{"id":223125,"date":"2025-08-24T23:59:30","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T23:59:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=223125\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T14:21:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T14:21:37","slug":"how-i-used-strata-elite-to-save-on-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/how-i-used-strata-elite-to-save-on-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Can the Citi Strata Elite\u2120 Card Pay for Itself in One Trip? Here&#8217;s How I Saved $1,800 on a Europe Trip"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you know how to use them, premium credit cards should provide you more value than they cost. With all of its valuable perks, it should be pretty easy for travelers to justify the annual fee of the new <a data-ccid=\"242\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-strata-elite-offer\/\">Citi Strata Elite\u2120 Card<\/a> (<a data-ccid=\"242\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=a3pDkecFgAg&offerid=1978593.4347&type=3&subid=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a>) in the first year. But in fact, I\u2019d even go as far to say this card can pay for itself in a single trip. To prove it, I grabbed a backpack and went to the airport. Here\u2019s what came next.<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_light_blue no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Page Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#The_Citi_Strata_Elites_Annual_Fee_Is_Easily_Justifiable\">The Citi Strata Elite\u2019s Annual Fee Is Easily Justifiable<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#How_I_Made_the_Citi_Strata_Elite_Pay_for_Itself_on_One_Trip_to_Europe\">How I Made the Citi Strata Elite Pay for Itself on One Trip to Europe<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Stockholm_Sweden\">Stockholm, Sweden<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Oslo_Norway\">Oslo, Norway<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Zurich_Switzerland\">Zurich, Switzerland<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Summing_it_all_up\">Summing it all up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Bottom_Line\">Bottom Line<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2><span id=\"The_Citi_Strata_Elites_Annual_Fee_Is_Easily_Justifiable\">The Citi Strata Elite\u2019s Annual Fee Is Easily Justifiable<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re not that familiar with the new card, here\u2019s how the math could've looked if I just cashed in its biggest credits on a single adventure:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Up to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/strata-elite-hotel-credit\/\" rel=\"noopener\">$300 annual hotel savings benefit<\/a> on stays of two nights or more booked through Citi Travel<\/li>\n<li>Up to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/strata-elite-splurge-credit\/\" rel=\"noopener\">$200 annual Splurge Credit\u2120<\/a> you can use at a selection of merchants, including American Airlines<\/li>\n<li>Up to $200 Blacklane credit, with $100 available in the first half of the year and $100 in the second<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Right there, that\u2019s at least $700 in tangible value every year &#8212; but you'd only save about $600 on a single trip since the Blacklane credit is a semi-annual credit. And that doesn\u2019t even include the value of the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-strata-elite-offer\/\" rel=\"noopener\">welcome bonus<\/a>, the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Citi ThankYou<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Rewards points<\/a> you\u2019ll earn along the way, or the other perks like the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/travel\/priority-pass-lounges-guide\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Priority Pass<\/a> membership or the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/strata-elite-admirals-club-passes\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Admirals Club passes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This is all to say the numbers are pretty clear. The <a data-ccid=\"242\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-strata-elite-offer\/\">Citi Strata Elite<\/a> can pay for itself after just one trip.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223132\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223132 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Citi-Strata-Elite-Featured-2.png\" alt=\"Citi Strata Elite in front of a building in Stockholm, SE.\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Citi-Strata-Elite-Featured-2.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Citi-Strata-Elite-Featured-2-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Citi-Strata-Elite-Featured-2-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Citi-Strata-Elite-Featured-2-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>But that example\u2019s almost too simple. Not everyone travels in a way that lets them use every credit on a single trip &#8212; or even any at all. So, I set out to see if I could make the Citi Strata Elite pay for itself on a single trip without factoring in a single one of these headline benefits. And I believe I pulled it off.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/best-credit-card-benefits\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Credit Card Benefits Every Traveler Should Know About<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"How_I_Made_the_Citi_Strata_Elite_Pay_for_Itself_on_One_Trip_to_Europe\">How I Made the Citi Strata Elite Pay for Itself on One Trip to Europe<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This trip started in Myrtle Beach, but I didn\u2019t really start realizing value out of my <a data-ccid=\"242\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-strata-elite-offer\/\">Citi Strata Elite<\/a> until I arrived at London Heathrow the next day.<\/p>\n<p>What set this trip in motion was the chance to check out American Airlines\u2019 brand-new Boeing 787-9P. I could\u2019ve conceivably transferred Citi ThankYou Points to American Airlines AAdvantage at a 1:1 ratio to book this ticket. However, I booked this trip in May &#8212; before the Citi Strata Elite was announced and <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/news\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/transfer-citi-points-american-airlines\/\" rel=\"noopener\">American Airlines was added as a Citi transfer partner<\/a>. Instead, I redeemed just 45,000 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles for the one-way business class award. Fast forward a couple thousand miles, and that\u2019s where we\u2019ll pick things up.