Citi Status Card overview: Full particulars

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Citi Status Card overview

The Citi Status® Card remains to be a beneficial a part of the premium journey bank card market regardless of shedding quite a few perks through the years. Though the cardboard is not open to new candidates, its beneficial incomes charges and remaining perks should make it a pretty journey rewards bank card for some present cardholders. Card Score*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card ranking is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

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The Citi Status, Citi’s most premium journey bank card, has undergone important modifications previously a number of years. Improved incomes charges in 2019 had been coupled with huge devaluations, an annual charge enhance to $495, stripped protections and caps on profit utilization.

Then, in mid-2021, Citi stopped accepting new functions for the Citi Status. Though this card is not open to new candidates, present cardholders can proceed to make use of and profit from the cardboard.

There’s potential for a new premium Citi card that would exchange the Citi Status in 2025. On-line information factors present a filed trademark for a ‘Citi Strata Elite’, so for individuals who missed out on the Status, this might be the following premium card to leap on.

Frequent vacationers will have the ability to get probably the most out of the incomes charges and advantages of the Citi Status. With a excessive $495 annual charge, this card is just value preserving if you recognize you will take full benefit of its advantages earlier than your annual charge comes due once more.

In the event you do not journey continuously, you could be higher off with a lower-annual-fee mid-tier journey card such because the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card or Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see charges and charges). And in the event you’re searching for totally different top-tier luxurious advantages, take into account The Platinum Card® from American Specific or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

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

Citi Status execs and cons

Citi Status welcome supply

The Citi Status is not at present out there to new candidates. So, you possibly can’t apply for this card and earn a welcome bonus.

Nonetheless, you could possibly apply for the Citi Status’s decrease annual charge sibling, the Citi Strata Premier, to earn a welcome bonus after reaching a sure spending threshold.

Different choices embody prime journey rewards playing cards, comparable to Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum.

For instance, the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s 60,000-point welcome bonus (after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening) is value $1,230, based on TPG’s January 2025 valuations.

In the meantime, new Amex Platinum cardmembers can earn an 80,000-point welcome supply (after spending $8,000 on purchases on the cardboard in your first six months of cardmembership) that we worth at $1,600. Chances are you’ll be focused for a good increased welcome supply by the CardMatch device; not everybody might be focused for a similar provides, and provides might change at any time.

Associated: American Specific Platinum vs. Citi Status: Must you make the change?

Citi Status advantages

As talked about, Citi eradicated most of its journey and buying protections and devalued sure perks in 2019. However there’s nonetheless a lot to like in regards to the card’s choices.

Fourth night time free perk

The Citi Status fourth night time free perk has lengthy been thought of probably the most beneficial good thing about the Citi Status.

The fourth-night-free profit works like this: Citi can pay for the fourth night time of your keep at nearly any resort whenever you e book by the Citi ThankYou journey portal. Nonetheless, you possibly can solely use this profit twice every calendar yr. The fourth night time free is predicated in your common nightly price, excluding taxes and charges.

Keep in mind that as a result of bookings have to be made by the Citi ThankYou journey portal, you usually will not earn resort loyalty factors or obtain elite advantages. And you’ll want to evaluate costs with a number of different reserving strategies, because the fourth-night free perk will not at all times present the most effective worth.

As much as $250 journey credit score

Citi Status cardholders get a journey credit score of as much as $250 each calendar yr for journey purchases. Particularly, you will robotically get a press release credit score for the primary $250 of journey purchases you make annually.

This credit score applies to all kinds of journey purchases, together with purchases from airways, inns and automotive rental companies. In case your buy codes as journey, it is going to greater than seemingly qualify for this journey credit score. That makes it one of the crucial versatile credit provided by any premium journey card.

In the event you maximize this credit score, it successfully lowers the $495 annual charge to $245.

Associated: How bank card issuers classify journey and eating purchases

World Entry assertion credit score

I like having World Entry — it is saved me from standing in line for numerous hours at TSA safety and in U.S. Customs traces. Citi Status cardmembers obtain a credit score each 4 years that may be utilized towards a World Entry or TSA PreCheck software charge.

A number of different playing cards additionally supply a TSA PreCheck or World Entry assertion credit score. However in the event you’ve already enrolled in both of the 2 packages, you should utilize the credit score for a member of the family or pal’s software.

Precedence Cross lounge entry

As a Citi Status cardholder, you will additionally get entry to the Precedence Cross lounge community. The Precedence Cross community consists of greater than 1,700 airport lounges worldwide.

Citi Status cardholders get a Precedence Cross Choose membership that gives complimentary lounge entry for the cardholder, instant members of the family and as much as two company. There are some glorious Precedence Cross lounges within the U.S., however a lot of the greatest Precedence Cross lounges are exterior the U.S.

Associated: Is a Precedence Cross lounge membership really value it?

