Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® review
With lounge access and a nice bonus offer, this card is a worthwhile option for the frequent American Airlines guest who appreciates comfort.
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Key Features
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- Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first three months of account opening.
- Your first checked bag is free on domestic itineraries for you and up to eight traveling companions.
- Wait for a delayed flight in comfort, thanks to complimentary access to Admiral's Club® lounges around the globe.
- Redeeming your points for flights does limit you to American Airlines and its partners. If you want more flexibility, you'll want to look elsewhere for a travel rewards card.
Miles-earning ease and a long list of quality travel incentives make the CardName a great option for frequent American Airlines travelers. Citi is a CardRatings advertiser.
With much to be said about this premium card, let’s jump right in and talk about all the great perks the CardName has to offer.
CardName benefits
The CardName‘s most notable features include:
- 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first three months of account opening
- Free first checked bags for you and up to eight companions traveling on the same domestic itinerary
- Admirals Club® membership for you and access for two guests or immediate family members traveling with you
- No foreign transaction fees on purchases
- Up to a $120 statement credit every four years to cover your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee
There’s a lot on the CardName most notable features list, and for good reason. There’s much to love about this card and the incentives it has to offer, especially for those who often find themselves flying with American Airlines or traveling with one of its numerous partners.
Let’s start with the bonus miles opportunity.
With the CardName, earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first three months of account opening. To put things into perspective, that’s plenty for some roundtrip domestic AAnytime tickets, depending on the distance of your flight, or for a roundtrip AAnytime flight or two to the Caribbean, Central America or Mexico. Earn an ongoing four AAdvantage® bonus miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases and one AAdvantage® bonus mile for every $1 spent on other eligible purchases. Remember, each mile earned from purchases also earns one loyalty point.
With that kind of ongoing miles-earning, you can see miles accumulate quickly with regular card use.
Next, let’s talk about some of the perks you can enjoy once getting to the airport.
In addition to dedicated check-in areas, expedited airport screening lanes and early boarding privileges, as a CardName cardholder, you can enjoy the fact that your first checked bag is free for you and one for up to eight other people in your group if booked on the same domestic itinerary, saving you big money per flight.
Plus, when you become a card member, you receive a complimentary Admirals Club® membership which gains you, and up to two guests or your immediate family members, access to dozens of airport lounges worldwide. With household membership prices averaging anywhere from $625 to $925 a year, this membership is a great incentive for those looking for a more comfortable way to travel and easily offsets the AnnualFees annual fee you’ll pay to carry the CardName.
Finally, international travelers are sure to appreciate the savings that results from no foreign transaction fees when you pay with your card while traveling abroad.
Potential downsides of the CardName
While there is a lot to love about the CardName, there is one big downside: the AnnualFees annual fee.
Although there are a number of ways to compensate for this fee, it is still among the higher annual fees charged by a credit card. Because of this, if you aren’t sure that you’ll fly enough to take full advantage of the perks of this card, you might want to consider another travel rewards card that comes with a smaller fee. (We discuss a few comparison cards below).
Furthermore, spending $7,000 to earn 70,000 bonus miles might be a hard number for some users to reach within just three months, making this card a more appropriate choice for moderate to big spenders.
How does the CardName compare to other cards?
CardName vs. CardName
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If you still want to gain a lot of rewards without a hefty annual fee, but also want more flexibility in your airline choices, the CardName is a worthy and comparable card to consider.
With the CardName, new cardholders can get 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Additionally, with a low annual fee of AnnualFees, bonus rewards in popular categories, and many travel protection benefits, this is a practical credit card option, especially for those who don’t want to be limited to traveling with American Airlines or its partners.
The CardName gains you the freedom to fly with one of Chase’s many airline partners (United Airlines, British Airways and Southwest Airlines, to name a few) and cardholders earn 5X on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 3X on dining, select streaming services and online groceries; 2X on all other travel purchases; 1X on all other purchases; a $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit; plus more.
Is a comparison between the CardName and the CardName apples-to-apples? Each card will show a number of obvious benefits, but it’s up to you to decide which perks make the most sense for your unique lifestyle, and whether you’ll spend enough or use enough of the perks with the American Airlines-specific card to offset that sizable annual fee.
CardName vs. CardName
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The CardName welcome bonus for a limited time is 75,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after you spend $3,500 on your card in the first four months – that’s compared to the 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles you can earn after spending $7,000 within the first three months of account opening offered by the CardName. With an annual fee of AnnualFees and similar travel perks, it’s a viable option for those looking to gain some extra AAdvantage® bonus miles without a high annual fee.
With the CardName earn two AAdvantage® bonus miles for every $1 spent at gas stations, restaurants and on eligible American Airlines purchases. Plus, you’ll enjoy your first checked bag free on domestic itineraries for you and up to four people traveling with you, and you can 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. What you won’t get is complimentary access to the Admirals Club® with the card.
Who should get the CardName?
Because of the high level of spending required to receive bonuses, and because of the steep AnnualFees annual fee, the CardName makes the most sense for big spenders who value convenience and comfort while traveling, and who are loyal to American Airlines and its partners.
Disclaimer:The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.
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