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Here you can add a description about your company or product

© Copyright 2026 CardRewards. All Rights Reserved.

About

Blog
Contact

Product

Documentation

Legal

Terms of Service
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy
Accessibility

Here you can add a description about your company or product

© Copyright 2026 CardRewards. All Rights Reserved.

About

Blog
Contact

Product

Documentation

Legal

Terms of Service
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy
Accessibility

Birch Lane Mastercard vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card — Full Comparison (2026)

Home
/
Compare
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Birch Lane Mastercard vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

Birch Lane Mastercard vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

A detailed side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right card for your spending.

Birch Lane Mastercard

Birch Lane Mastercard

Citi

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

Citi

Annual Fee

$0

$595

Welcome Bonus

—

75,000 Flex point

Base Earn Rate

1X

1.5X

Top Earn Categories

7X Wayfair Brands

3X Grocery Stores

2X Online Shopping

12X Hotels Car Rentals Attractions Citi Travel

6X Air Travel Citi Travel

6X Dining Citi Nights

3X Dining

Network

MASTERCARD

MASTERCARD

Key Benefits

None

✓Lounge access

✓Global Entry credit

Pros

—

+12X on hotels, car rentals, and attractions via Citi Travel portal
+6X on dining during Citi Nights℠ (Fri/Sat evenings)
+Up to $700 in annual statement credits ($300 hotel + $200 Splurge + $200 Blacklane)
+Priority Pass Select + 4 AA Admirals Club passes per year
+ThankYou points transfer to AA, JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, and 15+ other partners

Cons

—

−High $595 annual fee requires maximizing statement credits to offset
−Best earn rates require booking through Citi Travel portal (lose hotel loyalty credit)
−Citi Nights dining bonus limited to Fri/Sat 6PM-6AM ET timezone
−Only 4 Admirals Club passes (not unlimited access)
−Authorized user fee of $75 per user

The Bottom Line

The Birch Lane Mastercard has a lower annual fee ($0 vs $595), making it the more accessible option.

The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card justifies its higher fee with premium perks like lounge access.

For everyday spending, the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns more with its 1.5X base rate.

Explore More

Birch Lane Mastercard — Full Review All Citi Cards

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card — Full Review All Citi Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Home
/
Compare
/
Birch Lane Mastercard vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

Birch Lane Mastercard vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

A detailed side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right card for your spending.

Birch Lane Mastercard

Birch Lane Mastercard

Citi

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

Citi

Annual Fee

$0

$595

Welcome Bonus

—

75,000 Flex point

Base Earn Rate

1X

1.5X

Top Earn Categories

7X Wayfair Brands

3X Grocery Stores

2X Online Shopping

12X Hotels Car Rentals Attractions Citi Travel

6X Air Travel Citi Travel

6X Dining Citi Nights

3X Dining

Network

MASTERCARD

MASTERCARD

Key Benefits

None

✓Lounge access

✓Global Entry credit

Pros

—

+12X on hotels, car rentals, and attractions via Citi Travel portal
+6X on dining during Citi Nights℠ (Fri/Sat evenings)
+Up to $700 in annual statement credits ($300 hotel + $200 Splurge + $200 Blacklane)
+Priority Pass Select + 4 AA Admirals Club passes per year
+ThankYou points transfer to AA, JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, and 15+ other partners

Cons

—

−High $595 annual fee requires maximizing statement credits to offset
−Best earn rates require booking through Citi Travel portal (lose hotel loyalty credit)
−Citi Nights dining bonus limited to Fri/Sat 6PM-6AM ET timezone
−Only 4 Admirals Club passes (not unlimited access)
−Authorized user fee of $75 per user

The Bottom Line

The Birch Lane Mastercard has a lower annual fee ($0 vs $595), making it the more accessible option.

The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card justifies its higher fee with premium perks like lounge access.

For everyday spending, the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns more with its 1.5X base rate.

Explore More

Birch Lane Mastercard — Full Review All Citi Cards

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card — Full Review All Citi Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Home
/
Compare
/
Birch Lane Mastercard vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

Birch Lane Mastercard vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

A detailed side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right card for your spending.

Birch Lane Mastercard

Birch Lane Mastercard

Citi

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

Citi

Annual Fee

$0

$595

Welcome Bonus

—

75,000 Flex point

Base Earn Rate

1X

1.5X

Top Earn Categories

7X Wayfair Brands

3X Grocery Stores

2X Online Shopping

12X Hotels Car Rentals Attractions Citi Travel

6X Air Travel Citi Travel

6X Dining Citi Nights

3X Dining

Network

MASTERCARD

MASTERCARD

Key Benefits

None

✓Lounge access

✓Global Entry credit

Pros

—

+12X on hotels, car rentals, and attractions via Citi Travel portal
+6X on dining during Citi Nights℠ (Fri/Sat evenings)
+Up to $700 in annual statement credits ($300 hotel + $200 Splurge + $200 Blacklane)
+Priority Pass Select + 4 AA Admirals Club passes per year
+ThankYou points transfer to AA, JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, and 15+ other partners

Cons

—

−High $595 annual fee requires maximizing statement credits to offset
−Best earn rates require booking through Citi Travel portal (lose hotel loyalty credit)
−Citi Nights dining bonus limited to Fri/Sat 6PM-6AM ET timezone
−Only 4 Admirals Club passes (not unlimited access)
−Authorized user fee of $75 per user

The Bottom Line

The Birch Lane Mastercard has a lower annual fee ($0 vs $595), making it the more accessible option.

The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card justifies its higher fee with premium perks like lounge access.

For everyday spending, the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns more with its 1.5X base rate.

Explore More

Birch Lane Mastercard — Full Review All Citi Cards

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card — Full Review All Citi Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →