Rakuten has launched a targeted promotion offering new Citi Strata Premier cardholders either $100 cashback or up to 10,000 Bilt Rewards points after completing a qualifying purchase through the Rakuten portal. For families building travel point balances in 2026, this offer creates a meaningful boost that can be stacked with the card’s existing sign-up bonus and ongoing category earnings on dining, groceries, and gas. Choosing between cash and Bilt points requires understanding each redemption path and your family’s travel goals.
The Rakuten promotion requires applying for the Citi Strata Premier card through a Rakuten link and making a qualifying purchase within the promotional window. The reward is delivered as either $100 cashback deposited to your Rakuten account or up to 10,000 Bilt Rewards points credited to your linked Bilt account. The Bilt option is particularly interesting because Bilt points transfer to a growing list of airline and hotel partners including American Airlines AAdvantage, United MileagePlus, Hyatt, and Air France-KLM Flying Blue. For a family aiming at a specific redemption, 10,000 Bilt points can be the difference between coach and premium cabin on a partner award.
The Citi Strata Premier earns 3x ThankYou Points on dining, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel, and hotels. These points transfer to over 15 airline partners including Avianca LifeMiles, Turkish Airlines Miles and Smiles, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Combined with the Rakuten bonus, a family that times a large purchase through the portal can walk away with the card’s welcome bonus, 10,000 Bilt points, and a stack of ThankYou points from the initial spend. This multi-currency approach gives families flexibility to piece together award tickets across alliances and programs.
Ten thousand Bilt points can top off an account for a Hyatt Category 1-2 free night or push a United MileagePlus balance over the threshold for a domestic saver award. Alternatively, $100 cashback can offset travel incidentals, checked bag fees, or airport meals that add up quickly for a family of four. For the points-maximizing family, the Bilt path tends to offer higher upside value, while the cash option delivers certainty and immediate utility. Both choices are valid depending on whether your priority is building transferable point balances or reducing out-of-pocket travel costs.