AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
Offers for the Citi Prestige® Card are not available through this site. Some offers may have expired. Please see our card marketplace for available offers
Citi is shaking up the premium travel card space with two major announcements. Today, the card issuer unveiled the brand-new Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (Rates & Fees) — a new premium rewards credit card designed to offer some of the highest points-earning potential in the market, plus a slew of travel and lifestyle credits. Perhaps just as notably, Citi also just added American Airlines AAdvantage® as a Citi ThankYou® transfer partner.
Here’s what you need to know about both developments.
Transfer Citi Points to American Airlines
As of July 27, 2025, Citi ThankYou Points can now be transferred to the American Airlines AAdvantage program at a 1:1 ratio — meaning 1,000 ThankYou Points will convert into 1,000 AAdvantage miles. This addition makes American Airlines the 21st Citi transfer partner.
This long-anticipated addition is only available to cardholders of the following three Citi products:
- Citi Strata Elite
- Citi Strata Premier® Card
- Citi Prestige® Card (no longer open to new applicants)
Citi clarified that these AAdvantage miles will be credited as AAdvantage Bonus Miles. That means you won't earn Loyalty Points toward AAdvantage status by transferring Citi points to American Airlines.
This addition makes Citi the only U.S. bank offering 1:1 point transfers to American Airlines AAdvantage. That makes earning ThankYou Points particularly valuable for booking award travel on American Airlines and its Oneworld partners.
Related: 20 Airlines You Can Book Using AAdvantage Miles — and the Best Redemptions for Each
Citi Strata Elite: Citi's Premium ThankYou Card
Ever since Citi closed applications to the Prestige Card in July 2021, we've been anxiously awaiting a new premium Citi ThankYou card. And the long wait is finally over. Today, Citi launched its newest card: the Citi Strata Elite.
This card takes the new spot as Citi’s flagship travel rewards card. With an annual fee of $595 and strong earn rates across travel and dining categories, the card is clearly aimed at high-spending travelers who want premium perks and strong return on everyday purchases.
Citi Strata Elite earning rates
- 12X – Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – 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.
- 1.5X – Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
That base 1.5x earn rate puts it ahead of competitors like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express, which both earn just 1x on non-bonus spending.
Key Citi Strata Elite benefits
The Strata Elite card includes a suite of benefits Citi says customers will “actually use,” including:
- $300 Annual Hotel Benefit – Get up to $300 off a 2+ night stay booked via Citi Travel each calendar year.
- $200 Annual Splurge Credit℠ – Choose up to two of the following brands where you can “splurge” and earn up to $200 in statement credits annually:
- 1stDibs
- American Airlines
- Best Buy
- Future Personal Training
- Live Nation
- $200 Annual Blacklane® Credit – Receive up to $200 in Blacklane chauffeur service credits, $100 for purchases made January-June and $100 for purchases made July-December.
- $120 Global Entry® or TSA PreCheck Credit® — once every four years.
- 4 Admirals Club® Lounge Passes
- Priority Pass Select™ membership — access to over 1,500 lounges worldwide for the cardholder, authorized users, and up to two guests.
- Access “The Reserve” hotel collection — with perks like daily breakfast, $100 property credits, and room upgrades (when available).
- Citi Entertainment® and Mastercard World Legend perks — Presale ticket access, dining reservations, and elite-level Mastercard benefits.
Our Take
The Citi Strata Elite card is a serious new entrant in the premium travel credit card space. The 1.5x base earn rate and 12x on select Citi Travel bookings are eye-popping earning rates. Combined with nearly $1,500 in travel and “lifestyle” benefits — including lounge access, hotel savings, and more — the $595 annual fee may be well worth it for frequent travelers.
However, perhaps the more groundbreaking news is Citi’s new 1:1 transfer partnership with American Airlines AAdvantage. With no other major U.S. bank currently offering this capability, Citi ThankYou Points just became a lot more appealing for travelers who know just how valuable AAdvantage miles are.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
