Citi Strata Premier Card Review: Worth It? (2024)

Citi Strata Premier Card

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One of Citi Strata Premier’s most compelling aspects is its generous welcome bonus. Applying directly through Citi, you can earn an impressive 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening..

Keep in mind that this welcome bonus comes with certain restrictions. You won’t be eligible for this bonus if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi Premier or Citi Strata Premier account within the past 48 months.

The Citi Strata Premier truly shines due to its exceptional earning structure. This card offers an impressive array of bonus categories that can quickly accelerate your point accumulation:

• 10 ThankYou points per dollar on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through the Citi Travel portal.
• 3 ThankYou points per dollar spent on airfare, including tickets purchased directly from airlines or through travel agencies.
• 3 ThankYou points per dollar on hotel stays, whether you book directly with the hotel or through a travel agency.
• 3 ThankYou points per dollar at gas stations nationwide.
• 3 ThankYou points per dollar when charging your electric vehicle at EV charging stations.
• 3 ThankYou points per dollar at supermarkets.
• 3 ThankYou points per dollar at restaurants, including dine-in, takeout, and delivery.
• 1 ThankYou point per dollar on all other eligible spending.

With such a diverse range of bonus categories, the Citi Strata Premier makes it easy to accumulate points rapidly on everyday expenses and travel purchases alike. Whether you’re a globetrotter, a road warrior, or someone who appreciates maximizing rewards on daily spending, this card’s earning potential caters to a wide variety of lifestyles and preferences.

The Citi Strata Premier has an annual fee of $95, which is not waived for the first year. While this card’s annual fee might initially seem like a drawback, it’s essential to consider the value you can derive from the card’s benefits and rewards.

With its high earning potential across multiple categories and benefits like a $100 annual hotel credit, many cardholders find it easy to offset the annual fee and come out ahead.

The Citi Strata Premier offers all of these benefits and perks:

$100 Annual Hotel Benefit: One of the standout features of the Citi Strata Premier is the $100 annual hotel credit. Once per calendar year, cardholders can enjoy a $100 credit for a single hotel stay booking of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) through the Citi travel portal. This credit is automatically applied when booking, effectively offsetting the card’s annual fee for those who frequently book hotel stays.

World Elite Benefits: This card is a World Elite Mastercard, which gets you access to these special benefits and discounts: DoorDash ($5 off your first DoorDash order each month), Lyft (Take 3 rides in one month and earn a $5 Lyft credit), Shoprunner (free two-day shipping), and Fandango (spend $20 and get $5 back).

No Foreign Transaction Fees: You can make international purchases with your card without paying an extra fee of around 3%.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance reimburses you for non-refundable expenses if your trip is interrupted or canceled for a covered reason when you pay for your travel expenses with this card.

Trip Delay Insurance will reimburse any eligible expenses you incur as a result of your trip being delayed.

Secondary Rental Car Insurance covers any damage to or theft of a rental car not covered by your primary insurance when you pay for the rental using this card.

Lost Luggage Reimbursem*nt covers the cost to repair or replace your luggage, and the personal belongings contained within if your bag is lost or damaged during a covered trip.

Citi Entertainment: Citi Strata Premier cardholders can take advantage of Citi Entertainment, a program that provides special access to presale tickets for a wide variety of events, including concerts, sporting events, and theater performances. With this benefit, you can secure your tickets before they become available to the general public, ensuring you don’t miss out on your favorite entertainment experiences.

There are several option for redeeming Citi ThankYou Points. You can use points for airfare, hotels, cruises, gift cards, cash, or loan payments at a redemption value of 1 cent per point.

But the best way to redeem points it to transfer to Citi’s airline and hotel partners listed below.

Our favorites are Avianca LifeMiles, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Singapore Krisflyer.

• Exceptional Earning Potential: The Citi Strata Premier offers an impressive 3x points on several categories, including air travel, hotels, gas stations, EV charging, supermarkets, and restaurants. This diverse range of bonus categories makes it effortless to accumulate points rapidly on everyday purchases and travel expenses alike.
• Substantial Welcome Bonus: New cardholders can earn a generous 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
• Annual Hotel Credit: The $100 annual hotel credit can effectively offset the card’s annual fee for those who book eligible hotel stays through the Citi travel portal. This benefit adds tangible value to the card and makes it an even more attractive option for frequent travelers.
• Valuable Transfer Partners: Citi’s extensive list of transfer partners, which includes acclaimed programs like Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, and Avianca LifeMiles, allows cardholders to potentially extract outsized value from their ThankYou points by redeeming them for high-value travel awards.

• Lack of Well-Known Domestic Airline Partners: Citi’s transfer partner list leans heavily toward international airlines, which may be less appealing for cardholders who primarily fly with domestic carriers. The absence of well-known domestic airline partners could be a drawback for some travelers.
• Annual Fee Not Waived for the First Year: Unlike some other travel rewards cards, the Citi Strata Premier’s annual fee is not waived for the first year. While the card’s benefits and rewards can easily offset the annual fee, some cardholders might prefer a card that offers a waived annual fee in the first year.
• No Premium Travel Perks: The Citi Strata Premier does not offer premium travel perks such as airport lounge access or travel credits, which may disadvantage some frequent travelers who value these high-end benefits.

The Citi Strata Premier has an annual fee of $95, which is not waived for the first year. While this card’s annual fee might initially seem like a drawback, it’s essential to consider the value you can derive from the card’s benefits and rewards.

With its high earning potential across multiple categories and benefits like a $100 annual hotel credit, many cardholders find it easy to offset the annual fee and come out ahead.