Is the Citi Strata Elite Card Worth It?
-
Written by
Harrison Pierce
-
Edited by
Emily Gadd
-
Reviewed by
Jasmin Baron
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card, an advertising partner, is the newest premium credit card to hit the market. After sunsetting the Citi Prestige® Credit Card back in 2021, there hasn’t been a luxury card in Citi’s credit card portfolio. Luckily, the Citi Strata Elite fills that gap.
It has a lower annual fee than several other premium credit cards on the market, and Citi is unique in offering American Airlines as a transfer partner. Adding the Citi Strata Elite to your wallet might be as simple as wanting access to American Airlines award travel.
However, with a $595 annual fee, you need to carefully evaluate the costs compared to the benefits before applying. Here’s how to determine if the Citi Strata Elite Card is worth it for you.
Quick Verdict
In all honesty, I waffled on applying for the Citi Strata Elite for weeks after it was announced. As much as I love a new credit card and an elevated welcome offer, I couldn’t decide if the card was worth it. However, after some very careful consideration, I decided it was worth it and submitted my application.
If you think you’ll be able to get more value from the card than the annual fee, then it’s worth applying. For most people, this is the case. As long as you stay at a hotel at least once a year, and you don’t mind booking through the Citi Travel portal, you shouldn’t have any issue using the up to $300 annual hotel credit. Plus, you can choose between several retailers, including American Airlines and Best Buy, to use your up to $200 yearly splurge credit.
If you maximize these two statement credits, you are getting $500 in value, effectively reducing your out-of-pocket cost to hold the card. Then, the other statement credits and benefits are icing on the cake. Unfortunately, its bonus categories are quite niche, so you may not want to use this card as your daily driver. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth applying for.
Citi Strata Elite Card: At a Glance
- Annual fee: $595
- Welcome offer: For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Rewards structure: Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
- Statement credits and perks: Up to $300 annual hotel benefit, up to $200 annual splurge credit, up to $200 annual Blacklane credit, Priority Pass Select membership, four Admirals Club lounge passes per year, up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit.
- Estimated value: Almost $1,500
Who Should Consider Citi Strata Elite?
If you tend to stay at a hotel at least once a year and you enjoy flying on American Airlines, you should consider the Citi Strata Elite. It’s one of the best Citi credit cards for anyone who is looking for a new premium travel credit card with elevated perks without breaking the bank.
The current welcome bonus is fantastic, and allows you to earn a solid chunk of points that you can transfer to Citi’s airline and hotel partners.
Who Should Skip Citi Strata Elite?
If you already have the Citi Strata Premier® Card, an advertising partner, you might want to skip the Citi Strata Elite. The Strata Premier Card has a much better earning potential for everyday purchases, and it offers the same transfer ratio to American Airlines. Although the Strata Elite offers more statement credits, it also has a significantly higher annual fee.
However, you could pair these two cards together to maximize your earning potential and benefits. That said, not everyone is interested in keeping up with numerous credit cards. If you value simplicity, you may be better off with a beginner-friendly travel card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
How To Maximize Citi Strata Elite’s Value
Here’s how to get enough benefits from your Citi Strata Elite Card to justify the annual fee.
Statement Credits
Just because a card offers statement credits doesn’t mean you’ll use them. However, the Strata Elite has several options that are easy to use. The annual hotel benefit applies to any hotel stay of two nights or more booked through Citi Travel. Even if you prefer booking directly with the hotel, sacrificing one booking to a travel portal to save $300 is worthwhile.
The annual splurge credit allows you to pick up to two eligible retailers to receive up to $200 in statement credits each year (1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, Future Personal Training and Live Nation). Assuming you go to a concert or fly on American Airlines once or twice a year, you’ll easily use this benefit.
The up to $200 Blacklane credit might be a little more challenging, but not impossible. It’s split into semi-annual statement credits of $100. For example, I am heading to Paris in a few weeks, and I looked to reserve a car to get to my Airbnb. A short trip from the airport to my apartment is quoted at over 125 euros, while an Uber would cost just 25 euros. In essence, I’ll pay the same amount out of pocket, so it’s hard to find the value in that.
Airport Lounge Access
Other credit card issuers are opening their own co-branded airport lounges to provide an exclusive space for customers. American Express Centurion Lounges, Chase Sapphire Lounges and Capital One Lounges all offer an elevated experience that helps justify holding a premium credit card for frequent travelers.
Unfortunately, Citi doesn’t have its own lounges, but to combat this, Citi Strata Elite cardholders receive four American Airlines Admirals Club passes each year in addition to Priority Pass lounge access. This is a nice option to set Citi apart from other issuers, but it only works well if you travel through airports that have an Admirals Club to begin with.
Transfers to American Airlines
The other primary reason why you’d want to apply for the Citi Strata Elite is to access American Airlines as a transfer partner. Although several Citi credit cards allow transfers to AA, the Strata Premier Card and Strata Elite offer the best transfer ratios.
No other flexible bank points program allows transfers to American, making it a fantastic option for travelers who don’t fly the airline frequently enough to justify a co-branded American Airlines credit card but still want the option to book an award flight every so often (like me).
Final Verdict on the Citi Strata Elite Card
Compared to other premium credit cards on the market, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express (an advertising partner), the Citi Strata Elite Card feels much less like a glorified coupon book. Although I have the Amex Platinum, I find several of its statement credits difficult to use. I don’t always want to go out of my way to spend at a retailer just to receive a statement credit.
The Strata Elite seems to have solved that problem — the annual splurge credit allows you to pick between several different retailers so you can customize your card benefits. Plus, the annual hotel credit is simple enough to use. Maximizing these two credits alone makes the annual fee much more palatable.
Ultimately, it will come down to your spending and your ability to capture value from the card. If you think you can maximize the statement credits, and you are pairing the Citi Strata Elite with a higher earning credit card for everyday purchases, there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t consider this card.
After evaluating my travel and financial goals, I felt it was worth it, but that also doesn’t mean I need to keep it forever. If, after a year or two, I no longer think the Strata Elite is worth it, I can always request a product change to a more affordable alternative.
The information related to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® was collected by CardCritics™ and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardCritics™ does not receive a commission for this product.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Citi Strata Elite Card
What are the World Legend Mastercard benefits?
The Citi Strata Elite is the first World Legend Mastercard, which gives benefits like discounts with Mastercard partners and elevated Mastercard protections and rewards.
What is Citi Nights on the Citi Strata Elite?
Citi Nights allows Citi Strata Elite cardholders to earn an elevated 6x points on restaurant purchases on Fridays and Saturdays from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Although it’s an interesting perk, be mindful of time zones if you frequently travel abroad. Outside of these times, the card earns 3x at restaurants.
Is the Citi Strata Elite or Citi Strata Premier Card better?
Both the Citi Strata Elite and Citi Strata Premier Card are great cards. The Strata Premier Card offers a better earning potential and is more affordable at $95 a year, while the Strata Elite offers luxurious benefits at a higher cost of $595 a year.
