Why You Might Want This Card

AA Lounge Access When You Fly ANY Airline

Lounge access is the best perk on this card. You don't have to be traveling with AA to access it either. Just present your AAdvantage number, ID, and a boarding pass -- and you and 2 guests can relax with an adult beverage and free Wi-Fi. Add on the TSA Pre-Check credit and free checked bag, and even if your paycheck doesn't scream "Executive!," your travel style will. Yes, the annual fee is $450, No, it isn't waived the first year, so should think hard about getting this one. There are a lot of perks to this card like the free bags and the lounge visits. But once you get your sign-up bonus and the TSA credit, it may not be worth paying the annual fee a second year, unless you live in an AA hub city or you fly often enough to really utilize that lounge pass.

Bottom Line

The 50,000 point sign-up bonus offsets the $450 annual fee. If you fly often and can use the Admiral Club lounges every time you travel, this card is a great option. You get a lot of little perks that can add up pretty fast too. If you can't find ways to use the lounges -- given that the annual fee and the sign-up requirement is a steep -- you may want to steer clear of this one and head toward one of the other Citi Card options that have a more reasonable annual fee, or even waive it, for the first year.