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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…?
I think it’s worth it for the SUB, but it’s very difficult to justify holding onto the card afterwards. The American Airlines credit is easy to use for those who fly them, but the Citi Hotel credit doesn’t have as much as appeal as the Chase and Amex hotel credits since you get no hotel credit or free breakfast with the stay. The Blacklane credits are silly.
AA used to be my favorite currency by a large margin – and still is, but only on a theoretical level. AA’s redemption rates and low taxes/fees are theoretically great, but I have never in three decades in this hobby seen American premium awards on the partners I want to fly (CX, JL, QR, EY) so completely unavailable, even far out into the future. This has changed my credit card spending habits a lot – Citi also has unhelpful customer service overseas – and directed it away from my Citicards and mostly towards Chase.
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