Tips & Advices
Travel to the US is up year-on-year says 1Cover Travel Insurance
The headlines have been warning about a decline in Aussie travel numbers to the USA- but data from 1Cover Travel Insurance suggests the opposite: Australians remain keen on travelling to the United States, with no evident decline in demand.
While reports have suggested waning interest in the States, both internal sales data and official ABS figures say otherwise. In fact, monthly ABS data reveals that travel to the US climbed by six per cent in May, and by eight per cent compared to the same month in 2024. Overall, more Aussies are heading to the US this year than last, despite predictions to the contrary.
Similarly, 1Cover Travel Insurance has reported consistent policy sales to the US, with no sign of lowered demand. In June, US sales increased by 28% compared to the same period last year and have continued to track well above 2024 levels into July.
Natalie Ball, COO for 1Cover Travel Insurance says “Despite reports of changing travel habits, our data shows a steady interest in USA travel. We believe that strong cultural ties to the United States, in addition to popular sporting events and major tourist attractions have led to consistent travel numbers. Additionally, pent-up travel demand, post pandemic, is actually driving up US travel, rather than reducing it.”
While border entry concerns and cost of living pressures have been cited as reasons for dropping interest in US travel, Ball says that they haven’t significantly altered Aussie travel habits, instead, other destinations are simply competing more strongly for attention.
“While the US is still one of the top 10 destinations for Australian travellers, we’ve also seen growing competition from hotspots closer to home, particularly Asian destinations like Japan and Thailand. Costs and convenience will always factor into travel choices; however, the USA still holds huge appeal.”
Why Aussies are still flocking to the USA
*NRL kickoffs and other major sporting events
Sporting events are a huge drawcard for Aussies travelling to the US and this year’s NRL season kickoff in Los Vegas was no exception. More than 20,000 Aussies flocked to Las Vegas for this year’s event, up 30 per cent on the inaugural match in 2024. Additionally, growing interest in the NFL, thanks to a raft of Aussies drafts, has led to a rise in fans headed to the States to show support.
*Ski and snowsports
While the US snow season may not be quite as renowned as Japan or Canada, Aspen is still among one of our most popular overseas ski hotspots with Australians making up one of its largest international markets. Other popular ski spots include Vail, Colorado, Utah’s Park City and Wyoming’s Jackson Hole. These destinations are especially appealing during the Australian summer, offering a winter escape that pairs world-class slopes with a refreshing change of season.
*US cruise routes
With more ships sailing from major US ports and offering bucket-list itineraries, destinations like the Bahamas are gaining serious traction, with major cruise lines offering short island getaways and longer luxury escapes. The Caribbean, a mainstay of many cruising itineraries, are also seeing a resurgence in interest among Australian travellers. Additionally, with the rapid expansion of expedition-style cruising, Alaskan voyages are becoming increasingly popular for those seeking remote, nature-rich adventures.
Caution before heading to the USA
While travel to the United States remains popular among Australians, Ball advises that travellers should remain mindful of potential complications when heading stateside.
“Aussies visiting the USA should be particularly aware of the potential costs they could face while abroad,” Ball says. “The U.S. healthcare system is among the most expensive in the world. Even minor medical treatments can carry unexpectedly high fees, and hospital stays can quickly become financially overwhelming. That’s why comprehensive travel insurance is essential to buy before you go.”
Ball also highlights increased scrutiny, with the USA implementing more rigorous enforcement of border security and visa eligibility. Those entering should double-check their eligibility, be transparent about their travel history, and prepare thoroughly before departure.
“While Australians can visit the U.S. for up to 90 days under the ESTA visa waiver program, it’s critical to ensure your travel history doesn’t include any restricted countries. Make sure that all your documentation- from proof of return travel to accommodation details – are complete and accurate. Even minor inconsistencies can lead to you being denied entry at the border,” she warns.
It’s also important to understand that travel insurance won’t usually cover you for visa-related issues.
“If you’re denied entry due to incorrect documentation or ineligibility, your travel insurance won’t cover the costs,” Ball notes. “We strongly recommend triple-checking your eligibility before departure. A bit of preparation can save a lot of trouble.”
