Citi Strata Elite review: Unique statement credits and Admirals Club access
Editor's Note
Citi Strata Elite Card overview
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see rates and fees) packs high earning rates on select travel and dining—great if you book via Citi Travel and love eating out. The card's $595 annual fee is offset by several lifestyle and travel credits, in addition to Priority Pass and Admirals Club lounge access. For a premium travel card, the new Citi Strata Elite feels easy to manage with its simple-to-use benefits, but lacks access to issuer lounges and a wider range of travel perks. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½
* Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The Citi Strata Elite is the long-awaited premium card that completes Citi's expansion of its Strata lineup. The last premium card Citi offered was the famed Citi Prestige® Card (no longer available); however, the new Strata Elite is quite different from it.
The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
This new premium card comes with a hefty $595 annual fee, and just enough statement credits and perks to make up for the annual fee. It falls short in comparison to competitors such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and American Express Platinum Card®, which offer more than double the value of benefits in relation to their annual fees.
You'll earn the most on Citi Travel purchases and dining. This is in stark contrast to its competitors, which earn bonus points for booking travel directly with an airline or hotel. Prospective applicants with a credit score of 670 or higher will likely be approved.
Overall, the card may be a little niche for points and miles enthusiasts, but if you're considering applying, here's what you need to know.
Related: The best Citi credit cards
Citi Strata Elite pros and cons
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Citi Strata Elite welcome offer
For a limited time, new Citi Strata Elite cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first three months from account opening.
Based on TPG's October 2025 valuations, the welcome offer is worth $1,900.
The Citi Strata Elite and Citi Prestige are two different products, so current Citi Prestige cardholders won't be converted to this new card and instead can apply for the Strata Elite and earn the welcome offer.
When the Citi Strata Elite was unveiled this July, the launch welcome offer for online applications was 80,000 bonus points. Only those who applied in-branch could earn 100,000 bonus points.
Citi Strata Elite benefits
For a credit card charging a premium $595 annual fee, you'll get some decent perks and benefits, some of which are unique:
- Citigold® Private Client Relationship Tier credit: Qualifying Citigold Private Clients receive a $595 first-year banking relationship credit and $145 credit each year thereafter if the primary cardmember has an open and current Strata Elite Card account.
- Citigold® Relationship Tier credit: Qualifying Citigold clients receive a $145 Banking Relationship Annual Credit if the primary cardmember has an open and current Strata Elite Card.
As an eligible Citigold Private Client, you effectively get the Strata Elite's annual fee covered for the first year and a $145 discount off the card's annual fee each subsequent year.
As a qualifying Citigold account holder, you'll still receive an annual $145 credit, essentially bringing down the card's annual fee to $450.
Statement credits
The Citi Strata Elite offers the following statement credits:
- $300 annual hotel benefit: Each calendar year, cardholders receive up to $300 off a prepaid, minimum two-night hotel stay when booked through Citi Travel
- $200 Blacklane credit: Receive a semi-annual statement credit of up to $100 for Blacklane chauffeur bookings
- $200 Splurge credit: Each calendar year, cardholders receive up to $200 in statement credits on their choice of up to two brands: 1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, Future Personal Training and Live Nation (exclusions apply)
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit: Up to a $120 statement credit every four years toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
I expected to see an annual hotel credit to align with competitors. Unfortunately, it falls short in comparison to the Platinum Card's up-to-$300 semiannual statement credit for Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay for THC) properties with American Express Travel®.
It also misses the mark next to the Sapphire Reserve's The Edit by Chase Travel℠ credit — worth up to $500 (currently up to $250 biannually; two-night minimum; the biannual split ends Jan. 1, 2026) — and its new $250 credit for select Chase Travel hotels (available starting Jan. 1 for the 2026 calendar year).
The main perk of the Citi hotel credit is that it can be used toward any hotel, unlike the Chase and Amex credits, which are limited to a selection of curated properties. In addition, Citi Strata Elite cardholders have access to top-tier properties and perks similar to The Edit and Amex FHR through its new program, The Reserve.
The two statement credits that stand out to me are the lifestyle-focused Blacklane and Splurge credits. The list of eligible brands is interesting, ranging from fashion and fitness to travel and electronics.
Live Nation is a good choice as an eligible merchant for the Splurge credit (exclusions apply), but it falls short of the Sapphire Reserve's new statement credit of up to $300 for StubHub and Viagogo (through Dec. 31, 2027; one-time activation required).
The easiest way to redeem the Splurge credit is on American Airlines flight purchases, lounge access or paid seat selection. Otherwise, you can easily make purchases at Best Buy for items like sound-canceling headphones for your next flight or Apple AirTags to track your checked bags.
I was quite shocked to see the new Blacklane credit, as it's a lesser-known private chauffeur service that I've used a lot in the past. Blacklane chauffeur bookings are by no means cheap in most cities (compared to Uber or public transit), whether it's for airport pickups and drop-offs or trips from point A to point B.
For reference, I paid 566 euros ($663) to be driven in a Mercedes-Benz Vito van from Rosewood Schloss Fuschl to Munich Airport (MUC).
It's cheaper to use Blacklane services in Asia or the Middle East, such as in Istanbul, where it typically costs no more than $100 to get from the airport to the city center. Consider this credit more of a coupon for an expensive car transfer, as most bookings will cost more than the $100 credit you're given biannually.
Additional benefits
The Citi Strata Elite offers a few more perks that enhance the card's premium nature.
