Citi Status Card evaluation: Full particulars

Citi is a TPG promoting associate.

The Citi Status® Card continues to be a invaluable a part of the premium journey bank card market regardless of dropping quite a few perks over time. Though the cardboard is now not open to new candidates, its invaluable incomes charges and remaining perks should still make it a gorgeous journey rewards bank card for some present cardholders. Card Ranking*: ⭐⭐⭐

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

The Citi Status, Citi’s most premium journey bank card, has undergone important adjustments previously a number of years. Improved incomes charges in 2019 have been coupled with huge devaluations, an annual payment 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 may be potential for a new premium Citi card that might substitute the Citi Status in 2025. On-line knowledge 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 payment, this card is just value protecting if you understand you may take full benefit of its advantages earlier than your annual payment comes due once more.

When you do not journey regularly, chances are you’ll be higher off with a lower-annual-fee mid-tier journey card such because the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card or Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see charges and charges). And when you’re on the lookout 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 offered by the cardboard issuer.

Citi Status welcome provide

The Citi Status is not at the moment obtainable to new candidates. So, you’ll be able to’t apply for this card and earn a welcome bonus.

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

Different choices embody prime journey rewards playing cards, similar 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 provide (after spending $8,000 on purchases on the cardboard in your first six months of cardmembership) that we worth at $1,600. You might be focused for a fair increased welcome provide by means of the CardMatch software; not everybody can be focused for a similar gives, and gives could 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 purchasing protections and devalued sure perks in 2019. However there’s nonetheless a lot to like in regards to the card’s choices.

Fourth evening free perk

The Citi Status fourth evening free perk has lengthy been thought-about probably the most invaluable advantage of the Citi Status.

The fourth-night-free profit works like this: Citi can pay for the fourth evening of your keep at nearly any resort while you e book by means of the Citi ThankYou journey portal. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to solely use this profit twice every calendar 12 months. The fourth evening free relies in your common nightly fee, excluding taxes and charges.

Do not forget that as a result of bookings should be made by means of the Citi ThankYou journey portal, you typically 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 one of the best worth.

As much as $250 journey credit score

Citi Status cardholders get a journey credit score of as much as $250 each calendar 12 months for journey purchases. Particularly, you may routinely 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, lodges and automotive rental companies. In case your buy codes as journey, it’ll greater than seemingly qualify for this journey credit score. That makes it one of the versatile credit supplied by any premium journey card.

When you maximize this credit score, it successfully lowers the $495 annual payment to $245.

Associated: How bank card issuers classify journey and eating purchases

World Entry assertion credit score

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

A number of different playing cards additionally provide a TSA PreCheck or World Entry assertion credit score. However when you’ve already enrolled in both of the 2 applications, you should use the credit score for a member of the family or pal’s utility.

Precedence Cross lounge entry

As a Citi Status cardholder, you may 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, fast relations and as much as two company. There are some glorious Precedence Cross lounges within the U.S., however a lot of the finest Precedence Cross lounges are outdoors the U.S.

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

Cellphone safety

If you pay your month-to-month cellphone invoice together with your Citi Status Card, you may get safety towards theft and harm for as much as 5 cellphone strains. Whereas there’s a $50 deductible per declare, you’ll be able to rise up to $800 of protection per declare.

The Citi Status does not provide bonus factors on cellphone companies, however chances are you’ll need to pay your month-to-month cellphone invoice together with your Citi Status to reap the benefits of this safety.

Associated: Bank cards that cowl cellphone loss and harm

Incomes factors on the Citi Status

A vital a part of evaluating a card is assessing how simply you’ll be able to earn factors by means of spending. Fortunately, incomes is one space the place the Citi Status does not slack for a premium journey card.

The next commonplace 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 lodges and cruise strains (5.4% return)
• 1 level per greenback spent on different purchases (1.8% return)

Nonetheless, do not forget that Citi eliminated journey protections from its playing cards in 2019. So, regardless of the efficient 9% return on airfare, I often 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 often solely use my Citi Status at eating places, cafes and bars.

Redeeming factors on the Citi Status

Citi ThankYou factors will be redeemed in varied methods, however probably the most invaluable possibility is to switch them to an airline or resort associate.

You can even use your Citi ThankYou factors to redeem for journey by means of Citi’s journey portal. Doing so will often present much less worth than transferring to airline companions. However, relying in your journey objectives, there could also be occasions when doing so works finest for you.

Moreover, you’ll be able to redeem factors for reward 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: Learn how to earn, redeem and switch factors

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

When you’re not sure which switch companions are finest, 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 smart way to make use of your ThankYou factors.

Associated: Finest methods to redeem your Citi ThankYou factors

• If you wish to maximize journey factors incomes: The Chase Sapphire Reserve prices a $550 annual payment however gives beneficiant incomes charges on choose classes, plus advantages like a $300 annual journey credit score, a World Entry/TSA PreCheck utility payment credit score each 4 years and a Precedence Cross Choose membership. To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
• In order for you a great deal of additional perks: The Amex Platinum prices a $695 annual payment (see charges and charges) however gives a collection of luxurious advantages like unparalleled lounge entry, an airline payment assertion credit score of as much as $200 per calendar 12 months, as much as $15 every month (as much as $35 in December) in Uber Money (as much as $200 every calendar 12 months)*, biannual Saks assertion credit of as much as $100 per calendar 12 months, elite standing with Marriott and Hilton and extra. Enrollment is required for choose advantages; phrases apply. To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Amex Platinum.
• In order for you a premium journey card with a decrease annual payment: The Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card has a average $395 annual payment (see charges and charges) and earns 10 miles per greenback on lodges and automotive leases booked through Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on flights and trip leases booked through Capital One Journey and a pair of miles per greenback on all the pieces else. As well as, cardholders obtain $300 again in credit yearly for bookings made by means of Capital One Journey and entry to the Companion Lounge Community and Capital One lounges. To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Capital One Enterprise X.

For added choices, take a look at our full record of the finest journey playing cards.

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

Learn extra: One of the best premium bank cards: A side-by-side comparability

Associated: Learn how to determine if a bank card’s annual payment is value paying

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