Editor’s word: This card is not open to new candidates, so we have up to date this text with new data. Citi is a TPG promoting accomplice.
Citi Status® Card overview
The Citi Status® Card remains to be a precious a part of the premium journey bank card market regardless of dropping quite a few perks through the years. Though the cardboard is not open to new candidates, its precious incomes charges and remaining perks should make it a gorgeous journey rewards bank card for some present cardholders. Card Ranking*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card Ranking is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.
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’s bank card lineup went via large adjustments in 2019. And the Citi Status, Citi’s most-premium journey bank card, noticed vital adjustments.
On the constructive aspect, Citi improved the cardboard’s incomes charges in early 2019. However large devaluations hit the Status in late 2019 by way of a raised annual charge, stripped protections and caps on profit utilization. These devaluations weren’t the primary for the cardboard, which as soon as supplied perks equivalent to limitless Admirals Membership entry and free rounds of golf.
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. So, here is what you need to know in regards to the Citi Status.
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Who is that this card for?
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 it if you already know you’ll take full benefit of its advantages. The Citi Status’s most beneficial perks embody:
In case you don’t journey regularly, it’s possible you’ll be higher off with a lower-annual-fee mid-tier journey card such because the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card or Citi Premier® Card. And should you’re searching for completely different top-tier luxurious advantages, you need to think about The Platinum Card® from American Specific or the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
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Signal-up bonus
The Citi Status is not at the moment accessible to new candidates. So, you may’t apply for this card and earn a sign-up bonus.
Nonetheless, the Citi Status’s lower-annual-fee sibling, the Citi Premier® Card, at the moment provides a precious bonus. And two of the opposite high journey rewards playing cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum, additionally at the moment supply precious welcome provides.
For instance, the Chase Sapphire Reserve‘s 60,000-point bonus (after you spend $4,000 within the first three months from account opening) is value $1,200 in keeping with TPG valuations. And the Amex Platinum at the moment provides a 80,000-point welcome supply (after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the cardboard in your first six months of card membership) that we worth at $1,600.
Associated: So shut, but up to now: Evaluating the Platinum Card from American Specific and the Citi Status Card
Primary perks and advantages
Citi eradicated most of its journey and procuring protections and devalued sure perks in 2019. However, there’s nonetheless so much to like in regards to the card’s choices.
Fourth evening free
The Citi Status fourth evening free perk has lengthy been thought of probably the most precious advantage of the Citi Status. Though Citi devalued this perk in 2019, it may well nonetheless be helpful if used fastidiously.
The fourth-night-free profit at the moment works like this: Citi can pay for the fourth evening of your keep at nearly any lodge whenever you ebook via the Citi ThankYou journey portal. Nonetheless, you may solely use this profit twice every calendar yr. And the fourth evening free is predicated in your common nightly price, excluding taxes and charges.
Remember that as a result of bookings should be made via the Citi ThankYou journey portal, you usually received’t earn lodge loyalty factors or obtain elite advantages. And you should definitely evaluate costs with a number of different reserving strategies, because the fourth-night free perk received’t all the time present the very best worth.
Associated: How precious is the Citi Status’s 4th-night free when reserving mid-tier lodges via Citi ThankYou?
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’ll mechanically get a press release credit score for the primary $250 of journey purchases that you just make every year. This credit score applies to all kinds of journey purchases, together with purchases from airways, lodges, automotive rental companies, journey companies, journey aggregators, tour operators, commuter transportation, ferries, commuter railways, subways, taxis, limousines, automotive companies, passenger railways, cruise strains, bridge and street tolls, parking tons, garages and bus strains.
This credit score successfully lowers the $495 annual charge to $245, since everybody with the Citi Status card can simply use this credit score.
Associated: How bank card issuers classify journey and eating purchases
World Entry assertion credit score
I like having World Entry — it’s saved me from standing in numerous hours of TSA safety and U.S. Customs strains. Citi Status cardmembers rise up to a $100 credit score each 5 years that may be utilized towards a World Entry or TSA PreCheck utility charge.
A number of different playing cards additionally supply a TSA PreCheck or World Entry assertion credit score. However, should you’ve already enrolled in both of the 2 packages, you may use the credit score for a member of the family or buddy’s utility.
Associated: Denied for World Entry or PreCheck? Right here’s find out how to attraction
Precedence Move lounge entry
As a Citi Status cardholder, you’ll additionally get entry to the Precedence Move lounge community. The Precedence Move community consists of greater than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide.
Citi Status cardholders get a Precedence Move Choose membership that gives complimentary lounge entry for the cardholder and instant relations and as much as two friends. There are some glorious Precedence Move lounges within the U.S., however a lot of the greatest Precedence Move lounges are exterior the U.S.
A number of different playing cards supply Precedence Move lounge entry. However, not like Amex-issued Precedence Move memberships, Citi-issued memberships nonetheless supply the Precedence Move restaurant profit.
Associated: How precious is a Precedence Move lounge membership?
Cellphone safety
Citi added cellphone safety to the Citi Status in 2019. Once you pay your month-to-month cellphone invoice along with your Citi Status Card, this safety will cowl you in opposition to theft and harm for as much as 5 cellphone strains. You’ll be able to rise up to $1,000 per declare and $1,500 per 12-month interval. Nonetheless, every declare is topic to a $50 deductible.
The Citi Status doesn’t supply bonus rewards for cellphone companies. However, it’s possible you’ll wish to pay your month-to-month cellphone invoice along with your Citi Status, although you’ll solely earn 1 level per greenback spent.
