Citi AAdvantage Executive Card Revamp: New Benefits, Higher Annual Fee

Changes are coming to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®.

Starting July 23, 2023, new and existing cardholders will receive additional ways to earn AAdvantage miles and a new suite of benefits, along with a higher annual fee. Here's a summary of the changes:

What's changing at a glance

Existing benefits that remain unchanged include:

• Admirals Club access for primary and authorized users.

• Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage mile earned from purchases.

• $100 credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years.

• First checked bag free on domestic flights for the primary cardholder and up to 8 companions.

• 25% discount on in-flight food and beverages on AA flights.

• Priority boarding, check-in and screening on AA flights.

» MORE: The complete guide to the American Airlines AAdvantage program

New limited-time offer

From July 23, 2023, to Sept. 6, 2023, new cardholders who are approved for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® will earn 100,000 AAdvantage Miles after spending $10,000 within the first three months of account opening. (Current offer: Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.)

American Airlines implements a fully dynamic award chart, where the number of miles required for a free flight changes based on demand. For low-demand periods, you can reportedly find flights within the lower 48 states for as low as 7,500 miles each way. That would make this new limited-time offer worth around 13 domestic one-way flights at this lowest redemption level.

» MORE: What’s the value of American Airlines AAdvantage miles?

How are existing cardholders impacted?

Here’s what existing cardholders need to know:

• The increased annual fee and the new authorized user fee(s) will be charged on their first renewal date after July 23, 2023. Note the first three authorized users cost $175 in total, not individually (i.e., there’s no difference in cost between having one, two or three authorized users). 

• Additional perks will be available for use on July 23, 2023, regardless of whether you’ve been charged the increased annual fee.

• You can only earn a maximum of 20,000 Loyalty Point bonuses in a qualifying year and won’t be able to stack the existing 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus earned by spending $40,000 with the new bonuses. 

Be aware that a qualifying year for earning Loyalty Points changed in 2023 from calendar year to the period between March 1 and February 28.

» MORE: Citi AAdvantage Executive Review: Your key to the club

Is the higher annual fee worth it?

The new changes are truly geared toward high-spending American Airlines loyalists. For those travelers, the ability to earn 4 to 5 AAdvantage miles on AA flights will be a welcome addition. Elite status chasers will also find value in the new 10,000 Loyalty Point bonuses earned after generating 50,000 and 90,000 Loyalty Points per qualifying year. And if you want lounge access, the $595 annual fee is still cheaper than the $850 it will cost to buy an Admirals Club membership after July 23, 2023.

The rest of the new benefits are unspectacular:

• The $120 annual credit toward Avis or Budget car rentals is nice, but you’ll be stuck renting only with those companies. 

• The $10 GrubHub credit resets every statement period (not each calendar month), so you’ll have to track your statement date and be a GrubHub user to maximize that benefit. 

• The $10 monthly Lyft credit applies only after you’ve already used your card for three Lyft rides in that calendar month.

• Primary car rental insurance applies only to rentals outside the U.S. For domestic rental car accidents, you'll still have to go through your own insurance first.

If you’re a less frequent American Airlines loyalist and want a cheaper way to rack up AAdvantage miles, check out the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. That card has the following annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $99. It also comes with the following introductory offer: Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.