Compare the Features and Benefits of American Express® Business Gold Card and
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite MasterCard®

Is the Amex Business Gold Card worth it?

It is if you spend big. The card offers 4X Membership Rewards points in some of the most popular categories that businesses use so, if you spend a lot in the qualifying categories listed above, the card is extremely valuable.

Courtesy: American Express

Membership Rewards points are particularly useful. You’ll have 18 airline partners to transfer to, with representatives from each of the 3 major global airline alliances.

The card now also comes with up to $395 in potential statement credits, which if you maxed out would offset the annual fee. As a reminder, those statement credit offers are:

• $240 Flexible Business Credit: earn up to $20 in statement credits each month after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. Enrollment required.
• Walmart+ Membership Credit: use the Business Gold Card to pay for a monthly Walmart + membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive a statement credit that covers the full cost each month, valued at $155 annually.

Even if you don’t shop at Walmart, I could see easily using the Flexible Business Credit every month, even if just for a meal via GrubHub (pickup or delivery). Plus, the card also comes with Cell Phone Protection (See the Cell Phone Protection feature above for all of the details).

If you can spend a full $150,000 in purchases on your 2 bonus categories over a calendar year, that earns you 600,000 Membership Rewards points which Your Best Credit Cards values at around $10,000!

The card also has no foreign transaction fee and is especially good if you already have a nice collection of points in another credit card program, like Chase Ultimate Rewards, so you can be diversified since each program has unique transfer partners.

Rates and Fees for the American Express® Business Gold Card

If you and your immediate family members fly American Airlines often, the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard offers an outstanding slew of perks. As the most premium offering of all of the American Airlines’ AAdvantage credit cards, the most enticing and primary benefit by far is the ability the Admirals Club membership (though you’ll need a same day boarding pass on American or on any of the Oneworld partner airlines). You can bring your immediate family, which counts as your spouse/domestic partner and children under the age of 18 or two guests.

Valued at $500 – $650 per year outright, you can save quite a big chunk of cash by applying for the card instead. What’s more, you can add up to 10 authorized users to the primary card account with fees as follows: $175 total for the first three authorized users and $175 for each additional AU after that. While the card used to give free Authorized Users, that was simply too good to last. It remains a good deal on up to 3 AUs.

Your authorized users, whether you add your trusted friends or family members, will get their own American Airlines Admirals Club® membership. This makes the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard for larger families with lots of guests to bring along the way.

When you’re flying on American Airlines, you’ll not only get a 25% discount on inflight eligible American Airlines purchases for food and drinks, but you’ll get the VIP treatment at the airport. It starts with priority check-in, where you can bring a first checked bag free, and priority airport screening allows you to skip the line when available. Finally, priority boarding allows you to board with Group 4. Best of all, these three benefits apply to you and up to eight travelers on the same reservation!

Not only does the card help provide an enhanced airport experience, but you get to earn both American Airlines miles and Loyalty Points to help you qualify for AAdvantage® frequent flyer status. You’ll earn 2x redeemable miles on eligible American Airlines purchases and 1x miles on everything else. On top of that, you’ll earn 1x Loyalty Point per $1 spent.

As well, there are now Loyalty Point bonuses:

• A 10,000 Loyalty Point Bonus after reaching 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year
• A 10,000 Loyalty Point Bonus after reaching 90,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification years

And statement credit:

• Lyft – Citi/AAdvantage Executive cardmembers can earn a $10 Lyft credit after taking 3 eligible rides in a calendar month and paying with their card.
• Grubhub – Citi/AAdvantage Executive cardmembers are eligible to receive a statement credit of up to $10 per monthly billing statement (for a total of up to $120 every 12 monthly billing statements) on eligible purchases made at Grubhub.
• Avis/Budget – Citi/AAdvantage Executive cardmembers are eligible to receive a statement credit up to $120 every calendar year when purchases of up to $120 or more made Avis or budget car rentals or both are charged to their card.

It not only has Global Entry / TSA PreCheck reimbursement every 4 years, but now comes with a suite of Trip Protections:

• Trip Cancellation & Interruption Protection
• Trip Delay Protection
• Lost Baggage Protection
• Worldwide Car Rental Insurance Coverage

In short, if you want American Airline’s Admiral’s Club access (and don’t need Priority Pass or other lounge access), the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is a fantastic pick.