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AAdvantage Globe Card vs. AAdvantage Executive World Elite Card [Detailed Comparison]

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Jarrod West
Edited by: Jessica Merritt
& Ben Neighbors-Giles
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If you’re an American Airlines frequent flyer, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard® and Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® may be on your radar.

Both cards charge relatively high annual fees and are the most expensive cards in the lineup of personal American Airlines co-branded cards. The benefits vary significantly, but our detailed comparison will help you decide which card best fits your lifestyle.

Card Overview

Here’s how the AAdvantage Globe card and AAdvantage Executive World Elite card compare at a glance:

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Feature or Benefit

Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

Welcome Offer

90,000 milesCiti® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®Eligible new cardmembers can earn 90,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $5,000 within the first four months of account opening.     70,000 milesCiti® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $7,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

Earning Potential

  • 6x miles on eligible AAdvantage Hotels bookings
  • 3x miles on American Airlines purchases
  • 2x miles at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
  • 2x miles on transit purchases, including taxis, ride-shares, and public transit
  • 10x miles on eligible AAdvantage Hotels and AAdvantage Cars bookings
  • 4x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, and 5x miles after you spend $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year

American Airlines Benefits

  • 4 Admirals Club Globe lounge passes annually
  • Annual companion certificate
  • Up to $100 inflight purchase credit
  • First checked bag free
  • Priority boarding
  • Flight Streak bonus
  • Admirals Club membership
  • Up to 20,000 in Loyalty Point bonuses each year based on qualifying activity
  • First checked bag free
  • 25% rebate on inflight food and beverage purchases
  • Priority boarding and priority check-in

Statement Credits

  • Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
  • Up to $100 annual Splurge Credit
  • Up to $240 in annual Turo credits
  • Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
  • Up to $120 in annual Lyft credits
  • Up to $120 in annual Grubhub credits
  • Up to $120 in annual Avis or Budget credits

Travel and Purchase Protections

  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
  • Lost or damaged luggage insurance
  • MasterRental insurance
  • Trip delay insurance
  • Extended warranty coverage
  • Purchase Assurance Plus

Annual Fee

$350$595

Comparing Welcome Offers

Each card has a generous welcome offer, although the spending requirements and potential value vary.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®
Star rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating icon
U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The AAdvantage Globe card gives you more value on every American Airlines flight and helps you qualify for elite status.

The AAdvantage Globe card gives you more value on every American Airlines flight and helps you qualify for elite status.
Eligible new cardmembers can earn 90,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $5,000 within the first four months of account opening.    
90,000 miles
$1,260
$350
19.74% to 29.74% Variable
Why We Like This Card

The AAdvantage Globe card is an excellent option for American Airlines frequent flyers who want a card that offers benefits on every American Airlines flight and makes it easier to qualify for American Airlines elite status.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 6x miles on eligible AAdvantage Hotels bookings
  • 3x miles on American Airlines purchases
  • 2x miles at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
Cons
  • $350 annual fee
  • Doesn’t earn transferable rewards
Card Highlights
  • Eligible new cardmembers can earn 90,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $5,000 within the first four months of account opening.
  • 6x AAdvantage® miles on eligible AAdvantage Hotels™ bookings.
  • 3x AAdvantage® miles on American Airlines purchases.
  • 2x AAdvantage® miles at restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
  • 2x AAdvantage® miles on Rides and Rails™ purchases, including taxis, ride-shares, and public transit.
  • 1x AAdvantage® mile on all other purchases.
  • 1 Loyalty Point toward AAdvantage status for every 1 eligible AAdvantage mile earned from qualifying purchases.
  • No mileage cap, the earning potential is unlimited.
  • Get 4 Admirals Club® Globe™ lounge passes annually, each valid for 24 hours, and enjoy access to nearly 50 Admirals Club® lounges worldwide.
  • Receive an Annual Companion Certificate with every card renewal, redeemable for $99 plus taxes and fees, which is eligible for a single round-trip qualifying domestic flight in Main Cabin.
  • Earn up to $100 inflight purchase credits when using your card on American Airlines flights.
  • First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for the primary cardmember and up to 8 traveling companions on the same reservation.
  • Enjoy Group 5 boarding on American Airlines flights for the primary cardmember and up to 8 traveling companions on the same reservation.
  • Receive up to $120 Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck® credit every four years.
  • Cardmembers receive 5,000 Loyalty Points after every 4 qualifying American Airlines flights, for up to 15,000 additional Loyalty Points each qualification year.
  • Earn up to $100 annual Splurge Credit℠ with a choice of up to two of the following: eligible AAdvantage Hotels™ bookings, 1stDibs, Future Personal Training and Live Nation®.
  • Earn up to $30 in statement credits on each eligible trip with Turo, up to $240 in credits each calendar year.
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $350 annual fee
  • Various travel and shopping protections
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 19.74% to 29.74% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: $0
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Star rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating icon
U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Access to Admirals Clubs, tons of added benefits, and a way to spend towards elite status make this a great option for American Airlines loyalists.

