Citi Strata EliteSM Card (See rates and fees.)
A couple of months ago Citi has introduced its competitor to Sapphire Reserve, Venture X and Amex Platinum in the premium card space, the Citi Strata EliteSM Card. At the time they launched it with a limited-time offer. And it was a bigger offer than their mid-tier Strata Premier.
As a result I did not expect the limited time offer to be followed by something bigger. Almost always the launch offer is the biggest! At least for awhile!
But if you sat on the fence, now’s the time to jump in because they’ve introduced an offer to earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening. Current Strata Premier and Prestige customers are not excluded.
Along with this new card, Citi brought American AAdvantage onboard as a transfer partner, which is huge. AAdvantage cards earn 1 point per dollar on most spend. Even unbonused spend with this card earns 1.5x. So you’re earning more American miles for your spend than with an American card (but not loyalty points towards status), plus you have flexibility to move points elsewhere (or redeem directly for travel, etc.).
Points can be transferred to:
- oneworld: American Airlines AAdvantage, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Malaysia Airlines Enrich, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qatar Airways Privilege Club
- Star Alliance: Avianca LifeMiles, EVA Air Infinity MileageLands, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus, Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles
- SkyTeam: Aeromexico Club Premier, Air France KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- Non-alliance: Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, JetBlue TrueBlue
- Hotels: Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club, Accor ALL – Accor Live Limitless, Choice Hotels Choice Privileges, Preferred Hotels I Prefer, Wyndham Hotels Wyndham Rewards
American Airlines Boeing 787-9P Flagship Preferred Suite
Citi Strata EliteSM Card seems like an easy win for the up front bonus offer, even with the annual fee, especially given the card benefits you’ll reap.
In fact, many of the card’s annual benefits are on a calendar year basis so you have the opportunity to take advantage of them twice in your first cardmember year: the $300 hotel benefit for 2+ night stays booked through Citi Travel; the $200 Splurge credit (take it for American Airlines travel!), and $100 in Blacklane credits twice each year. That’s $1,200 in credits you can reap in year 1 if you’re approved now.
The list of Splurge Credit merchants is 1stDibs, American Airlines (exclusions apply), Best Buy®, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation (exclusions apply) and you have to activate up to 2 merchants at a time prior to purchase, though you can change your selection as you wish. The Blacklane credit is actually $100 January – June and $100 July – December.
The card comes with Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption coverage; Trip Delay coverage; Lost or Damaged Luggage; MasterRental Coverage (Car Rental).
It offers a Priority Pass Select Membership (as with other major issuers for most cards, this does not cover airport restaurants). It includes 2 guests. Authorized cardmembers receive Priority Pass as well. And there’s also four American Airlines Admirals Club passes each year.
Washington National Airport E Concourse Admirals Club
Philadelphia A West Admirals Club
It’s not a club membership like with the Citi AAdvantage Executive Card, but for many four visits is enough. These are valid for 24 hours and can be used across multiple visits in different airports during that same trip. A pass includes entry for up to 3 children under age 18 traveling with the adult primary cardmember, and additional passes can be redeemed for other accompanying adults.
The card has a $595 annual fee, though Citigold customers get $145 of that rebated (Citigold Private Client customers receive the full $595 back the first year, then $145 in subsequent years).
The Citi Strata EliteSM Card seems like an obvious first year play, and then if you’re going to maximize the travel credits you’ve got a strong value card that transfers to American AAdvantage – just consider putting your unbonused spend on a no annual fee Citi Double Cash card instead to earn 2x points and then paired with a premium card those points now transfer to American AAdvantage.
American Airlines Boeing 787-9
At 100,000 points as the new initial bonus offer, how can you say no…?
Maybe I can’t say no but they can and they have
They are very sensitive to inquiries even if a card was not opened
After many years of constant busines air travel, I am so glad to have been retired now for some years. Used to pick my flights based on time and convenience, occasionally picking a favorite for points benefit. Used a choice of two cards Visa or Mastercard (not Amex who lost my business forever years ago) and went to work! God bless anyone who has the time and energy to fool around with today’s permutations!
Year 1 value is good, and 100,000 point SUB is great, and it’s potentially a good opportunity for those who already have the CSR or Amex Plat and can’t get those SUBs. In addition to DoubleCash no reason to not get the Strata Regular for $0 as well for 3x supermarkets, select transit, gas, EV charging, and a self select category of your choice (streaming, fitness, hair salons…).
But after year 1, the Strata Premier / Strata Regular / DC combo makes a whole lot more sense than pairing Regular/DC with the Strata Elite. The $95 Strata Premier (or if you use the $100 credit off a $500 hotel stay, $0) unlocks the 1:1 TY point transfers to AA, etc., plus you get 3x on directly booked air travel and other hotel purchases (including travel agents) with the Premier.
And longer term… I mean, can you clip the coupons on the Elite and recoup the fee every year? I suppose, especially if already a Citigold customer. But in a world where there are more interesting cards that unlock access to lots of good non-airline specific lounges, hard to see this one being a “keeper” in anyone’s wallet. 12x through a portal is nice, but no reason to clip coupons for that – you can routinely get 10x on Agoda through Rakuten (12x today!). Team that with a card earning 3x on travel agents like Agoda (like the Strata Premier) and suddenly you’re getting 13-15x points without breaking a sweat. And as you noted (nice scoop!) the Raktuen points may soon be transferrable to Bilt.
And if you’re an AA flier (hence the 4 AA lounge passes being of value), the AA Executive Card is what will unlock your unlimited AA and Alaska lounge access, plus 20k LPs and 10x miles on AA Hotels (in addition to the base miles/LPs that AA hotels offers). That’s an amazing status earning pathway with AA/oneworld.
I think it’s great that Citi has awoken from its slumber and is dipping its toe in the waters. Competition is a good thing! But a lot more is needed here for anyone to take this card seriously beyond the SUB and Year 1 value. Clearly there were not a lot of takers at 80,000 points, and the increase to 100k is trying to make a bit more of a splash. My guess is that they’re trying to make more of a splash with their existing HNWI customer base, who couldn’t even be bothered to call their banker in the first round because this product is generally a bit of a snooze.
The key question(s) are: will the Citi Prestige card be automatically converted to the Citi Strata Elite, and, if not, are Citi Prestige cardholders able to apply for the Strata Elite and qualify for the sign-up bonus(es)?
The card is a game changer when you pair citi double cash along side it
But the reason it trumps chase sap reserve is because for those of us in ONE WORLD/ fly AMERICAN it has American as a transfer partner
I’m all in
Just got the Strata Elite about 36 hours before this increased offer. Anyone know if Citi will match me to this offer?
100K public SUB is nice, because having to go in-branch is tedious. @Peter gets it.
Can you explain what this means? “Current Strata Premier and Prestige customers are not excluded.”
Jason,
Citi Prestige will not be automatically converted to the Citi Strata Elite, and you are eligible for the new bonus on the Strata Elite (unless somehow otherwise ineligible, holding a City Prestige card is not disqualifying).
@zr — It means if you have or had either of those cards, they are considered separate products, therefore, if you apply for the Strata Elite, a different product, you can still be eligible for the bonus.
So what about those that got only 80K online and didn’t take get the 100K offer of which some were harassed to death about submitting documents only to release 100K public offer weeks later. Oh Citi!!!
(@George gets it.)