The Citi AAdvantage Mastercard, with its $450 annual fee, is the most expensive credit card offered to American Airlines customers. After making $5k in purchase during the first 3 months of account opening, you will get 50k American AAdvantage bonus mile. Participate in the Admirals Club® and enjoy additional American privileges.

Bonus Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard

After making $5,000 in purchases during the first three months of account opening, you will get 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles. Join the Admirals Club and save even more! The bonus may be worth as much as $637 if you value AAdvantage miles at The Balance's average price of 2.04 cents each.

Authorized users' spending counts toward the initial $ 5k in purchase made during the first three months, but bonus miles are only credited to the principal card member's AAdvantage account.

Earning Reward Specifics

Citi's AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard has straightforward perks. One AAdvantage® mile can be converted into one Loyalty Point. A wide variety of channels, including AA.com, and American Airlines retail locations at airports and major cities, are available for making purchases with American Airlines.

Specifics for Claiming Rewards

American Airlines AAdvantage program is where you may cash in your accumulated miles. Although there are various ways to put your miles to use, the most bang for your buck may be had when purchasing airline tickets.

American and most of its partner airlines allow reward bookings to be made online. Even while American Airlines provides a reward chart that breaks down the cost of each journey, they have recently introduced Economy Web Specials that make the pricing of select award flights more malleable.

Gaining the Most Benefits Possible

The first step to making the most of your Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is getting the welcome bonus. To qualify, you must charge at least $5,000 to your card during the first three months of card ownership.

The card can be used for any purchase, not only with American Airlines. When redeeming miles for travel, the best value is generally found in scheduling a flight with a longer duration and upgraded seating, especially if the destination is outside of the United States.

Reactions of Credit Card Holders

According to the J.D.J.D. Power 2021 Credit Card Customer Satisfaction report, Citi ranks sixth among significant credit card issuers. In terms of quality, it has a grade that is just below average. If you're focusing on establishing or keeping a good credit history, you might find the bank's free access to your FICO credit score helpful.

Potential Costs

The $450 annual charge is the highest cost to bear in mind, and unlike some other cards, it is not waived the first year you have the account. The absence of a foreign transaction charge, which on different cards can add 3 percent to the cost of purchases outside the United States, is a plus for this card in terms of fees.

Benefits

• Worthwhile Bonus for High Spending:

After making $5,000 in purchases during the first three months of account opening, you will get 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles.

Admirals Club Membership:

Using this card, you and up to two visitors can become members of the Admirals Club, which provides admission to more than 50 clubs worldwide. You may get free food and beverages, digital magazines and newspapers, help planning your trip, and more at these spots.

American Airlines Benefits:

Some additional perks from American Airlines are included with the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard and access to the Admirals Club. These perks are typically reserved for members of the AAdvantage program's upper echelons and are not included with standard AAdvantage cards.

Disadvantages

Expensive Cost Per Annum:

A whopping $450 yearly is required to maintain the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard. The next-most-expensive American Airlines credit card is the AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard at $199 annually, whereas the annual fee for the vast majority of AAdvantage cards is just $99.

Rewards Limited:

Only purchases made directly with American Airlines will earn extra miles at a rate of 1 mile per dollar spent. You can earn bonus points or miles in more than one bonus category with several rewards credit cards, including certain other AAdvantage cards.

Conclusion

The Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard's target demographic is tiny, which is to be expected given the card's high annual $450 price tag. It's a card for the well-heeled who fly American Airlines frequently enough to seek the privileges of the airline's elite passengers but not often enough to earn them through the AAdvantage program.