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Stockholm_Sweden\">Stockholm, Sweden<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The value really started accumulating once I left London. I\u2019d never been to Sweden, so I transferred 8,000 Citi points to <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/virgin-atlantic-flying-club\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Virgin Atlantic Flying Club<\/a> and booked a SAS flight to Stockholm. That ticket would\u2019ve cost more than $200 in cash, but instead I used 7,500 points and paid only about $40 in taxes and fees.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223135\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223135 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SAS-A320-Featured.png\" alt=\"SAS A320 at LHR\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SAS-A320-Featured.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SAS-A320-Featured-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SAS-A320-Featured-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SAS-A320-Featured-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Since this trip came together at the last minute, hotel options were few and far between. Luckily, the Nordics are a sweet spot for <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/hotels\/choice-privileges\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Choice Privileges<\/a> redemptions. I booked two nights in a multi-bedroom suite at the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.choicehotels.com\/sweden\/arlanda\/clarion-hotels\/se104\" rel=\"noopener\">Clarion Hotel Arlanda Airport<\/a> for just 10,000 Choice points per night. And it was incredible.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223133\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223133 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Choice-Clarion-Featured-1.png\" alt=\"Clarion Hotel at ARN Airport Suite.\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Choice-Clarion-Featured-1.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Choice-Clarion-Featured-1-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Choice-Clarion-Featured-1-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Choice-Clarion-Featured-1-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Because Citi transfers to Choice at 1:2, that worked out to only 5,000 Citi ThankYou Points per night. The cash rate for the stay was 7,695 Swedish krona (over $800), giving me over 8 cents in value per Citi point.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re light on Citi points, you can still score great deals on rooms like this when <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/hotels\/choice-privileges\/buy-choice-points\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Choice puts points sale<\/a>. That\u2019s why it\u2019s always worth keeping an eye on the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/news\/current-promotions-buy-points-miles\/\" rel=\"noopener\">current buy points promotions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223134\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223134 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Choice-Clarion-Featured-2.png\" alt=\"Clarion Hotel at ARN Airport Suite.\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Choice-Clarion-Featured-2.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Choice-Clarion-Featured-2-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Choice-Clarion-Featured-2-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Choice-Clarion-Featured-2-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>I also earned a bunch of Citi ThankYou Points on a few too many coffees in Stockholm and on rides between the airport and city center. But I was hungry for more.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223234\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223234 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Stockholm-Featured.png\" alt=\"Stockholm, Sweden, harbor\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Stockholm-Featured.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Stockholm-Featured-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Stockholm-Featured-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Stockholm-Featured-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-transfer-partners\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Guide to Citi ThankYou<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Transfer Partners<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Oslo_Norway\">Oslo, Norway<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>After two nights in Stockholm, it felt like the right time to keep moving. I pulled up Google Flights and spotted an Ethiopian Airlines fifth-freedom flight from Stockholm to Oslo for $51. I booked it through the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-travel-portal\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Citi Travel portal<\/a> and earned 6X points. Modest earnings for sure, but every little bit counts.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223235\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223235 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Ethiopian-Featured.png\" alt=\"Ethiopian 787-8 at ARN\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Ethiopian-Featured.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Ethiopian-Featured-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Ethiopian-Featured-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Ethiopian-Featured-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>The flight got me into Oslo early on a Saturday morning, just in time to start racking up 6X points with the Citi Nights multiplier. I\u2019ll admit this is a quirky perk, but if you\u2019re dining out, grabbing a coffee, or even an entire pizza during the eligible hours (which shift depending on where you are in the world), it can be lucrative.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223131\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223131 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Citi-Strata-Elite-Featured-1.png\" alt=\"Citi Strata Elite in front of a flag in Oslo, Norway.\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Citi-Strata-Elite-Featured-1.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Citi-Strata-Elite-Featured-1-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Citi-Strata-Elite-Featured-1-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Citi-Strata-Elite-Featured-1-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>I played tourist for most of the day in Oslo and explored as much of the city as I could on foot. It instantly became a favorite, and I'm excited for the day I get to go back.