Who it's for
Airline loyaltyAirport loungesPremium travelLounge access
AAdvantage Executive
Annual fee rose from $595 to $695 on Aug 23, 2026, offset by up to $600 in new yearly credits that need AA Vacations and inflight or Admirals Club spend to use. Admirals Club access is still the core value. Best for AA loyalists who use the lounges.
$839/yrest. value at typical spending
$695annual fee
$600yearly credits
$95fee after credits
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| Category | Rate | Typical spend |
|---|---|---|
| Dining | 1x | $400/mo |
| Groceries | 1x | $600/mo |
| Flights & hotels | 2.2x | $300/mo |
| Rent | 1x | $2,500/mo |
| Gas & transit | 1x | $150/mo |
| Streaming | 1x | $80/mo |
| Online shopping | 1x | $200/mo |
| Everything else | 1x | $600/mo |
Rates are what our model counts per dollar. Brand-specific bonuses (like a hotel card at its own hotels) are blended, since most people don't put all category spending with one brand. Typical spending here means our quiz defaults: $4,830 a month, including $2,500 rent or mortgage. Points are valued at 1.5¢ each (travel portal redemption); transferring to airline or hotel partners can be worth more.
Rewards and perks
Points, 1 transfer partner · Airport lounge access
- Admirals Club full membership including spouse/domestic partner and dependents
- Up to $500 back each year on American Airlines Vacations purchases (added Aug 2026)
- Up to $100 back each year on inflight and eligible Admirals Club purchases (added Aug 2026)
- 4x miles on American Airlines purchases
- 12x on AAdvantage hotel and car bookings (up from 10x, Aug 2026)
- 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points at 50k, 90k, 165k, and 240k Loyalty Points per year (up to 40,000)
- First checked bag free for cardholder + up to 8 companions on AA
- Priority check-in, security, and boarding
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit ($120 every 5 years)
- 25% in-flight savings on AA Wi-Fi and refreshments
Transfer partners
American AAdvantage
Similar cards
- Delta Reserve$650 annual fee$823est. value/yr
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- Amex Platinum$895 annual fee$2,674est. value/yr
- Chase Sapphire Reserve$795 annual fee$2,521est. value/yr
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