Citi Strata Elite℠ Card Travel Benefits Guide 2026

📌 At a Glance: Top Travel Perks

No foreign transaction fees
Priority Pass Select membership (1,300+ global lounges)
4 American Airlines Admirals Club passes per year
$300 annual hotel credit (2-night+ stay via cititravel.com)
$200 annual Splurge Credit
$200 annual Blacklane chauffeur credit (2x $100)
$120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit every 4 years
12x points on hotels/car rentals/attractions via cititravel.com

Travel Benefits Breakdown

Here's exactly what you get — and what you don't — when you use the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card for travel.

✈️ Lounge Access

Network: Priority Pass Select (1,300+ lounges worldwide)

Guest policy: Up to 2 complimentary guests per visit

American Airlines Admirals Club (4 passes per year)

Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. Four American Airlines Admirals Club passes per year (not full membership). Enrollment required for Priority Pass.

🛂 Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Credit

Get a $120 statement credit every every 4 years when you pay for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck with this card.

Global Entry ($100) includes TSA PreCheck and lets you skip customs lines when returning to the US — worth every cent for international travelers.

⏱️ Trip Delay Insurance

If your trip is delayed by 6+ hours, you're covered for up to $500/person in expenses.

Covers: meals, lodging, transportation, personal use items

Trip delay coverage when common carrier is delayed 6+ hours or overnight. Cardholder and immediate family members covered.

Must book travel with this card. Keep all receipts for reimbursement.

🚫 Trip Cancellation & Interruption

Reimburses up to $5,000/person (max $10,000/trip) if you must cancel or cut short your trip.

Covered reasons: illness, injury, severe weather, jury duty

Trip cancellation and interruption coverage when travel is purchased with the card.

🧳 Baggage Insurance

Lost/stolen/damaged baggage: Up to $3,000/person

Coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged baggage.

Baggage delay coverage: not included.

🏥 Emergency Medical & Evacuation

No dedicated emergency medical evacuation benefit.

🚗 Rental Car Insurance

Secondary coverage — you must file with your personal auto insurance first, then this card covers the remainder.

Covers: collision damage, theft

Excludes: liability, personal injury

Eligible countries: Most countries worldwide.

Secondary coverage. Decline the CDW at the rental counter.

💡 Credit card travel insurance has limits

Credit card trip insurance typically doesn't cover medical emergencies abroad. For international trips, dedicated travel health insurance is recommended.

Browse travel health guides by country →

🌍 Foreign Transaction Fees

✅ No foreign transaction fees — use this card internationally without paying an extra 2–3% on every purchase.

💰 Annual Credits & Perks

Hotel credit: $300/year — 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.
Citi Splurge Credit: $200/year — $200 annual Splurge Credit for eligible dining, entertainment, and lifestyle purchases. Terms apply — see Citi for current eligible categories.
Blacklane Chauffeur Credit: $200/year — Two $100 credits per year for Blacklane chauffeur service bookings made through Citi.

Rewards Structure

1.5x ThankYou® Points per $1 on all other purchases

Base rate on all purchases

12x on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com; 6x on air travel booked on cititravel.com
Travel purchases

6x at restaurants (including delivery) on Citi Nights (Fri–Sat 6PM–6AM ET); 3x all other times

Dining

12x on hotels/car rentals/attractions via cititravel.com

6x on flights via cititravel.com

6x at restaurants Fri–Sat evenings (Citi Nights)

3x at restaurants all other times

Point / Mile Values

Cash back / statement credit: ~0¢ per point
Travel portal redemption: ~1¢ per point
Transfer partners: Varies — often 0.015-0.02+ with airline partners like American Airlines, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic

Pros & Cons for Travelers

👍 Pros

✅ No foreign transaction fees — safe to use internationally
✅ Airport lounge access (Priority Pass Select (1,300+ lounges worldwide))
✅ Rental car collision coverage (secondary)
✅ Trip cancellation coverage (up to $5,000/person)
✅ Trip delay coverage after 6+ hours
✅ $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit

👎 Cons

❌ No emergency medical evacuation coverage
❌ High annual fee ($595) requires heavy use to justify

🎯 Who Is This Card Best For?

Premium travelers who can leverage multiple annual credits to offset the $595 fee, especially those who frequent Admirals Clubs and book through the Citi travel portal

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Citi Strata Elite℠ Card