Citi Strata Premier card review: Full details

Citi is a TPG promoting accomplice.

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees) is an under-the-radar gem with an outstanding vary of bonus classes. Whereas Citi factors aren’t as beneficial as Chase or Amex factors, the flexibility to earn 3 factors per greenback on eligible journey and eating purchases for a modest annual payment continues to be a reasonably nice deal. Card ranking*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* Card rating relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

The Citi Strata Premier Card is likely one of the greatest earners on all kinds of on a regular basis spending. It accrues 3 factors per greenback with airways, electrical automobile charging and fuel stations, accommodations, eating places and supermarkets — a superb slate of bonus classes for a card with a $95 annual payment.

And the factors you earn with the Citi Strata Premier are among the many most versatile rewards currencies, price 1.8 cents every (in keeping with TPG’s Might 2025 valuations).

The beneficial credit score for the Citi Strata Premier card is 670 or above.

Should you’re there and are contemplating making use of, here is what else it is best to learn about this card — and why you would possibly wish to apply now.

Associated: The best Citi credit cards

The Citi Strata Premier is providing 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening.

In keeping with TPG’s Might 2025 valuations of ThankYou factors at 1.8 cents apiece, this bonus is price $1,080.

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That is the Strata Premier’s common supply. The cardboard has previously offered up to 80,000 points for brand spanking new cardholders (not obtainable).

The welcome bonus isn’t obtainable when you’ve got acquired a brand new account bonus for a Citi Premier or Citi Strata Premier account previously 48 months. Additionally it is not obtainable when you’ve got transformed one other Citi bank card account on which you earned a brand new account bonus within the final 48 months right into a Premier or Strata Premier card.

Associated: The ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions

A lot of Citi Strata Premier‘s worth proposition comes from its means to earn bonus factors in lots of classes with out charging a hefty annual payment. As such, you should not count on an amazing variety of perks.

Nevertheless, there are a number of advantages of this card that may assist you to recoup your annual payment:

• $100 annual resort credit score: Get pleasure from a $100 credit score as soon as per calendar yr for single-stay resort bookings of $500 or extra (excluding taxes and charges) made by the Citi journey portal.
• World Elite Mastercard advantages: As a World Elite Mastercard, the Citi Strata Premier confers a number of travel-related perks that customers may not learn about. These embrace a $5 month-to-month Lyft credit score after taking three rides in a calendar month and entry to the Mastercard luxurious accommodations and resorts portfolio for on-property perks like complimentary breakfast and room upgrades upon availability. By way of the World Elite Mastercard program, you will additionally get pleasure from perks like cellphone safety and World Emergency Companies.
• Citi Leisure: This program provides cardholders particular entry to buy tickets to 1000’s of occasions — from concert events and sporting occasions to distinctive eating experiences and film screenings — earlier than most people can purchase them.
• No international transaction charges: Like all good journey card, the Citi Strata Premier means that you can journey freely with out incurring a payment on worldwide spending.

The Citi Strata Premier additionally helps you journey with ease of thoughts, offering the next journey protections:

• Automobile rental protection
• Misplaced or broken baggage
• Journey cancellation and interruption
• Journey delay

I all the time be sure to make use of the $100 annual resort credit score as it is a positive technique to offset the annual payment. Nevertheless, aside from this, there aren’t many different advantages to benefit from for substantial financial savings.

Associated: Is the Citi Premier worth the annual fee?

The Citi Strata Premier‘s incomes construction is the place the cardboard shines.

The cardboard gives 10 ThankYou factors per greenback spent on accommodations, automobile leases and sights booked by the Citi Journey portal.

Cardholders additionally earn 3 factors per greenback on purchases within the following classes, with no caps or annual limits:

• Air journey
• EV charging stations
• Fuel stations
• Lodges
• Supermarkets
• Eating places (together with takeout)

The cardboard earns 1 level per greenback on all different purchases.

These incomes charges are among the many most spectacular of any journey rewards card, particularly contemplating the Citi Strata Premier’s reasonably priced annual payment. That is my go-to card for fuel purchases because it earns a limiteless 3 factors per greenback, which lessens the sting of the excessive fuel costs in California.

I additionally typically use this card to earn bonus factors at supermarkets as a result of, not like the American Express® Gold Card, there isn’t any spending cap on this class.

Associated: The 7 best credit cards with annual fees under $100

Citi ThankYou points will be redeemed for assertion credit, money again or present playing cards. They can be transferred to any of Citi’s companions (our suggestion).

You’ll be able to redeem your ThankYou Factors for journey instantly by the Citi portal at a fee of 1 cent every, however that is properly beneath TPG’s Might 2025 valuation of ThankYou factors at 1.8 cents every. To get extra worth, you will wish to benefit from the choice to switch your factors to Citi’s in depth checklist of switch companions.

The Citi Strata Premier can be a best choice for vacationers, due to its participation within the ThankYou Rewards program, which at the moment has one purchasing, 5 resort and 15 airline transfer partners.

When you’ll discover that lots of the frequent flyer applications are these of worldwide airways, you may nonetheless e-book high-value (and simply redeemable) awards by them.

I discover nice worth in a number of switch companions, together with Air France-KLM Flying Blue, which gives business-class flights for as few as 60,000 miles and the flexibility to add a stopover for free for as quick as 24 hours to so long as one yr. Final yr, I transferred Citi ThankYou factors to Flying Blue to fly in enterprise class from Los Angeles to Dublin with a one-day stopover in Paris for 60,000 factors.

One other switch accomplice I’ve utilized is Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, which is an effective way to e-book premium cabins on Singapore Airways.

Associated: Best ways to redeem Citi ThankYou points

As an reasonably priced journey rewards card, the Citi Strata Premier has a number of direct rivals that could be a greater match for you:

• Should you desire Chase playing cards: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) competes instantly with the Citi Strata Premier with the identical $95 annual payment. Whereas Chase’s switch companions (together with United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt) could be extra helpful for a lot of vacationers, there are additionally some overlaps (like Singapore KrisFlyer and Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership). For extra data, learn our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.
• In order for you a flat incomes fee: Attempt the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. It additionally fees the identical $95 annual payment, however this card earns a flat 2 miles per greenback on most purchases as a substitute of providing bonus classes. For extra data, learn our full review of the Venture Rewards card.
• In order for you added perks: Should you dine out ceaselessly, you would possibly desire the American Express® Gold Card. It has the next incomes fee of 4 factors per greenback at U.S. supermarkets (on the primary $25,000 in purchases per calendar yr, then 1 per greenback) and at eating places worldwide (on as much as $50,000 in purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback). It additionally comes with beneficial credit that may greater than offset the substantial $325 annual payment (see rates and fees). For extra data, learn our full review of the Amex Gold.

For added choices, take a look at our full list of the top travel rewards cards.

Regardless of a bevy of rivals, the Citi Strata Premier‘s lengthy checklist of bonus classes and stable welcome bonus make it probably the most profitable points-earning playing cards in its worth vary.

The wide selection of ThankYou Rewards switch companions makes this card compelling, particularly for vacationers who need the flexibleness to redeem factors with varied loyalty applications.

It is price severe consideration for those who’re a fan of Citi or on the lookout for a flexible travel rewards card so as to add to your pockets.

Apply right here: Citi Strata Premier

For charges and charges of the Amex Gold Card, click on here.