Citi has officially returned to the top-tier credit-card arena with the launch of the Citi Strata Elite Card, a $595-a-year product that sets its sights on frequent travelers who want rich earning rates without paying four-figure fees. The card delivers industry-leading multipliers on travel booked through Citi Travel, headline lounge access, and a suite of statement credits designed to offset most of the annual cost. Its debut also rekindles Citi's partnership with American Airlines, giving cardholders the rare ability to transfer ThankYou points to AAdvantage.
Key Points
- Why it matters: Citi has lacked a premium flagship since retiring the Prestige Card in 2021, leaving a gap against Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve.
- $300 annual Hotel credit plus $200 in "Splurge" credits and $200 in Blacklane ride credits.
- 12x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked via Citi Travel, 6x on air booked the same way, and up to 6x on weekend dining.
- Priority Pass Select membership and four American Airlines Admirals Club day passes each year.
- Citigold clients can cut the effective annual fee to $145 through ongoing relationship credits.
Snapshot
Carrying the Mastercard logo, the Citi Strata Elite Card focuses on high-value rewards rather than an endless roster of niche perks. Travelers earn 12 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals, and attractions reserved through Citi Travel, plus 6 points per dollar on flights booked on the same portal. Dining earns 6 points per dollar from 6 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Sunday (Eastern Time) and 3 points at other times. All other spend earns a flat 1.5 points. Annual credits total up to $820 and include $300 off a two-night hotel stay, $200 in Splurge credits toward select merchants, $200 in Blacklane ride credits, and one Global Entry or TSA PreCheck reimbursement every four years. No foreign transaction fees apply.
Background
When Citi pulled the once-beloved Prestige Card in 2021, it signaled a retreat from the premium space just as competitors doubled down on travel perks. In the interim, Capital One entered the fray with Venture X, and Chase and American Express layered ever more credits onto Sapphire Reserve and Platinum. Citi relied on the mid-tier Strata Premier to keep ThankYou points relevant, but power users clamored for a true flagship-especially one that restored the ability to move points into American Airlines AAdvantage. The new Strata Elite answers that call with a lower fee than Amex and Chase charge, yet it still brings elevated lounge access, sizable credits, and a distinctive dining multiplier that favors social weekends.
Latest Developments
Statement Credits Sweeten the Deal
Strata Elite's credits aim to erase most of the annual fee with everyday travel and lifestyle spending. The headline $300 Hotel benefit applies instantly to a two-night booking through Citi Travel, making it easy to realize the full value on a single trip. The $200 Splurge Credit is split across up to two merchants of the cardholder's choice-including American Airlines tickets, Best Buy electronics, Live Nation events, Future personal training, or luxury marketplace 1stDibs-adding welcome flexibility. Blacklane chauffeured rides round out the lineup, offering $100 in credits every six months. Together, these offsets can total $820 per year before factoring in lounge passes and dining bonuses.
Dining Multiplier Targets Weekend Foodies
Citi's decision to award 6x points on restaurant spend only between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. ET on Friday and Saturday makes Strata Elite stand out in a crowded field. Because the window locks to Eastern Time, West-Coast cardholders start earning the elevated rate at 3 p.m., effectively covering happy hour and dinner service. Outside that window, restaurants earn a still-solid 3x rate. The design nudges users toward celebratory weekend meals while preserving the program's economics on weekday spend, a nuanced play to differentiate the card from flat 3x or 4x competitors.
Relationship Credits Reward Citi Banking Clients
Citigold Private Clients receive a one-time $595 credit in year one and $145 each year thereafter, wiping out the fee the first year and reducing it to $145 going forward. Standard Citigold members get the $145 credit annually. The perk ties Citi's wealth-management ecosystem to its card portfolio, encouraging affluent customers to consolidate assets while enjoying premium travel perks at a discount.
Analysis
Strata Elite slots neatly between the $395 Capital One Venture X and the $695 Amex Platinum, offering many of the must-have travel benefits with a fee closer to the lower end of the spectrum. The $300 Hotel credit mirrors Chase Reserve's travel credit in simplicity, but Citi's narrower redemption channel keeps the subsidy within its ecosystem. Priority Pass Select and four Admirals Club passes give casual flyers ample lounge coverage, yet heavy travelers may still crave the unlimited access built into Amex Platinum or co-branded airline cards. Where Citi truly innovates is on the earn side: 12x through its portal tops peers, and the time-based dining bonus can outpace Amex Gold's 4x and Capital One's 2x on restaurants-at least on weekends. The fixed 1.5x on miscellaneous purchases is also richer than Sapphire Reserve's 1x, appealing to big-ticket shoppers. Transfer access to AAdvantage is a coup, restoring a pathway to some of the best international partner redemptions in the loyalty space. Taken together, Strata Elite should resonate with travelers who book through Citi Travel, dine out heavily on weekends, and value a manageable annual fee over a sprawling list of niche perks.
Final Thoughts
By fusing high portal earn rates, flexible credits, and selective lounge access, Citi Strata Elite carves out a distinct niche in the premium landscape. Travelers who crave strong everyday rewards but balk at four-figure fees will find the card compelling, especially if they leverage its Hotel credit and AAdvantage transfers. Those who prioritize unlimited lounge entry or broader credit catalogs may still lean toward Amex or Chase, but Citi's comeback brings overdue competition-and a fresh reason to revisit the ThankYou ecosystem. For the right user, the Citi Strata Elite Card could become a powerful new travel companion.