Is the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card Worth It?

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The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card is Citibank’s newest addition to its card portfolio and also its most premium credit card. It’s up there with the heavyweights, competing with The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees), the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Capital One Venture X Credit Card.

But does it mean that you should swap out one of these aforementioned cards for a shiny and new Citi Strata Elite℠ Card?

Here’s a complete rundown on the Citi Strata Elite Card and a head-to-head comparison with its competitors.

Citi Strata Elite Card: Overview

Before jumping in, here’s a quick overview of what the Citi Strata Elite has on offer.

Let’s now look at each of these features in depth.

Citi Strata Elite: Points Multipliers and Redemption Options

The Citi Strata Elite offers some of the most competitive earning rates and lucrative redemption options of any credit card. Let’s check them out.

Bonus Spending Categories

The Citi Strata Elite Card offers the following bonus spending categories:

• 12X points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
• 6X points per dollar spent on air travel booked through CitiTravel.com
• 6X points per dollar spent at restaurants and on restaurant delivery services on purchases made on Friday 6 p.m. through Saturday 6 a.m. (Eastern Time) and on Saturday 6 p.m. through Sunday 6 a.m. (Eastern Time)
• 3X points per dollar spent at restaurants, including restaurant delivery services, during all other hours
• 1.5X points per dollar spent on all other purchases

This is a solid range of bonus spending categories, which can be particularly lucrative if you can leverage bookings through CitiTravel.com and if you tend to eat out on weekends.

You’ll also get a decent return on non-bonus category spending, coming in at 1.5X points per dollar spent.

Transfer Partners

Citi Strata Elite cardholders can transfer their ThankYou Points to 20 hotel and airline transfer partners.

Among them, some of the most valuable transfer partners include American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, to name a few.

Here’s an overview of Citi’s transfer partners as well as the transfer ratios for Citi Strata Elite cardholders.

Citi Strata Elite Cardholder Perks and Statement Credits

The Citi Strata Elite offers up to $1,500 worth of annual cardholder perks and credits. Let’s see how to get this much value out of the card.

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Statement Credit

The Citi Strata Elite comes with a statement credit every four years toward a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee, which is on par with other premium travel rewards cards.

This enables you to speed through TSA security lines and immigration processing at U.S. airports, offering a smoother airport experience.

Priority Pass™ Select Membership

Like many other travel rewards cards in the same annual fee range, the Citi Strata Elite card comes with complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. This gives you complimentary access to more than 1,500 airport lounges across the world.

Typically, the equivalent retail Priority Pass membership would cost you $469, effectively reducing the Strata Elite’s annual fee by more than half.

American Airlines Admirals Club® Access Passes

Citi Strata Elite cardholders will benefit from four annual complimentary day passes to American Airlines Admiral Clubs.

With close to 50 Admirals Clubs spread out across the United States, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to use these passes, which are valued at $316.

On top of this, you can bring up to three children under the age of 18 with you for free, allowing you to maximize each access pass to the full.

This benefit is easy to use for semi-frequent travelers and will effectively cut the card’s annual fee in half.

Up to $200 Annual Blacklane® Credit

You can earn up to $200 in annual statement credits when you use your Citi Strata Elite to pay for services with Blacklane, a premium global chauffeur service.

The credit is issued semi-annually, giving you the opportunity to receive up to $100 back on Blacklane purchases from January through June and up to $100 from July through December.

If you can take advantage of this chauffeur service, it’s another way to cut $200 off the card’s annual fee.

Up to $200 Annual Splurge Credit

Citi Strata Elite cardholders can receive up to $200 in annual statement credits when they use their card to pay for goods and services with up to two of the following brands:

• 1stDibs
• American Airlines (exclusions apply)
• Best Buy®
• Future Personal Training
• Live Nation (exclusions apply)

If these are merchants that you tend to spend with, this perk offers up to $200 back on your annual spending.

Among these merchants, American Airlines is likely the most beneficial for the majority of cardholders.

Purchases must be made directly with American Airlines to qualify for the Splurge credit. Purchases that do not qualify for the Splurge credit include car rentals and hotel reservations, purchases of AAdvantage® status boosts or renewals, and AA Cargo™ products and services.

That means you could easily get up to $200 back every year on airfare purchases and incidental fees, such as seat selection and extra baggage charges, with American Airlines.

Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit

When you book and prepay a hotel stay of two nights or more through CitiTravel.com, you’ll receive a discount of $300. You can use this benefit once every calendar year, effectively cutting the card’s annual fee in half.

In the event that the total cost of your stay is less than the $300 credit, the remaining credit will be available to use on another booking within the same calendar year.

Access to The Reserve by Citi Travel

As a Citi Strata Elite cardholder, you get exclusive access to an elite group of four- and five-star hotels, known as The Reserve, when you book through CitiTravel.com.

Not only this, but you’ll also enjoy a number of benefits when staying with these properties, including daily complimentary breakfast for two, free Wi-Fi and a $100 experience credit (varies by property).

Other benefits can include early check-in, late checkout and room upgrades, all of which vary by property and are subject to availability.

Citi Strata Elite Fees

With all those benefits to boast, let’s see what it costs to hold the Citi Strata Elite Card and how it compares to other premium travel rewards cards.

Annual Fee

The Citi Strata Elite comes with an annual fee of $595. However, depending on your banking relationship with Citibank, you may pay less.

Citigold® Private Clients can enjoy a $595 first-year banking relationship credit, effectively making the Citi Strata Elite free to hold in the first year. Thereafter, you’ll receive a $145 annual statement credit, reducing the card’s annual fee to $450.

For reference, to become a Citigold Private Client, you need to maintain a minimum combined average monthly balance of $1 million in eligible linked deposit, retirement and investment accounts. This minimum balance must be sustained for at least three calendar months.

Similarly, Citigold® clients can receive an annual $145 relationship credit, also helping to effectively cut the annual fee to $450.

To become a Citigold client, you need to maintain a minimum combined average monthly balance of at least $200,000 in eligible linked deposit, retirement and investment accounts for a minimum of three calendar months.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

The Citi Strata Elite is completely free of foreign transaction fees. This gives you the freedom to continue spending abroad, allowing you to earn Citi ThankYou Points while travelling.

Citi Strata Elite vs. Other Premium Travel Rewards Cards

If you’re considering whether the Citi Strata Elite is worth a spot in your wallet, it’s important to compare it to other cards within the same annual fee range.

These include the following cards:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express ($695 annual fee, see rates and fees)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® ($795 annual fee)
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ($395 annual fee)

While these aren’t the only cards to consider, they’re direct competitors of the Citi Strata Elite and should be considered before hitting that “apply” button.

Let’s look at how the Citi Strata Elite compares to its main competitors.

Bonus Spending Categories

The Citi Strata Elite offers a rewards multiplier of 6X to 12X points per dollar spent on eligible bookings made through its travel portal.

This is the highest rate of return for travel portal bookings offered on any credit card, outpacing Capital One’s 10X multiplier on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One’s travel booking site, Chase’s 8X multiplier on all purchases made through Chase Travel℠, and Amex’s 5X multiplier on flights and prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel®.

However, this rate is limited to eligible bookings made through CitiTravel.com instead of direct bookings. Booking flights and hotels through a third-party site, no matter what your rate of return is, always comes with drawbacks compared to direct bookings.

That’s where the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which earns 4X points on direct airline and hotel bookings, as well as the Amex Platinum, which earns 5X points on direct airline bookings (on up to $500,000 per calendar year; 1X points thereafter), take the lead.

Similarly, if you’re after a strong baseline rewards rate, the Capital One Venture X wins with its 2X multiplier on all non-bonus category spending. That said, the Strata Elite’s 1.5X baseline rewards rate still outpaces the Amex Platinum’s and the Sapphire Reserve’s 1X earning rate.

The Strata Elite offers the highest rate of return on dining expenditure. However, you’re limited to earning 6X points during eligible hours on Friday and Sunday nights only. Otherwise, you’ll earn 3X points on all other dining expenditure.

If you spend a lot on dining but not always during eligible weekend hours, a card such as the American Express® Gold Card (see rates and fees)—which earns 4X points per dollar spent on restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 per calendar year (1X points thereafter)—would be a better alternative.

Overall, while the Citi Strata Elite offers some of the highest points multipliers of any credit card on the market, receiving this rate of return isn’t always straightforward.

Perks and Statement Credits

The Citi Strata Elite offers close to $1,500 in annual perks and statement credits, enabling you to offset the annual fee by more than double. However, these perks are only as valuable as you make them.