Access to Admirals Clubs, tons of added benefits, and a way to spend towards elite status make this a great option for American Airlines loyalists.
Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $7,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
70,000 miles
$980
$595
19.74% to 29.74% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Why We Like This Card

The AAdvantage Executive World Elite card is a must-have for frequent American Airlines flyers who want Admirals Club lounge access, to earn more miles on their daily expenses, and a fast-track to American Airlines AAdvantage elite status.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Earn 10x miles on eligible hotels and car rentals booked through aadvantagehotels.com and aadvantagecars.com
  • Earn 4x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, and 5x miles after you spend $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year
  • Earn 1x mile and 1 Loyalty Point on all other purchases
Cons
  • $595 annual fee
  • Doesn’t earn many miles on all other eligible purchases
Card Highlights
  • Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $7,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
  • Admirals Club® membership for you and access for up to two guests or immediate family members traveling with you
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
  • Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases
  • First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 8 companions traveling with you on the same reservation
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 19.74% to 29.74% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: 
Rewards Center

American Airlines AAdvantage Frequent Flyer Program

The current AAdvantage Globe card welcome offer is:

  • Earn 90,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $5,000 within the first 4 months of account opening.

As for the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card, the current welcome offer is:

  • Earn 70,000 miles after $7,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

We value American Airlines miles at 1.4 cents per mile, giving you a welcome bonus offer valuation of $1,260 for the AAdvantage Globe card, and $980 for the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card.

Welcome offers are subject to change, so take advantage of them if either card seems like a good fit for you and offers a competitive welcome bonus.

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Earning Potential

The cards have key differences in rewards for everyday spending and American Airlines purchases.

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Earning Category

Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

AAdvantage Cars

1x

10x

AAdvantage Hotels

6x

10x

American Airlines purchases

3x

4x miles, and 5x miles after you spend $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year

Dining (including takeout and delivery)

2x

1x

Rides and Rails (including taxis, ride-shares, and public transit)

2x

1x

All other purchases

1x

1x

For American Airlines-related purchases, the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card is your best bet, as it earns 10x miles on AAdvantage Cars and AAdvantage Hotels bookings. You’ll earn 4x miles on American Airlines purchases on your first $150,000 in annual spending, then 5x after hitting the spending threshold.

The AAdvantage Globe card has solid earning rates for miles on American purchases, since you’ll earn 6x miles with AAdvantage Hotels and 3x miles on regular American Airlines purchases. That said, the AAdvantage Globe card will earn you more miles on daily purchases like dining, taxis, ride-shares, and public transit purchases.

American Airlines Benefits

Both cards deliver strong American Airlines perks to justify their annual fees.

LGAAdmiralsClubSeating2
Admirals Club lounge at New York (LGA). Image Credit: Jarrod West
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American Airlines Benefits

Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

Admirals Club lounge access

4 Admirals Club Globe lounge passes annually

Complimentary Admirals Club membership for you and access for up to 2 guests or immediate family members traveling with you

Annual companion certificate

Yes (valid on round-trip domestic flight in Main Cabin, for $99 plus any applicable taxes and fees)

Not offered

Up to $100 inflight purchase credit

Yes

Not offered

Free checked bags

Yes, for you and up to 8 traveling companions on the same reservation

25% savings on inflight purchases

Not offered

Yes

Enhanced airport experience

Group 5 priority boarding for you and up to 8 traveling companions on the same reservation.

Receive priority check-in and screening, as well as priority boarding privileges for you and up to 8 passengers on the same reservation.

Loyalty Point bonus

Flight Streak bonus: Cardmembers receive 5,000 Loyalty Points after every 4 qualifying American Airlines flights, for up to 15,000 additional Loyalty Points each qualification year

Loyalty Point bonus: Earn a 10,000 Loyalty Points bonus after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year and another 10,000 Loyalty Points bonus after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points in the same status qualification year

When it comes to American Airlines benefits, both credit cards offer practical benefits. Deciding which is better for you will come down to what perks you prefer.

Both cards provide free checked baggage benefits for you and up to 8 traveling companions, but that is about where the overlap ends, for the most part.

As for Admirals Club lounge access, the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card gets the win here with complimentary access for you and up to 2 guests or immediate family members. The AAdvantage Globe card offers just 4 Admirals Club lounge passes annually with no guest access (unless you redeem an additional lounge pass).

