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The Citi AAdvantage Executive card comes with Admirals Club airport lounge access, but that deal is about to get a little less sweet for some.
American Airlines
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Product Name Only is about to get a big makeover.
Effective July 23, 2023, it will offer a welcome bonus that’s double the standard offer for a limited time, and introduce new statement credits and benefits.
The downside is that the annual fee will increase, and you’ll have to pay to add authorized users.
Read Insider’s guide to the best travel rewards credit cards.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Product Name Only has long been the best American Airlines credit card for airport lounge access. Cardholders and up to 10 authorized users (currently free to add) receive American Airlines Admirals Club access for themselves and up to two guests (or immediate family) when they fly American Airlines or its partners.
For a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Annual Fee annual fee, that’s a fabulous deal, considering Admirals Club membership currently starts at $650 (which will increase to $850 shortly).
But that will soon change. The card is getting a big refresh on July 23, 2023, adding new benefits (including travel insurance!), statement credits, and improved earning rates — and a massive limited-time welcome bonus offer. The downside? It’ll cost more to carry the card, and authorized users will no longer be free.
Here’s a breakdown of the changes to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Editorial Name Only, and what it means if you’re considering the card.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard Changes
There are a ton of changes to the card (and to Admirals Clubs) to unpack. Here’s what to expect when the card is refreshed on July 23.
Earn 100,000 American Airlines miles for a limited time
Currently, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Editorial Name Only is offering its standard welcome bonus: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Intro Bonus. According to Insider’s valuation of American Airlines miles, that’s worth around Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Featured Reward Value in travel.
For a limited time from July 23 to September 6, 2023, new cardholders can earn 100,000 American Airlines miles after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. That’s no small minimum spending requirement, but considering the bonus miles are worth about $1,400 in travel, it could be worth shifting all of your spending to the card to unlock the bonus.
New annual fee and authorized user fees
Now the not-so-great news: Effective July 23, the card’s annual fee will increase from Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Annual Fee to $595 for new cardholders, and it will cost $175 for the first three authorized users, and $175 per user after that.
That’s actually not that shocking considering many premium credit cards, including The Platinum Card® from American Express – Product Name Only (The Platinum Card® from American Express – Annual Fee annual fee) and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® – Product Name Only (Chase Sapphire Reserve® – Annual Fee annual fee) have increased their annual fees substantially in the past couple of years. Paying Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Annual Fee for Admirals Club access for one person alone was a bargain; the free authorized user access was just gravy. But now the annual fee is more in line with similar cards, and it’s added new perks and better earning rates to offset the increase in cost.
Starting July 23 in select cities, Admirals Club lounges will begin offering more substantial food, including hot and cold breakfast, all-day menus with regionally inspired cuisine such as Cuban pork sliders in Miami and mini crab cakes in Washington, DC, and grab-and-go snacks at select lounges. Drinks are also getting an upgrade, including complimentary sparkling wine, craft beer, scotch and tequila, and complimentary signature cocktails.
Improved earning rates
Previously, the card had lackluster earning rates, offering just 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases.
Starting July 23, all cardholders will earn:
10x miles on eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars and eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels4x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases (and, after spending $150,000 in purchases in a calendar year, cardmembers can earn 5x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases for the remainder of the calendar year)1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Statement credits for car rentals, GrubHub, and Lyft
Starting July 23, new and existing cardholders can earn new statement credits for purchases at participating partners:
Up to $120 back on eligible Avis or Budget car rentals every calendar yearUp to $120 back on eligible GrubHub purchases (up to a $10 statement credit each monthly billing statement)Up to $120 in Lyft credits ($10 Lyft credit each month after taking three eligible rides)
In total, these credits represent a potential return worth $360 each year, which more than offsets the annual fee increase. This coupon-book approach isn’t new — we’ve seen it on other travel credit cards, especially the The Platinum Card® from American Express – Editorial Name Only — but depending on if you’d otherwise already spend with these merchants, the new credits may not add value.
Loyalty Point bonuses
If you’re trying to earn elite status with American Airlines, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Editorial Name Only will give you a bigger Loyalty Points boost after its refresh. Currently, cardholders can earn 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points after spending $40,000 or more on the card during a status qualification year.
Starting July 23, the card will award bonus Loyalty Points as follows:
10,000 Loyalty Point Bonus after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year 10,000 Loyalty Point Bonus after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year
Travel insurance
In 2019, Citi removed travel insurance from its credit cards, which made it hard to recommend the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Editorial Name Only and other American Airlines cards like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® – Product Name Only and CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® – Product Name Only for booking flights.
With the refresh, Citi’s brought back some of the most important credit card travel insurance for flyers, including:
Trip cancellation and interruption insuranceTrip delay insuranceLost baggage protectionWorldwide car rental insurance coverage
The exact terms of coverage remain to be seen; for instance, it’s not yet clear if the card will come with primary rental car insurance or secondary insurance. But this, along with an improved earning rate on American Airlines purchases, is a huge upgrade for cardholders.
What’s staying the same with the Citi Executive card?
Apart from the increased annual fees for primary and authorized users, Citi isn’t making any other negative changes to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Editorial Name Only. Cardholders will still receive elite-like perks, including:
Free first checked bag for the primary cardholder and up to eight companions on the same domestic American Airlines reservationPriority boarding, check-in, and screening on American Airlines flights25% savings on eligible American Airlines inflight food and beverage purchases when you use your card (as a statement credit)Up to $100 statement credit for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every four yearsA dedicated conciergeMastercard Priceless Experiences through Priceless.com/aa
Should you apply now or wait?
Unless you had short-term plans to apply for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® – Editorial Name Only and add free authorized users, most folks will benefit from waiting until the new welcome bonus offer launches. The additional 50,000 miles from the new, limited-time bonus will more than offset the increased annual fees, at least in the first year.
And if you can use the new benefits, particularly the statement credits for eligible car rentals, GrubHub, and Lyft, you’ll come out ahead, even with a heftier annual fee. Be sure to read our current Citi AAdvantage Executive Card review for a closer look at what the card offers right now, compared to what it will offer after July 23.