Is the Citi Strata Premier Card Worth It?
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Written by
Sarah Silbert
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Edited by
Emily Gadd
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Reviewed by
Jasmin Baron
The Citi Strata Premier® Card, an advertising partner, is a solid rewards credit card at a mid-range price point. If you value Citi ThankYou® points and frequently spend within the travel, restaurant, supermarket and gas categories, this could be a great option to maximize your purchases.
Beyond the generous bonus point categories, this card offers a valuable hotel benefit and some helpful travel protections that make it a great value for its $95 annual fee.
Quick Verdict
The Citi Strata Premier Card is worth adding to your wallet if you want a moderately priced travel rewards card that covers all the main bases. When it comes to common spending categories, it’s a points-earning machine, plus it has no foreign transaction fee, so you can safely swipe it abroad.
If you book even just one hotel stay a year, the card can pay for itself thanks to its annual hotel benefit, which gets you $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when you book through CitiTravel.com. And whenever you book travel directly through Citi, you’ll be rewarded with 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and attractions.
Especially if you already have another of the best Citi credit cards, like the Citi Custom Cash® Card , Citi Double Cash® Card or the Citi Strata℠ Card (advertising partners), the Citi Strata Premier Card can be a powerful tool for boosting your Citi points balance and getting you closer to your next award trip.
Citi Strata Premier Card: At a Glance
- Annual fee: $95
- Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Rewards structure: 10x on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking. Travel insurance protection: Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption (Common Carrier), Trip Delay, Lost or Damaged Luggage, MasterRental Coverage (Car Rental).
- Statement credits and perks: Annual hotel credit of $100 off a single stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) booked through Citi Travel
- Estimated value: Outside of the $100 hotel credit, the value is determined based on how many purchases you put on the card that earn rewards.
Who Should Consider Citi Strata Premier?
Anyone who can get good use out of Citi ThankYou points — whether you already have a Citi credit card or two or you’re just interested in redeeming rewards with the program’s lineup of airline and hotel transfer partners — should consider the Citi Strata Premier Card.
It’s a great card to have in your wallet to maximize everyday spending. It’s my favorite option to use at the gas station, since it earns 3x points on gas and EV charging. The other 3x categories, including air travel, restaurants and supermarkets, are easy to maximize as well.
Who Should Skip Citi Strata Premier?
The Citi Strata Premier Card is best suited to those with credit in the good to excellent range who don’t need to carry a balance. If you’re looking for a credit card with features like an intro APR period, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
It isn’t necessarily the best pick for everyone looking for a travel rewards card, either. You’ll want to evaluate whether you can get enough value out of Citi points compared to other popular loyalty currencies — such as American Express Membership Rewards® points and Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.
If you already have several Chase credit cards, for example, you may be better off sticking with cards that earn Ultimate Rewards so you can have one large balance of points rather than small to medium balances spread across multiple programs.
You should also skip the Strata Premier Card if you want a rewards card that offers premium benefits like airport lounge access and statement credits for travel. The card’s annual hotel credit is the main benefit beyond points earning and travel insurance, but you’ll find a much longer benefit list on the card’s more expensive sibling, the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (an advertising partner), with a $595 annual fee.
How To Maximize Citi Strata Premier’s Value
To get the most out of the Citi Strata Premier Card, make sure you do the following.
Earn the Welcome Bonus
If you open the Citi Strata Premier Card, make sure you’re able to earn the card’s welcome bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. The three-month countdown begins as soon as you’re approved for the card, so don’t leave the timing up to chance. 60,000 points is a great way to start or boost your Citi ThankYou points stash, so you’re doing yourself a disservice if you open this card but forget to meet the minimum spending requirement.
Keep It in Your Wallet To Maximize Points Earning
Some rewards cards are really only reliable points earners for certain, occasional purchases, like flights. That’s not the case with the Strata Premier Card; it offers 3x points on some very common spending categories — including gas — so you should keep it handy at all times.
I say this from personal experience: I recently lost my Strata Premier Card, and every time I’ve filled up on gas while waiting for the new card to arrive, I’ve cringed at the points I’m losing out on.
Book at Least One Hotel Stay Through Citi Travel Each Year
The Strata Premier Card’s annual hotel benefit ($100 back on a stay of $500 or more booked through Citi Travel) basically cancels out the annual fee, so make sure you take advantage of it each calendar year.
This shouldn’t be hard to do, since this card really only makes sense if you like to travel in the first place, anyway. I’ve found the Citi Travel portal to have a very good selection of mid-range boutique hotels, and I’ve put this benefit to use in Mexico City and Tokyo so far. I likely would have gone for bigger, cookie-cutter hotel chains if it weren’t for this benefit, and I loved the local character of the hotels I booked when using this perk.
Use It To Book Travel To Receive Trip Protection Benefits
When you book travel, especially flights and other transportation, make sure to use the Citi Strata Premier Card so you have coverage in case something goes awry.
The card offers trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance if your travel is canceled or affected by a covered reason, such as illness or injury. You also get trip delay insurance, lost or damaged luggage coverage, and access to Citi Concierge for assistance with travel plans and more.
Final Verdict on the Citi Strata Premier Card
If you’re looking for a travel rewards card that will help you rack up points quickly, the Citi Strata Premier Card is a great option. It earns 3x points on some popular everyday spending categories, and it offers strong travel protections and a valuable annual hotel benefit in exchange for a moderate $95 annual fee.
This card is an especially good option if, like me, you also have other Citi credit cards, since you can pool your points together to maximize your rewards balance. If you’re heavily invested in another loyalty program and you don’t want to add another card with an annual fee to your wallet, it’s probably not right for you. It’s also not an ideal pick for those with fair or lower credit scores who want features like an intro APR period.
The information related to Citi Custom Cash® Card was collected by CardCritics™ and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardCritics™ does not receive a commission for these products.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Citi Strata Premier Card
Is Citi Strata Premier a good card?
The Citi Strata Premier Card is a good card, especially if you want to earn valuable transferable points to book travel but don’t want to pay a high annual fee.
What are the benefits of the Citi Strata Premier?
The main benefits of the Citi Strata Premier Card are strong points-earning on everyday spending categories, an annual hotel benefit that can put money back in your pocket, and solid travel protections when you pay with your card.
How does Citi Strata Premier compare to other cards?
The Citi Strata Premier Card is comparable to other mid-range travel rewards cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. The best option for you at this annual fee level will depend on which points program you like the best, as well as what points-earning structure you prefer. You can find travel cards with many more benefits than the Strata Premier Card, but they come with much higher annual fees.
How much is a Citi Strata Premier Card point worth?
Points from the Citi Strata Premier Card are worth 0.75 cents each when you redeem them for cash back and 1 cent each when redeemed through Citi Travel, but the value is technically uncapped when you transfer points to Citi’s airline and hotel partners. That’s the best way to get maximum value from your Strata Premier Card points; the exact value will depend on your redemption. Look for hotel stays and flights with high cash values but relatively affordable award prices to get the best value.
Does the Citi Strata Premier have lounge access?
No, the Citi Strata Premier Card doesn’t offer lounge access. Its more expensive sibling, the Citi Strata Elite, does offer airport lounge access.