If you find yourself agreeing with most of the following statements, you could be in a strong position to maximize the Strata Elite’s perks and credits:

• You fly regularly with American Airlines and would like access to Admirals Clubs.
• You travel frequently and would be able to visit a number of Priority Pass lounges every year.
• You’re a fan of Blacklane and/or could easily use its chauffeur services once every six months.
• You find yourself spending around $200 each year with two or more of the following merchants:
  • 1stDibs
  • American Airlines (exclusions apply)
  • Best Buy®
  • Future Personal Training
  • Live Nation (exclusions apply)
• You’d be happy to book at least one hotel stay per year through Citi Travel for two nights or more.
• You or your family member don’t yet have Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership but would like to apply for it.
• You want to be able to transfer your points 1:1 to the American Airlines AAdvantage program.

If you agree with most of the above statements, great—you’re in a strong position to offset the Citi Strata Elite’s annual fee year after year. If not, you may be better suited to a different premium travel rewards card.

For example, here are some of the key perks you’ll enjoy as an Amex Platinum cardholder, which total more than $1,500 in annual value:

• Access to The American Express Global Lounge Collection (includes The Centurion® Lounge, Escape Lounges – The Centurion® Studio Partner, Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass Select Lounges and other participating partner lounges)
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status
• Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status
• Benefits when staying with properties in the Fine Hotels + Resorts® Program
• $100 experience credit when you book a minimum stay of two nights with The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel®
• Up to $200 annual statement credit for airline incidental fees, including in-flight purchases and checked bags, to be applied to one qualifying airline
• Statement credit for CLEAR® Plus membership
• Statement credit to help with the cost of Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years
• Complimentary Avis Preferred®, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® and National Car Rental® Emerald Club status
• Up to $200 annual hotel credit for prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum stay of two nights to qualify for the credit.
• $200 in Uber Cash credits for Uber Eats and Uber rides, issued in $15 monthly increments with a $20 bonus on top in December. To receive this benefit, you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible Amex Platinum Card must be a method of payment on your Uber account. The Uber benefit may be used in the United States only.
• Up to $240 annual digital entertainment credit, issued in up to $20 monthly credits, toward direct purchases with select news and entertainment providers (enrollment required)
• Up to $155 annual statement credit toward Walmart+ membership, given in $12.95 monthly increments
• Up to $100 annual statement credit for Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com, given in up to $50 biannual increments
• Up to $300 annual statement credit for an Equinox+ digital subscription or membership

If neither the Amex Platinum nor the Citi Strata Elite’s benefits cut the mustard, you might be suited to the Sapphire Reserve’s $2,700 worth of annual cardholder perks, including:

• Statement credit reimbursement for Global Entry, Nexus or TSA PreCheck application fee, every four years
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select™ membership
• Complimentary IHG® One Rewards Platinum Elite status (through Dec. 31, 2027)
• $500 annual credit for stays with The Edit℠, issued in biannual $250 credits (two-night minimum stay required). Plus, receive a $100 property credit.
• $300 annual dining credit issued in biannual $150 credits, toward purchases with restaurants affiliated with Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables
• $250 annual credit for AppleTV+ and Apple Music subscription (through June 22, 2027)
• Complimentary $120 DashPass membership (through Dec. 31, 2027)
• $300 in annual DoorDash promos, issued in $25 monthly credits ($5 monthly promo to spend on restaurant orders and two $10 promos to spend on groceries, retail orders and more) (through Dec. 31, 2027)
• $300 annual credit toward StubHub and viagogo purchases, issued in $150 biannual credits
• $120 annual credit toward Lyft purchases, issued in $10 monthly credits (through Sept. 30, 2027)
• $120 annual credit toward Peloton memberships, issued in $10 monthly credits (through Dec. 31, 2027)
• Access to Reserve Travel Designer

Alternatively, if you’re after a simple set of lucrative benefits for a lower annual fee, the Capital One Venture X is likely your best bet, with the following perks on offer:

• Complimentary access to Capital One Lounges
• Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
• Exclusive benefits with the Lifestyle Collection and Premier Collection hotels
• Complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status
• $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One’s travel booking site
• Statement credit every four years toward a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee

Think about what you typically spend your money on as well as what your travel goals are. From here, calculate the degree to which you can offset each potential card’s annual fee through leveraging its benefits.

This way, you’ll select a card that will support your lifestyle instead of adding to the cost of it.

