Citi AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Review

AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® from Citi — all information about the credit card.

By Hanna Volkava
Updated December 28, 2023

Good Choose for Young couples

AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Citi
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Our Rating:
3.51 out of 5
scorer
Recommended credit score
Good to Excellent (670-799)
  • Rewards Rate:
    • 4x Miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
    • 1x Mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • Intro Offer:
    • 70,000x Bonus miles after making $7,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
  • Annual Fee:
    $450 annually
  • Purchase Intro APR:
    None
  • Regular APR:
    21.24% - 29.99% Variable
  • Balance Transfer APR:
    21.24% - 29.99% Variable
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Citi AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Rewards Calculator

How do you record your expenses?
Enter your monthly spendings on:
4X
American Airlines purchases
$
1X
All other purchases
$
Have you already recieved the Citi intro bonus?
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All benefits

  • Miles
    • 4x On eligible American Airlines Purchases.
    • 1x On all other purchases.
  • Travel
    • First Check Bag Free:
    • First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 8 travel companions.
    • Enhanced Airport Experience:
    • Enjoy priority check-in, priority airport screening (where available) and priority boarding privileges for you and up to eight travel companions on the same reservation.
    • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Statement Credit:
    • Receive a statement credit up to $100 every 5 years as reimbursement for your application for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.
    • 25% Savings on Inflight Food and Beverage:
    • Receive 25% savings on food and beverage purchases when you use your card on American Airlines flights.
    • Dedicated Concierge:
    • With Dedicated Concierge, you’ll have access to a staff of experts for help with your foreign and domestic travel, shopping, dining, household, and entertainment needs.

Rate and fee information

  • Purchase Intro APR
    • None
  • Purchase APR
    • 21.24% - 29.99% Variable
  • Intro Balance Transfer APR
    • None
  • Balance Transfers APR
    • 21.24% - 29.99% Variable
  • APR for Cash Advances
    • 29.99% Variable
  • How to Avoid Paying Interest
    • Your due date is at least 23 days after the close of each billing cycle. You will not be charged interest on purchases if you pay your monthly Citi Flex Plan Payment Amount plus your entire balance, excluding any Citi Flex Plan balances, by the due date each month. You will be charged interest on cash advances and balance transfers on the transaction date.

Fees

  • Annual Fee
    • $450 annually
  • Fees for Balance Transfer
    • Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
  • Fees for Cash Advances
    • Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
  • Penalty Fees
    • 29.99%
  • Return Payment
    • Up to $41
  • Late Payment
    • Up to $41
View all Rates & Fees

Pros & Cons

Pros:
  • Admirals Club membership
  • Sign up bonus
  • No foreign transaction fees
Cons:
  • Relatively high APR
  • No bonus categories
  • $450 annual fee

Features

Classic
Mastercard
Contactless
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Payment Flexibility
  • Fraud Protection
  • Rewards
  • Purchase Protection
  • Travel
  • Airline
  • Award Travel seats
  • 24/7 Travel Assistant
  • Airport Lounge Access
  • Good Credit
  • Excellent Credit

About the issuer

Citi has several card types depending on your needs.
Manage your Account & Pay your Bill
You can usually pay your bill online on your

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Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Review

This article reviews one of Citi’s top credit cards for collecting AAdvantage miles - advantages, pros, and cons, and a summary of the card’s reward system.

The Executive World Elite card from Citi is one of the top options for frequent American Airlines travelers. Regular flyers can benefit from a range of travel rewards, such as a welcome bonus of 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles (available after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months), 4X AAdvantage Miles on American Airline flights and 1X miles on non-American Airlines purchases. Cardholders also benefit from membership in the Admirals Club. This includes access to almost 50 airport lounges worldwide. With no foreign transaction fees and a $450 annual fee, the card carries good membership benefits.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®: pros and cons

Pros: Cons:
Admirals Club membership. The only card on the market that provides complimentary access to the American Airlines exclusive club (value of up to $650). Relatively high APR. There is a variable APR between 21.24% - 29.99%.
Sign up bonus. Earn 70,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after $7,000 in purchases within 3 months of the account opening. No bonus categories. Like most airline co-branded cards, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® card offers an increased points rate on American Airlines purchases only.
No foreign transaction fees. International transactions carry a 0% fee, an especially useful feature for frequent international travelers. $450 annual fee. This is on the expensive side, and applicants need to consider the benefits versus the costs.

Rewards system in a nutshell

Purchases with Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard will earn AAdvantage miles. Earning miles is straightforward, members get:

  • 4 AAdvantage miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
  • 1 AAdvantage mile for every dollar spent on other purchases.

Additionally, after spending $40,000 every year, cardholders earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles, which can help get elite AAdvantage status faster.

Ways of using and redeeming miles/affiliate programs:

AAdvantage miles can be redeemed on a variety of options, including:

  • Eligible flights to around 1,000 locations worldwide.
  • Class upgrades on domestic and international American Airlines flights (American Airlines owned and operated flights).
  • Miles can also be redeemed on car rentals, hotels, or vacation packages.
icon-noAAdvantage miles cannot be redeemed as cash.

Who can benefit from getting the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard?

Frequent American Airlines travelers will benefit from the Citi® AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® the most. Its free checked bags, Admirals Club membership, and priority boarding benefits will be appreciated by frequent travelers. Admirals Club membership by itself should cover a steep $450 annual fee. Additional perks and benefits will make your flying experience even better.

No foreign transaction fee is also perfect for regular travelers.

Are there any additional benefits?

The card comes with several additional membership perks:

  • First Checked Bag Free - this free baggage perk is available on all domestic American Airlines flights. It will also be available for up to eight companions on the reservation.
  • Enhanced Airport Experience - priority check-in, priority boarding, and priority security screening are also available. This covers the cardholder and up to eight companions.
  • 25% savings on inflight food and beverage - this bonus is applicable when the Citi® AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is used to pay for it.
  • Statement credit of up to $100 - receive this statement credit every 5 years for TSA Pre or Global Entry.
  • Concierge - a dedicated service is available for cardholders to get help with various questions. This phone number includes assistance with travel, dining reservations/locations, and bookings/entertainment.
  • Convenient payment - contactless card enables quick and secure payments. Digital wallets provide secure payments in-store and in online applications.
  • Zero liability on unauthorized charges - cardholders are not responsible for payments they did not authorize, both online or in-store.

Conclusion

The AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is a good all-around card. Frequent American Airlines flyers can quickly accrue AAdvantage miles to redeem in various ways.

Admirals Club membership, first checked bag free, and priority boarding will make your travel with American Airlines more comfortable and pleasurable. In addition, the opportunity to redeem miles for American Airlines flights and upgrades, as well as no foreign transaction fees, makes the card a no-brainer for frequent American Airlines flyers.

FAQ

Can anyone apply for an American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Mastercard?

Yes, but AAdvantage bonus miles can only be collected if the applicant has not benefited from a Citi® AAdvantage® Executive account bonus in the last four years.

When do membership benefits kick in?

The account must be opened 7 days before travel for the benefits to be applied. Reservations must also include the cardholder’s American Airlines AAdvantage ID 7 days before the date of travel.

Are the benefits always available?

No. Even when booked with an American Airlines flight number, codeshare flights are not eligible for the cardholder to receive benefits. In addition to this, fast track lanes at airports are subject to availability and TSA approval.

What customer service phone number for Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card?

How to check my application status for Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card?

You can check your application status at any time online or by calling 888-201-4523.
Hanna VolkavaHanna Volkava

Financial and product expert

hv@myfin.us
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