Citi is launching an all-new premium rewards card. Here’s how I hope it’s different from other high-end cards

Citi is a TPG promoting companion.

What a 12 months 2025 is shaping as much as be for premium rewards bank cards. And as a fan of those merchandise, I like the competitors.

First, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) underwent a top-to-bottom transformation, and Chase additionally launched its first-ever premium business card — the Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (see rates and fees). We additionally know that The Platinum Card® from American Express is on the verge of undergoing its own refresh later this 12 months, and that Bilt Rewards simply introduced it will likely be providing a three-tiered assortment of latest playing cards — including a premium card.

In case you are preserving rely, and you’re keen on these playing cards and their perks as a lot as I do, you would possibly begin to marvel what Citi may need up its sleeve as the opposite main gamers actively compete for pockets house within the profitable premium card market.

Because of Citi’s current earnings name, we now have a minimum of one clue as to its subsequent transfer.

Sooner or later this quarter (so by Sept. 30), Citi will launch a brand new premium bank card, the Citi Strata Elite, in response to remarks made on the financial institution’s July 15 earnings name.

The brand new Citi Strata Elite card is claimed to be becoming a member of Citi’s group of rewards merchandise sooner or later within the coming months in an effort to attraction to “prosperous prospects.” So whereas Citi has not shared the precise annual charge that can include this card, it feels secure to imagine it’s prone to be within the vary of the annual charges of different premium playing cards, that are largely now within the roughly $400-$800 vary.

And whereas particulars in regards to the card’s advantages weren’t launched, we do know that this isn’t Citi’s first foray into the world of premium rewards bank cards.

The Citi Prestige® Card, which is now not out there to new candidates, is a premium card that earns Citi ThankYou Rewards factors. It was out there by 2021 — although current cardholders have been capable of preserve it of their wallets.

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It has some rewarding bonus classes — corresponding to 5 factors per greenback spent on airfare, eating places and journey businesses — presents a cool fourth-hotel-night-free perk, a $250 annual journey credit score and Precedence Go membership.

Whereas the cardboard definitely had its followers, particularly those that might maximize that fourth-hotel-night-free perk, it was lacking a number of key perks in comparison with different main gamers within the premium card house, corresponding to American Categorical, Chase and Capital One. Specifically, it did not provide any proprietary lounge entry and was extra restricted in its distinctive switch companions throughout the Citi ThankYou Rewards lineup.

The knowledge for the Citi Status and Citi Strata Elite Card have been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Naturally, as with every new bank card, I am hoping for an enormous welcome bonus. For reference, the financial institution’s mid-tier $95-per-year Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees) is presently providing 60,000 factors with $4,000 in spending within the first three months, so I hope the bonus for this all-new card will are available in greater than that.

However past that, I would love some uniquely rewarding bonus classes that are not already provided on the lengthy record of different rewards playing cards. For instance, the very last thing I want is one other card providing 2 or 3 bonus factors per greenback spent on eating and journey.

To assist offset the annual charge, I would wish to see a restricted variety of high-value however easy-to-use credit that do not require quite a lot of thought and energy (as in, not an advanced “coupon guide” method).

And whereas it could be a tall order, I would actually love Citi to now tackle among the gaps that it had final time it had a proprietary premium rewards card.

Specifically, it could be nice to see the cardboard provide some type of distinctive lounge entry and/or switch companions which are arduous or not possible to copy elsewhere. Entry to new or extra airport lounges — and even their grab-and-go younger siblings — is all the time nice information, so I would like to see Citi provide distinctive lounge entry past the Precedence Go profit it had with its earlier premium card.

Moreover, the Citi ThankYou Rewards program itself is a step behind opponents, particularly for individuals who wish to lean into U.S.-based airline and lodge packages. TPG’s July 2025 valuations have Citi ThankYou Rewards factors at 1.85 cents per level, which locations it behind Chase Final Rewards, American Categorical Membership Rewards and Bilt Rewards. The overwhelming majority of its companions additionally work with different banks.

There was a quick second in time when Citi had American Airlines as a transfer partner, and the financial institution touted its “fantastic relationship” with American Airways in its current earnings name. As well as, a Citi spokesperson provided TPG the next assertion in December 2024, when it was introduced that the financial institution would turn out to be the exclusive issuer of American cobranded cards (emphasis ours):

“The enlargement and extension of our relationship with American Airways will positively impression our current and new buyer base as we introduce new merchandise and advantages sooner or later and produce expanded loyalty and rewards choices for AAdvantage® members and Citi-branded cardmembers. We aren’t sharing specifics at the moment. Keep tuned.”

Lastly, implementing some type of distinctive lodge perk or new journey profit that different premium rewards playing cards do not provide would additionally assist carve out a differentiated house for the Citi Strata Elite.