- Admirals Club access: Cardholders receive four Admirals Club Citi Strata Elite passes each calendar year
- Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership: Complimentary access for primary cardmembers and authorized users, and up to two guests
- Mastercard World Legend benefits: Premium benefits include priority reservations at high-demand restaurants abroad and tickets to music, theater and sporting events globally
- No foreign transaction fees: Use your card internationally without worrying about fees getting tacked on
- The Reserve by Citi Travel access: Access a collection of participating hotels on Citi Travel with on-property benefits, including a $100 experience credit (varies by property), daily complimentary breakfast for two, early check-in, free Wi-Fi, late checkout and room upgrades (subject to availability)
- Travel and purchase protections
Other premium cards offer access to Priority Pass lounges, but what stands out are the four annual passes to Admirals Club lounges. As Citi and American Airlines tighten their relationship, this perk makes the card a compelling choice for semifrequent AA flyers.
Unfortunately, the Citi Strata Elite still falls short because Citi lacks issuer-branded airport lounges, and the limited access to the Admirals Club doesn't compensate.
Similar to the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees), the Strata Elite offers travel protections, plus extended warranty and purchase protections.
Overall, the card provides $820 in statement credits and an additional $316 of value from the Admirals Club passes. This falls quite short of both the Sapphire Reserve and the American Express Platinum Card, which offer more than double their annual fees in value.
I expect more benefits from such a premium card and, perhaps, more AA-related benefits and perks. In comparison to other premium cards, the benefits seem limited and not in line with the value proposition.
Related: Citi Strata Elite statement credits: How to maximize your benefits
Earning points on the Citi Strata Elite
One of the more unusual aspects of the Citi Strata Elite is its earning rates. They include:
- 12 points per dollar spent on attractions, car rentals and hotels booked through Citi Travel
- 6 points per dollar spent on airfare booked through Citi Travel
- 6 points per dollar spent at restaurants, including restaurant delivery services, on Citi Nights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Eastern time (Earn 3 points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases outside of this window)
- 1.5 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
It's common to see issuers offer bonus points for booking through their own travel portal, but this is the first time we've seen an issuer offer bonus points for restaurant spending and delivery for purchases every Friday and Saturday at specific times. The silver lining is that the limited window applies to restaurant purchases worldwide.
Although earning up to 6 points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases is not a bad earning rate, cardholders of a premium travel card may be better off earning bonus points on direct hotel bookings or other travel.
Earning bonus points for booking through a travel portal is fantastic, but there are several downsides when you're not booking directly with an airline or hotel. For this purpose, the Citi Strata Premier is a better choice, thanks to its wide range of bonus categories and the ability to earn bonus points when booking travel directly.
Related: The best premium credit cards: A side-by-side comparison
Redeeming points on the Citi Strata Elite
The Citi Strata Elite earns Citi ThankYou Rewards points that can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards or statement credits.
You can also redeem your ThankYou points for travel booked through Citi Travel, but that will only net you 1 cent per point, well below TPG's valuation.
Points can also be transferred to any of Citi's 22 travel partners, which is the best way to maximize them.
Related: Best ways to redeem Citi ThankYou points
Transferring points on the Citi Strata Elite
Citi Strata Elite cardholders can transfer points to partners as part of the ThankYou Rewards program, which currently includes 16 airline transfer partners, five hotel partners, and one shopping partner. That's the most transfer partners of any major issuer.
The Strata Elite's points can be transferred to American Airlines AAdvantage at a 1:1 ratio. This is a great perk, as AAdvantage currently doesn't partner with any other credit card rewards program.
Citi ThankYou Rewards is unique in the sense that you'll notice several international frequent flyer programs that are more low-key, but you can still use them for high-value award tickets.
For example, by transferring 65,000 ThankYou points to Turkish Airlines' Miles&Smiles, you can fly one-way in business class from North America to Istanbul.
Another great redemption is to transfer your points to the Qatar Airways Privilege Club program to secure a one-way business-class flight in the famed Qsuite from the U.S. to Doha starting at 70,000 Avios.
I recently transferred 25,000 ThankYou points to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles to fly in business class from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) to Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), saving me nearly $1,000 on a route that's typically sold out.
An interesting thing to watch out for is whether the AAdvantage program will change or become devalued in any way, since becoming a transfer partner could result in a flood of points coming in.
Related: How to redeem American Airlines AAdvantage miles for maximum value
Which cards compete with the Citi Strata Elite?
The Citi Strata Elite's $595 annual fee puts it in the premium travel card category. If the card doesn't appeal to you, check out the following cards:
- If you want more benefits: The American Express Platinum Card offers impressive airport lounge access (for eligible cardmembers) and a long list of statement credits and perks that easily help justify the card's $895 annual fee (see rates and fees). To learn more, check out our full review of the Platinum Card.
- If you want more travel and dining rewards: Sapphire Reserve cardholders earn bonus points on travel booked through Chase Travel, flights and hotels booked directly and on dining purchases. This card also offers several travel and entertainment statement credits to offset its annual fee. To learn more, check out our full review of the Sapphire Reserve.
- If you want a simple earning rate for all purchases: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has a lower $395 annual fee. It earns up to 10 miles per dollar spent on select purchases through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases. It also offers a $300 credit for Capital One's travel booking site each calendar year and access to Priority Pass and Capital One Lounges. To learn more, check out our full review of the Capital One X Venture Rewards.
For additional options, check out our list of the best travel cards.
Related: Is the Citi Strata Elite worth the annual fee?
Bottom line
I was quite excited about the Citi Strata Elite's announcement earlier this year and made some lofty and hopeful predictions. Unfortunately, the card falls a bit short of its competitors in terms of value from statement credits and perks.
That said, if you like to book travel through Citi Travel or can maximize the card's earning rates on restaurant purchases, you'll come out ahead with tons of points. If you haven't applied since the card's launch, now's the time, since it features a great welcome offer.
Remember that if you already hold the Citi Prestige, you'll be able to keep that card and apply for the Strata Elite.
Apply here: Citi Strata Elite
For rates and fees of the Platinum Card, click here.