Associated: Bank cards that cowl cellphone loss and harm
Prolonged guarantee and buy safety
Though Citi eliminated procuring and journey protections from most of its playing cards in 2019, a number of playing cards (together with the Citi Status) saved a number of procuring protections. Particularly, Citi Status cardholders nonetheless get prolonged guarantee safety and buy safety when shopping for eligible objects with their card.
The Citi Status’s prolonged guarantee safety is comparatively beneficiant. This safety extends the producer’s guarantee on eligible purchases for a further 24 months (though complete protection received’t final greater than seven years from the acquisition date). With this safety, Citi might restore, change or reimburse eligible objects as much as the associated fee you paid for the merchandise or $10,000, whichever is much less.
In the meantime, the Citi Status’s harm and theft buy safety covers eligible objects for 90 days after buy or supply. You’ll be able to rise up to $10,000 per incident and as much as $50,000 per yr.
Associated: Buy safety saved us $1,700 — reader success story
Find out how to earn factors
A vital a part of evaluating a card is assessing how simply you may earn factors via spending. Fortunately, incomes is one space the place the Citi Status improved in 2019. Particularly, now you’ll earn as follows with the Citi Status Card:
- 5 Citi ThankYou factors per greenback spent at eating places, airways and journey companies (8.5% return based mostly on TPG’s valuations)
- 3 factors per greenback spent at lodges and cruise strains (5.1% return)
- 1 level per greenback spent on different purchases (1.7% return)
Nonetheless, do not forget that Citi eliminated journey protections from its playing cards again in 2019. So, regardless of the efficient 8.5% return on airfare, I normally use a bank card that gives journey insurance coverage when reserving flights. And, I sometimes use a lodge bank card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve when paying for lodge stays. As such, I normally solely use my Citi Status at eating places, cafes and bars.
Associated: Find out how to earn 5x factors on eating, airfare and extra with the Citi Status Card
Find out how to redeem factors
You’ll be able to switch your Citi ThankYou factors to 18 airline and lodge companions:
Among the Citi ThankYou switch companions overlap with Amex, Chase and Marriott. However I’ve discovered it helpful to have a wide range of transferrable currencies. In case you’re undecided which switch companions are greatest, listed below are some concepts for redeeming Citi ThankYou factors on Star Alliance, SkyTeam and Oneworld carriers.
You can even use your Citi ThankYou factors to redeem for journey via 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 instances when doing so works greatest for you.
Associated: Is Citi ThankYou Rewards probably the most underappreciated and misunderstood program?
What playing cards compete with the Citi Status?
Probably the most direct rivals to the Citi Status are two different premium journey playing cards: the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum. Nonetheless, a number of mid-tier playing cards additionally compete with the Citi Status.
Associated: Battle of the premium journey rewards playing cards: Which is the very best?
Premium journey playing cards
Let’s begin by contemplating the Citi Status’s rivals within the premium journey rewards panorama.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve prices a $550 annual charge however provides 10 factors per greenback spent on lodges and automotive leases whenever you buy journey via Chase Final Rewards, 5 factors per greenback spent on flights whenever you buy journey via Chase Final Rewards, 3 factors per greenback spent on eating and different journey, glorious journey protections and a pleasant set of advantages. For instance, cardholders get a $300 annual journey credit score, a World Entry/TSA PreCheck utility charge credit score each 4 years and Precedence Move Choose membership.
In the meantime, the Amex Platinum prices a $695 annual charge (see charges and charges) however provides a set of luxurious advantages. For instance, Amex Platinum cardmembers get unparalleled lounge entry, an airline charge assertion credit score of as much as $200 per yr, month-to-month U.S. Uber Money of as much as $200 per yr, biannual Saks assertion credit of as much as $100 per yr, elite standing with Marriott and Hilton and extra. Enrollment required for choose advantages.
The Citi Status’s incomes classes are successfully a compromise between the Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve. The vary of advantages, incomes construction and annual charge all place the Citi Status within the premium playing cards class. However many customers will discover the Citi Status sits a step under the Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum.
So which of the three is best for you? All of it comes all the way down to what perks you’ll use. The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum supply extra within the sheer quantity of their advantages, however quantity doesn’t matter if these playing cards include advantages you received’t use.
Associated: Amex Platinum vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Which card is best for you?
Mid-tier playing cards
After all, should you don’t journey sufficient to maximise the perks on a premium journey rewards card, it’s possible you’ll choose a mid-tier card. For instance, the Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Most popular and American Specific® Gold Card is perhaps higher selections. Every of those playing cards provides a decrease annual charge and a number of perks that will present extra worth to you.
Associated: The very best bank cards with annual charges below $100
Backside line
With so many choices on the market, is the Citi Status value maintaining in your pockets?
For many who use a lot of the Citi Status’s advantages, the cardboard can actually be value the associated fee. The fourth-night-free profit can nonetheless present lots of of {dollars} in worth when used strategically. The $250 annual journey credit score is straightforward to make use of, plus the cardboard’s earnings and procuring protections can present vital worth.
Even with the devaluation of the fourth-night-free profit, the Status retains a spot in my pockets. However, the Citi Status isn’t a clear-cut selection for everybody. As such, it’s value fastidiously contemplating how a lot worth you are getting from the Citi Status Card when your annual charge comes due.
Extra reporting by Katie Genter.
For charges & charges of the Amex Platinum, click on right here.