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A note from the editor:
Citi is offering a 70,000-point welcome bonus to new Citi Strata Premier cardmembers who apply through AwardWallet's affiliate links. You can earn 75,000 bonus points if you choose to apply directly with Citi. We are committed to transparency about the best available offers, even if that means we earn less money. Thank you for your trust and support.
Citi is currently offering a 70,000-point bonus on the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card. This is one of the few elite travel cards with an annual fee under $100, and it earns some of the most valuable points out there.
- 3X points per $1 on airfare and hotels and at gas stations, restaurants, and supermarkets
- Annual Hotel Benefit: Save $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when you book through CitiTravel.com
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- 10X points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X points per $1 spent on airfare, and other hotel purchases
- 3X points per $1 spent at gas and EV charging stations
- 3X points per $1 spent on dining at restaurants, including cafes, bars and lounges
- 3X points per $1 spent at supermarkets
- 1X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
But are you eligible to apply? And more importantly, if you're approved for a new Citi Strata Premier, can you earn the lucrative welcome bonus of 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points?
In this post, we'll cover the rules for who can apply for one of Citi's ThankYou® Rewards earning cards—plus who is eligible to earn a welcome bonus. Cards in the ThankYou® lineup include:
Citi Application Rules
Like many card issuers, Citi implements a few policies designed to make sure new card applicants are the type of customers they want to acquire. If you aren't already familiar with why these rules exist, check out our guide to creating a healthy relationship with the banks.
With Citibank, there are two important but subtly different restrictions to understand:
- The first set of rules relates to when you can successfully apply for a card (the timing of your application). If you fail to follow these guidelines, Citi may not even process your application. These restrictions apply to all cards issued by Citi.
- The second set of rules relates to whether you can earn the sign-up bonus being marketed to new card members. Indeed, you may be able to apply for a card successfully. But, if you run afoul of this second type of restriction, you could end up getting approved for the card only to discover that you aren’t eligible to earn a new cardmember bonus.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
When can you apply?
Citi's rules about application timing are best described as unofficial, internal rules. You won't find these restrictions published on Citi's website or application pages. But thanks to many applicants who shared information about their experience, the points-and-miles community has generally been able to agree on the following:
For personal (consumer) credit cards, Citi will accept a maximum of one (1) application in an eight-day period and a maximum of two (2) applications in a 60-day period.
In other words, your application will be rejected if either of the following is true:
- You’ve applied for any Citi card in the past eight days.
- You’ve applied for two Citi cards in the past 60 days (many sources advise waiting until day 65 to be safe).
For business cards, Citi will accept a new application only once per 90 days.
The restrictions described above are often referred to by the shorthand “Citi 8/65 rule.” So, to determine your eligibility, you need to track the dates you applied for Citi-issued credit cards. The date your application was approved or denied doesn't matter.
When can you earn a welcome bonus?
Much of the confusion about Citi's application rules centered on a previous rule where opening, closing, or earning a bonus on one card could affect your eligibility for a bonus on another card. And that applied for 24 months across cards within the same family. That was complicated.
Luckily, most cards have moved away from this general “family” rule and changed to a “this card” timeline. Moreover, Citi is known for only approving applicants who are eligible for the bonus. That's good news; it's unlikely that you'll be approved for a credit card and then not receive the bonus after meeting the spending requirements.
Earning a ThankYou® Rewards Bonus
There is a 48-month rule you need to know about on this card, which you can find in the application terms:
Thus, if you've had this card in the past and earned a welcome bonus in the past 48 months, you won't be eligible for the welcome offer.
Final Thoughts
When a bank offers a sign-up bonus, it's betting on recouping that cost over the life of its relationship with the new customer. In recent years, we've seen increasingly sophisticated rules to exclude customers that banks don't think will be profitable. These restrictions aren't always easy to understand, but learning the basics is critical to a successful points and miles strategy.
Along with Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards, Citi's ThankYou Points are among the most valuable and versatile points you can earn. The current 70,000-point offer on the Citi Strata Premier is an excellent bonus that should give all points and miles collectors a good reason to review Citi's application rules.
- 3X points per $1 on airfare and hotels and at gas stations, restaurants, and supermarkets
- Annual Hotel Benefit: Save $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when you book through CitiTravel.com
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- 10X points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X points per $1 spent on airfare, and other hotel purchases
- 3X points per $1 spent at gas and EV charging stations
- 3X points per $1 spent on dining at restaurants, including cafes, bars and lounges
- 3X points per $1 spent at supermarkets
- 1X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
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