Why I’m Downgrading My Citi Strata Elite Card to the Citi Strata Premier

The $595 annual fee on my Citi Strata Elite℠ Card just posted, forcing a decision I’ve been thinking about for months: Is this card really worth keeping?

For me, the answer is no. I’m downgrading to the $95-annual-fee Citi Strata Premier^® Card, but surprisingly, I don’t feel like I’m giving up much.

Here’s why the cheaper card makes more sense for the way I spend and travel.

Citi Strata Elite Card vs. Citi Strata Premier Card

Before getting into why I’m downgrading, it’s worth looking at what separates these 2 cards.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

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.

Apply Now(at our partner's secure site)

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

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

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.

75,000 Points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,200

Annual Fee

$595

APR

20.49% to 28.49% 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

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
• Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
• Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time
• Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
• Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.49% to 28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

The Citi Strata Elite card is Citi’s premium travel rewards card, with a $595 annual fee and perks including 4 Admirals Club passes, up to $300 annual hotel credit, up to $200 annual Splurge credit, Blacklane credits, and more.

One of its headline earning rates is 6x Citi ThankYou Points on dining during Citi Nights, which covers restaurant purchases from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Eastern time on Fridays and Saturdays.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Citi Strata Premier^® Card

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.

Apply Now(at our partner's secure site)

Citi Strata Premier^® Card

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou^® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.

60,000 Points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$960

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.49% to 27.49% Variable

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Strata Premier^® Card is a great all-around travel rewards card that allows you to earn big rewards on a variety of purchases like air travel, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and more, along with flexible redemption options, all for a modest annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
• 3x points on air travel, other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and EV charging stations
• $100 annual hotel benefit

Cons

• $95 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou^® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
• Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
• Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.49% to 27.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

The Citi Strata Premier card costs just $95 per year and takes a much simpler approach. It earns 3x points on air travel and other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and EV charging stations, and 10x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel.

Most importantly, it still gives me access to Citi’s full lineup of airline and hotel transfer partners. That makes downgrading the Citi Strata Elite card much easier.

Citi Nights Don’t Work for My Lifestyle

The Citi Strata Elite card’s 6x points on certain restaurant purchases make it arguably the best card for restaurant and dining. In practice, I haven’t seen much benefit from this feature.

The bonus only applies at restaurants from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, which doesn’t always line up with when I actually eat. My family often has dinner before 6 p.m., and we dine out throughout the week — not just Friday and Saturday nights.

Could I wait until after 6 p.m. on Friday or Saturday to maximize the card? Of course. But I don’t want to plan my family’s dinner around a credit card bonus category.

I’d rather earn slightly fewer points with a card that rewards me whenever I dine out or order in. That’s one reason I like the American Express^® Gold Card, which earns 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year), without requiring me to check the day or time.

BEST FOR DINING

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

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.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out, and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out, and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets.

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $2,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

With the Amex Gold card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There are several other benefits of the Amex Gold card, including monthly dining credits.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App
• 4x points at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• 4x categories for restaurants and U.S. supermarkets have annual spend caps

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• Pay It^® lets you tap in the American Express^® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It^® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
• $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express^® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
• Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star^® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
• Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
• Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express^® service and support. Only for American Express^® Card Members.
• Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Beyond the 6x Citi Nights earning, the Citi Strata Elite card earns 12x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel, 6x on airfare booked through Citi Travel, 3x at restaurants outside Citi Nights, and 1.5x on all other purchases.

Those rates may look impressive, but the Citi Strata Premier card’s broader 3x categories, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, EV charging, airfare, and hotels, better match my everyday spending and give me more opportunities to earn bonus points.

I Don’t Need the Perks

The Citi Strata Elite card offers useful premium benefits, but I don’t necessarily need them. Take the Admirals Club passes, for example.

I used mine last year because they were available, but I rarely go out of my way to visit airport lounges these days. If there’s a convenient Admirals Club lounge and I already have access, great. But I’m not interested in changing my airport routine to use up passes.

The same goes for the card’s up to $200 annual Blacklane credit. I’ve used Blacklane and enjoy the service, but I don’t need it regularly because I usually order an Uber or Lyft.

I can find ways to use these benefits, but that doesn’t mean they’re saving me money on services I would have paid for anyway. More often, I use them because they’re included, and that’s not enough for me to justify paying a $595 annual fee.

I Can Keep My Citi ThankYou Points Without the $595 Annual Fee

What makes this downgrade so easy is that I’m not leaving the Citi ThankYou Rewards ecosystem.

For a $95 annual fee, the Citi Strata Premier card is one of the best values in Citi’s lineup, especially because I care more about earning transferable points than having a long list of premium perks.

I can still earn 3x points on my most-used spending categories and 10x points on eligible Citi Travel bookings.

Most importantly, the Citi Strata Premier card gives me access to the same airline and hotel transfer partners as the Citi Strata Elite card, so I’m not giving up any flexibility to transfer my ThankYou Points and redeem them for good value with travel partners. That’s what I care about most.

Sure, I’ll lose some of the Citi Strata Elite card’s premium benefits, but it’s not much of a loss since I don’t use them anyway. I’d rather pay $95 for a card with earning categories I can use constantly than $595 for one with perks I have to remind myself to maximize.

Why I’m Downgrading Instead of Applying for a New Card

There’s another reason I’m taking the downgrade route rather than closing my Citi Strata Elite card and applying for a new Citi Strata Premier card: Chase’s 5/24 rule.

I’m working toward getting back under 5/24 so I can apply for Chase cards again, and opening another personal card now would only push that timeline back. By product-changing my existing Citi Strata Elite card instead, I can get the card I actually want without opening another account.

I’m giving up the chance to earn a new welcome offer on the Citi Strata Premier card, but for my current card strategy, keeping that 5/24 slot available is more valuable to me.

Final Thoughts

The Citi Strata Elite card is an attractive premium card, but its benefits and earning categories don’t line up with my lifestyle or everyday spending. Rather than pay $595 a year for those perks, I’m happy to downgrade to the Citi Strata Premier card, keep my Citi ThankYou Points intact, and save $500 in annual fees without giving up the flexibility I value most.