Citi Strata Credit Card vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
Annual fees: Citi Strata Credit Card $0/yr, Citi Strata Elite℠ Card $595/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Citi Strata Credit Card on hotels, Citi Strata Elite℠ Card on dining.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Citi Strata Credit CardCiti · No annual fee
Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti · $595/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Citi Strata Credit Card$0LowestCiti Strata Elite℠ Card$595
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Citi Strata Credit Card20,000 pointsCiti Strata Elite℠ Card75,000 points
- Rewards
- Citi Strata Credit CardCiti ThankYou RewardsCiti Strata Elite℠ CardCiti ThankYou Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Citi Strata Credit Card3%Citi Strata Elite℠ CardNoneLowest
- Network
- Citi Strata Credit CardMastercardCiti Strata Elite℠ CardMastercard World Elite
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Beauty
- Citi Strata Credit Card3xHighestCiti Strata Elite℠ Card1.5x
- Dining
- Citi Strata Credit Card2xCiti Strata Elite℠ Card3xHighest
- Fitness
- Citi Strata Credit Card3xHighestCiti Strata Elite℠ Card1.5x
- Gas Stations
- Citi Strata Credit Card3xHighestCiti Strata Elite℠ Card1.5x
- Grocery Stores
- Citi Strata Credit Card3xHighestCiti Strata Elite℠ Card1.5x
- Live Entertainment
- Citi Strata Credit Card3xHighestCiti Strata Elite℠ Card1.5x
- Pet
- Citi Strata Credit Card3xHighestCiti Strata Elite℠ Card1.5x
- Streaming
- Citi Strata Credit Card3xHighestCiti Strata Elite℠ Card1.5x
- Top Spend Category
- Citi Strata Credit Card3xHighestCiti Strata Elite℠ Card1.5x
- Transit
- Citi Strata Credit Card3xHighestCiti Strata Elite℠ Card1.5x
- Everything else
- Citi Strata Credit Card1xCiti Strata Elite℠ Card1.5xHighest
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Citi Strata Credit Card—Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
- $300 hotel credit
- Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck / 4 years · $120 every 4 years
- Other credits
- Citi Strata Credit Card—Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
- $200 Blacklane credit
- $200 Splurge credit
- $145 recurring Citigold Private Client credit
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- Citi Strata Credit Card—Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
- Priority Pass™ Select membership
- American Airlines Admirals Club® Lounge Access Passes
- Other perks
- Citi Strata Credit Card
- Citi Entertainment
- Points transfer
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card- Citi Travel®
- Citi Entertainment
- Death & Co®
- Points transfer
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Citi Strata Credit Card—Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
- Travel and Shopping Protection
- Rental car
- Citi Strata Credit Card—Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
- MasterRental Coverage
- Purchase & returns
- Citi Strata Credit Card
- Mastercard® ID Theft Protection
- Zero Liability on unauthorized transactions
- Purchase Protection up to $1,000 per claim
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card— - Other protections
- Citi Strata Credit Card
- Citi Travel®
- FICO score monitoring
- 24/7 lost/stolen card assistance worldwide
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card- Comprehensive identity theft monitoring
- FICO score monitoring
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Citi Strata Credit Card
- No annual fee
- 20,000 point welcome bonus
- 5X points on travel booked via Citi Travel
- 3X points on groceries, transit, gas, and Self-Select category
- Self-Select category flexibility (change quarterly)
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card- 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 other airline and hotel programs
- Cons
- Citi Strata Credit Card
- 3% foreign transaction fee
- 5X rate requires booking through Citi Travel portal
- Self-Select category can only change quarterly
- Lower transfer value compared to premium ThankYou cards
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card- 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
Category-by-Category Winner
The Citi Strata Credit Card wins in 3 of 5 categories. The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card leads in 2. 9 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Hotels
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X (1.5X without restrictions)
Car Rentals
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X (1.5X without restrictions)
Attractions
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X (1.5X without restrictions)
Grocery Stores
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1.5X
Gas Stations
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1.5X
Transit
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X vs 1.5X
Top Spend Category
Depends: Must select category at citi.com/selfselect
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X (1.5X without restrictions)
Dining
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 3X vs 2X
Beauty
Depends: 3X applies only if cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons is chosen as the one Self-Select Category (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores), changeable once each calendar quarter; the default is Select Streaming Services.
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X (1.5X without restrictions)
Fitness
Depends: 3X applies only if fitness clubs is chosen as the one Self-Select Category (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores), changeable once each calendar quarter; the default is Select Streaming Services.
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X (1.5X without restrictions)
Live Entertainment
Depends: 3X applies only if live entertainment is chosen as the one Self-Select Category (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores), changeable once each calendar quarter; the default is Select Streaming Services.
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X (1.5X without restrictions)
Pet
Depends: 3X applies only if pet supply stores is chosen as the one Self-Select Category (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores), changeable once each calendar quarter; the default is Select Streaming Services.
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X (1.5X without restrictions)
Streaming
Depends: 3X applies while Select Streaming Services is the one Self-Select Category (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores), changeable once each calendar quarter; it is the default at account opening.
Citi Strata Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X (1.5X without restrictions)
Everyday purchases
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X on all other spending vs 1X
Year One vs Ongoing Value
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 | Citi Strata Credit Card | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $317 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $317 Year one: $637 | Rewards: $331 Credits (our usable estimate): $505 − Annual fee ($595) Ongoing: $241 Year one: $1,441 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,267 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $1,267 Year one: $1,587 | Rewards: $1,325 Credits (our usable estimate): $505 − Annual fee ($595) Ongoing: $1,235 Year one: $2,435 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card costs $595/yr — that's $595 more than the Citi Strata Credit 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.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Citi Strata Credit Card means losing:
- -Airport lounge access
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Citi Strata Credit Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
Get the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card if you:
- +Fly frequently and value airport lounge access
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
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: Citi Strata Credit Card $0/yr, Citi Strata Elite℠ Card $595/yr — a $595 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card costs $595/yr vs $0/yr for the Citi Strata Credit Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $595 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card also lists lounge access).
- Which card earns more rewards, the Citi Strata Credit Card or Citi Strata Elite℠ Card?
- The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card has a higher base earn rate (1.5X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- What benefits does the Citi Strata Credit Card have that the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card doesn't?
- The Citi Strata Credit Card focuses on earn rates, while the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card offers lounge access.
- Should I get the Citi Strata Credit Card or the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Citi Strata Credit Card has a lower $0/yr fee; the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $595/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.