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card is the bank’s newest addition to its Strata line of cards and its first premium card since the Citi Prestige® Card, which is no longer available to new applicants.
The card comes with nearly $1,500 in value each year through perks like the $200 annual Splurge credit and a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. Citi is also furthering its partnership with American Airlines and offering some AA-specific perks that frequent flyers will appreciate.
CNBC Select dives into Citi’s newest premium option to see how it stacks up against a very competitive travel credit card landscape.
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card aims to brings premium restaurant rewards and travel benefits to users, including an annual hotel benefit of $300.
- High rewards rate on travel
- 6X on restaurants
- Can transfer points to American Airlines at a 1:1 rate
- Up to $200 annual splurge credit
- High annual fee
- Limited rewards categories
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 80,000 bonus Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
- Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time
- Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Balance transfer fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Citi Strata Elite Card review
Welcome bonus
If you’re approved for the Citi Strata Elite Card, for a limited time, you can earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. With these points generally valued at around 1.75 cents per point by the industry, this welcome bonus is worth about $1,400, which is a great return.
This bonus is earned in the form of Citi ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed in a number of ways, from simple statement credits, to paying with points or transferring them to one of Citi’s travel partners.
Benefits and perks
The Citi Strata Elite comes with several perks, with the bulk of its value in travel and lifestyle categories.
Statement credits
- $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more booked through Citi Travel every calendar year.
- $200 annual Splurge credit: Every calendar year, earn up to $200 in statement credits from your choice of up to two of the following brands: 1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, Future Personal Training and Live Nation, with the option to change your selection at any time.
- $200 annual Blacklane credit: Enjoy up to $200 in statement credits, every calendar year, when booking with Blacklane, up to $100 from January through June and up to $100 from July through December.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® credit: Receive a statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for either the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.
While you do have to book via Citi Travel, the $300 hotel credit isn’t tied to any specific brand, meaning you’ll have more options. The $200 splurge credit is another welcome addition that gives you more control over how you earn rewards, letting you choose and switch between several brands, ranging from tickets to technology.
One credit that isn’t as common is the one for Blacklane, a global chauffeur service. While it might serve as a nice luxury option for special occasions, odds are that you’ll have an easier time with a taxi or public transportation.
Additional offerings
In addition to straightforward statement credits, the Strata Elite also offers some extra benefits:
- American Airlines Admirals Club passes: Every calendar year, you’ll receive four Admirals Club Citi Strata Elite passes, good for entry to 50+ Admirals Club lounges.
- Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership: Access to 1,500+ airport lounges worldwide for the primary cardholder and authorized users, plus up to two guests.
- Access to The Reserve by Citi Travel: A collection of 4.5- to 5-star hotels.
- Travel and shopping protections: Perks like trip delay protection, enhanced trip cancellation and trip interruption protection, plus lost or damaged luggage protection, MasterRental coverage, extended warranty and purchase assurance plus.
- Mastercard World Legend benefits: The newest premium tier to the Mastercard Collection, offering priority reservations at restaurants, including in Europe through Mastercard’s partnership with TheFork, ticketing access and more.
If Citi happens to be a company you bank with, it’s possible that you could be eligible for additional savings through an offer just for Citi customers:
- Citigold® Private Client Relationship Tier credit: Citigold Private Clients who qualify for the card will receive a first-year banking credit of $595, covering the card’s annual fee. You’ll then receive a $145 annual credit each following year, with an open and current Strata Elite card.
- Citigold® Relationship Tier credit: Citigold Clients who qualify for the card will receive a $145 banking credit with an open and current Strata Elite card.
How to earn and redeem Citi ThankYou Points
Earning
The Citi Strata Elite has a high earnings rate when you book via the Citi Travel portal, and it offers elevated earnings rates during certain eligible times:
- Earn 12X points on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on cititravel.com
- Earn 6X points on air travel booked on cititravel.com
- Earn 6X points at restaurants on Citi Nights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday, from 6 PM to 6 AM ET; earn 3X points any other time
- Earn 1.5X points on all other purchases
What jumps out first is the very high 12X on hotels and more, but it is tied to the issuer’s travel portal, a common theme with premium travel cards. It’s also the first time we’ve seen a card that has a timed window to earn elevated rewards. It earns a higher rate at restaurants on Friday and Saturday nights, which could make your weekend date nights a little more affordable.
