Does anyone have any experience using this with the international lounges listed as Admirals Clubs (e.g. Qantas lounges in Australia)? Not sure whether primary cardholders let alone an AU would get access outside of the US...

Primary card members have membership to the AC. You get access.

AU only have AC access, and won't get access.

Does anyone know how long it takes to get the Admirals Club membership? I got pre-approved and accepted on Saturday, and my card is due to arrive tomorrow, Wednesday, but I will by flying early in the morning and would love to use the lounge. I called the EXP desk and my account is not on file with the Admirals Club. Does it get linked when I call and activate the card? Am I out of luck tomorrow?

I am wondering the same thing. I want to upgrade my card to the one with club access but was wondering how long it takes for access to kick in. A a supervisor at citi said it would take about 10 to 12 business days from the dates I switch over.

Update: Admirals Club membership was granted by the time I activated the card - even called the EXP desk and they confirmed I was good to go. Tried it the next day, and no probs getting into the lounge. What a great card!

Just a warning. I have the Citi Executive card and recently added my son as an authorized user. He went to the Admirals Club at MIA earlier this week and was told his card wasn't "valid," but they let him in anyway, this time. I called Citi, and they said there is a bad batch of cards where Admirals club access is not encoded in the magnetic stripe, and they are sending us a new card. So if your recently added authorized user has problems getting into an Admirals Club- it's likely Citi's fault, not AA.

I have ordered several AUs in waves and they come with the activation sticker. The card # and 3 digit security # are all identical. How in the world does Citi know which AU they are activating over the phone via automated activation when all Citi asks for is the main acct holders name and address and last four of SS? I called in and asked this very question and the first rep babbled on about the chip (which has nothing to do with activation over the phone, duh) and the second rep explained that the "batch" of cards sent first needs to have one called in and the "batch" will be activated. I asked "how do you know which batch of AU is calling in if the activation process is the same as the primary acct holders. My thesis was that on effect, the AU's come pre activated which citi denied but had no logical explanation for.

Your theory is entirely correct. The AU cards don't actually have to be activated. I've never once activated any of them; they all work.

Do AUs have to show their Citi AA Exec card for entry, or can they get by with showing their AAdvantage membership card? I recall that primary cardholders could to the latter but I'm not sure about AUs.

Yes.

Has anyone figured out how AU's credit reports are impacted?
According to the blogs, when AU''s are added, it impacts Chase 5/24 for the AU.
But they also say if it is challenged, it always gets removed from the CR.
Which seems like a complete nuisance!
Makes me wonder. does the AU ever lose admirals club for challenging the hard pull on their CR?
Now Citi only asks for the name and birthdate for AUs.
Does Citi look up everyone they know with that name and birthdate, and then pick someone matching the name and birthdate at random to report a hard pull on their CR?
Does anyone know, does the birthdate of the AU need to match to get admirals club?

I am real interested in understanding this better, if anyone knows.

Thanks in advance!

There is some confusion. An AU card is reported as an ACCOUNT, not as an inquiry (hard pull).

Thanks, but I understand it also counts against the AU's 5/24?
(Been reading that in a lot of places.)

Correct 5/24 refers to accounts opened in the past 24 months, not to inquiries.

Got it.

So if an AU is given a card for admirals club, the AU could challenge the account and have it removed from his/her credit report, and have 5/24 status restored as if he/she never got the card.

Any idea if the AU would still keep admirals club benefits after doing this?