Update: There have been some reports that you need to have a checking or savings account with Citi in order to be eligible for the 100K welcome offer (please let us know in the comments if that’s not been the case for you).
Others have mentioned that the link they were sent by a banker is valid for 10 days. Another person meanwhile was advised that the offer is expected to last another few weeks, while Doctor of Credit has heard from someone at Citi who stated the 100K bonus will be available through the end of August.
All that to say – things are just the teensiest bit unclear. If you’re interested in this welcome offer, it still seems prudent to pop into a branch or obtain a link from a banker ASAP, just in case it does indeed end on July 31.
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Well, that didn’t (or won’t) last long.
When Citi launched the new Strata Elite card this past week week, you could earn one of two welcome offers. If applying online directly on Citi’s website, you could earn 80,000 ThankYou points after spending $4,000 in three months.
However, there was a 100,000 point offer available in branch or online if requesting a link from a Citi banker. Those extra 20,000 bonus points for minimal effort are therefore tempting, but it turns out that there might not be long left to take advantage of that boosted offer.
That’s because the 100K offer is seemingly ending on Thursday July 31.
Doctor of Credit posted an update showing an image listing the 100K bonus offer which displays a note stating ‘Valid through 07/31/2025’.
We then got a reader report last night that appears to confirm this. They’d called two different Citi bankers in their area, who both independently of each other shared that the increased offer was only available until July 31.
When new cards get launched, we’ll often see increased welcome offers, so the fact that 100K bonus points won’t be available endlessly isn’t a surprise whatsoever. What is surprising is that this higher offer will have been barely available for a week before being pulled, especially considering Citi doesn’t seem to have done much of a marketing push compared to when other ultra premium cards were launched and/or revamped like the Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve cards.
If you’ve been procrastinating on contacting a Citi banker or going into a branch in order to obtain the 100K offer, you’ll need to strut-a along pretty quickly.
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I walked into a Citi branch in NYC and was approved for the 100k offer. I have other Citi cards, but no bank accounts. Banker also emailed my P2 a link to apply for 100k, said she has 10 days to do so.
I just spoke to Kerri in the Washington DC branch and her direct line is 202-857-8874. Link came right away. She said the 100K offer is new so it will be around for a while.
That sucks because I am not entitled to another SUB until 2/2026….
The bonus is tied to Strata Elite specifically so you couldn’t have gotten the bonus before.
DP: 100K Single-use SUB link emailed to me, instant approval, $19K limit, Citi/AA welcome emails immediate, no option for temp card/instant card usage. Already have Prestige/Double Cash.
Hi, just wanted to add another data point on the 100,000-point offer sticking around beyond July 31. I went to a branch in northern California today. The teller gave me a flyer for the 100,000-point offer and I saw the 7/31/25 expiration at the bottom. When I asked if the offer was ending, she said: No, the flyer expires on 7/31/25. We print new ones every week and reprint them on Thursday. It’s a new offer and it will be around for a while. She showed me the Premier and Strata offer flyers and they both had the 7/31/25 expiration date, too. So that seemed to back up her explanation. She wasn’t sure when it would end, just that it would continue “for a while.”
I just called the Citi Branch in Huntington Beach. I spoke to Lisa a banker who answered the phone. She sent me a link within 2 minutes. It worked and I got instantly approved. She sent a separate link to my wife who also got approved.
(657) 215-3463 That is the number just in case you are interested!
I had to try a few times to get through, but on the third call I talked with Lisa and she sent me the link right away. Said it has been “very popular” today. lol.
Called a banker, who was unsure if she could send it, but sure enough did. Denied, but probably too many Citi cards, will try to recon to consolidate.
Beyond the super short fuse offer, interesting that Citi would be happy to have such a poor offer out there! At the 80K SUB, it’s worse than the AA Platinum Select will have a better offer (a $0 first year annual fee card!).
“Citi doesn’t seem to have done much of a marketing push compared to when other ultra premium cards were launched and/or revamped”
Why should they? The blogs have been all over this since “strata” was filed as a TM years ago. No wonder the card is a let down.
A banker emailed me an application link, still in my inbox (verified it just now) that says just above the button, “Use the link to apply anytime [sic] in the next ten (ten) days.” I’m on a trip and so he said that if I go past that date he can email me another link. He doesn’t know the expiration but said he thinks it will last at least 2-3 weeks. This is someone who is on an the points websites and knows the points game.
I called a couple of branches today – both told me that they can only email the application if I have a checking or savings account. I do have two other credit cards with them, but that doesn’t help.
7/24 denied. Over the last 2 years Citi has really tightened up. A year ago denied for citi AA personal. Two reasons given: too much credit utilization and NOT ENOUGH credit utilization. I kid you not. I spoke to an agent who said they couldn’t interpret this, that the computer did it and it was final. I should have gotten the robot insurance.
Similar experience – each family member has been denied *3* times for the Premier card over the last few years. Interestingly they were all approved for the personal and business AA cards over the same period.
The Premier has been a tough approval for a LONG time. Probably since 2019 or 2020. I keep myself under 5/24, but they always deny for low credit utilization, I think it is their way of keeping the churners away. The good news is Greg was instantly approved for this, so since it is a new product, they may be more lenient on approvals.
Citi is another bank who tracks credit utilization. If you do not use their cards after earning the SUB, they won’t approve you for another CC.
Considering the card is so underwhelming I’m surprised they’re pulling the offer so quickly. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fair-ish offer for the first year but I’d really expected Citi to pull out all the stops on this card and that’s clearly not the case. Nick was right – Citi doesn’t want to compete in this segment.
I just got the email link from a banker, and the email says the link is good for 10 days. I wonder if the 100,000 offer will stay valid for that period through the link, or if it will drop down Aug 1st.
Same I got the email link yesterday that says its good for 10 days, wondering the same thing?
Me too. See what my banker had to say, above.