3 Hidden Perks of the New Citi Strata Elite Card You Didn't Know About

Woot woot! A new premium card just hit the market, and points nerds like me have something big to celebrate. The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card, officially launched this month from our partner, and it's designed to go head-to-head with other top-tier travel cards.

It comes with a $595 annual fee and the potential for nearly $1,500 in travel and lifestyle value each year.

At first glance, the flashy travel perks grab your attention. Like lounge access, annual travel credits, and a premium concierge. But the real gems are buried deeper in the details.

Here are three of my favorites that most people will miss (or underestimate).

1. Splurge credits

The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card has something called the Splurge Credit. It's a $200 annual credit you can aim at wherever it makes the most sense for you.

You get to pick up to two partners from this list: 1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation.

After making your purchases directly, the credits will auto apply to your account.

The flexibility here is awesome. Maybe you knock $200 off a flight, or maybe you use it for a big concert you've been waiting for. Either way, it's much easier to get the full value out of this perk when you get to call the shots.

2. Late‑night bites bonus

Here's a fun one I've never seen other luxury credit cards offer… The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card doubles the regular points earning rate for restaurants when the weekend kicks off.

Specifically, you'll earn 6X points at restaurants including restaurant delivery services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 points per $1 spent any other time.

This is basically Citi saying, "Go enjoy your weekends!"

Whether you're grabbing dinner with friends, ordering pizza after the game, or picking up late-night takeout, those extra points add savings to your meal spend.

3. Big wins for American Airlines flyers

If you fly American Airlines (even just a couple times a year), the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card packs in some hard-to-get extras:

• Four Admirals Club passes per year -- These one-time passes let you access any of American's nearly 50 airport lounges before your flight. They're worth over $300 total if you actually use them.
• 1:1 points transfer to AAdvantage -- Citi recently added American Airlines as a full transfer partner (which isn't available on other major card issuers). That means your Citi points convert at full value into AAdvantage miles.

If you transfer your points strategically, you can increase the value potentially by 30%-60%. That's a really easy way to squeeze out even more from the rewards you're already earning.

Keep in mind, you'll also get Priority Pass Select, which gives you access to 1,500+ airport lounges worldwide -- one of the standout perks you'll typically only find on the best travel cards.

How to unlock these perks

These benefits are super easy to activate once you know where to look. Here's how to make sure you're not leaving money on the table when you get the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card.

1. Activate lounge access: Enroll in Priority Pass Select as soon as your card arrives. It's worth reading up on the Admirals Club pass rules -- these can be activated individually or all at once (if you're traveling with a group), any time throughout the year.
2. Choose your Splurge Credit partners: You'll need to manually select your Splurge credit partners by signing in at citi.com/splurgecredit or calling 1-833-888-2168. Keep in mind, you can only activate two merchants at a time. (You can change your mind later, just make sure the merchant is fully activated before making your purchases.)
3. Plan your point transfers: It's worth keeping an eye on American Airline offers and deals using points. Any discounted flights you find might make sense to jump on after completing a points transfer.
4. Stack weekend dining: Remember Friday and Saturday nights are worth 6X points (instead of regular 3x) points. So consider making those your new date nights!

On top of all these perks, there's also a great welcome offer for new card holders.

You can earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.

Ready to upgrade your travel game? Apply today and unlock all of these powerful perks and rewards!