Redeeming
When redeeming the Citi ThankYou Points earned by your Strata Elite, you have several options to choose from, like:
- Travel
- Gifts cards
- Cash back
- Shopping via select retailers
- Charitable donations
While options like cash back and gift cards are usually the simplest, they often don’t provide you with the best value; the highest value usually comes from taking advantage of the transfer partners offered through Citi:
- AAdvantage® Program (1:1 ratio for Citi Strata Elite, Citi Strata Premier and Citi Prestige cardmembers)
- ALL Accor Live Limitless (2:1 ratio)
- Aeromexico (1:1 ratio)
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue (1:1 ratio)
- Avianca LifeMiles (1:1 ratio)
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1 ratio)
- Choice Privileges (1:2 ratio or 2:3 with select Citi cards)
- Emirate Skywards (1:1 ratio)
- Etihad Guest (1:1 ratio)
- EVA Air (1:1 ratio)
- JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1 ratio or 5:4 with select Citi cards)
- Leaders Club (5:1 ratio)
- Preferred Hotels & Resorts (1:4 ratio)
- Quantas Frequent Flyer (1:1 ratio)
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club (1:1 ratio)
- Shop Your Way (1:10 ratio)
- Singapore Airlines (1:1 ratio)
- Thai Royal Orchard Plus (1:1 ratio)
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (1:1 ratio)
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club & Virgin Red (1:1 ratio)
- Wyndham Rewards (1:1 ratio or 5:4 with select Citi cards)
Rates and fees
The Citi Strata Elite was built to compete with some of the most popular travel credit cards, and its $595 annual fee represents that. The card has no foreign transaction fees and a late or returned payment fee of $41. The card’s variable purchase APR ranges from 21.24% to 29.24%, depending on creditworthiness.
Card comparison
Citi Strata Elite Card vs. The Platinum Card from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American Express is a premium card loaded with annual statement credits, entertainment benefits, extensive airport lounge access, elite status perks and more. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Access to 1,400+ airport lounges, including Priority Pass™ Select lounges (enrollment required) and Amex Centurion lounges
- Statement credit offers worth up to twice what the annual fee costs
- Elite status perks for hotels and rental cars (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High annual fee
- Many statement credit offers are complicated and are earned in increments or limited to specific purchases
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card®.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world’s most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Foreign transaction fee
The Platinum Card® from American Express offers more value in the form of statement credits, making it a good option for those seeking direct value from the card. Amex’s Platinum also comes with hotel status upgrades and permanent access to Amex’s Global Lounge Collection, including its Centurion Lounges. While enrollment is not necessary for Centurion Lounge access, some other lounge programs within the American Express Global Lounge Collection, such as Priority Pass, do require enrollment. The Strata Elite offers a high rewards rate on restaurants and a flexible $200 Splurge credit. The ability to earn up to 12X on hotels and 6X on air travel booked through Citi Travel can help you rack up ThankYou Points very quickly and help finance even more getaways.
Citi Strata Elite Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a standout premium credit card with plenty of luxury perks and statement credits to justify its annual fee.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests.
- Up to $300 in annual travel credit each account anniversary year
- You can transfer rewards to all of Chase’s travel partners including World of Hyatt, Southwest Rapid Rewards and many more
- Top-tier travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Requires a high credit score
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase TravelSM promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase TravelSM, including The EditSM and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority PassTM Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $250 annually
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater
Is the Citi Strata Elite Card right for you?
The Citi Strata Elite is a great fit for those who don’t mind booking primarily through travel portals, and for American Airlines customers eager to have a card that earns rewards that can be transferred to the AAdvantage program. The card comes with up to $300 in annual hotel benefits and a flexible $200 Splurge credit, both fairly easy credits to redeem. If you’re invested in the Citi ThankYou Points system or looking for a card that earns rewards compatible with American Airlines, this card is the next perfect addition to your wallet.
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