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Citi Strata Elite’s Calendar-Year Credits and 100K Bonus Drive Outsized First-Year Value

A new hands-on guide shows that calendar-year timing lets new cardholders use several statement and booking credits twice before the first renewal.

Overview

  • The launch offer is 100,000 points after $6,000 in purchases within three months of account opening.
  • An annual $200 Splurge Credit works on selected merchants such as American Airlines, Best Buy, Live Nation, 1stDibs, and Future, requires merchant selection and registration, follows merchant-of-record rules, and can be used twice in the first cardmember year because it resets by calendar year.
  • Blacklane credits total $200 per year, split into $100 for January–June and $100 for July–December, triggering automatically when rides are paid with the card.
  • A $300 hotel benefit applies to prepaid stays of two or more nights booked through Citi Travel, is applied at booking based on the calendar year of reservation, allows split use across bookings, earns no points on the credited portion, and OTA bookings may not earn hotel loyalty credit or elite benefits.
  • Travel access includes Priority Pass Select with unlimited visits for the cardholder and up to two guests using the Strata Elite card as the credential, plus four Admirals Club passes per calendar year that require a same-day American or oneworld flight and are deposited to the AAdvantage wallet.