The AAdvantage Globe card may stand out for traveling couples with its annual companion certificate, which allows you to book a domestic round-trip main cabin ticket each year for $99 plus any taxes and fees.

Both cards reward you for inflight purchases, but slightly differently. The AAdvantage Globe card offers up to $100 annually toward inflight purchases, while the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card offers 25% back as a statement credit on inflight purchases. You’ll come out ahead with the AAdvantage Globe card unless you spend significantly more than $400 on inflight purchases each year. Wi-Fi does not apply to this credit.

Both cards offer priority boarding, but the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card takes it a step further by also offering priority check-in and security screening.

Lastly, both cards can help you hit elite status faster by offering a Loyalty Point bonus, but they go about it in different ways. AAdvantage Globe cardholders receive a Flight Streak bonus of 5,000 Loyalty Points after every 4 qualifying flights with American Airlines, up to a total of 15,000 bonus Loyalty Points each year.

AAdvantage Executive World Elite cardmembers receive a 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Points in a calendar year, and an additional 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points in a calendar year.

Statement Credits

Both cards have statement credits that can offset their annual fees, but the value depends on how you travel and spend.

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Citi® / AAdvantage® Globe™ Mastercard®Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
  • Up to $120 in annual Lyft credits: After taking 3 eligible rides in a calendar month, earn a $10 Lyft credit, for a total of up to $120 annually
  • Up to $120 in annual Grubhub credits: Up to $10 per monthly billing statement on eligible Grubhub purchases, for a total of up to $120 each year
  • Up to $120 in annual Avis or Budget credits: Up to $120 in statement credits every calendar year on eligible prepaid car rentals booked directly with Avis or Budget

Both cards also have up to $120 in reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment fees.

With the AAdvantage Globe card, you’ll receive up to $460 in annual statement credits each year, and up to $480 in annual statement credits with the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card.

The usefulness of each of these statement credits will come down to how often you use these merchants. For instance, if you hardly ever use ride-share services, then you likely wouldn’t value the Lyft credits very much. Similarly, since the Turo credits on the AAdvantage Globe card only amount to $30 per eligible trip, it will be challenging to get much value from that credit if you don’t frequently use Turo.

Hot Tip:

To learn more about the perks of each card in-depth, check out our guides to the benefits of the AAdvantage Globe card and benefits of the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card.

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Travel and Purchase Protections

Both cards offer identical travel and purchase protections, including:

  • Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
  • Lost or damaged luggage insurance
  • MasterRental insurance
  • Trip delay insurance
  • Extended warranty coverage
  • Purchase Assurance Plus

Which Card Is Right For You?

The right card depends on how often you fly American Airlines and which benefits you find the most valuable.

If you’re a dedicated American Airlines frequent flyer, then the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card would be the best choice for you, given that it offers the best bonus categories for American Airlines purchases, as well as AAdvantage Hotel and AAdvantage Cars, in addition to having all-around the best benefits for American Airlines flyers, like complimentary Admirals Club access for you and up to 2 traveling companions.

Alternatively, if you fly with American Airlines pretty often, but not enough to justify the annual fee of the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card, then the AAdvantage Globe card would be a good pick for you as it is still rewarding for American Airlines flights, and comes with valuable perks like Admirals Club lounge passes, an annual companion certificate, up to $100 in inflight purchase credit, and more.

Final Thoughts

If you’re undecided between these cards, compare their values to determine if the higher annual fee of the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card is worth it for your travel habits. It might be worth it if you’d regularly visit Admirals Club lounges, especially if you frequently travel with someone else. For others, the perks of the AAdvantage Globe card at a much lower annual fee might be the sweet spot.

Ultimately, there is no right or wrong choice as both the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card and the AAdvantage Globe card can be excellent choices for your wallet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which card is better, the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card or the AAdvantage Globe card?

Neither is objectively better than the other. Deciding which card is better for you comes down to your travel and spending habits, the value you’ll get out of the various card perks, and whether the annual fee on each card makes sense for you.

Does the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card have airport lounge access?

Yes, the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card provides access to Admirals Clubs and partner lounges worldwide for the cardholder and their immediate family, as well as up to 2 guests.

Does the AAdvantage Globe card have airport lounge access?

Yes, the AAdvantage Globe card comes with 4 Admirals Club Globe lounge passes annually. Each pass allows you to visit any American Airlines Admirals Club lounge worldwide. You do not receive any guest access when redeeming a lounge pass unless you redeem a second pass.

What is the annual fee of the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card?

The annual fee of the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card is $595.

What is the annual fee of the AAdvantage Globe card?

The annual fee of the AAdvantage Globe card is $350.

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About Jarrod West

Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 8 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year, and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.

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