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223236\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223236 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Oslo-Featued.png\" alt=\"Oslo, Norway, harbor\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Oslo-Featued.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Oslo-Featued-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Oslo-Featued-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Oslo-Featued-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>Like in Stockholm, I used Choice points again. And I was able to score a superior room at the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.choicehotels.com\/norway\/gardermoen\/clarion-hotels\/no070\" rel=\"noopener\">Clarion Hotel Oslo Airport<\/a> for 15,000 points. With Citi\u2019s 1:2 transfer ratio to Choice, that was just 7,500 Citi points, saving me 1,970 Norwegian kroner, or a little under $200.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223237\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223237 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Clarion-Oslo-Choice-Featured.png\" alt=\"Clarion Oslo Airport Hotel room.\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Clarion-Oslo-Choice-Featured.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Clarion-Oslo-Choice-Featured-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Clarion-Oslo-Choice-Featured-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Clarion-Oslo-Choice-Featured-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Related: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/best-flexible-rewards-points-travel\/\" rel=\"noopener\">The Best Flexible Rewards Points for Free Travel<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Zurich_Switzerland\">Zurich, Switzerland<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This trip was nothing more than a mad dash through Europe, so after three nights, it was already time to head home. The best-value return flight left from Zurich, so I flew SWISS on that leg and used up a travel credit I\u2019d had sitting around. And I still earned points on the in-flight snack I bought.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223238\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223238 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SWISS-Helvetic-Featured.png\" alt=\"SWISS\/Helvetic plane at OSL\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SWISS-Helvetic-Featured.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SWISS-Helvetic-Featured-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SWISS-Helvetic-Featured-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/SWISS-Helvetic-Featured-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>The layover in Zurich was short-lived, but I made the most of it with breakfast in the PrimeClass lounge (thanks to the card\u2019s complimentary <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/travel\/priority-pass-lounges-guide\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Priority Pass<\/a> membership) and some time on the airport\u2019s viewing deck. Though I'll argue the latter was more enjoyable than the former.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223130\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223130 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Etihad-787-Featured.png\" alt=\"Etihad 787 at ZRH.\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Etihad-787-Featured.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Etihad-787-Featured-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Etihad-787-Featured-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Etihad-787-Featured-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>My ticket home cost 27,000 <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/earn-american-miles\/\" rel=\"noopener\">American Airlines AAdvantage miles<\/a> and routed me through Philadelphia to Myrtle Beach. The cash fare would\u2019ve been more than $600, so this redemption was yet another example where I scored big time.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223129\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223129 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Zurich-Airport-View.png\" alt=\"Overwing view of a ZRH departure.\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Zurich-Airport-View.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Zurich-Airport-View-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Zurich-Airport-View-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Zurich-Airport-View-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>The flight itself wasn\u2019t memorable, but it got me home and gave my Citi points another chance to shine. And thanks to my <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/elite-status\/\" rel=\"noopener\">AAdvantage elite status<\/a>, I wrapped up the trip with a visit to the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/airlines\/american-aadvantage\/philadelphia-flagship-lounge\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Philadelphia Flagship Lounge<\/a>, which has quickly become one of my favorite domestic lounges.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_221624\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-221624 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/PHL-Flagship-Lounge-6.png\" alt=\"American Airlines Flagship Lounge at PHL decor.\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/PHL-Flagship-Lounge-6.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/PHL-Flagship-Lounge-6-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/PHL-Flagship-Lounge-6-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/PHL-Flagship-Lounge-6-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h3><span id=\"Summing_it_all_up\">Summing it all up<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>That was a lot for a quick trip. But if one thing\u2019s clear, I unlocked serious value by <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/redeem-citi-points\/\" rel=\"noopener\">strategically redeeming Citi ThankYou Points<\/a> earned with my <a data-ccid=\"242\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-strata-elite-offer\/\">Citi Strata Elite<\/a> and racking up more points on food, getting around, and even souvenirs abroad. Here\u2019s how it added up:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Dollars saved by redeeming points:<\/strong> I avoided nearly $1,800 in out-of-pocket costs by using Citi points for flights and hotels. That included two nights in Stockholm worth more than $800, a night in Oslo worth almost $200, a short-haul flight to Sweden that would\u2019ve cost about $200, and my ticket home that was selling for over $600.