American Airlines is sharply increasing the price of Admirals Club membership while Citi is raising the annual fee on its premium AAdvantage Executive card and adding several new benefits. The changes make buying lounge membership directly far less attractive, while strengthening the case for getting the credit card instead.
American Raises Admirals Club Prices As Citi Refreshes AAdvantage Executive Card
American Airlines and Citi are overhauling both Admirals Club membership pricing and the Citi / AAdvantage Executive Mastercard beginning August 23, 2026.
The bottom line: Admirals Club membership is becoming dramatically more expensive, while the annual fee on the credit card that includes membership is increasing by a comparatively modest $100.
Admirals Club Membership Prices Rise To As Much As $1,400
American currently charges between $750 and $850 for a new individual Admirals Club membership, depending upon AAdvantage elite status. Renewals cost between $700 and $800.
Beginning August 23, the new annual prices will be:
- AAdvantage member: $1,400 or 140,000 miles
- AAdvantage Gold: $1,350 or 135,000 miles
- AAdvantage Platinum: $1,300 or 130,000 miles
- AAdvantage Platinum Pro: $1,250 or 125,000 miles
- AAdvantage Executive Platinum: $1,200 or 120,000 miles
That membership continues to include access for the member plus immediate family or up to two guests, along with access to eligible partner lounges.
American is also introducing a new $750 single membership, much like United Airlines did last year. It provides access only for the member, with no guests and no access to third-party partner lounges.
Household memberships will be phased out, while one-day passes will remain $79 or 7,900 miles.
These increases are enormous. American says the higher prices will support improved food and beverages, refreshed clubs, better service, and new concepts like Provisions by Admirals Club.
Fair enough (I even recently lauded AA over the lounge improvements), but $1,200 to $1,400 is an awfully high price for Admirals Club access, even with guest privileges.
Citi AAdvantage Executive Card Annual Fee Rises To $695
At the same time, Citi is refreshing the Citi / AAdvantage Executive Mastercard.
The annual fee will rise from $595 to $695 for new applicants beginning August 23. The authorized-user fee remains $175 for up to three users, followed by another $175 for each additional user.
Most importantly, the primary cardmember will continue to receive a full Admirals Club membership with unlimited visits and access for immediate family or up to two guests.
New and improved benefits include:
- Up to $500 annually in statement credits toward eligible American Airlines Vacations purchases
- Up to $100 annually in credits for eligible inflight and Admirals Club purchases
- Up to $180 annually in Lyft credits after taking three eligible rides in a month
- 12 miles per dollar on eligible AAdvantage Hotels and AAdvantage Cars bookings, up from 10 miles per dollar
- Up to 40,000 bonus Loyalty Points annually through four spending milestones
- Omni Hotels & Resorts Champion status
- One Omni free-night reward after a qualifying stay of at least two nights
- Avis President’s Club status
The card will continue to offer four miles per dollar on eligible American Airlines purchases, free checked bags, priority airport services, travel protections, and a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit.
> Apply For The Citi / AAdvantage Executive Mastercard
The Credit Card Is Now The Obvious Choice
It’s clear where AA is going with this…
American will charge a general AAdvantage member $1,400 for an Admirals Club membership, but Citi will charge $695 for a credit card that includes essentially the same membership, additional travel benefits, and the ability to earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points.
Even an Executive Platinum member would pay $1,200 to buy the standard membership directly.
Unless you are unable or unwilling to obtain the credit card, paying cash for a standard Admirals Club membership no longer makes much sense.
The new $750 single membership could work for a solo traveler who does not want another credit card. Even then, it costs $55 more than the card while excluding guests and partner lounges.
As for the card refresh itself, I do not love another annual fee increase or the continued transformation of premium cards into coupon books. The $500 American Airlines Vacations credit will be useful only to those who actually book packages through that channel, while the Lyft benefit requires monthly engagement.
Still, the underlying value proposition remains strong because of the Admirals Club membership. The new $695 fee is less than half the price of the standard $1,400 membership and even undercuts the stripped-down $750 single membership.
CONCLUSION
Beginning August 23, American Airlines will raise standard Admirals Club membership prices to between $1,200 and $1,400, while introducing a $750 single membership without guest or partner-lounge access.
Citi will simultaneously raise the AAdvantage Executive card’s annual fee from $595 to $695 while adding new credits, hotel and rental-car status, greater earning potential, and additional Loyalty Point bonuses.
Of course I dislike annual fee increases, but the math here is straightforward. The Citi Executive card remains the far better route to Admirals Club membership, and American’s new pricing makes that comparison even more lopsided.
> Read More: American Airlines Is Winning Me Over With BBQ, Brisket, And Better Admirals Club Food
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