The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card is Citi’s top-tier ThankYou®-earning travel card, built for cardholders who want premium travel benefits without relying on a long list of monthly “coupon” credits. Where it stands out is simple: very high multipliers when you book through Citi Travel®, plus a weekend dining accelerator called Citi Nights℠.

It’s best viewed as a “premium points engine” for travelers who are comfortable using Citi’s booking channel for major purchases (hotels, flights, car rentals, attractions). If you primarily book travel directly with airlines/hotels to maximize elite benefits or loyalty earnings, you may not capture the card’s headline value.

At a Glance

Annual Fee:
Authorized Users: $75 each (annual)
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Welcome Offer

Rewards Rates

The Strata Elite’s earning is unusually strong when you book through Citi Travel (cititravel.com):

12X points on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com
6X points on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
6X points at Restaurants on Citi Nights℠ purchases (Friday & Saturday, 6 PM–6 AM ET)
3X points at Restaurants any other time
1.5X points on All Other Purchases

Important nuance: The “big” travel multipliers (12X/6X) are tied to cititravel.com bookings, not travel booked directly with airlines/hotels.

Statement Credits & Premium Perks

Citi positions the Strata Elite as offering “nearly $1,500 in value,” largely via annual credits and lounge access. Here’s what is actually published:

Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit (Citi Travel)

Each calendar year, you can receive up to $300 off a single hotel stay of 2+ nights booked through cititravel.com (taxes/fees excluded), and Citi states it’s applied at the time of booking.

Up to $200 Annual Splurge Credit℠

Each calendar year, earn up to $200 in statement credits by selecting up to two participating brands (Citi lists examples such as 1stDibs, American Airlines (exclusions apply), Best Buy, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation; Citi’s list and exclusions matter).

Up to $200 Annual Blacklane® Credit

Each calendar year, earn up to $200 in statement credits for Blacklane purchases, structured as up to $100 Jan–Jun and up to $100 Jul–Dec.

Lounge Access

Priority Pass™ Select membership (Citi advertises 1,500+ lounges). Citi’s press materials indicate access for the primary cardmember and authorized users, and up to two guests (not all lounges admit guests).
4 Admirals Club® passes per calendar year for access to Admirals Club lounges (Citi cites “nearly 50” lounges).

Global Entry® / TSA PreCheck® Credit

Receive a statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee.

Citi Wealth Relationship Credits

If you bank with Citi at the right tier, Citi advertises relationship credits that can materially reduce the out-of-pocket annual fee:

Citigold® Relationship Credit: $145 Banking Relationship Annual Credit (when the annual fee is assessed and eligibility requirements are met).
Citigold® Private Client Relationship Credit: $595 first-year banking relationship credit and $145 each year thereafter (when requirements are met).

Travel & Shopping Protections

Citi lists travel and purchase protections on the product page, including (not limited to): Trip Delay Protection, Trip Cancellation/Interruption protections, Lost or Damaged Luggage, MasterRental Coverage (car rental insurance), Extended Warranty, and Purchase Assurance.

Coverage details (triggers, caps, exclusions, and whether coverage is primary vs secondary where applicable) depend on the full guide-to-benefits terms, so you should avoid assuming “best-in-class” coverage without checking those documents.

ThankYou® Points: How You Use Them

Transfer Partners

Citi allows ThankYou points transfers to multiple airline and hotel partners. Citi’s own materials highlight transfers to programs like American Airlines AAdvantage® (notable), JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Choice Hotels, and more.

Independent points resources commonly describe Citi as having a roster on the order of ~15 airline partners and ~5 hotel partners, plus additional programs, and note that transfer ratios and partners can change over time.

Other redemptions

Citi also positions travel bookings (via Citi Travel), gift cards, shop-with-points, and other redemptions as options.

Effective Annual Fee

This card only becomes a clear win when you can use the credits naturally. A practical way to think about it:

If you reliably use the $300 hotel benefit and at least a meaningful portion of the $200 Splurge and/or $200 Blacklane credits, the “net cost” can drop quickly.
If you’re a Citigold Private Client, Citi advertises a $595 first-year relationship credit, which can offset the annual fee in year one (subject to eligibility and timing requirements).

If you won’t use these credits organically, the card becomes much harder to justify on math alone.

Who It’s Best For

Portal-first travelers who want maximum earn rates
If you’re comfortable booking hotels, flights, car rentals, and attractions through cititravel.com, the 12X/6X structure is the card’s main advantage.

Weekend dining-heavy spenders
If your dining spend clusters on Friday/Saturday nights (ET), Citi Nights℠ can meaningfully boost your ThankYou balance.

American Airlines flyers who value lounge visits
You get four Admirals Club passes per year plus Priority Pass Select, which can cover many casual lounge needs without requiring a dedicated airline-lounge membership card.

Citigold / Citigold Private Client customers
The relationship credits can materially reduce the annual fee if you qualify and your timing aligns with when your annual fee is assessed.

Who Should Skip It

Travelers who prefer booking direct (airlines/hotels) for elite perks
The biggest travel multipliers are tied to cititravel.com, so booking direct can reduce the “wow factor.”

People who won’t use the credits naturally
If you won’t regularly book a 2+ night hotel stay through Citi Travel or won’t use the Splurge/Blacklane credits, your realized value can fall short of the annual fee.

Anyone who wants simple category earning without time windows
The dining headline rate requires the Citi Nights time window (Fri/Sat, 6 PM–6 AM ET). If you want a “set it and forget it” dining multiplier at all times, this structure may feel restrictive.

Compare

Bottom Line

The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card is a premium ThankYou card that can deliver exceptional value if you (1) book meaningful travel through Citi Travel and (2) reliably use its credits. For the right spender, especially a Citi Wealth client, the net economics can be compelling. For everyone else, the annual fee is difficult to justify if you won’t engage with Citi’s booking channel and credit structure.

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card