Key facts
Since Citi discontinued the Citi Prestige to new applicants in 2021, they have been out of the premium card arena.
The Citi Strata Elite℠ card is their re-entry into the premium card space.
It coincides with the launch of American Airlines AAdvantage as a Citi ThankYou transfer partners.
Annual Fee:
$595Min. Credit Score for Approval:
670-739 * GoodOngoing APR:
20.49%-28.49% VariableBalance transfer fees
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.Foreign Transaction Fee:
0%The annual fee is reduced for Citigold® Private Client and Citigold® clients.
Citigold® Private Client customers will get the $595 fits year’s annual fee waived and receive a $145 discount each subsequent year.
Citigold® customers will receive a $145 discount each year.
Transfer ThankYou Points to Flying Blue Miles and receive a 20% bonus. Offer is valid for points transfers to Flying Blue Miles completed between 12:01 AM ET July 19, 2026, and 11:59 PM ET August 22, 2026.
These oddly timed transfer bonuses are the best reason to subscribe to our transfer bonus alerts, as who is going to remember that a bonus ends on the 22nd of a month? Yet we’ll send you automated reminders at 7 and 2 days to expiration based on your preferences.
As for the bonus itself, we just saw a 25% transfer bonus to Flying Blue from Amex last month and transfer bonuses are not infrequent. The biggest reason to consider to not transfer, though, might be the rumor about Japan Airlines becoming a Citi transfer partner. It’s completely a rumor for now, but if you log into your ThankYou account and go to your profile, the option to link your JAL Mileage Bank account is there, and why would it be there if it wasn’t a partnership in progress?
JAL is a fantastic program and would be huge win for Citi to add to ThankYou, although since becoming transfer partners with Bilt, Rove, and Capital One (they used to not partner with anyone by Marriott Bonvoy for transfers), we have seen availability dry up just a bit. I’m sure JAL will struggle a bit to toe the line between selling their miles and preserving award space availability. (It’s a difficult balance!) Still, if JAL does become a transfer partner, you may be inclined to save your ThankYou points vs. speculatively transfer for 20% bonus miles.
As for this bonus itself?
Flying Blue has some really good award rates at times, though they often fluctuate into the absurd. 60,000 points for Business class to/from Europe from the US is solid, but the surcharges have gotten way out of control (about $600 one way). Sometimes, the pricing is waaaaay over 60,000 points with the same surcharges, so we’d like to see them get this under control and it does make a speculative transfer harder to justify unless you have consistent personal success. With Tiffany Funk (former One Mile at a Time / Point.me) running the Flying Blue loyalty program since June, things are likely to improve. Those things definitely take some time to come to fruition.
Also, while Flying Blue miles expire, it’s a reasonable 24 months and any activity (such as a simple 1,000 point transfer in) will extend it. They used to have archaic rules where flight activity miles weren’t extended with other activity but they came to their senses a few months ago and it’s now simplified with all miles in one pool and all extended by any activity.
Reward multipliers
If you are the type of traveler that likes third party booking portals like Agoda, then you are in luck.
In order to earn the 12X multiplier on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions and 6X on airfare, you will need to use Citi’s own travel portal to book. It’s powered by Agoda.
Earns bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
Earn 6 points per dollar spent at restaurants on Citi Nights℠ purchases, Friday and Saturday from 6 PM - 6 AM ET; otherwise earn 3X
Estimated Rewards Value: 5.1%
Must be booked booked on cititravel.com to earn 12X; otherwise earn 1.5X
Estimated Rewards Value: 2.55%
Must be booked booked on cititravel.com to earn 12X; otherwise earn 1.5X
Estimated Rewards Value: 2.55%
Must be booked booked on cititravel.com to earn 6X; otherwise earn 1.5X
Estimated Rewards Value: 2.55%
Estimated Rewards Value: 2.55%
However, if you prefer to book directly with airlines and hotels (for instance, to earn status in a hotel loyalty program where third party bookings do earn points or elite benefits), then those purchases will earn just 1.5X.
Key features
Unique Card Benefits
Citi Nights
You won’t find a higher multiplier on a credit card for dining out than the 6X points offered on the Strata Elite card for 12 hours each Friday and Saturday.
You’ll earn 6 points per dollar spent at restaurants on Citi Nights℠purchases, Friday and Saturday from 6 PM – 6 AM ET.
Access to 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.
Annual Statement Credits
Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit
Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of 2 nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
Up to $200 Annual Splurge Credit℠
Every calendar year, earn up to $200 in statement credits on your choice of up to 2 of the following brands: 1stDibs, American Airlines (exclusions apply), Best Buy®, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation (exclusions apply).
Up to $200 Annual Blacklane®Credit
Every calendar year, earn up to $200 in statement credits when you book with Blacklane, a premium global chauffeur service. Earn up to $100 on Blacklane purchases January through June and up to $100 July through December.
Airport Lounge Access
Priority Pass Select
Enjoy complimentary access to 1,500+ airport lounges worldwide for you and up to two guests.
