By KBC Associate 
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees) is a valuable travel card that’s a great fit for frequent American Airlines flyers.
It carries a high $595 annual fee, but there are several easy ways to get excellent value from both the card and the AAdvantage program. And currently, the card is offering its highest-ever welcome bonus.
Here are six reasons why the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard could be a smart addition to your wallet.
Welcome offer
The first reason is straightforward and relatively obvious: the valuable welcome bonus.
The Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is currently offering 100,000 bonus miles after you spend $10,000 within the first three months from account opening. This bonus is worth $1,650 based on TPG’s May 2025 valuations.
It’s the highest offer we’ve seen on this card — and only the third time it’s been available in the past six years.
Related: Best uses of American Airlines AAdvantage miles
Admirals Club membership
One of the best perks of this card is the Admirals Club membership it includes.
With the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, you can enter an Admirals Club whenever you present a same-day boarding pass for an American Airlines flight or a Oneworld partner flight.
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
This also includes two guests or your immediate family (defined as a spouse or domestic partner plus dependent children under the age of 18).
Primary cardholders also receive access to Alaska Airlines lounges when departing or arriving on a flight operated by Alaska or American Airlines.
It’s also worth pointing out that the annual fee on the card ($595) is actually less than purchasing a lounge membership outright — an individual Admirals Club membership ordinarily costs between $750 and $850, depending on your status level with American, with a household membership costing up to $1,650.
Authorized user access to Admirals Clubs
Authorized users on the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard get access privileges to American Airlines Admirals Club lounges, just like the primary cardholder. This can offer significant value to friends or family members who travel even a few times a year.
The total cost for up to three authorized users is $175, and $175 for each authorized user thereafter.
Sure, you can bring in two guests or your immediate family as the primary cardholder, but what if your partner, parent or close friend is traveling alone? Adding them as an authorized user will get them into an Admirals Club, even when they’re not traveling with you.
Related: American Airlines Admirals Club access: How you can get into the airport lounge
Statement credits
Another standout benefit of the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is its three valuable statement credits:
- Up to $120 back on eligible Avis or Budget car rentals every calendar year
- Up to $120 back on eligible Grubhub purchases every calendar year (up to a $10 statement credit on each monthly billing statement)
- Up to $120 in Lyft credits every calendar year ($10 Lyft credit each month) — though you must complete three eligible rides each month to receive it
That means you can get up to $360 back annually in statement credits if you can take advantage of all of these perks.
Related: Forgettable statement credits checklist: Perks and benefits not to be overlooked
Free checked bags
There are many ways to avoid fees for checked baggage when traveling, and cobranded airline credit cards are a great way to accomplish this goal. With the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, you and up to eight traveling companions on the same reservation can check a bag for free on all American-operated domestic flights.
This saves each passenger at least $80 per round-trip flight within the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, so the savings can really add up.
This perk applies even if you don’t use the card to book your flight. This is especially beneficial if you want to use another credit card that provides elevated rewards on airfare purchases or are required to book a ticket using a company card.
Global Entry credit
A final reason to apply for the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is the up-to-$120 statement credit you get for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years.
Global Entry is a great way to expedite your reentry into the U.S. after international travel. And I’d strongly encourage you to go for the gold with Global Entry, as PreCheck comes included with a Global Entry membership.
You can also use this credit for someone else — not just yourself or an authorized user. Citi will simply look for an applicable charge on your statement and will credit you the membership fee, even if the card was used for a friend’s or family member’s application.
Bottom line
The Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard offers a lucrative welcome offer, but the benefits on the card go beyond the miles you’ll earn.
Access to Admirals Club privileges (which extends to any authorized users you add), perks when flying American and Global Entry credit make the card a terrific value proposition, even with the steep annual fee.
To learn more about this card, read our full review of the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard.
Apply here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard