Link: Apply now for the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (review) is Citi’s newly introduced premium credit card, intended to be a more premium version of the Citi Strata Premier® Card (review). The card has a $595 annual fee, which is obviously on the steep side, but there are lots of reasons to consider picking up this card, including a big welcome bonus.
In this post, I’d like to talk a bit about the card’s value proposition for authorized users. How much does it cost to add authorized users, what incremental perks do they receive, and is it worth it?
In this post:
Citi Strata Elite Card authorized users cost $75 each
As I hinted at in the headline, authorized users can be added to the Citi Strata Elite Card for $75 each. That same per-person price applies whether you’re adding one or five authorized users.
Among premium credit cards, this is among the lower annual fees for adding an authorized user, so that’s great. Admittedly the fee you pay often also reflects the value you can get.
Perks Citi Strata Elite Card authorized users receive
If you add an authorized user on the Citi Strata Elite Card, what perks do they receive? For one, as you’d expect, the rewards from their spending are credited to the primary cardmember, though of course the primary cardmember is also on the hook for paying the bill.
So authorized user spending qualifies for the same bonus categories as primary cardmember spending, and authorized user spending also counts toward qualifying for the welcome bonus.
Incrementally, the main additional perk that authorized users receive is that they get a Priority Pass membership, with unlimited visits, and the ability to take two guests with them. So you can almost view this as an opportunity to get someone else a Priority Pass membership for $75.
What about the other perks? Authorized users don’t get incremental credits or lounge passes, though there is some nuance to this:
- For the $300 annual hotel credit, it must be redeemed by the primary cardmember, but the hotel stay can be for the primary cardmember or an authorized user
- For the $200 annual “Splurge Credit,” spending by either the primary cardmember or authorized users can count toward that
- For the $200 annual Blacklane credit, spending by either the primary cardmember or authorized users can count toward that
- For the four annual Admirals Club passes, those must be used by the primary cardmember and any travel companions, regardless of whether or not they’re authorized users; so authorized users couldn’t use these independently of the primary cardmember
Is adding Citi Strata Elite Card authorized users worth it?
There’s never going to be a one size fits all answer as to whether it’s worth adding authorized users to a credit card. For me, the primary consideration with the Citi Strata Elite Card would be whether there’s someone you value being able to give a Priority Pass membership to for $75.
Nowadays that’s among the lower authorized user fees you’ll find for credit cards that provide a Priority Pass membership. Most cards from other issuers have higher authorized user fees, though admittedly they also often have their own lounge networks, beyond Priority Pass, which are open to authorized users (like Amex Centurion Lounges, Chase Sapphire Lounges, etc.).
It’s not the absolute best card for that, but it is among the better ones. Just as an example, the Ritz-Carlton Credit Card is no longer open to new applicants, but lets you add authorized users at no cost, and they receive lounge access.
But among cards that are open to new applicants, and where no negative fee changes have been announced, this is about as good as it gets for Priority Pass fees for authorized users.
The other primary angle to consider is that if you for whatever reason can’t use the $300 hotel credit, but decide you want to use it for soemone else, adding them as an authorized user for $75 could be worth it. After all, if it saves you $300, then $75 is a decent investment to make.
Bottom line
The Citi Strata Elite Card is Citi’s new premium credit card, offering a slew of perks. With premium credit cards, people often wonder whether it’s worth adding authorized users or not. In the case of this card, you’ll pay $75 per authorized user, and the primary incremental perk is that they receive a Priority Pass membership.
If someone values lounge access, then paying $75 to add them as an authorized user could be worthwhile. However, admittedly there are many paths to getting a Priority Pass membership.
What do you make of the value of adding authorized users on the Citi Strata Elite Card?
It might be worth it after February 1st, when my VX authorized users lose lounge access from Capital One. It's definitely cheaper than $125.
Boa Premium Rewards Elite has a better value proposition for adding additional people into priority pass