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Citi Strata Elite Card — How To Use the Annual $200 Splurge Credit [2025]

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Victoria M. Walker
Edited by: Michael Y. Park
& Jestan Mendame
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The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card is a brand-new credit card offering travel and lifestyle benefits, including hundreds of dollars in statement credits on application fees, ride-sharing, and shopping.

One of those statement credit benefits is an annual Splurge Credit where you earn up to $200 in statement credits on up to 2 selected merchants. This guide will walk you through all the details of the up to $200 annual Splurge Credit and provide you with some high-value ways to use it. 

Let’s explore some of the best ways to use your $200 Splurge Credit for maximum value.

How Does the Splurge Credit Work?

The Citi Strata Elite card offers up to $200 in annual Splurge Credits per calendar year. You can choose up to 2 of the following brands: 1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation.

You can select your credit by signing up at citi.com/splurgecredit or by calling 833-888-2168.

Citi Strata Elite Splurge Credit tracker
Image Credit: Citi

Note that you can only activate 2 credit merchants at a time. You can change your preferred merchants at any time. Purchases made by the primary cardmember and authorized users are eligible for Splurge Credits.

Citi Strata Elite Splurge Credit selection
Image Credit: Citi

1stDibs

1stDibs is an online marketplace that offers a wide range of items, including furniture, art, and fine jewelry. Think of it as a cross between an online antique shop and a consignment store. 

Many items on 1stDibs aren’t cheap — the website is known for carrying high-end brands like Hermes — but there are still some solid deals. 

The site offers a wide selection of accessories priced under $200, including designer sunglasses, hats, ties, handkerchiefs, and more. There are even handbags and wallets for around $200! You can also find second-hand jewelry for under $200, including rings, earrings, necklaces, and watches. 

If you want to spend a bit more, you can apply your credit to more expensive purchases, such as artwork, to lower your overall costs. 1stDibs offers a wide selection of artwork, including vintage pieces, for under $500.

Hot Tip:

If you’re only looking for items under $200, make sure to filter your search with a maximum price of $200.

American Airlines

Of all of the statement credit merchants, using your credit on American Airlines or American Airlines Vacations is probably the easiest, especially if you travel regularly.

Though flight pricing is often dynamic, booking flights well in advance can save you money, particularly on international travel. Your statement credit can be easily applied to cheap, short-haul domestic flights or even inexpensive international flights.

American Airlines B737 800 taxiing MCO
Use your credit for AA flights. Image Credit: Alberto Riva

Of course, flights aren’t the only way to use your credit. You can also use the credit on ancillary purchases, such as baggage and seat selection, or on upgrades. However, if you want to maximize your Splurge Credit, the best way to do so is on flights with American. 

Note that you won’t be able to use the Splurge Credit on car rentals, hotel reservations, AAdvantage status boost or renewal purchases, or AA Cargo products and services.

Best Buy

Aside from American, purchasing electronics, video games, and so on at Best Buy is the best way to maximize your Splurge Credit. Even better, you can use a favorite shopping portal (like Rakuten or TopCashback) to earn additional cash-back or points.

Future Personal Training

Future is a virtual personal training platform that works around your schedule. Your coach creates custom workouts and discusses your lifestyle, goals, equipment, and injury history to tailor them to your specific needs. You also get access to the Future platform to monitor your progress.

Future costs $99 for your first month of personal training and then $199 per month after. 

Live Nation

Your Citi Strata Elite card can be applied to events booked through Live Nation.

Live Nation is an entertainment company that sells tickets for concerts, shows, festivals, merchandise, and more. Its extensive presence in the live entertainment industry means most tickets are sold through its platform. Splurge purchases must be made on livenation.com or ticketmaster.com, so third-party services are not eligible for the credit.

However, there’s a significant limitation to this credit: Purchases for events or venues outside the United States or a U.S. territory are not eligible for the credit. That means if your favorite artist has a show outside of the U.S., you wouldn’t be able to apply your credit.