Travel Insurance Benefits

The Citi Strata Elite comes with a full suite of travel insurance benefits, including the following:

• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: Reimburses you for up to $5,000 per covered trip and $10,000 per year in the event that a covered event causes your trip to be canceled or interrupted.
• Trip delay reimbursement: Reimburses you up to $500 for reasonable additional expenses due to covered delays greater than six hours.
• Lost or damaged luggage reimbursement: Reimburses you up to $5,000 per covered trip ($2,000 per bag per covered trip for New York residents) with a maximum of two claims per year (exclusions apply).
• MasterRental coverage

These are solid travel insurance perks that add to the value proposition of the Citi Strata Elite.

That said, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the heavyweight when it comes to travel insurance benefits with additional coverage, including an emergency medical and dental benefit, baggage delay insurance, emergency evacuation and transportation insurance, and travel accident insurance.

If you’re looking for extensive protection abroad, you won’t beat the Sapphire Reserve. But if you’re happy with just a few credit card-conferred travel insurance policies, the Strata Elite does the job.

Fees

The Citi Strata Elite is on the lower end when it comes to premium-card annual fees, coming in at $595. For instance, you’ll spend an extra $100 every year to hold the Amex Platinum and an extra $200 to hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Likewise, to add an authorized user to your Strata Elite, you’ll pay $75 per additional card user. To add an authorized user on the Amex Platinum (see rates and fees) or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you’ll pay a whopping $195 per card user.

In contrast, the Venture X costs $395 per year—$200 less than the Citi Strata Elite—and allows you to add up to four authorized users free of charge.

Overall, while the Citi Strata Elite is on the lower end of premium travel rewards card annual fee spectrum, the real question is how much you can offset these fees using the cards’ respective perks.

Citi Strata Elite vs. Other Citi Cards

If you’re dead set on opening a card with Citibank, it’s natural to consider whether the Citi Strata Elite—Citi’s most exclusive card—is the best option.

For instance, you could instead choose one of the other cards in the Citi Strata family, such as the Citi Strata Premier® Card or the Citi Strata℠ Card. While the $0 annual fee Citi Strata Card likely isn’t what you’re after due to its lack of additional cardholder perks, the Citi Strata Premier Card offers a solid balance between low annual fees and card perks.

As a Strata Premier cardholder, you’ll be able to transfer your earnings to all of Citi’s transfer partners while benefitting from the following points multipliers:

• 10X points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
• 3X points per dollar spent on air travel and other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations and EV charging
• 1X points per dollar spent on all other purchases

You could also combine the Strata Premier—or the Strata Elite—with the Citi Double Cash® Card. This way, you’ll earn 2% cash back on non-bonus spending (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay), which you can transfer to your Strata Premier or Strata Elite account and then transfer to Citi’s full list of hotel and airline partners.

If you’re in the market for a premium rewards card and are set on Citi, the Strata Elite will be your best bet. However, if you’re simply in the market for a travel rewards card, combining the Citi Strata Premier with the Double Cash Card is a solid way to maximize your rewards while minimizing annual fees.

Is the Citi Strata Elite Card Worth It?

In the ever-changing landscape of premium travel rewards credit cards, the Citi Strata Elite brings an impressive suite of benefits.

From some of the highest points multipliers available on portal bookings to an expansive transfer partner list that includes American Airlines AAdvantage—a rare find in the credit card world—the Citi Strata Elite is definitely an eye-catcher. Add to that nearly $1,500 in potential annual credits and complimentary lounge access, and it’s clear that Citi is making a strong play for frequent flyers and loyal spenders alike.

However, not all of its benefits will be suited to prospective cardholders, which makes offsetting its $595 annual fee a challenge. Moreover, aside from having American Airlines as a transfer partner and a slightly lower annual fee, the Strata Elite lacks an edge over its competitors.

Both the Amex Platinum and the Chase Sapphire Reserve cards offer a wider range of cardholder perks that are arguably easier to use, making their higher annual fees less of a concern. Likewise, the Capital One Venture X costs $200 less to hold than the Strata Elite yet offers an equally competitive list of cardholder perks and points multipliers.

For those who value American Airlines as a transfer partner and who can utilize most of the card’s annual perks, the Strata Elite might be worthwhile having in your wallet.

But for most points and miles collectors, you’ll likely be better off with the Amex Platinum, the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Venture X or a two-card Citi Strata Premier and Citi Double Cash Card combo.