When fascinated about cobranded airline playing cards, it is simple to solely take into consideration the playing cards from airways you often fly with. In any case, among the key advantages of airline playing cards embody precedence boarding, free checked luggage and a sooner path to elite standing with the affiliated airline.
I usually encourage individuals to assume past a card’s airline or lodge associate when deciding whether or not it is smart for them.
Take the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees), for instance. This card gives a complimentary Admirals Membership membership to assist cardholders justify its $595 annual fee. On the floor, it looks as if that may solely be helpful for American Airways’ largest followers.
However an Admirals Membership membership gives one thing additional: complimentary entry to Alaska Airlines lounges. This is how Alaska loyalists can maximize this card with out ever setting foot on an American Airways flight.
Alaska Airways lounge entry
By means of the Admirals Membership membership you obtain together with your AAdvantage Executive, you will take pleasure in complimentary entry to Alaska lounges everytime you’re flying on a same-day American, Alaska or Hawaiian Airways flight. Be aware that this entry is not prolonged to authorized users, and it’s essential to have your bodily card with you to enter.
A regular Alaska Airways lounge membership prices $595 a yr, the identical as this card’s annual charge. By placing that cash towards the AAdvantage Govt as an alternative of a lounge membership, you will take pleasure in Alaska lounge entry plus all of this card’s different advantages.
No matter whether or not you are flying with American, Alaska or a Oneworld airline, you may as well get into Admirals Club lounges for no added charge.
To entry associate lounges with simply an Alaska Airways lounge membership, you’d should pay $795 annually for the Alaska Lounge+ membership, $200 greater than what the AAdvantage Govt prices.
Whereas an Alaska Lounge+ membership gives entry to a couple lounges that the AAdvantage Govt would not, resembling three United Clubs, the vast majority of its associate lounges overlap with what you possibly can entry with this card.
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Each an Alaska Lounge+ membership and the AAdvantage Govt present entry to The Qantas Membership and Admirals Membership areas. I see no purpose to pay $200 extra annually for a sliver of additional lounges to entry.
You’ll be able to e book Alaska Airways flights with American Airways miles
The AAdvantage Executive earns American Airways miles. Whereas which may initially appear ineffective to an Alaska loyalist, it is really the alternative.
American Airways miles can simply be used to book Alaska Airlines flights, that means it’s possible you’ll by no means even should step on American Airways steel to get extra worth out of this card past lounge entry. That mentioned, there are some nice itineraries that mix Alaska and American Airways flights.
For instance, you may e book a one-way business-class ticket from Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) to Heathrow Airport (LHR) for 57,500 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and costs. For those who have been to e book this itinerary with money, you’d pay $3,483. That is a price of 6 cents per level.
For those who usually fly domestically, there’s loads of availability there, too. You may e book a nonstop economic system flight on Alaska by way of American from Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS) to San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) for 12,500 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and costs.
For those who have been to e book with money, this flight would value $304, netting you 2.4 cents per level in worth. That is nice for a home economic system flight.
To study extra about what American Airways miles are price, take a look at our full guide to the AAdvantage program.
How you can earn American Airways miles
For a restricted time, you possibly can earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 within the first three months from account opening with the AAdvantage Govt. That is a ton of miles to make use of towards Alaska flights, and even an American flight or two for those who discover an ideal deal.
Apart from its welcome bonus, this card gives easy incomes charges that can assist you rack up extra American miles. You may earn 10 miles per greenback spent on resorts booked via aadvantagehotels.com and automobile leases booked via aadvantagecars.com. Plus, you possibly can earn 4 miles per greenback spent on different American Airways purchases and 1 mile per greenback spent on everything else.
For those who spend $150,000 a yr or extra on this card, you will earn 5 miles per greenback spent on American Airways purchases as an alternative of 4 via the tip of the calendar yr.
Whereas I usually do not suggest utilizing this card for non-American Airways purchases, if incomes miles towards award flights on Alaska is on the high of your precedence record, it might make sense to tug this card out for sure purchases. That is very true for those who’re making a purchase order that does not fall underneath a bonus class coated by one of your other cards.
Associated: How I use Seats.aero every day to find the best airline award availability in seconds
Different helpful advantages
Regardless of being an American Airways-branded card, the AAdvantage Executive has further advantages you should use with out reserving a flight.
For those who usually lease vehicles in your holidays, you will take pleasure in this card’s rental automobile assertion credit score. You’ll be able to earn as much as $120 again yearly on eligible pay as you go leases from Avis or Budget. Simply needless to say you will should e book your rental on-line to obtain the credit score.
If renting a automobile is not one thing you often do, this card can nonetheless assist offset your transportation prices. You’ll be able to obtain as much as $120 again annually for Lyft rides. You need to take three rides to obtain your $10 month-to-month credit score, so this profit is greatest for many who naturally use Lyft a number of instances a month.
Lastly, you possibly can obtain as much as $10 every billing assertion for Grubhub purchases. That is nice for anybody who likes to order takeout, even simply every so often. To make your credit score stretch additional, order pickup as an alternative of supply.
Whereas these credit are lifestyle-dependent, they’ll nonetheless present outsize worth for anybody who can simply make the most of them.
A simple credit score for any traveler to make use of is that this card’s TSA PreCheck/Global Entry software charge credit score. Even when you have already got TSA PreCheck or World Entry, you should use your AAdvantage Govt to pay for someone else’s application.
Lastly, this card gives a variety of important travel protections. You do not have to fly with American Airways to make use of these protections, to allow them to assist safeguard your subsequent flight with Alaska. Journey cancellation and interruption safety, misplaced baggage insurance coverage, and journey delay safety are a couple of necessary advantages that you may depend on.
Backside line
To get Alaska lounge entry with a regular membership, you’d should pay $595 a yr. For a similar value, you may get Alaska, Admirals Membership and Qantas lounge entry; American Airways miles to make use of for Alaska flights; assertion credit; and journey protections with the AAdvantage Executive.
It is a no-brainer for any Alaska loyalist to significantly take into account making use of for the AAdvantage Govt. It is an effective way to supercharge your subsequent Alaska flight, particularly because it’s presently providing an elevated 100,000-mile welcome bonus. Plus, for those who’re ever interested by making an attempt American Airways, this card is prepared in your pockets that can assist you out.
To study extra, take a look at our full review of the Citi / AAdvantage Executive.
Apply right here: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
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