Cellphone safety

If you pay your month-to-month cellphone invoice along with your Citi Status Card, you will get safety towards theft and injury for as much as 5 cellphone traces. Whereas there’s a $50 deductible per declare, you possibly can rise up to $800 of protection per declare.

The Citi Status does not supply bonus factors on cellphone companies, however you could wish to pay your month-to-month cellphone invoice along with your Citi Status to reap the benefits of this safety.

Associated: Bank cards that cowl cellphone loss and injury

Incomes factors on the Citi Status

An important a part of evaluating a card is assessing how simply you possibly can earn factors by spending. Fortunately, incomes is one space the place the Citi Status does not slack for a premium journey card.

The next normal incomes charges embody:

• 5 ThankYou factors per greenback spent at eating places (together with takeout and supply), airfare and journey companies (9% return primarily based on TPG’s January 2025 valuations)
• 3 factors per greenback spent at inns and cruise traces (5.4% return)
• 1 level per greenback spent on different purchases (1.8% return)

Nonetheless, keep in mind that Citi eliminated journey protections from its playing cards in 2019. So, regardless of the efficient 9% return on airfare, I normally use a bank card that gives journey insurance coverage when reserving flights.

I additionally sometimes use a resort bank card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve when paying for resort stays. As such, I normally solely use my Citi Status at eating places, cafes and bars.

Redeeming factors on the Citi Status

Citi ThankYou factors may be redeemed in varied methods, however probably the most beneficial choice is to switch them to an airline or resort companion.

It’s also possible to use your Citi ThankYou factors to redeem for journey by Citi’s journey portal. Doing so will normally present much less worth than transferring to airline companions. However, relying in your journey targets, there could also be occasions when doing so works greatest for you.

Moreover, you possibly can redeem factors for present playing cards, use them to pay at choose on-line retailers, get money again or make charitable contributions.

Associated: The whole information to Citi ThankYou Rewards: Easy methods to earn, redeem and switch factors

Transferring factors on the Citi Status

Transferring your factors to Citi’s 21 airline and resort companions will seemingly provide the most worth.

In the event you’re uncertain which switch companions are greatest, TPG bank cards author Danyal Ahmed has transferred ThankYou factors to Air France-KLM Flying Blue for business-class flights from the U.S. to Europe for as little as 50,000 factors one-way. This can be a good way to make use of your ThankYou factors.

Associated: Greatest methods to redeem your Citi ThankYou factors

Which playing cards compete with the Citi Status?

Probably the most direct opponents to the Citi Status are two different premium journey playing cards.

• If you wish to maximize journey factors incomes: The Chase Sapphire Reserve costs a $550 annual charge however provides beneficiant incomes charges on choose classes, plus advantages like a $300 annual journey credit score, a World Entry/TSA PreCheck software charge credit score each 4 years and a Precedence Cross Choose membership. To be taught extra, learn our full overview of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
• In order for you a great deal of additional perks: The Amex Platinum costs a $695 annual charge (see charges and charges) however provides a set of luxurious advantages like unparalleled lounge entry, an airline charge assertion credit score of as much as $200 per calendar yr, as much as $15 every month (as much as $35 in December) in Uber Money (as much as $200 every calendar yr)*, biannual Saks assertion credit of as much as $100 per calendar yr, elite standing with Marriott and Hilton and extra. Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply. To be taught extra, learn our full overview of the Amex Platinum.
• In order for you a premium journey card with a decrease annual charge: The Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card has a average $395 annual charge (see charges and charges) and earns 10 miles per greenback on inns and automotive leases booked by way of Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on flights and trip leases booked by way of Capital One Journey and a couple of miles per greenback on every part else. As well as, cardholders obtain $300 again in credit yearly for bookings made by Capital One Journey and entry to the Companion Lounge Community and Capital One lounges. To be taught extra, learn our full overview of the Capital One Enterprise X.

For extra choices, take a look at our full listing of the greatest journey playing cards.

*Uber Money will solely be deposited into one Uber account whenever you add the Amex Platinum as a cost methodology and redeem with any eligible Amex card.

Learn extra: The perfect premium bank cards: A side-by-side comparability

Is the Citi Status value it?

The cardboard may be value the associated fee for individuals who use a lot of the Citi Status’s advantages. When used strategically, the fourth-night-free profit can nonetheless present lots of of {dollars} in worth. The $250 annual journey credit score is straightforward to make use of, plus the cardboard’s earnings on eating and flights can present important worth.

Backside line

The Citi Status is not a clear-cut selection for everybody. Whereas it provides some beneficial advantages, a lot of them overlap with different premium bank cards. As such, it is value fastidiously contemplating how a lot worth you get from the Citi Status Card when your annual charge posts.

In the event you missed out on the Citi Status, maintain a watch out for Citi’s potential upcoming premium card. We do not have concrete affirmation but that it is coming any time quickly, however an announcement might come at any time.

Associated: Easy methods to determine if a bank card’s annual charge is value paying

For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.