Citibank just rolled out their new Citi Strata Elite credit card, joining Chase and Amex in the premium (over $500/yr) category with a range of benefits focused on frequent travelers. While each bank brags that its card more than pays for itself, the true value depends on which perks you’ll actually use.
Pam Habner, Head of Citi’s U.S. Branded Cards & Lending, announced their new premium card, “The new Citi Strata Elite Card is the smart choice for savvy premium cardmembers who want to earn high rewards on travel and dining while still earning generously on every dollar spent. You shouldn’t need a math degree and a spreadsheet to track your credit card benefits! We have curated flexible lifestyle benefits that we know our customers will want to use—because we asked them what they value. And, this is the only branded credit card that has American Airlines benefits built right into the card.”
Her point about not needing a math degree and spreadsheet was well-taken, as many of these cards have lots of hoops to jump through to access the savings. Yet, none have a rule as weird and limiting as Citi’s dining benefit: Food credits are valid only on Saturdays and Sundays between 6pm and 6am Eastern Time.
So, is the Citi Strata Elite card worthwhile considering? Let’s compare the three:
| Feature | Chase Sapphire Reserve | The AmEx Platinum Card | Citi Strata Elite Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $795 | $695 | $595 |
| Authorized User Fee | $195 | $195 | $75 |
| Earning Rates | – 8× points on Chase Travel purchases- 4× on travel booked directly- 3× on dining- 1× on other | – 5× flights & prepaid hotels- 5× dining (capped)*- 1× on other | – 12× on hotels, car rentals & attractions via Citi Travel6× on airfare via Citi Travel & dining (Citi Nights Fri‑Sat nights)3× on dining other times, 1.5× all other purchases |
| Annual Credits | – $300 travel credit- $300 The Edit hotel credit ($250 twice, includes breakfast, etc.)- $300 StubHub/Viagogo- $200 airline fee credit- $300 DoorDash- $240 digital entertainment- $120 Peloton- others | – $200 airline fee- $200 hotel (FHR)- $240 digital entertainment- $200 Uber- $100 Saks- $120 Peloton- CLEAR, Lyft, Walmart+, more | – $300 hotel credit via Citi Travel- $200 annual “Splurge” credit (choose two brands: Best Buy, AA, Live Nation, etc.)- $200 Blacklane chauffeur credit |
| Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit | Up to $120 every 4 years | Up to $100–$85 every 4–5 years | Up to $120 every 4 years |
| Lounge Access | Chase Sapphire Lounges + Priority Pass + 2 guests + Maple Leaf Lounges | AmEx Global Lounge Collection + Priority Pass Select (guest fee) + limited Delta Sky Club access | Priority Pass Select (primary + guests) + 4 Admirals Club Lounge passes annually |
| Hotel Elite Status & Perks | IHG Platinum Elite (Complimentary up to 2027); The Edit biannual property credits; Relais & Châteaux perks; Marriott/Hilton perks unlock at $75K spend | Hilton Gold; Marriott Gold; Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits | Citi Travel portal benefits (The Reserve): includes daily breakfast, $100 property credit, upgrades when available; hotel credit usage via portal |
| Travel Protections | Primary rental car insurance; trip cancellation/interruption; baggage delay; emergency medical/dental; roadside assistance | Trip cancellation -interruption; delay insurance; baggage insurance; concierge; return protection | Trip delay & cancellation; lost/damaged luggage; MasterRental collision damage waiver; enhanced protections via Mastercard World Elite |
| Point Redemption Value | Up to 2¢/pt when booking via Chase Travel after 10/26/25; generally ~1.5¢/pt earlier points | ~1¢/pt flights; ~0.7¢/pt hotels via AmEx Travel, varies by partner | ThankYou points valued at ~1.85¢/point by TPG; 1:1 transfer to multiple airline/hotel partners |
| Transfer Partners | Wide array: United, Southwest, Hyatt, Marriott, etc. | Broad network: Delta, Emirates, British Airways, Hilton, Marriott, etc. | Citi ThankYou partners including AA AAdvantage, JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay Pacific, Eva Air, Choice Hotels, Leading Hotels of the World, etc. 1:1 AA transfer is unique |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | None | None | None |
Quick Take:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve offers the most flexible travel credits, premium travel protections (including primary rental car insurance), and strong in-house point value. Only card with United point transfer.
- AmEx Platinum offers a wide range of airline partners (but not United), luxury hotel perks, CLEAR, and concierge and media credits. They also have more premium lounges.
- Citi Strata Elite offers premium travel perks at the lowest fee of the three, high multipliers via Citi Travel, and benefits aligned with American Airlines loyalty.
Final analysis
I looked at the actual value of each card for myself, a moderate traveler, frequent diner, and with existing streaming services. I assumed I would use the most significant and easiest to access rewards, including the airline, dining and hotel credits. I would use the lounges several times a year, would access CLEAR and a portion of the Uber/Lyft credits. I would not use the streaming services offered nor would I use Stubhub, grocery delivery, or Peloton. I also assumed I would purchase an extra card for my wife.
Here’s the values I came up with:
Chase Sapphire Reserve: $1000 (Costs $970 w/ 2nd card)
Amex Platinum: $900 (Costs $890 w/ 2nd card)
Citi Strat Elite: $700 (Costs $670 w/ 2nd card)
Each card provides a value equal or slightly greater than their cost, but far from the two to three times that they claim. But the cards with their point-multipliers, provide additional points compared to a no-fee card, a higher level of customer service, and a travel booking service that is required to access some of the benefits.
Sign on bonus
Each of these three cards are offering valuable enticements to get your business, assuming you are a first time member. Chase Sapphire Reserve is offering 100,000 points plus a $500 Chase Travel promo credit, Amex Platinum offers 175,000 points, and Citi Elite offers 80,000 points. Each comes with varying requirements to spend thousands of dollars in the first 3 to 6 months. These bonuses alone justify the cost of the card.
A Revamped Amex Platinum card?
Amex is expected to roll out a new iteration of their Platinum card in response to Chase’s higher-priced Sapphire Reserve card. Speculation is an increase in annual fee to $800 to $1000 with increases to a number of its benefits such as its dining credits and annual travel payment. Stay tuned.