Link: Apply now for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
We’ve just seen a huge new limited time welcome offer rolled out on American’s most premium co-branded credit card, making it an ideal time to apply. This is a genuinely rewarding card, which offers lounge access, bonus Loyalty Points, and much more.
In this post:
Earn 100K AAdvantage miles with the Citi AAdvantage Executive Card
The Citi AAdvantage Executive Card is offering a limited time welcome bonus of 100,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $10,000 within the first three months. Personally, I value AAdvantage miles at 1.5 cents each, so to me that bonus is worth $1,500. There are some incredible uses of American AAdvantage miles, so you can redeem this for experiences like Etihad’s A350 business class or Qatar Airways’ 777 business class.
Also keep in mind that any spending on the card will qualify for Loyalty Points (helping you earn elite status, including Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, or Executive Platinum), though the welcome bonus as such won’t. Upon completing minimum spending, you’d earn a minimum of 10,000 Loyalty Points.
While we know that this welcome offer is limited time, unfortunately we don’t know when it will be pulled. For what it’s worth, the card was previously offering 70,000 bonus miles upon completing minimum spending.
Citi AAdvantage Executive Card eligibility requirements
If you’re interested in applying for the Citi AAdvantage Executive Card, the typical Citi credit card application restrictions apply, including that you can be approved for at most one Citi card every eight days, and at most two Citi cards every 65 days.
On top of that, the bonus isn’t available to those who have received a new account bonus on this exact card in the past 48 months. Eligibility is unrelated to having any other American Airlines credit cards, though, whether personal or business, and whether issued by Citi or Barclays.
Why the Citi AAdvantage Executive Card is worth it
The Citi AAdvantage Executive Card has a $595 annual fee, though it offers a bunch of perks that can help offset that. For one, this is the best card for accessing American Admirals Clubs:
- The Citi AAdvantage Executive Card offers an Admirals Club membership for the primary cardmember
- The Citi AAdvantage Executive Card offers Admirals Club access for authorized users; you can add up to three authorized users for a total of $175 (so potentially under $60 each), and then beyond that it’s $175 per authorized user
What’s the difference between the Admirals Club membership for the primary cardmember and Admirals Club access for authorized users? Well, the member can access some partner lounges, like Alaska Lounges, while the authorized users can’t. Regardless, the primary cardmember and authorized users are each able to bring two guests or their immediate family into Admirals Clubs when flying American or an eligible partner airline on the same day.
On top of that, the card offers a variety of other perks, including:
- A first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for the primary cardmember and up to eight companions on the same reservation
- Priority check-in, priority security, and early boarding, when flying American Airlines
- Up to 20,000 bonus Loyalty Points per year, unrelated to spending on the card — if you earn 50,000 Loyalty Points with AAdvantage you’ll receive 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points, and if you earn 90,000 Loyalty Points you’ll receive another 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points
- Up to $120 back on eligible Avis or Budget rentals every calendar year, which can even be used toward a single rental
- Up to $120 back on eligible Grubhub purchases every year, in the form of up to a $10 statement credit with each billing statement
- Up to $120 in Lyft credits every year, in the form of up to a $10 credit each month after making three eligible rides
- A Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit of up to $100 every four years, as reimbursement for the application fee
- Travel protection, including for trip cancellation and interruption, trip delay, lost baggage, and worldwide rental cars
- 10x AAdvantage miles on eligible rental cars booked through aa.com/cars, and eligible hotels booked through aa.com/hotels
Read a detailed review of the Citi AAdvantage Executive Card.
Bottom line
The Citi AAdvantage Executive Card has a new limited time welcome bonus of 100,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $10,000 within the first three months. While the bonus is great (and I value it at $1,500), there are lots of reasons beyond the miles that you might want to keep the card.
The card’s $595 annual fee is less than you’d otherwise pay for an Admirals Club membership. You can then add up to three authorized users at a reasonable cost, and take advantage of all kinds of other perks, ranging from up to $360 worth of credits, to 20,000 bonus Loyalty Points per year.
If this card has been on your radar but you haven’t yet picked it up, this would be a fantastic time to apply. This card has been in my wallet for years.
Anyone plan to pick up the Citi AAdvantage Executive Card with 100K miles?
Got denied for their AAdvantage Platinum card, but got approved for this one. Just burned the last of my AA miles, so I'll take it.
The grub hub credit RARELY works. if it does, it comes like 4-5 months later. Called Citi and they said it was a grub hub issue. complete waste!
IMO, even with the SUB, it's not worth the $600 fee. The monthly credits are basically useless, and even if you could max the $120x2, you're still $360 over. Although I suppose if you flew AA enough to take advantage of the $79 Admiral's club fee, you could "break even". MAYBE if they upped the SUB to 150,000 points/miles.
It's a real YMMV situation. If you're an AA hub captive, it can be worth the AF. Lounge access is a plus for AA loyalists who aren't in hubs with Priority Pass alternatives. The SUB is a good value, considering AAdvantage still has partner redemption sweet spots (for now).
My data point is that I signed up for this card about 11 years ago when the required spend was $6k in 3 months, 100k...
It's a real YMMV situation. If you're an AA hub captive, it can be worth the AF. Lounge access is a plus for AA loyalists who aren't in hubs with Priority Pass alternatives. The SUB is a good value, considering AAdvantage still has partner redemption sweet spots (for now).
My data point is that I signed up for this card about 11 years ago when the required spend was $6k in 3 months, 100k mile bonus. AF was $400, maybe 450. As a Gold flyer whose company required AA travel, I was sitting pretty. Lounges every flight for me and guests, upgrades for pretty much every regional flight ex-hub. I purchased a JL J ticket to Tokyo in Apex Suites for a personal trip to meet the SUB. People I know thought I was insane. But it was my first taste of international lie-flat business class, got me to Platinum upon return, and netted me a ton of miles.
So long story short, this is still a valuable card for a very niche audience. But if people just want it for an additional 100k AAdvantage miles, that's an awful lot of outlay. There are much better plays using convertible points and other OneWorld programs to get the AA metal flights you need.
Hypothetical: if I sign up for the card now, but have already crossed those loyalty point thresholds, will I retroactively get the bonus LPs?
@ 305 -- Yep!