Citi AAdvantage executive card Revamp: new benefits, higher annual fee

Details

Beginning July 23, 2023 new and current cardholders can earn more AAdvantage Miles and enjoy a suite of new benefits. The annual fee will also increase. The following is a brief summary of changes. Changes in a flash Current features What the card will feature as of July 23, 2023 Annual fee Rewards on American […]

Beginning July 23, 2023 new and current cardholders can earn more AAdvantage Miles and enjoy a suite of new benefits. The annual fee will also increase. The following is a brief summary of changes.

Changes in a flash

	Current features	What the card will feature as of July 23, 2023
Annual fee
Rewards on American Airlines purchases (made directly with the airline)	Earn 2 AA miles per $1 spent.	Earn 4 AAdvantage miles per $1 (before $150k in total spending on the card per calendar year). Earn 5 AAdvantage miles per $1 (after $150k in total spending on the card per calendar year).
Rewards on hotels and car rentals booked through AA.com		Earn 10 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent.
Loyalty Point bonuses	Earn 10,000 Loyalty Points after spending $40,000 per calendar year.	Earn a 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after earning 50,000 Loyalty Points per qualifying year. Earn an additional 10,000 Loyalty Point bonus after earning 90,000 Loyalty Points per qualifying year.
Statement credits		Earn up to $120 in statement credits on Avis or Budget car rentals per calendar year. Earn a $10 GrubHub credit per card statement period. Earn a $10 Lyft credit each calendar month after you pay for 3 rides with your card in the same month.
Travel insurance		Trip delay and cancellation protection. Lost baggage protection. Primary rental car insurance outside the U.S. Secondary rental car insurance inside the U.S.
Authorized user fee	$0 for up to 10 authorized users.	$175 total for up to three authorized users. $175 for each additional authorized user above three.
* A qualifying year for Loyalty Points changed in 2023 from calendar year to the period between March 1 and February 28.

Benefits that are still in effect include:

Admirals Club Access for Primary and Authorized Users
For every eligible mile you earn from your purchases, you will receive 1 Loyalty point.
The primary cardholder, and as many as 8 guests can check in their first bag for free.
Get 25% off on all in-flight meals and drinks on American Airlines flights.
Enjoy priority boarding, check in and screening when flying with AA.

Limited-Time Offer

Between July 23, 2023 and September 6, 2023 new cardholders approved for the AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard (r) can earn 100,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $10,000 in the first three month of opening the account.

American Airlines has a dynamic award chart whereby the miles needed to get a flight for free changes according to demand. You can find low-demand flights to the Lower 48 States for just 7,500 miles one way. This would mean that this limited-time promotion is worth approximately 13 domestic flights one way at the lowest redemption level.

What is the impact on existing cardholders?

What existing cardholders should know about

After July 23, 2023, the increased annual fee as well as any new authorized user fees will be applied to their renewal. The first three users are charged $175 total and not separately (i.e. there is no cost difference between one, two, or three users).
The additional benefits will become available on July 23, 2020, whether or not you have paid the annual fee increase.
The new bonus cannot be combined with your existing Loyalty Bonus of 10,000 Loyalty points earned when you spend $40,000

In 2023, the qualifying period for Loyalty points changed from a calendar year to a time frame between 1 March and 28 February.

Does the annual fee increase make sense?

These changes were made to cater for American Airlines’ loyal customers who spend a lot. The ability to earn four to five AAdvantage Miles on flights with AA will come as a welcomed addition for these travelers. The new loyalty bonuses of 10,000 points are also valuable for elite status seekers who generate 50,000 or 90,000 loyalty miles per year. If you’d like lounge access, a $595 fee per year is cheaper than $850 for an Admirals Club Membership after July 23rd 2023.

Other benefits of new legislation are not spectacular:

You can’t rent from any other company.
To maximize this benefit, you will need to keep track of your statement dates and use GrubHub.
You can only get a $10 credit for each month if you have used your Lyft card to make three rides during that calendar period.
Car rental primary insurance only applies to rental cars outside of the U.S.

The Citi(r), AAdvantage (r) Platinum select(r), World Elite Mastercard is a great option for those who are less loyal to American Airlines and would like a more affordable way to earn AAdvantage points. The card also offers the following offer as an introductory: earn 50,000 American Airlines (AAdvantage) bonus miles when you spend $2,500 on purchases in the first three months after account opening.