Citi Strata Elite®

The Citi Strata Elite is built for frequent travelers who want premium airport privileges and high rewards rates on travel booked through Citi. Combining elevated base earning on everyday purchases with substantial annual statement credits, it functions as both an everyday luxury card and a portal-focused travel powerhouse.

Welcome Offer

75,000 Points

Annual Fee

$595

Rec. Credit Score

Excellent

Good For

Luxury travelers and portal bookers

How to Apply Estimate your value

All information about Citi Strata Elite® has been collected independently by MaxRewards. Citi Strata Elite® is no longer available through MaxRewards.

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are MaxRewards' alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Overview

Is the Citi Strata Elite® worth it?

This card is great for...

Citi Travel bookings

American Airlines flyers

Statement credit optimization

For cardholders who regularly book through portal channels and utilize popular merchants like Best Buy or American Airlines, the Citi Strata Elite easily justifies its $595 annual fee. The combination of a $300 annual hotel credit on Citi Travel bookings and the $200 Splurge Credit can offset nearly the entire fee on its own. Add in Priority Pass access, four annual Admirals Club passes, and a strong 1.5x baseline earn rate on all purchases, and the card delivers rich value for luxury-minded travelers.

However, if you prefer booking travel directly with airlines and hotels, or if you dislike managing semi-annual credits like the Blacklane chauffeur allowance, the card requires extra effort. Cardholders who do not want to rely on the Citi Travel portal for top earning rates will likely find better direct-booking flexibility with competing premium travel cards.

MaxRewards Verdict

The Citi Strata Elite offers exceptional value for travelers comfortable using Citi Travel and redeeming annual merchant credits, though those who prefer booking travel directly may find its portal-focused structure restrictive.

Welcome Offer

75,000 Points

after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new card in your first 3 months of card membership.

Est. Value

$1,125

Required Spend

$6,000

Time Frame

3 Months

Est. Value

$1,125

Required Spend

$6,000

Time Frame

3 Months

Earning

Rewards

You earn Citi ThankYou points across every purchase, with lucrative bonus rates on portal travel bookings and a solid baseline earn rate on everyday spending.

CategoryRate

Car Rental (cititravel.com)

18%

Entertainment (cititravel.com)

18%

Hotel (cititravel.com)

18%

Air Travel (cititravel.com)

Dining

4.5%

Everywhere

2.3%

Rewards percent based on a valuation of 1.5¢ per ThankYou point

Annual Credits & Perks

Benefits

A flexible lineup of annual statement credits, airport lounge passes, and elite hotel perks help offset the card's upfront annual fee.

BenefitAnnual value

$300

$200

$145

$30

Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Automatically track your credits with MaxRewards

Our app automatically tracks valuable credits so you don't miss any rewards.

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$200 Annual Blacklane® Credit

Autotracked

of $100Every 6 months

Benefits

More Benefits

Priority Pass™ Select membership

Enjoy complimentary access to 1,500+ airport lounges worldwide. Annual membership fee valued at $469.

American Airlines Admirals Club® Lounge Access Passes

Every calendar year, receive 4 Admirals Club® Citi Strata Elite Passes for access to nearly 50 Admirals Club lounges (over $300 in value). Inside each of the nearly 50 lounges, you can enjoy a selection of snacks, complimentary cocktails, personal travel assistance and more.

Travel and Shopping Protection

Help stay protected with travel insurances, including Trip Delay Protection, Enhanced Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Protection, Lost or Damaged Luggage, MasterRental Coverage (car rental insurance), and Extended Warranty and Purchase Assurance Plus.

Dining

Citi Strata Elite cardmembers have access to coveted dining experiences with The Supper Club with tickets available for purchase to events hosted in major U.S. cities. Enjoy bespoke content and tutorials from Death & Co with access to their online learning platform, Fashioned. Citi Strata Elite cardholders can learn everything about cocktails, from drink-making fundamentals to advanced techniques. Complimentary access is granted by enrolling with a Citi Strata Elite Card. For Adults 21+.

The Reserve by Citi Travel

A collection of participating hotels on cititravel.com offering on-property benefits including daily, complimentary breakfast for two, free Wi-Fi, a $100 experience credit (varies by property). Other benefits, subject to availability, include early check-in, late check-out and room upgrades. Select a Reserve Hotel rate at checkout to receive the benefits.

Eligibility

Recommended Minimum Credit

Min: Excellent

Poor

Fair

Good

Excellent

Excellent credit or higher is recommended for this card.

Credit approval is not guaranteed. Meeting the recommended credit range does not ensure approval, and applicants with lower scores may still be considered.

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