Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Annual fees: Bilt Blue Card $0/yr, Citi Strata Elite℠ Card $595/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Bilt Blue Card on rent and dining, Citi Strata Elite℠ Card on dining.
Card data as of September 27, 2026.
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
| Category | Bilt Blue Card | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card |
|---|---|---|
| Dining | 1X | 3X |
| Mortgage | 1.25X |
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card wins in 4 of 4 categories. The Bilt Blue Card leads in 0.
Rent
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X vs 1.25X
Mortgage
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X vs 1.25X
Dining
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 3X vs 1X
Everyday purchases
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X on all other spending vs 1X
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
| Scenario | Bilt Blue Card | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $264 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $264 Year one: $364 |
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 1.5X on the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card vs 1X on the other card.
Published annual fees: Bilt Blue Card $0/yr, Citi Strata Elite℠ Card $595/yr — a $595 difference before welcome offers and credits.
| 1.5X |
| Rent | 1.25X | 1.5X |
| Everything Else | 1X | 1.5X |
Network
Key Benefits
Pros
Cons
Rewards: $331 Credits (our usable estimate): $604 − Annual fee ($595) Ongoing: $340 Year one: $1,810 |
| Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,056 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $1,056 Year one: $1,156 | Rewards: $1,325 Credits (our usable estimate): $604 − Annual fee ($595) Ongoing: $1,334 Year one: $2,804 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card |
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card costs $595/yr — that's $595 more than the Bilt Blue Card (no annual fee). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $595 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card includes lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $595 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $595 fee gap means the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card needs roughly $595 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on dining and everyday spend.
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Bilt Blue Card means losing:
Get the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card if you:
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
