Citi is launching an all-new premium rewards card. Here is how I hope it is totally different from different high-end playing cards

The brand new Citi Strata Elite card is claimed to be becoming a member of Citi’s group of rewards merchandise sooner or later within the coming months with the intention to attraction to “prosperous prospects.” So whereas Citi has not shared the precise annual payment that may include this card, it feels protected to imagine it’s more likely to be within the vary of the annual charges of different premium playing cards, that are largely now within the roughly $400-$800 vary.

And whereas particulars concerning the card’s advantages weren’t launched, we do know that this isn’t Citi’s first foray into the world of premium rewards bank cards.

Trying to Citi’s premium card previous to tell its future

It has some rewarding bonus classes — corresponding to 5 factors per greenback spent on airfare, eating places and journey businesses — provides a cool fourth-hotel-night-free perk, a $250 annual journey credit score and Precedence Go membership.

Whereas the cardboard definitely had its followers, particularly those that may maximize that fourth-hotel-night-free perk, it was lacking a couple of key perks in comparison with different main gamers within the premium card area, corresponding to American Specific, Chase and Capital One. Specifically, it did not provide any proprietary lounge entry and was extra restricted in its distinctive switch companions inside the Citi ThankYou Rewards lineup.

The knowledge for the Citi Status and Citi Strata Elite Card have been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

What I hope to see from Citi’s new premium bank card

However past that, I might love some uniquely rewarding bonus classes that are not already provided on the lengthy listing of different rewards playing cards. For instance, the very last thing I would like is one other card providing 2 or 3 bonus factors per greenback spent on eating and journey.

To assist offset the annual payment, I might prefer to see a restricted variety of high-value however easy-to-use credit that do not require quite a lot of thought and energy (as in, not a sophisticated “coupon e-book” strategy).

And whereas it is likely to be a tall order, I might actually love Citi to now tackle a number of the gaps that it had final time it had a proprietary premium rewards card.

Specifically, it will be nice to see the cardboard provide some kind of distinctive lounge entry and/or switch companions which might be exhausting or not possible to copy elsewhere. Entry to new or further airport lounges — and even their grab-and-go youthful siblings — is at all times nice information, so I might like to see Citi provide distinctive lounge entry past the Precedence Go profit it had with its earlier premium card.

Moreover, the Citi ThankYou Rewards program itself is a step behind rivals, particularly for individuals who prefer to lean into U.S.-based airline and lodge packages. TPG’s July 2025 valuations have Citi ThankYou Rewards factors at 1.85 cents per level, which locations it behind Chase Final Rewards, American Specific Membership Rewards and Bilt Rewards. The overwhelming majority of its companions additionally work with different banks.

There was a short second in time when Citi had American Airways as a switch companion, and the financial institution touted its “great relationship” with American Airways in its latest earnings name. As well as, a Citi spokesperson provided TPG the next assertion in December 2024, when it was introduced that the financial institution would turn out to be the unique issuer of American cobranded playing cards (emphasis ours):

“The growth and extension of our relationship with American Airways will positively influence our current and new buyer base as we introduce new merchandise and advantages sooner or later and produce expanded loyalty and rewards choices for AAdvantage® members and Citi-branded cardmembers. We’re not sharing specifics at the moment. Keep tuned.”

Lastly, implementing some kind of distinctive lodge perk or new journey profit that different premium rewards playing cards do not provide would additionally assist carve out a differentiated area for the Citi Strata Elite.