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Citi is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money.
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card is the newest addition to Citi's premium rewards lineup, and it's going after people who want luxury perks on their own terms: high rewards, some useful travel credits, and no pressure to chase status or dress up for a lounge.
With sky-high multipliers on travel, a weekend dining twist, and a $300 hotel credit, this card has serious earning power if you travel and book through Citi's portal. Let me walk you through what works -- and what doesn't.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Score
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
Rewards
Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com Earn 6 Points per $1 spent 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 Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
1.5X-12X points
Annual Fee
$595
Welcome Offer
Earn 80,000 bonus Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
80,000 bonus points
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card is a premium travel card packed with earning power and high-end perks — ideal for frequent travelers who want to rack up points fast. You’ll earn up to 12X points on bookings made through cititravel.com and up to 6X on weekend dining with CitiNights℠. Add in a $300 annual hotel credit and an 80,000-point welcome bonus, and the $595 annual fee can quickly pay for itself if you take full advantage of the benefits.
Travel and dining rewards
Hotel credit
Welcome offer
No foreign transaction fee
Annual fee
No 0% intro APR offer
Earn 80,000 bonus Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
Earn 6 Points per $1 spent 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
Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates and 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.
Our highest-rated credit cards have:
High value through rewards or 0% intro APR offers
Attainable welcome bonuses that make up for any annual fees
Low annual fees or a balance transfer fee of 3%
Top perks such as purchase and travel protections, no foreign transaction fees, travel credits, and status upgrades
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best credit card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates and 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.
Our highest-rated credit cards have:
High value through rewards or 0% intro APR offers
Attainable welcome bonuses that make up for any annual fees
Low annual fees or a balance transfer fee of 3%
Top perks such as purchase and travel protections, no foreign transaction fees, travel credits, and status upgrades
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best credit card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
What I like about the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
Big rewards for travel booked through Citi
This card earns 12X points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on cititravel.com. If you're someone who already uses booking portals, this is hands-down one of the highest earning rates out there. For context, Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) offers 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠, but Citi just took it a step further.
$300 annual hotel benefit
This perk helps offset the $595 annual fee right away. As long as you book a two-night stay through cititravel.com, you can shave $300 off the cost. For frequent travelers -- or even one decent vacation a year -- this is easy money.
Strong welcome offer
The intro bonus of 80,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months is right in line with -- or even better than, considering it's slightly easier to qualify for -- what you'll find on many luxury travel cards, and it's a strong way to kick off your first year.
Extra points for weekend nightlife
This part's a little quirky, but kind of fun. 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. It's a clever way to reward your weekend plans.
Flat 1.5X points on all other purchases
When you're not hitting bonus categories, you'll still earn 1.5X points on all other purchases. That's about middle-of-the-road compared to other premium cards, but it gives your everyday spending a little more value. Not groundbreaking, but solid.
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
1% - 5% Cashback
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
4.70/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases
25,000 points
25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
1.5-3 points per dollar
Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.
Intro:
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Balance transfers
may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
4.80/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
$200 cash back
$200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
1% - 6% cash back
Earn 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice, 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Earn 6% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the choice category, and at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, then earn unlimited 1% thereafter. After the first year from account opening, you’ll earn 3% cash back on purchases in your choice category and 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs up to the quarterly maximum.
Intro:
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
At $595 per year, this card is clearly not for everyone. If you don't travel often or forget to book through Citi's portal, you'll have a hard time justifying the cost. But as far as premium cards go, this isn't too bad -- and the $300 annual travel credit certainly helps justify it.
Limited 6X restaurant rewards
I love the idea of 6X on dining, but it only applies 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. That's still okay, but not exactly groundbreaking for a $595 card.
Is it worth the $595 annual fee?
Honestly, it depends on how you spend. If you travel often, book through Citi's portal, and can easily use that $300 hotel credit each year, this card can pay for itself -- and then some. The high earn rates on travel and weekend dining are a nice bonus, and even the 1.5X points on all other purchases outside the bonus categories gives your spending a little more traction.
But if you're not the type to plan your trips through a booking portal or you prefer simpler, flat-rate cards, that $595 price tag might feel a little steep. You'll want to run the numbers based on your actual habits, not just the perks on paper.
How to apply for the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
You can apply right here from this page. You'll want excellent credit to qualify, and ideally a plan for how you'll take advantage of the hotel credit and travel multipliers. Apply now for the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card.
Final thoughts
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card is a bold move from Citi, and honestly, kind of a refreshing one. It doesn't try to be a clone of other luxury cards. Instead, it leans into high-earning bonus categories, throws in a solid travel credit, and builds rewards around how people actually spend (hello, late-night takeout).
That said, it's definitely not for everyone. This is a card you pick if you're willing to use Citi's travel portal, take advantage of the hotel credit, and don't mind the occasional quirky reward rule. But if that sounds like your vibe? You might be pleasantly surprised at just how much value you can squeeze from it.
ThankYou Points are generally worth about $0.01 each when redeemed for travel, but can be worth more if you combine them with other Citi cards or transfer to travel partners.
No -- the Citi Strata Elite℠ Cardhas no foreign transaction fees, making it a solid option for international travelers.
CitiNights is a program that boosts rewards on Friday and Saturday evenings (6 p.m. – 6 a.m. ET) for restaurant and delivery purchases. It's a fun way to earn extra points during your weekend plans.
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