The New Best Card for Military Members?
Yes, I’m lazily re-using the same image.
Story of the Week: Why the Citi Strata Elite Might Be the Best Card for Military Right Now
A few months ago, I shared a list of the best credit cards for active duty military — cards where waived fees unlock premium perks you’d probably never pay for — but would absolutely enjoy if they were free.
Since then, the premium card landscape has shifted. And now, with Citi’s big summer moves, there’s a new contender for the #1 spot.
Previously, my #1 recommendation was the Chase Sapphire Reserve, thanks to simple credits, strong earning rates on everyday purchases, and easy redemptions. The CSR is still an amazing option for military members, offering fancy lounge access and over $2,000 in credits—an incredible deal if Chase is waiving your annual fee. But the simplicity is all gone now, and the CSR is just another collection of credits and perks — and not even the best ones.
But the launch of the Citi Strata Elite caught my eye for its simple credit and earning structure. It comes with only two significant credits: a $300 credit toward a hotel stay (minimum 2 nights) booked via Citi and a $200 “splurge” credit valid for American Airlines or Ticketmaster purchases, among other things. These might not justify a $595 fee, but as waived-fee perks, they’re valuable and easy to use — and even easier to keep track of. Meanwhile, the card earns 3x on dining and 1.5x on everyday purchases, so you get solid value on everyday spending. The addition of AA as a partner means that Citi’s points are now probably better than Chase’s, in my opinion, and maybe just as easy — or easier — to redeem for strong value.
Plenty of cards still offer premium perks for military — but for easy earning and simple, high-value credits, the Strata Elite stands out.
Quick Points of the Week ⚡
Major news 🚨
ETIAS fee increase. That Europe travel fee they’ve been teasing for years — but still haven’t launched? They’re raising the fee (if you can raise a fee that’s never been charged).
More value 📈 (kind of)
Transfer ThankYou Points to partners. Citi is now allowing points transfers to airline and hotel partners—just not the best one (American Airlines) or at the usual 1:1 ratio. Probably not a good idea in most cases, but more options is always a good thing. (h/t Frequent Miler)
Giveaway 🎟️
Marriott is giving away concert tickets—and a flight and hotel stay. I don’t know who Alex Warren is, but I’ll gladly go see him play if Marriott will give me two tickets to NYC, a hotel stay, and $1,000 in spending money. Details here.
Devaluations 📉
No more TAP redemptions via JetBlue. A mild sweet spot is coming to an end. Frequent Miler has more details.
Sign-up bonus(es) of the Week 🎯
There are two cards worth talking about this week, even though I don’t think they are a great fit for most people:
Citi Strata
I normally wouldn’t recommend a no-fee card, because even with an elevated bonus, you won’t get the injection of value you can with more powerful bonuses like the ones listed below. But the Strata is interesting. It is currently offering 30,000 ThankYou Points after spending $1,000 in the first three months. That’s solid, especially if you have a premium card like the Stata Premier or Elite that gives you full access to Citi’s transfer partners, like AA. (Remember to check Citi’s application rules if you want to apply for multiple cards.)
The Strata pairs particularly well with the Strata elite, and would net you these earning rates:
12x on hotels, rental cars, and attractions booked via Citi (Stata Elite)
6x on dining during “Citi Nights” (Strata Elite)
6x on air travel booked via Citi (Strata Elite)
3x on dining anytime (Strata Elite)
3x at supermarkets (Strata)
3x on gas, EV charging, and select transit (Strata)
3x on your choice of select streaming, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/beauty salons, or pet supply stores (Strata)
1.5x on all other purchases (Strata Elite)
That’s a pretty powerful earning setup, with two cards that both currently have peak bonuses.
Expedia OneKey+
While the OneKey+ isn’t a must-have card, the current offer is solid — $600 in OneKeyCash after $3,000 spend. That’s probably good enough to get you to Europe. With a $99 fee offset by a $100 annual Expedia credit, it’s essentially free to hold.
The 3% categories (Expedia, gas, grocery, dining) are fine, as is the 2% earning on everyday spending, but not game-changing. Personally, I’ll stick with the Venture X for Expedia purchases and save my applications for bigger bonuses.
Other great current bonuses
100k + $500 on the Chase Sapphire Reserve (our take)
80k on the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select (our take)
175k points on the Hilton Aspire (our review)
75k miles on the Chase Sapphire Preferred (our hot take 🔥)
100k miles + 3k PQP’s on the United Quest (our take)
Up to 100k on the Amex Gold (including via referral link) (our take)
Up to 175k points on the Amex Platinum
100k points on Southwest Credit Cards (our take)
Enjoy the weekend! 🦥
I wouldn’t make a trip to the recruiter just for a fee-free credit card, but it’s a nice “thanks for your service” if you decide to put on the uniform.
Know someone in the military who could use better perks? Pass this along.