One of the benefits of the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is Admirals Club Lounge membership, which normally costs $400 – 500 per year for new members. Starting today, Citi is extending Admirals Club lounge access to all authorized users. This is is pretty significant, since a day pass to the Admirals Club normally costs $50 each.
There are ways to get around this, like buying discount passes on Ebay or elsewhere, but getting it for merely being an authorized user is easy and free. To get into an Admirals Club, authorized users can simply present their card and ID to the lounge attendant.
Admirals Club Access for Citi AAdvantage Executive Authorized Users
Back when the Citi AAdvantage Executive card had a massive 100,000 mile sign-up bonus, I signed several family members up for the card, then added myself as an authorized user so I could help them meet the minimum spending requirements. If I’d kept one of those accounts open and remained an authorized user, I could maintain the lounge access benefit.
If you still have your Citi AAdvantage Executive card and want to make the travel experience easier for a (responsible) family member, add them as an authorized user and they’ll become eligible for this benefit. There is no fee to add an authorized user.
American Airlines has over 50 Admirals Club lounges around the world. With airport terminals packed to the brim this time of year, airline lounges are a nice, quiet (er) place to grab a snack and hang out before a flight.
Are Admirals Club Lounges Worth Visiting?
I once visited the Admirals Club lounge in Paris and have to say, it was pretty nice. The food wasn’t catered by the Peninsula Hotel, but it was perfectly fine for a pre-flight snack.
It definitely beats any of the fine junk food establishments you’ll find in the terminal. And there’s free wifi and a place to charge your phone without having to sit on the floor next to twelve other people crowded around a charging station (sorry, I’m working on the less complaining thing).
Citi AAdvantage Executive Credit Card Sign-up Bonus
The sig-up bonus on the Citi AAdvantage Executive credit card is currently 50,000 miles after $5,000 spent within 3 months. The card does have a $450 annual fee which isn’t waived the first year.
This card is really ideal if you’re a frequent traveler who normally pays for Admirals Club membership. Or if you get value out of the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit and 25% in-flight purchase savings. For the rest of us, I think the Citi Advantage Platinum card with a $95 annual fee will do.
Will you be making use of the Citi AAdvantage Executive credit card’s new Admirals Club lounge benefit for authorized users?
