3 Huge Benefits That Make My Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Worth the $595 Annual Fee

A few years ago, I signed up for a travel credit card that charges a $595 annual fee. This was a big decision for me, as I had previously not been a fan of paying to become a customer of a credit card company.

But I also believe that cards with an annual fee can absolutely be worth their price if the value of the benefits they provide is worth more than the cost of signing up. And the card I chose, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, is absolutely worth it for me. Here are the major benefits that made signing up for this card worth it.

1. Admirals Club membership

My card came with access to American Airlines Admirals Club. This entitles me to visit Admirals Club lounges as well as partner lounges in airports worldwide. I can visit the lounge and bring my spouse and kids or up to two guests with me, thanks to having this card. There are more than 100 airline lounges I can visit when traveling.

I fly often -- about 12 times a year -- and almost always fly American Airlines. Being able to use the lounge means I don't have to buy food or drink in airports for my family of four, since it is provided to me. This saves us about $50 on each of those 12 flights, or $600 -- more than enough to cover the fee right there.

And the food is better quality, we don't have to wait in line for it, and my four-year-old adores going up to the bartender and asking for his "orange juice, please."

2. Free checked bags on American Airlines flights

My card entitles me and up to eight guests traveling on my reservation to bring a free checked bag on American Airlines flights. This saves us $30 per bag. Since there are some trips when we'd bring two suitcases for our family, this perk can save us $60 alone -- or more than $600 on 10 trips.

Plus, because we get the free checked bag, we don't have to worry about trying to jam clothes and personal items for four people into tiny carry-ons -- or carry four small bags and suitcases along with a toddler and preschooler through the airport.

3. Transportation credits

I use ride-hailing services fairly often when traveling, and my card helps to cut the costs of them. In fact, after I take three rides in a calendar month, I become eligible for a $10 Lyft credit. If I do this for 12 full months, I'd get a total of $120 in credits. I don't tend to meet this requirement every single month, but I still earned $60 in credits last year. This helped to offset the cost of the card.

The card also offers me a $1 statement credit for each $1 spent on renting a car with either Avis or Budget. I can earn a maximum of $120 per calendar year doing this. We don't rent cars as often as we use ride-hailing services, but I did use the benefit a little last year and saved an extra $45.

There are plenty of other benefits to go around

While these are my three favorite cardmember perks, there are plenty of others. My card also entitles me to:

• Up to $120 per year in Grubhub purchases
• Special access to concert tickets
• A $100 fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership (I used this last year)
• 25% savings on in-flight food and beverages

And these are just some of the additional perks I take advantage of. There are even more I don't use, like access to a dedicated concierge service. Plus, of course, I can earn rewards including bonuses when I pay to fly on American Airlines.

All in all, the cardmember benefits more than justify paying the fee for it. If you're like me and you used to be wary of cards with large annual fees, don't be. My experience showed that covering the cost out of your checking account can be well worth it if you find benefits you're excited about.