Citi Strata Elite vs United Club Infinite: which one earns its fee?

Two cards built for different flyers

Chase's United Club Infinite Card does one thing at the airport. It unlocks the United Club network, and nothing else. Citi's Strata Elite does two things. It unlocks Priority Pass outright and the Admirals Club with a yearly cap on passes.

Neither card touches the other's networks. There is zero overlap, which makes this an unusually clean decision.

If United is your airline

Take the United Club Infinite. At $525 it is $70 cheaper than the Strata Elite, and United Club access at a United hub is worth more than Priority Pass in the same terminal for a United flyer. The Strata Elite cannot get you into a United Club at all.

If you fly a mix of carriers

Take the Strata Elite. Priority Pass works regardless of airline, which is the point of a general travel card. The Admirals Club passes are a nice extra for American trips, though the cap means you should not plan every American flight around them.

Guests and limits

The Admirals Club benefit on the Strata Elite is limited per year, so check how many passes you get before counting on it. Guest charges and enrollment steps for United Club and Priority Pass are set by the programs and issuers. Read the terms before applying.

Settle it with your calendar

Pull your next three departures. If all three are United, the Club Infinite wins and saves you $70. If they are spread across airlines, the Strata Elite is the only card here that works on every one of them. Look up each airport on this site to see which lounges each card opens in your terminal. Ratings follow the methodology page.