Citi's Strata Elite Card: How Its Perks Stack Up Against the Competition

Citi's new Strata Elite credit card has a $595 annual fee and offers travel and lifestyle rewards worth nearly $1,500. It competes with the American Express Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve cards, which have $695 and $795 fees, respectively. Despite high annual fees, demand for premium credit cards persists, with issuers introducing new benefits to attract consumers.

Citi has introduced the Citi Strata Elite credit card, a premium offering that targets high-end travelers and lifestyle enthusiasts. The card comes with a $595 annual fee but offers a suite of travel and lifestyle rewards worth nearly $1,500 annually. This new card joins Citi’s family of rewards credit cards, which includes the Citi Strata Card and Citi Strata Premier Card.

The Citi Strata Elite card offers a variety of benefits, including 12x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on the Citi Travel platform, 6x points on air travel booked on Citi Travel, and 6x points at restaurants on Friday and Saturday nights. Additionally, cardmembers can earn up to $1,500 in annual value through a combination of hotel stays, splurge credits, Blacklane credits, and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credits.

One of the standout features of the Citi Strata Elite card is its partnership with American Airlines. Cardmembers who fly with American Airlines can enjoy four Admirals Club passes annually, worth over $300, and the ability to transfer Citi ThankYou® Points into American Airlines AAdvantage® miles. This partnership adds significant value for frequent flyers.

The card also includes several premium perks, such as complimentary Priority Pass Select™ membership, access to The Reserve by Citi Travel, and no foreign transaction fees. These benefits cater to the growing demand for luxury travel experiences and are designed to attract consumers seeking high-end rewards.

Despite its high annual fee, the Citi Strata Elite card competes with other premium credit cards like the American Express Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve, which have annual fees of $695 and $795, respectively. The demand for premium credit cards remains strong, with issuers continually introducing new benefits to attract consumers.

For more information on the Citi Strata credit card portfolio, visit [www.citicards.com](http://www.citicards.com).

References:
[1] https://www.citigroup.com/global/news/press-release/2025/citi-launches-citi-strata-elite-credit-card