Underrated Reasons Why You Need an AAdvantage Executive Mastercard

There is a lot to love about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®. With a desirable welcome bonus and extra perks for American Airlines loyalists, it’s no wonder so many people find this card is worth its $450 annual fee. But there are also some lesser-known reasons why this card is a great choice. Here are some underrated reasons why you need a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®.

But first: The well-known reasons

Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Earn 2 miles for every $1 spent on American Airlines purchases.
No foreign transaction fees.
Credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee.
Admirals Club lounge membership.
Priority boarding and priority check-in.

Underrated reasons

Here are some of the underrated perks that you can get with this card.

Admirals Club membership for up to 10 authorized users

While you may already be aware that the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® comes with an Admirals Club lounge membership, you might not realize that those benefits can extend to 10 additional people.

How can you use this perk? Add up to 10 authorized users to your account. There’s no charge. Your authorized users will have access to all Admirals Clubs, just like you, even when you're not flying with them. Many other premium credit cards charge a fee to add an authorized user.

Regardless of whether you add authorized users, you can bring two guests with you for free when entering an Admirals Club lounge.

You can view Admirals Club locations here.

» Learn more: How to access American Airlines Admirals Club lounges

Concierge services

Another underrated benefit of this card is the included concierge service. You can use this concierge service to handle travel, dining, shopping and entertainment purchases.

Priority airport screening

When you fly American, you can take advantage of priority airport screening where available. This perk extends to up to eight traveling companions if they’re on the same reservation.

Discounted award flights

By having the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®, you’ll also be eligible to take advantage of the American Airlines Reduced Mileage Award program. You can get a discount of up to 7,500 miles on round-trip MileSAAver® awards.

For flights under 500 miles, you’ll be able to get a 2,000 mile discount. For flights over 500 miles, you’ll get a 7,500 mile discount. This helps your mile rewards go further.

You can see eligible flight destinations here.

» Learn more: American Airlines AAdvantage program: The complete guide

Free first checked bag for you and up to eight guests

If you like to check a bag when you travel, this card will come in handy. You and up to eight companions can get a free first checked bag when flying domestically. Your travel companions must be on the same reservation to use this perk. The first checked bag fee on a domestic flight costs $30 one way, $60 round trip. Using this card perk can result in significant savings.

25% discount on in-flight purchases

If you’re already loyal to American Airlines and you typically make in-flight purchases when traveling, this is a great card to consider. You’ll get a 25% discount on in-flight food and drink purchases on American flights, but the discount doesn't extend to Wi-Fi purchases. Your discount will come in the form of a statement credit eight to 10 weeks after the transaction.

Earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles by spending $40,000 each year

Spend $40,000 on this card and you’ll earn 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles. That can help you work your way up in elite status membership tiers to take advantage of extra perks when flying with American Airlines.

The bottom line

When considering the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®, keep in mind all the underrated benefits. If you live near an American Airlines hub and fly often, it may make sense for you to apply for this premium card even with its high annual fee.

How to Maximize Your Rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2020, including those best for: