lounge access and/or when you desperately need another 10K EQMs from Citi Executive/AA in addition to the 10K EQMs from Aviator Silver.
To see how Citi AA Executive competes with other cards with similar annual fees, please check out our featured review Comparing High-end Cards covering Amex Platinum Card, Amex Delta Reserve, Amex Hilton Aspire, Amex Marriott Brilliant, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase United MP Club, Citi Prestige, Citi AA Executive, U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve, CNB Crystal, and MasterCard Black Card.
The Conclusion
Citi AA Executive Card will be your card of choice if Admirals Club and American EQMs are your primary concern. It is currently one of the Top 10 Credit Card for Perks.