Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® review: A high price for American Airlines benefits
Great for elite travel perks
Annual Fee: $595
The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 727
The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $24,373
Explore more about this card:
Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® or similar cards.
% of members by credit limit range
The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $24,373, with $35,000 being the most common.
Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® or similar cards.
% of members by credit score range
The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 727, with 819 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.
This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.
Member stats
Updated daily
25.5%
Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.
45 years
Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.
$146,413
Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.
Pros and cons
Image: yesGreat sign-up bonus
Image: yesAdmirals Club lounge membership could make airport trips more comfortable
Image: yesComplimentary status perks like priority boarding and free checked bags
Image: ConHigh spending requirement to earn the sign-up bonus
Image: ConHigh annual fee
Image: ConSome perks are already provided through elite status membership with the airline
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® review
Updated November 6, 2025
This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.
Written by: Andrew Kunesh
What to know about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
High annual fee
This premium airline credit card boasts plenty of perks, but they come at a cost — a $595 annual fee. With an annual fee that high, you’ll want to make sure you’ll actually use this card’s higher-value benefits before applying.
Complimentary Admirals Club membership
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® includes a full Admirals Club airport lounge membership for the primary cardholder, and authorized users can also access the lounges.
American Airlines values this benefit at $850, so it’s a valuable one if you were planning to purchase or renew an Admirals Club membership elsewhere. On the other hand, this perk might not mean much if you don’t regularly visit airport lounges or regularly fly American Airlines or its partners.
Great sign-up bonus, but at a cost
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® offers new cardholders 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after opening the card.
This is a phenomenal sign-up bonus — even for a premium travel card.
Limited opportunities to earn points elsewhere
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®’s sign-up bonus can help you build up your miles balance quickly, but your non-American Airlines purchases won’t earn as many miles. The card offers 10 miles per $1 spent on hotels booked through AAdvantagehotels.com and on eligible car rentals booked through American Airlines as well as four miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, but just one mile per $1 spent on other purchases.
If you’re not wedded to American Airlines for your travel, a flexible travel card may offer more bang for your mile.
Plenty of travel perks
Even if you don’t have airline status, you’ll still get plenty of perks from the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® comes with early boarding and access to priority check-in and security lanes. It also includes one free checked bag for you and up to eight travel companions.
But keep in mind that these perks are already included with American Airlines elite status. If you already have elite status or plan to earn it with this card, these benefits may not be as valuable to you. But you’ll still get a statement credit of up to $120 for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every four years. And the card has no foreign transaction fees, which could come in handy when you’re traveling abroad.
Understanding your points and redemption options
AAdvantage miles can be redeemed for travel on American Airlines, American Eagle®, oneworld® and partner airlines. American Airlines uses a region-based award chart, so the amount of miles required to redeem for a flight depends on factors including where you fly, seat type and date.
You can also redeem your miles for hotel stays, car rentals, seat upgrades or to plan a vacation through American Airlines’ partners.
Is this card worth it?
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® might only make sense for frequent American Airlines fliers. The card’s various perks will likely appeal to frequent travelers who want extra comfort at the airport. But with an annual fee of $595, this card is probably best for those who travel at least once or twice a month.
But if you prefer to get value from travel cards by redeeming miles for award flights, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere. This card simply doesn’t offer much mile-earning potential thanks to its limited bonus categories and decent, but not unique, sign-up bonus.
Not sure this is the card for you? Consider these alternatives.
If you’re not sure you’d take full advantage of the perks that come with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, you might want to consider one of these cards instead.
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®: Less-frequent American Airlines flyers might get more value from this card.
- American Express Platinum Card®: This card could be a better option for those who want broader lounge access and travel flexibility.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: If you’re looking for a nice mix of travel flexibility and perks, this card could be worth a look.
Member reviews
Most helpful positive review
January 9, 2018
Excellent for certain AA Travelers
— Credit Karma Member
I view this credit card more as a travel tool than I do a financial tool (balences are always paid in full anyway). I applied for it based on a 75K AAdvantage bonus point offer that was advertised in the Admiral's Club and a desire to consolidate my air travel from three airlines to one airline. I think the bonus required $7500 in 3 months. I fly quite a bit (mostly corporate travel), but not enough to be a top tier flyer, and that is the niche this card fits (as I see it). It offers an array of beneifts that lets non-high tier passengers get some of the perks of the high tier passengers (priority check in, lounge access, waived bag fees, etc). How you value the benefits is your own decision, but I felt the Admirial's Club was worth it (I fly at least 1-2 times/month - nearly always with a connection). The card will also pay for TSA pre-check when I need to renew it, so that is nice to have. The "enhanced airport experience" sounds great but - unless I am missing something - really only seems to benefit users who do not qualify at even the lowest tier of AAdvantage (Gold). All three remaining US legacy carriers seemed to have devalued their frequent flyer programs over the last few years, but at least on paper this card has a benefit to offset that to some degree ("Reduced Mileage Awards"). I have not yet used this feature so I cannot comment on it further. The card comes with a number of features that aren't unique but useful to have (concierge, no forigen transaction fees, travel insurance, etc). I have these benefits with other cards, and I suspect they are standard for many travel cards. When I applied, I was instantly approved. If I recall, the credit limit was NOT instnatly displayed; the card arrived about a week later (it was about 7 months ago). There was a dealy getting website access for whatever reason (I was eager to get proof I had the card for some upcoming flights and to know the credit limit). This was my first account with Citi. They offered terms (credit limit, intrest rate, cash advance, etc) consistent with my accounts at other financial institutions. For those who worry about the packaging and other disposable items, yes, it does come in a pretty box. Honestly they could have just sent it in a plain envelope and saved the money but I digress. After approximately six months, the card has delivered on every promise. Their website is pretty good, and the app works well. I am still happy I paid the steep price as this travel tool has indeed made my travel more comfortable. Oh one last note - the annual fee was due on the first statement. I hope you find my experience useful.
Most helpful negative review
April 19, 2024
Poor customer service, rude agents and weird rules
— Credit Karma Member
I regret opening this card because the CS agents are very rude and unhelpful. I had a 5k credit balance on the account and when I requested a return of it I got all types of push back. Then they told me they would need to review the refund first before returning it. One agent, Aaron thought he was on an episode of Rupaul DR. He kept calling me gurl and being very sassy in his responses. This company is weird