Hot Tip:

Eligible Citi credit and debit cardholders receive special access to Citi cardmember presale tickets, preferred tickets, and other tickets to events on Live Nation and Ticketmaster. This benefit can be particularly useful, especially for high-value shows and tours.

Is the Splurge Credit Worth It?

The Citi Strata Elite card’s Splurge Credit is definitely worth using, mainly because it’s extremely easy to use. You have several merchants to choose from, covering retail, health and fitness, travel, and more. You can use the credit to wipe a charge entirely or use it to reduce costs. And, of course, you earn 1.5x points on purchases, which is an incentive to maximize the benefit.

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Citi Strata Elite Card Overview and Benefits

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
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U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Citi Strata Elite card is Citi's most premium card built for frequent travelers and foodies.

The Citi Strata Elite card is Citi's most premium card built for frequent travelers and foodies.
Earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou Points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
80,000 points
Up to $1,280
$595
21.24% to 29.24% Variable
Why We Like This Card

The Citi Strata Elite card is a great option for frequent travelers, foodies, and those who are fans of the Citi ThankYou Rewards ecosystem thanks to its combination of bonus categories, perks, and annual credits.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 12x points on hotels, rental cars, and attractions booked through Citi Travel
  • 6x points on airfare through Citi Travel
  • 6x points on dining on Citi Nights (Friday and Saturday nights from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.) and 3x points on dining at all other times
Cons
  • $595 annual fee
  • Boosted dining rewards are limited to 2 nights per week
Card Highlights
  • Earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou Points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening
  • 12x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on cititravel.com
  • 6x points on air travel booked on cititravel.com
  • 6x points at restaurants, including restaurant delivery services, every Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. ET, and 3x points any other time
  • 1.5x points on all other purchases
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
  • Up to $300 annual hotel benefit
  • Up to $200 annual splurge credit
  • Up to $200 annual Blacklane credit
  • 4 American Airlines Admirals Club passes every calendar year
  • Transfer Citi ThankYou Points to partners like American Airlines
  • Complimentary Priority Pass membership
  • No foreign transaction fees
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 21.24% to 29.24% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

The Citi Strata Elite card is a solid card for everyday spending. The card includes the following bonus categories: 

  • 12x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel
  • 6x points on air travel booked on Citi Travel
  • 6x points at restaurants, including restaurant delivery services, every Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Eastern time, and 3x points any other time
  • 1.5x points on all other purchases

In addition to the Splurge Credit, the Citi Strata Elite card includes the following statement credits:

  • Up to $300 annual hotel benefit: Receive an annual hotel benefit of up to $300 off a hotel stay of 2 nights or more when you book through Citi Travel.
  • Up to $200 annual Blacklane credit: Book with Blacklane, a premium global chauffeur service, and receive up to $200 in statement credits: up to $100 January through June and up to $100 July through December.
  • Up to $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit every 4 years.

Final Thoughts

The Citi Strata Elite card offers a range of impressive benefits, including enhanced earnings on travel and dining, lounge access, hotel credits, and more. One benefit that may go overlooked is the $200 annual Splurge Credit, which offers up to $200 to spend at several exciting merchants. The credit is extremely easy to use and can be applied to a wide range of merchants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Citi Strata Elite card a new credit card?

Yes, the Citi Strata Elite card is a new card. It launched in July 2025.

What is the Splurge Credit on the Citi Strata Elite card?

The Citi Strata Elite card offers up to $200 in annual Splurge Credits per calendar year.

What merchants are included in the Splurge Credit?

The merchants included in the Splurge Credit are 1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation.. You can choose up to 2 merchants.

What is the Citi Strata Elite card's annual fee?

The Citi Strata Elite card has a $595 annual fee.

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About Victoria M. Walker

Victoria holds a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from the Howard University School of Communications and is an award-winning journalist, travel reporter, and the founder of the “Carrying On with Victoria M. Walker” newsletter.

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