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Rewards earned on purchases:<\/strong> On top of that, I earned a healthy amount of Citi ThankYou Points from spending on things like meals, coffees, and souvenirs, plus bonuses from Citi Travel and Citi Nights. Based on recent AwardWallet user redemptions, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/point-mile-values\/Citi\" rel=\"noopener\">each point is worth about 2.04\u00a2 apiece<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I could\u2019ve stretched it further by booking attractions, a rental car, or one of my hotels through Citi Travel to earn 12X points. And I could\u2019ve layered in one of the card\u2019s headline credits. But none of that was necessary this time.<\/p>\n<p>But at the end of the day, I still pulled off a quick trip to Europe, put the Citi Strata Elite to work, saved about $1,800 by redeeming points, and earned lots of points back that'll go towards a future trip.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_223128\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/480\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-223128 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/American-Airlines-Plane-Featured.png\" alt=\"American Airlines A321 side view.\" width=\"600\" height=\"480\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/American-Airlines-Plane-Featured.png 1000w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/American-Airlines-Plane-Featured-300x240.png 300w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/American-Airlines-Plane-Featured-768x614.png 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/American-Airlines-Plane-Featured-325x260.png 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Credit: Tyler Glatt\/AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<h2><span id=\"Bottom_Line\">Bottom Line<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You can unlock a lot of value from your <a data-ccid=\"242\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-strata-elite-offer\/\">Citi Strata Elite<\/a> by using its big statement credits, or you can save just as much by putting it to work on bonus categories and leveraging its best transfer partners. But I'd recommend doing both, since it\u2019s the easiest way to get more value out of the card than it costs to keep.<\/p>\n<div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"242\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">Citi Strata Elite\u2120 Card<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img data-aspectratio=\"150\/95\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CardArt-CitiStrataEliteCard.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Citi Strata Elite\u2120 Card\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><a class=\"qs-learn-more\" data-ccid=\"242\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/citi-strata-elite-offer\/\">Learn More<\/a><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><span class=\"qs-terms\"><a data-ccid=\"242\" href=\"https:\/\/click.linksynergy.com\/fs-bin\/click?id=a3pDkecFgAg&offerid=1978593.4347&type=3&subid=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rates & Fees<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong> Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening. <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">Citi Strata Elite\u2120 Card<\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong> Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening. <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$595<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"wwl\">Why We Like It<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"hl\">Highlights<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-wwl\">The Citi Strata Elite\u2120 Card is Citi's premier rewards card, delivering top-tier travel and dining rewards and standout perks like a $300 annual hotel credit and no foreign transaction fees. From Friday night dinners to weekend getaways, the elevated earnings on hotels, air travel, and CitiNights\u2120 purchases make this a powerhouse option for frequent travelers looking to maximize every dollar spent.<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-hl\"><ul><li>Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.<\/li><li>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<\/li><li>Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights\u2120 purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time<\/li><li>Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases<\/li><li>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.<\/li><li>No Foreign Transaction Fees<\/ul><\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul>\r\n<li>12X \u2013 Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com.<\/li>\r\n<li>6X \u2013 Earn 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com.<\/li>\r\n<li>6X \u2013 Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights\u2120 purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time.<\/li>\r\n<li>1.5X \u2013 Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/CitiStrataElite\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-6-40df3cda0#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you know how to use them, premium credit cards can give you more value than they cost. That&#8217;s a pretty foregone conclusion with the new Citi Strata Elite\u2120 Card. But in fact, I\u2019d even go as far to say this card can pay for itself in a single trip. To prove it, I grabbed a backpack and went to the airport. Here\u2019s what came next.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":223131,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[12055],"tags":[12520,12707,12785,12628],"coauthors":[36432],"class_list":["post-223125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-credit-cards","tag-card-benefits","tag-citi-thankyou-rewards","tag-citibank","tag-travel-experience"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/80"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=223125"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223125\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":257241,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223125\/revisions\/257241"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/223131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=223125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=223125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=223125"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=223125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}