Is the Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® Worth the $595 Fee?

The Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® is a worthwhile card for frequent American flyers who will use the Admirals Club access multiple times a year. If you take multiple American Airlines trips each year, the free checked bags, lounge access and more than $300 in annual credits can quickly offset the $595 annual fee. Travel protections and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^® credit add extra value for frequent flyers.

However, you need to do most of your flying with American Airlines to really get the value out of this card. If you want flexible points to fly on multiple airlines, then a general travel card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® might serve you better.

Recommended credit: Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion Good / Excellent

Rewards Rate: 1X point

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

Welcome offer: 100,000 miles

• For a limited time, earn 100,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $10,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

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Rates

• Intro purchase APR: N/A
• Regular purchase APR: 19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
• Intro balance transfer APR: N/A
• Regular balance transfer APR: 19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
• Regular cash advance APR: 29.74% (Variable)
• Penalty APR: Up to 29.99% (Variable)

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Fees

• Annual fee: $595
• Balance transfer fee: 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum
• Cash advance fee: 5% of each cash advance; $10 minimum
• Foreign transaction fee: 0%

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Other benefits

• Fly through the airport hassle-free

  With your Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^®, you’re eligible for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^® enrollment reimbursement — a perk that can save you serious time in the airport security line.

  On top of that, you’ll also get priority check-in, priority screening (where available) and priority boarding. Plus, your first checked bag is free for you and up to eight companions on the same domestic reservation — a savings of up to $720 per round trip.

  → Read LendingTree’s American Airlines AAdvantage program guide

• Get Admirals Club access for you, guests and authorized users

  Full membership access to America’s Admirals Club lounges is complimentary for primary cardmembers. A lounge membership costs $850 per year, so you can easily justify the card’s annual fee if you visit the lounge frequently.

  This membership also qualifies you for entry into other airline lounges:

  • Admirals Club locations
  • Alaska Airlines lounges when you fly American or Alaska Airlines
  • Qantas Clubs when you’re flying with Qantas or American out of select locations or American Airlines flights operated by Qantas
  • Select partner lounges operated by third parties

  Additionally, the primary cardholder and authorized user may bring immediate family members (a spouse or domestic partner and any children under 18) or up to two guests into Admiral Club lounges.

  Cardholders and authorized users need proper proof of identity, card membership and boarding passes. Family members and guests need same-day boarding passes to gain lounge access.

  → See LendingTree’s list of best cards for lounge access

• Statement credits can help offset the annual fee

  Your new Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® includes statement credits worth over $300 annually. You can offset over half the card’s $595 annual fee with these credits, if you’re able to use them. You’ll get:

  • Up to $120 on eligible prepaid Avis and Budget car rentals
  • Up to $120 Lyft credit
  • Up to $120 back on eligible Grubhub purchases

  On the downside, credits are issued in $10 monthly increments, which can make them hard to maximize. But if you’re a frequent Grubhub, Lyft or rental car user, these credits are a “nice-to-have.”

  What cardholders are saying

  Reddit users cite this as a solid card to have even if your company pays for your business travel, as lounge access (which often includes free food and beverages) can help justify the fee on its own. “The rental car and Grubhub credits are just icing on the cake,” states one cardholder. Others note that the miles earned are worth the fee, plus they can bring two friends to the lounge on personal trips.

• Earn elevated miles on travel-related purchases

  If you regularly spend on travel, you’ll rack up miles quickly with your Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^®, thanks to its elevated rates on travel-related purchases. You’ll earn 10X miles on car rentals and hotels booked through AA.com and 4X miles on American Airlines purchases. Plus, earn 5X miles on eligible American Airlines purchases for the remainder of the year after you spend $150,000 in a calendar year.

  What are AAdvantage miles worth?

  American AAdvantage miles are worth approximately 1.2 cents each according to LendingTree research — slightly less than the average airline mile.

• Fast path to elite status

  Another perk of the Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® is that it can help you reach elite status faster. Cardholders earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.

  You can also earn a 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus when you earn 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year. Plus, earn a bonus 10,000 Loyalty Points after earning 90,000 in the same status qualification year.

  Here’s what you can get with each status level:

  Reward level	Loyalty points required	Benefits include (but aren't limited to) the following
  AAdvantage Gold®	40,000	Priority privileges and Group 4 boarding 24-hour upgrade window 1 free checked bag oneworld® Ruby status
  AAdvantage Platinum®	75,000	Priority privileges and Group 3 boarding 48-hour upgrade window 2 free checked bags oneworld® Sapphire status
  AAdvantage Platinum Pro®	125,000	Priority privileges and Group 2 boarding 72-hour upgrade window 3 free checked bags oneworld® Emerald status
  AAdvantage Executive Platinum®	200,000	Priority privileges and Group 1 boarding 100-hour upgrade window 3 free checked bags oneworld® Emerald status

  New in 2026

  AAdvantage members get free Wi-Fi on most domestic flights and select international flights starting in January 2026 and new Loyalty Point Rewards starting March 1, 2026, plus new ways to redeem miles for live events and experiences (and more).

