Citi has a serious premium credit card again. The Strata Elite, launched in 2025, is the bank's flagship rewards card, pitched squarely against the top-tier offerings from Amex, Chase and Capital One. It carries a $595 annual fee, but for frequent travellers the maths can work out surprisingly well — especially if you fly American Airlines even occasionally.
The headline perks are lounge-related. Cardholders get a Priority Pass membership with access to more than 1,300 independent lounges worldwide, including two free guests. On top of that, you receive four American Airlines Admirals Club passes each year — each valid for 24 hours across multiple lounges, though you need to be flying same-day on American or a oneworld partner. American normally charges $79 per day pass, so that alone covers a decent chunk of the fee. Authorised users cost $75 each and get their own Priority Pass membership, which is one of the better deals around for adding a partner to an account.
The earning rates are where the card gets interesting. Book hotels, rental cars and attractions through Citi Travel and you earn 12x ThankYou points; flights booked through the portal earn 6x. Dining earns 3x as standard, but the quirky "Citi Nights" bonus bumps that to 6x on restaurant spending between 6pm and 6am Eastern on Fridays and Saturdays — wherever in the world you happen to be eating. Everything else earns 1.5x. There are no foreign transaction fees, so it travels well. New cardholders can earn 75,000 ThankYou points after spending $6,000 in three months; valuing points at roughly 1.7 cents each puts that bonus near $1,275.
Redemption strategy matters here. Cashing points out at 0.75-1 cent each is the weak play. The real value comes from transferring to airline partners — the reviewer cites an EVA Air business class ticket to Asia booked for 80,000 points transferred from Citi, a fraction of the cash fare. Notably, this is one of only two Citi cards open to new applicants that unlocks top-value transfers, so it also boosts the worth of points earned on cheaper Citi cards like Strata or Double Cash.
Other perks include up to $300 in annual hotel credits, $200 in "Splurge Credits" and $200 in Blacklane chauffeur credits. Citigold customers can shave $145 off the annual fee, bringing it to $450.
Who is this for? Travellers who can genuinely use the lounge access and annual credits, and anyone chasing airline miles through transfers. If you rarely dine out, skip the travel portal or never set foot in an airport lounge, the fee will be hard to justify — competitors offer richer credit packages. But as a points-collecting engine with Admirals Club perks attached, it's a card worth a look. Full details are in the original review from One Mile at a Time.
