Citi Strata Elite

The Strata Elite is priced for people who will actually use its credits: $595 a year, offset by a $300 annual hotel credit on stays of two or more nights booked through Citi Travel, a $200 Blacklane chauffeur credit split into $100 halves across the year, and a $200 splurge credit you can point at up to two of five brands including American Airlines and Best Buy. Earning is top heavy inside Citi's own portal, at 12x on hotels, car rentals, and attractions and 6x on flights booked through Citi Travel, with 3x on dining that rises to 6x during Citi Nights on Friday and Saturday evenings, and 1.5x on everything else. A 75,000 point welcome bonus after $6,000 in three months, unlimited Priority Pass access, and four Admirals Club passes are why it lands seventh on our best travel list with a Best for High Earners badge. The catch is how conditional the headline numbers are: the biggest credits and multipliers only pay out inside Citi Travel or at named brands, so if you book direct or through another portal the math thins out quickly. There is no foreign transaction fee and a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit every four years, but add up the credits you will realistically use before you commit to the fee.