I receive compensation for content and many links on this blog. Citibank is an advertising partner of this site, as is American Express, Chase, Barclays and Capital One. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by my advertising partners. I do not write about all credit cards that are available -- instead focusing on miles, points, and cash back (and currencies that can be converted into the same). Terms apply to the offers and benefits listed on this page.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
The Citi AAdvantage Executive card has a limited time offer of 100,000 AAdvantage miles after $10,000 spend within the first three months of cardmembership. We saw a 100,000 mile offer last summer when the card was refreshed.
- This isn’t a great card for spend. 4x on American Airlines purchases (5 after spending $150k on the card in a calendar year); 1x on everything else, though you do earn 10x at aa.com/cars and aa.com/hotels
- But it’s good for earning status. Just having the card means that when you hit each of 50,000 and 90,000 loyalty points in a year in your account you get 10,000 bonus loyalty points.
- American Airlines benefits. Most people getting this card are going to have some sort of status, but worth noting the first checked bag benefit (on domestic American Airlines itineraries for the primary cardholder and up to 8 other passengers on the same PNR); priority check-in, screening, and boarding; 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases on American when paying with the card.
- Coverages. They’ve added back trip cancellation and trip delay along with lost luggage protection. You need these if you fly American.
- Admirals Club the card comes with membership for the primary cardholder and access for authorized users (which now come at an extra charge). It’s generally cheaper to get membership through this $595 card than buying it directly.
- Additional benefits. $120 in statement credits per calendar year for Avis and Budget car rentals; $10 per billing cycle credit with GrubHub; $10 monthly Lyft credit after you take 3 Lyft rides that calendar month; Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit every 4 years.
Admirals Club, Washington National Airport E Concourse
You get this card for the bonus and that’s worth it, you get an Admirals Club membership, and you get loyalty point bonuses if you earn enough loyalty points in the AAdvantage program (you do not have to spend on this card to earn these). It’s probably worth charging an Avis rental to the card. And then you may keep it if you want to retain Admirals Club and the loyalty point bonuses. But it’s really not a card for spending generally.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
If you get it solely for the miles and nothing else, it’s half a cent per mile. That seems to be a pretty good deal. Happy to be corrected.
Pretty weak benefit on Lyft. only after you’ve taken 3 rides and then only $10. Wow. I had this card for a while and cancelled it a couple of years ago.
So how many loyalty points would this generate?
Yeah, the Lyft benefit is pretty pathetic for a $595 AF card. Why even bother offering that, it’s embarrassing.
I often wonder why banks don’t make the earning rates on spend higher for ultra premium cards, but all except Chase seems to do the opposite. It’s as if they want us to just sign up for a card for SUB and benefits, not put any spend on it, and cancel after a year.
Did Gary not list the annual fee?
“Coverages. They’ve added back trip cancellation and trip delay along with lost luggage protection. <>.”
Oh, snap! That’s a “Richard” move…. but so true…..
My quoting of your one- liner “trip cancellation and trip delay along with lost luggage protection. You need these if you fly American” didn’t add to my oh- so- clever comment. Oh well. Still a good burn…