Citi Strata Elite Benefits
Points and travel enthusiasts, including (or primarily) the many who do stuff on the internet for money, crow about credit card benefits – positively, negatively, and/or every emotion in between. I join in periodically, as well. One thing I’ve repeated ad nauseum about any card I hold is I don’t need to use all of the benefits, just enough of them. I’m considering Citi Strata Elite benefits more in-depth today. Indeed, 6x earning on weekend dining was pretty much all we needed to convince my wife to product change her AA MileUp card to the CSE and pay the $595 annual fee. While a few other perks made the decision easier, we have little use – if any – for several. Now, I’ll get into both of those categories.
Citi Strata Elite Benefits For Us
$200 Annual Splurge Credit
Beyond the 6x I mentioned above, the Splurge Credit initially drew us in more than any other benefit. Importantly, the credit is based on the calendar year, meaning that attentive cardholders can pick up two (or three) of these credits on one annual fee. The following entities currently participate:
- 1stDibs
- American Airlines
- Best Buy
- Future Personal Training
- Live Nation
We’re simply, fully consuming this credit with that third one. Best Buy offers a variety of options in line with what we naturally consume. I’m curious to see how this list evolves. While Best Buy is enough for us, I’d like to see more.
$300 Annual Hotel Benefit
Another calendar year benefit is the $300 Annual Hotel Benefit. While I don’t value it as much as the hotel credit from Amex Platinum/Business Platinum cards, we’re having no problem using it for moderate hotel stays satisfying the two-night minimum. Booking on Citi’s travel portal is a requirement, as well, but I’ve found certain options remarkably competitive with cash rates elsewhere (not that we’d go out of pocket, anyway). Essentially, these two free hotel nights each calendar year means we’re redeeming fewer hotel points. We’re satisfied with that net positive.
Admirals Club Passes
I’m a Citi AAdvantage Executive AU cardholder, so this card covers our Admirals Club access when we’re traveling as a family. But I expect my wife will use one or two of these passes this year when she travels alone. I’d be surprised if she needs all four, though.
Blacklane Credit
Following the some-not-all pattern, I expect we’ll use a portion the $200 Blacklane credit, doled out in $100 increments for each half of the year. However, I’m not exactly confident we’ll use all of this credit, as it won’t fit all of our travel plans.
The Other Ones Not For Us
Plenty of benefits we’ll pass over because we already obtain them from other cards, they don’t substantially align with our needs/wants, or both. These include Priority Pass Select membership, Global Entry/PreCheck credit, and various travel protections. We don’t currently hold any bank accounts with Citi, either, so those rebates are worth zero to us.
As I write this, I’m reminded/surprised a larger suite of benefits don’t come with this card. I know the annual fee slots well below the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve, and, again, I get enough out of a few CSE benefits. But I still find it peculiar how Citi limited the Strata Elite in some ways. I feel they could’ve made a bigger splash with a similar annual fee and more perks. But based on the bank’s history with the Prestige, perhaps they were sensitive to giving too much.
Conclusion
At this point, will we stick with the Citi Strata Elite beyond the first cardmember year? Right now, that would be a tough decision. It’ll highly depend on our 6x earning activity and secondarily on any retention offers we can obtain. Indeed, Citi has previously provided us the latter, but primarily on lower-fee cards such as the Premier. Fortunately, we’re more than half a year from this decision, and much can change between now and then. I’m confident we’ll be all-in or not-at-all; I don’t expect a dilemma. That may sound weird, but hey, that exactly fits Citi.
Several months in, how are you feeling about Citi Strata Elite benefits?
There’s a type of hobbyist who somehow feels cheated if they can use every single credit. Often, it’s an all or nothing thing with them. OCD. Your approach of “just enough” is healthy. And, I’ll bet you’re content with your results.
I don’t participate in Choice Hotels. But, sometimes it offers the most expedient property. Here’s a use for the CSR hotel credit. Or, as loyalty credit/benefits are not in play, 12x earning. What’s not to like.