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Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® review
Last updated:
High-level rewards for the busiest travelers.
- Get this card if you often fly American Airlines.
- Pick something else if you prefer other airlines or you want a general travel credit card.
- Apply with an excellent credit score of 740 or higher.
50,000
Points as welcome offer
Up to 2x
Points
$450
Annual fee
15.99% to 24.99%
Purchase APR (variable)
Details
| Annual fee | $450 |
|---|---|
| Welcome Offer | 50,000 miles after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months |
| Rewards | 2x miles on American Airlines and 1x miles on everything else |
| Purchase APR | 15.99% to 24.99% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | 15.99% to 24.99% variable |
| Recommended minimum credit score | 740 |
| Issuer | Mastercard |
How to apply for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®
To apply for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®, you must be at least 18 years old and you must have a Social Security number. If you meet these requirements:
- Go to the Citi website and click Apply now.
- Fill out the application form with all of the required information.
- Review your application and submit.
What credit score do I need?
You’ll increase your chances of approval with an excellent credit score of 740 or higher.
Download the Citi Mobile app
Use the Citibank app to make transfers and pay your bills, lock and unlock your card, find ATMs and more.
The basics
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® — offered by Citi, a finder.com advertising partner — might be the card for you if you often travel with American Airlines and are looking for premium rewards. These rewards include Admiral Club Membership, a global concierge service, priority check-in and boarding, no foreign transaction fees and more. You’ll also get the chance to earn a generous signup bonus.
But with premium perks, expect to pay a premium annual fee.
Card benefits
- Signup bonus. Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases within 3 months of account opening.
- AAdvantage miles. Earn 2x miles on American Airlines purchases and 1x miles on everything else you buy.
- Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs). Spend $40,000 on purchases in a calendar year and earn 10,000 EQMs. EQMs can help you reach elite status tiers, which come with even more perks and benefits.
- Admirals Club membership. Enjoy complimentary access to nearly 50 Admirals Club lounges worldwide. This includes you and your immediate family, or up to two guests traveling with you. For everyone else, a one-day pass costs $59.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit. Once every five years, you get up to $100 in statement credit as a reimbursement for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.
- Priority boarding. Settle into your seat faster with priority boarding. Up to eight passengers traveling on your reservation will also get to enjoy priority screening and check-in. A family of four can save $240 on a round-trip flight.
- First checked bag free. Save $30 on first checked bag per person per flight. This perk is available for up to eight passengers traveling on your reservation.
- Add authorized users. You can add up to 10 authorized users without additional costs. Authorized users also get access to Admirals Club, even when they’re not traveling with you.
What to watch out for
- Annual fee. To use the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® perks and benefits, you’ll have to pay $450 annually.
- Taxes and fees on award flights. When redeeming award flights, you have to pay taxes and fees from $30 per person per award flight.
- Penalty APR. One late or returned payment can cause your rates to bump up to a penalty APR of 29.99% variable. Once incurred, the penalty APR may last indefinitely.
- No intro APR period. Airline credit cards rarely come with an intro APR period. If that’s what you’re looking for, check out 0% intro APR credit cards.
Is the annual fee worth it?
Since this is an expensive card to own, it’s important you get a higher value than you’re paying for the card.
For the first year, you can easily offset the annual fee by clearing the signup bonus. But starting from the second year, make sure to:
- Fly at least once every two months to save $180 on your first checked bag.
- Visit Admirals Club once every two months to save $354 on daily passes.
If you only use these two perks, you’ve already saved $534, which is more than the annual fee of $450. Every mile you earn will just increase the gap between the value you get and the money you pay for the card.
Compare airline credit cards
If the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® doesn’t meet your needs, compare other airline credit cards.
Compare Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® with other cards
How do I redeem miles from the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®?
To redeem your miles, log in to your online AAdvantage account and choose from:
- Award flights
- Seat upgrades
- Car rentals
- Hotels stays
- Vacations
- Admirals Club membership
- Gift cards
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Charitable donations
Bottom line
If you fly at least once every two months with American Airlines or any of their partners, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® could be a solid choice. You can offset the annual fee by saving money on first checked bags, priority boarding and Admirals Club visits.
In addition, you get to earn miles that you can redeem for flights, seat upgrades, hotel stays and more. And you get to earn a generous signup bonus you can redeem for up to five flights.
But if it’s not the right fit for you, consider similar credit cards and compare your options.