Note that this Priority Pass does not include benefits at restaurants, cafes, or markets in the network,
Four Admirals Club® Citi Strata Elite℠ Passes to American Airlines Admirals Club® Lounges
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.
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Reimbursement
Receive a statement credit, up to $120 every four years, as reimbursement for your application fee for Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck®.
Trip Protections
- Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption (Common Carrier)
- Trip Delay
- Lost or Damaged Luggage
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
Provided by Mastercard (MasterRental). Coverage is secondary except outside the cardmember’s home country.
Extended Warranty
This card features Citi’s industry leading extended warranty.
Earn more rewards by combining credit cards
Pros & cons
- Citi's ThankYou points now transfer to the American Airlines AAdvantage® program
- Earn 12 points per dollar spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com
- Receive 4 American Airlines Admirals Club® Lounge Access Passes each year
- High annual fee
- No bonus multipliers on travel not booked in Citi's travel portal
- 6X points on dining is limited to two 12 hour periods each week
Our review
The Citi Strata Elite℠ is a premium level card that will make a ton of sense for some, and not as much for others.
If you already tend to book using travel portals (this could be Expedia, Booking.com, or Agoda, for example), then you are in luck as the 6X on airfare and 12X on hotels, car rentals and experiences when booking via the Citi Travel portal is massive. The Citi Travel portal is powered by Agoda so it will look familiar.
You can get the annual fee back, and then some, based on how easy the credits are for you to use (i.e. are you spending where you wouldn’t have already or just shifting spend?). If you book via travel portals anyway, the $300 hotel credit will be an easy one. And that’s just over half the annual fee alone.
If you value AA Admiral’s Club passes and would have paid $79 a pop, then that actually takes care of the rest of the annual fee. And that $200 annual Splurge credit isn’t too hard to use either – you can use it (on up to two of these merchants maximum, per year) at 1stDibs, American Airlines (exclusions apply), Best Buy®, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation (exclusions apply).
Or you might use that $200 ($100 each half year) Blacklane credit. And of course if you don’t already have Priority Pass via another premium card, then there is definite value there as well.
So there are several ways to recoup the annual fees.
You’ll also get the best transfer rates (1:1 in most cases) to Citi’s wide range of airline and hotel partners that now includes American Airlines AAdvantage®, which is a huge win for Citi in that it was previously lacking a US airline partner beyond JetBlue.
| Citi ThankYou Transfer Partners | Transfer Ratio for Citi Strata EliteSM, Citi Strata Premier®, Prestige®, AT&T Acccess More Cardmembers | Transfer Ratio from a Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi Strata℠ Card, Citi Double Cash® Card, Citi Custom Cash® Card, Citi ThankYou® Mastercard®, AT&T Universal Rewards World, AT&T Universal Savings and Rewards, AT&T Universal Rewards, AT&T Points Plus℠ Card from Citi, or AT&T Access card | Approximate Transfer Time (our estimate / not a guarantee) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AeroMexico | 1:1 | 1:0.7 (1,000 ThankYou = 700 Aeromexico Rewards) | Generally instant |
| Air France Flying Blue | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant |
| American Airlines AAdvantage® | 1:1 (Strata Elite, Strata Premier, and Prestige) | 1:0.7 (Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi StrataSM Card, Citi Double Cash® Card, Citi Custom Cash® only) | Within 24 hours generally, in practice should be <1 hour. |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific AsiaMiles | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant |
| Etihad Guest | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant |
| Emirates | 1:800 | 1:0.56 (1,000 gets 560) | Instant |
| Eva Air | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | ~1-3 days |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant |
| Qantas | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant to 1 day |
| Qatar Privilege Club | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | ~2 days |
| Singapore Airlines | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | ~1-2 days |
| Thai Orchid Plus | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | ~3-7 days |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | 1-2 days |
| Virgin Atlantic | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant to 2 days |
| Hotels | |||
| Choice Hotels | 1:2 | 1:1.4 | Instant |
| Wyndham Rewards | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | TBD |
| Leaders Club | 5:1 | 1:0.014 (1,000 gets 140) | TBD |
| Preferred Hotels and Resorts “I Prefer” | 1:4 | 1:2.8 | TBD |
| Accor Live Limitless | 1:0.5 | 1:0.35 (1,000 gets 350) | TBD |
But the crux of this card, in our opinion, comes down to those 6X and 12X multipliers for booking via the Citi Travel portal. If you do, you’ll really clean up earning ThankYou points. If you don’t, you may want to look at a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® which gives 4X points on airfare and hotels booked directly.
Frequently asked questions
What discounts do you get on the Citi Strata Elite card with Citigold?
The annual fee is reduced for Citigold® Private Client and Citigold® clients.
Citigold® Private Client customers will get the $595 fits year’s annual fee waived and receive a $145 discount each subsequent year.
Citigold® customers will receive a $145 discount each year.