• Various travel protections and benefits

  You’ll get a few more perks that smooth out the travel experience and add a layer of protection along the way:

  • No foreign transaction fees
    You won’t pay a 3% fee when you make purchases outside the U.S.
  • 25% in-flight discount
    Enjoy a 25% savings on in-flight food and beverage purchases on American Airlines flights when you pay with your card.
  • Trip protections
    You’ll get trip cancellation and interruption protection, trip delay protection, lost baggage protection and worldwide car rental insurance coverage.

• High annual fee

  The $595 annual fee for the Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® is steep and probably a dealbreaker if you’re fee-adverse. You’re not alone; a LendingTree study found that 45% of people would never pay an annual fee. On the flip side, more than half of those who do have credit cards with annual fees say that it’s worth it.

  Will you break even?
  You’d need just three round-trip flights with a checked bag and one lounge visit per trip, plus using about half of the annual statement credits and the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck^® benefit, to offset the annual fee. The value stacks up even more if you travel with others or use the lounge on both legs of your trips. Here’s how the savings could look over three round-trip flights using some of the credits.

  Benefit	Individual cost	Annual cost
  Three lounge visits	$79 per visit	$237
  Three round-trip bag fees	$35 (online) to $40 (at counter)	$210 to $240
  Half of each statement credit	$60	$180
  Global Entry Credit/TSA PreCheck® credit	$120 (every four years)	$30
  	Annual value	$657 to $687

  Want American Airlines perks without the hefty annual fee? The $0-annual-fee American Airlines AAdvantage^® MileUp^® Card offers a sign-up bonus and elevated rewards on grocery store purchases.

• Authorized users don't get the same lounge access

  While primary cardholders receive full Admiral’s Club access, authorized users only receive access to American Airlines Admirals Club lounges.

  Authorized users do not receive:

  • Access privileges to the Arrivals Lounge, Flagship Lounge facilities or other airline lounges or clubs that offer reciprocal access with American Airlines. This includes lounges operated by members of the oneworld alliance.
  • Special pricing on conference rooms or other special offers.

• Low rewards rate on general purchases

  The Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® is built for American Airlines loyalists — not everyday earners. Outside of American Airlines-related purchases, you’ll only get 1 mile per dollar spent, with no boosted categories like gas, groceries or dining.

  If you’re looking for a card that nets you strong rewards for all of your spending, plus more flexible points, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®.

  → See LendingTree’s top picks for travel credit cards.

Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® vs. American Express Platinum Card^®

The American Express Platinum Card^® can be the better pick if you want lounge access that isn’t tied to a single airline and you care about premium perks that span both airlines and hotels — especially if you prefer flexible points that you can transfer to multiple travel partners.

It earns Membership Rewards^® points that can be transferred to a range of airline and hotel partners and gives you access to the Global Lounge Collection^® (including Centurion^® lounges and partner lounges). Plus, it includes tons of annual credits*, from airline fees and hotel bookings to lifestyle benefits like dining and digital entertainment, potentially offsetting its high $895 annual fee (see rates & fees).

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Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve^® can be the better choice if you want one premium card that works across multiple airlines and hotels, plus strong earnings on everyday spending, rather than rewards that are mostly tied to one airline.

It earns high rewards on travel and dining, offers a large welcome bonus and lets you redeem points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards^® portal or transfer them to multiple airline and hotel partners.

It also includes Priority Pass™ lounge access, a $300 annual travel credit, solid travel protections and no foreign transaction fees. The downside is the high annual fee of $795 — but similar to the Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^®, making the most of the benefits and credits helps offset the annual fee.

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Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

The Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card is a better fit if you’re an occasional traveler who wants a straightforward, $0-annual-fee card for everyday spending and you don’t want perks like lounge access.

Cardholders earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. This makes it one of the best no-fee flat-rate rewards cards out there. The sign-up bonus lets you earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. The card also comes with introductory APR offers on purchases and balance transfers and some basic protections, like cellphone insurance and auto rental insurance.

If you frequently fly on American Airlines or use the Admirals Club often, the Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® is well worth considering. It’s also good if you can use enough of the statement credits to recoup the cost of the annual fee, or if you’re trying to get status with American and want the Loyalty Points boosts.

But if you’re not loyal to American Airlines, a general travel card like the American Express Platinum Card^® or Chase Sapphire Reserve^® may be a better option. If you’re not a frequent flyer but want a solid rewards rate on all your spending, try the Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card.