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What is the Citi Strata Elite Card's "Citi Nights" dining offer, and how do you use it?

Sept. 26, 2025
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5 min read
Night life in Shinbashi district, Tokyo, Japan
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Editor's Note

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If you hold the new Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see rates and fees), you have access to a bonus-earning dining perk. Citi Nights is a weekend offer that boosts restaurant and restaurant delivery earnings to an impressive 6 Citi ThankYou Rewards points per dollar spent when you pay using your Strata Elite card.

Given how rewarding this tasty new perk can be, here's what you need to know about how it works and the time restrictions you need to be aware of.

Related: Best dining credit cards of September 2025

How the Citi Nights dining offer works

During Citi Nights (which is every Friday and Saturday between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Eastern time), you’ll earn 6 ThankYou Rewards points per dollar spent when paying with your Citi Strata Elite Card at restaurants, including restaurant delivery services.

Outside of the Citi Nights time window, you'll earn 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants.

hotel cafe royal dining
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

How to maximize the Citi Nights benefit

If you want to capitalize on this bonus points-earning perk, make sure you pay with your Strata Elite card during the designated East Coast time window. So, if you're on the West Coast, you'd have between 3 p.m. and 3 a.m. PST on Friday and Saturday to use your eligible card at restaurants.

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If you’re abroad, align your local dining time to Eastern time. For example, Paris is six hours ahead of Eastern time, so you’d need to dine between midnight and noon local time to hit the Citi Nights window.

Also note that Citi bases Citi Nights on when the purchase is authorized, not when it posts to your account. Therefore, you can still earn 6 points per dollar spent at restaurants as long as the authorization happened during that Eastern time window.

To avoid missing out on the bonus points during the Citi Nights promotion:

  • Keep receipts and double-check your points in case you need to follow up with Citi.
  • Check Eastern time before you order, especially close to 6 a.m. Eastern time.
  • For delivery, place the order during the window; authorization usually occurs at order time.
  • If a late‑night meal runs past 6 a.m. Eastern time for any reason, ask the server to run the card before the cutoff.
  • Because Citi defines Citi Nights in Eastern time, your local start and end times may shift by one hour when the U.S. moves into or out of daylight saving time, and many other countries also observe daylight saving time on different dates.
  • Add Eastern time as a second clock on your phone to avoid missing out during the EDT changeover weekends.

Given these complexities and the card's design for international travelers, it is unfortunate that the Citi Nights time frame was not extended to, say, 6 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Sunday. This would make it much easier to navigate without having to dine within a limited time period.

Related: Citi Strata Elite: Citi finally adds a premium travel card — was it worth the wait?

Hotel Sax Paris
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

Why the Citi Strata Elite is such a rewarding card

For a limited time, new Citi Strata Elite cardholders can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Along with the welcome bonus and Citi Nights dining perk, the card also offers:

  • A $300 annual hotel benefit: Each calendar year, cardholders receive up to $300 off a prepaid hotel stay (minimum two-night booking) when booked through Citi Travel
  • A $200 Splurge credit: Each calendar year, cardholders receive up to $200 in statement credits on their choice of two brands: 1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, ESPN+, Future Personal Training and Live Nation
  • A $200 Blacklane credit: Receive a biannual statement credit of up to $100 (up to $200 annually) for Blacklane chauffeur bookings
  • A $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit: Up to $120 statement credit every four years toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
  • Priority Pass Select membership for lounge access
  • Four American Airlines Admirals Club passes per calendar year
  • No foreign transaction fees and a suite of travel protections

Bottom line

Citi Nights is a generous new way to supercharge your weekend dining on the Citi Strata Elite Card and earn an impressive 6 Citi ThankYou Rewards points per dollar spent on the card.

If you are using the offer in a different time zone, whether at home or abroad, you'll need to pay close attention to time zone restrictions and ensure the transactions are authorized within the Citi Nights windows to maximize your points earning.

Related reading:

Featured image by ALEXANDER SPATARI/GETTY IMAGES
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • Annual Fee is $325.
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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 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 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.