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Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard — Full Review [2024]

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Alex Miller
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Alex Miller

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Founder and CEO of Upgraded Points, Alex is a leader in the industry and has earned and redeemed millions of points and miles. He frequently discusses the award travel industry with CNBC, Fox Business...
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Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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.
Star rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating icon4.5
  • 70,000 miles

  • $595

  • 21.24% - 29.99% Variable

  • Good to Excellent (670-850)

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®

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.

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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.
Star rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating icon4.5
Summary

The Citi®/AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is a go-to card thanks to its exclusive perks and benefits for people who love to fly American Airlines. With a complimentary Admirals Club membership, free checked bags, inflight discounts, and the ability to earn Loyalty Points for every $1 you spend, there is plenty to love about the card.

Card Details

Card Snapshot

Welcome Bonus & Info

  • Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 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
Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening
  • Earn 10 miles per $1 spent on eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars
  • Earn 10 miles per $1 spent on eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels
  • Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
  • After you spend $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year, earn a total of 5 miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases for the remainder of the year
  • Earn 1 per $1 spent on other purchases
  • 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 a 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year. Earn another 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points in the same status qualification year
  • 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

Cons

  • $595 annual fee
  • Doesn’t earn many miles on all other eligible purchases
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Great Card If

  • American Airlines is your preferred airline
  • You will take advantage of the Admirals Club membership
  • You want a card that will help you earn elite status

Don’t Get If

  • You aren’t a frequent flyer
  • You don’t travel with American Airlines much

AAdvantage Executive World Elite Card — Top Benefits

Earning Categories, and Miles

You’ll earn 4 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and 1 mile per dollar for all other purchases. You can redeem those miles for free flights, upgrades, hotels, car rentals, and more!

After you spend $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year, earn a total of 5 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spend on eligible American Airlines purchases for the remainder of the year.

Cardholders will also earn 10 miles for every $1 spent on eligible car rentals or hotels booked through aa.com/cars or aa.com/hotels.

Welcome to the (Admirals) Club

By far, the biggest benefit of the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card is a membership to the Admirals Club. It gives you access to 50+ Admirals Club lounges and almost 40 partner lounges at airports around the world.

This would be a good place to mention that the annual fee for this credit card is $595, which is certainly an investment. But the Admirals Club benefit alone makes this card worth it since an individual membership starts at $550 per person!

So what kind of perks can you enjoy in Admirals Club lounges? For starters, you get light snacks and house drinks. You’ll also get free Wi-Fi and access to power ports so you can catch up on work or binge-watch your favorite shows.

Some lounges even have shower suites, computers, copiers, and printers!

You can bring 2 guests or immediate family with you, including your spouse, domestic partner, or children under 18.

Plus, if you are already an Admirals Club member, you may be eligible for a prorated refund of your membership fee.

Bottom Line: The Admirals Club benefit more than makes up for the $450 annual fee of the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card.

International Travel Benefits on the AAdvantage Executive World Elite Card

The AAdvantage Executive World Elite card is designed for domestic and international travelers.

It offers you VIP airport experiences where available, including priority check-in, priority airport screening, and priority boarding.

This benefit applies to you and up to 8 companions listed on your reservation.

EMV smart chip integration makes international purchases hassle-free in places like Europe and Asia where the technology is standard. Plus, you won’t pay any foreign transaction fees, which is another big savings.

In addition, you’ll receive Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit.

More AAdvantage Executive World Elite Card Benefits

Because it’s a Citi AAdvantage card, you get a variety of extra travel benefits. For instance, you (and up to 8 travel companions) get your first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines flights.

Want a beverage, snack, or headphones while in the sky? Save 25% on many inflight purchases.

Plus, with reduced mileage awards you can fly to select destinations for 7,500 fewer miles. That way you can get even more value out of the miles you earn

Finally, the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card includes a dedicated concierge for help 24/7 with your shopping, entertainment, and dining needs during foreign or domestic travel.

Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your AAdvantage Miles

The quickest way to stockpile miles with the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card is to use it for all of your American Airlines flights and purchases to get 2x miles. There are also other ways to earn tons of AAdvantage miles with the card, as you will see in our detailed guide.

You spend a lot of time earning miles on your card, so when it’s time to redeem them you want to get as much value as you can. Check out our tips for redeeming your AAdvantage miles.

Hot Tip: For even more ideas on redeeming your AAdvantage miles, check out our post on the best ways to redeem 100k AAdvantage miles.

Alternative Card to the AAdvantage Executive World Elite Card

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®

Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
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U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's 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.

Status lovers will enjoy the variety of benefits that come with this card. From free bags to reduced-price inflight beverages, AA still flies in style.

Status lovers will enjoy the variety of benefits that come with this card. From free bags to reduced-price inflight beverages, AA still flies in style.
Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
50,000 miles
$700
$99, waived for first 12 months
20.49% to 29.49% Variable
Why We Like This Card

Blue skies and fair winds make for a good day to fly! Choosing your airline can be difficult, since factors like location, time, and destination all go into whether or not you can fly somewhere.

An easy choice for many people is American Airlines, because they’re the largest airline in the world. If you’re an American, you’ve probably flown American Airlines at least once.

Frequent fliers tend to enjoy the treatment they can get, from boarding privileges to free bags to lounge access. There’s many reasons to fly with AA, and if so then getting a Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® could be for you.

Card Highlights
  • Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening
  • Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases
  • Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases
  • Earn a $125 American Airlines Flight Discount after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
  • First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to four companions traveling with you on the same reservation
  • Enjoy preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 20.49% to 29.49% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: 0%
Rewards Center

American Airlines AAdvantage Program

If you don’t think you’ll use the Admirals Club but still want to earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles, you can try the AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite card.

With this card, you earn 2 miles per dollar on American Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar for all other purchases. There is usually a relatively valuable sign-up bonus after meeting certain spending requirements when you’re approved for the card.

The information regarding the Citi®/AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card?

There are many benefits for people who travel regularly with American Airlines, but the biggest plus is a membership to the Admirals Club. Members receive access to 50+ Admirals Club lounges and nearly 40 partner lounges around the world.

Other benefits of the card are a free first checked bag, up to $360 in various annual statement credits, a 25% discount on inflight purchases, and a dedicated concierge.

In addition, members enjoy VIP airport experiences where available, which include priority check-in, screening, and boarding.

Does the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card have a sign-up bonus?

Typically it does — see the card snapshot above.

How do you earn miles with the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card?

Use the card to earn 10x miles per dollar spent at eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars and eligible hotels through aa.com/hotels, 4x miles per dollar spent for American Airlines purchases, and 1x mile per dollar for all other eligible purchases. Redeem miles for free flights, upgrades, hotels, car rentals, and more!

Does the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card have any foreign transaction fees?

No. There are no foreign transaction fees with the card.

Can American Airlines AAdvantage miles be transferred?

No. You cannot transfer American Airlines AAdvantage miles to partner airlines. However, you can redeem miles for award flights with partner airlines and other benefits.

Are there other American Airlines credit cards?

Yes, there are several cards issued by Citi and Barclays. See our full guide to the best American Airlines AAdvantage credit cards.

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About Alex Miller

Founder and CEO of Upgraded Points, Alex is a leader in the industry and has earned and redeemed millions of points and miles. He frequently discusses the award travel industry with CNBC, Fox Business, The New York Times, and more.

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