Review: Is the Citi/AAdvantage Executive the right card for you?
Do you fly with American Airlines often? And do you constantly spend lengthy stretches at the airport, wishing you could escape to somewhere more quiet and comfortable while you wait? If so, the
The
Not only does this card make it possible to earn an initial rush of miles in the American AAdvantage program thanks to the sign-up bonus, but you'll earn airline miles for every purchase you make with your credit card.
If you're serious about the
With another rewards credit card, you could rack up more rewards on regular spending and bills throughout the year. You could always consider a flexible rewards credit card that lets you redeem points in more than one way. For example, a Chase Ultimate Rewards card like the
If you want to earn cash back in addition to airline miles, on the other hand, there are a variety of cards to consider. For example, you could get the
Bottom line: The
Citi/AAdvantage Executive versus other American Airlines cards
If you're on the fence about this card and considering other options, you may want to check out a few other cards that let you earn American AAdvantage miles. The chart below shows how all the personal credit cards that co-brand with American Airlines stack up.
| Annual fee | $450 | $99* | $0 |
| Welcome bonus | 50K miles after you spend $5K in the first 3 months | 10K miles and a $50 statement credit after you spend $500 in the first 3 months | |
| Earning miles | 2x miles on American Airlines purchases 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases | 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases 2x at eligible gas stations and restaurants 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases | 2x miles on American Airlines purchases 2x at grocery stores 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases |
| Cardholder benefits | Admirals Club membership Application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Priority screening, check-in, and boarding on American Airlines Free first checked bag 25% off in-flight purchases | Preferred boarding on American Airlines 25% off in-flight purchases $125 American Airlines discount when you spend $20K on your card within a calendar year | 25% off in-flight purchases |
Not available through Business Insider | Not available through Business Insider |
*$99 annual fee waived for the first 12 months
Citi/AAdvantage Executive versus other premium airline cards
| Annual fee | $450 | $550 | $525 (waived the first year) |
| Welcome bonus | 50K miles after you spend $5K in the first 3 months | X | |
| Earning miles | 2x miles on American Airlines purchases 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases | 3x miles on eligible Delta purchases 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases | 4x miles on United purchases 2x miles on travel purchases and dining/delivery purchases 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases |
| Cardholder benefits | Admirals Club membership Application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Priority screening, check-in, and boarding on American Airlines Free first checked bag 25% off in-flight purchases | Complimentary Delta Sky Club access when you fly Delta Annual companion certificate Priority boarding Application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Free first checked bag on Delta flights | United Club membership Application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Premier Access for United flights Free first and second checked bag 25% off in-flight purchases |
Not available through Business Insider | Not available through Business Insider |
Using miles
If your goal is using miles for flights around the world, racking up rewards in the American AAdvantage program makes a lot of sense. Once you have a stash of miles, you can redeem them with American Airlines and various Oneworld alliance partners including Iberia, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Qantas, and plenty of others.
While the price of flights can vary in miles, you can book a one-way domestic flight within the US for as little as 7,500 miles. A round-trip flight to Europe, on the other hand, will set you back 60,000 miles plus airline taxes and fees. American Airlines also offer continuous "web specials" that make some itineraries a ridiculously good deal.
Also note that you can redeem American AAdvantage miles for car rentals, hotel stays, gift cards, and a few other non-airfare options, but you'll usually get the most value from your miles when you use them to book flights.
Citi/AAdvantage Executive card features
Admirals Club membership
If you're wondering why anyone would pay $450 for an airline credit card, the answer is simple. The airline lounge membership this card offers normally costs $650 per year, although you can get a discount if you're an elite member in the American AAdvantage program.
Unfortunately, you do have to show a same-day boarding pass that proves you're flying with American or one of its partners in order to access the lounge. For that reason, this card and membership is best if you're someone who flies with American Airlines or its partners all the time anyway.
Other cardholder benefits include:
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit— This statement credit is worth up to $100 toward the application fee for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. If you go for Global Entry, you'll get PreCheck membership as well.
- Free checked bag — When you fly American Airlines and your AAdvantage loyalty member number is attached to your reservation.
- Priority check-in, priority screening, and priority boarding — When you fly American, you can breeze through the airport a bit quicker thanks to these preferred benefits.
You'll also get 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) when you spend $40,000 on your card within a calendar year, which can be a huge help if you're trying to earn AAdvantage elite status and need help to get there.
Citi/AAdvantage Executive card costs and fees
The biggest cost you'll face with this credit card is the $450 annual fee but, like we said already, this fee is easily worth it if you're someone who would pay for Admirals Club membership anyway. In fact, this card gives you membership for less than you would pay without it. This card also comes with no foreign transaction fees.
Other fees this card charges are avoidable. For example, the ongoing APR is
