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Citi Strata Premier vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred: Chase Checks All the Boxes

Review Updated
Lyle Daly
By: Lyle Daly

Our Credit Cards Expert

Eric McWhinnie
Check IconFact Checked Eric McWhinnie
Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures our experts’ opinions aren’t influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

While it flies under the radar, the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card packs a lot of value for an affordable annual fee. It earns bonus points in everyday and travel categories, has a large welcome offer, and offers a yearly hotel credit that more than covers the annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card doesn't fly under the radar. It's one of the most popular travel credit cards, and it has a lot of the same benefits as the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card. And the travel points it earns are even more valuable.

Here's a detailed breakdown of the close race between these two credit cards.

Citi Strata Premier vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred overview

As of May. 30, 2024
Image for
Image for
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Apply Now for Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.

70,000 ThankYou® Points

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

75,000 bonus points

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. 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.

1x - 10x points

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases

Intro APR:

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Intro APR: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR:

21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)

Regular APR:

21.49%-28.49% Variable

Annual Fee:

$95

Annual Fee: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$95

Highlights:

  • Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
  • Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
  • Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, 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.
  • No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Highlights:

  • Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
  • Member FDIC
Apply Now for Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Show More Arrow graphic to expand and collapse content Show Less Arrow graphic to expand and collapse content

Why the Citi Strata Premier might be the ideal choice

You'll probably earn more points on everyday expenses with the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card. It earns 3X points per $1 at gas stations and supermarkets. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card doesn't have either of those bonus categories, although it does earn 3X points per $1 on online grocery purchases.

This Citi credit card also pays for itself if you use its annual $100 hotel credit. You can earn that once a year if you book a single hotel stay of $500 or more through thankyou.com. If you don't mind using Citi's travel portal, and you regularly book hotel stays of at least $500, then you'll easily come out ahead on the annual fee.

Apply for Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

When the Chase Sapphire Preferred could be the better option

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has one of the best travel rewards programs. Citi's doesn't quite match it. With this Chase card, you get $0.0125 per point on travel bookings through Chase Ultimate Rewards. With the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, you get $0.01 per point on travel bookings through its ThankYou portal. If you have 100,000 points, that's a difference of $250 in value.

Both rewards programs also let you transfer points to travel partners. Having used both, I'd argue that Chase's list of partners is better. It's partnered with bigger U.S. airlines as well as World of Hyatt, one of the top hotel rewards programs.

Like other Chase credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card each have a full suite of travel protections. These include complimentary coverage for trip delays, cancellations, and baggage issues.

Apply for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back 		Up to $300 cash back Circle with letter I in it. Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. 1.5% - 5% cash back Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months

Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months

Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable

Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. Circle with letter I in it. N/A 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for earning travel rewards 		75,000 Miles Circle with letter I in it. 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening 2X-5X miles Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

Intro:

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Apply Now for Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

On Capital One's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Citi Strata Premier vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred comparison

Next, let's look at how these cards compare in a few important ways.

Citi Strata Premier vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred: Annual fee

These cards each have a $95 annual fee and spending credits that could balance it out. With the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, you earn $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more that you book through CitiTravel.com. You can earn this $100 hotel savings once per calendar year.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also helps you save on hotels. You earn up to $50 in statement credits each account year on hotel stays that you book with Chase Ultimate Rewards. It's not as much as what Citi offers, but it's easier to use, since it doesn't require a stay of $500 or more.

Winner: Tie

Citi Strata Premier vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred: Welcome bonus

Welcome offers are another area where these cards are a close match. The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card earns 70,000 ThankYou® Points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. If you redeem them for travel bookings through Citi or gift cards, those bonus points are worth $700 total ($0.01 per point). Or you could transfer points to Citi's travel partners and potentially get even more value.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also earns 75,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. While it's the same number of points, Chase lets you redeem them for 25% more on bookings through the Chase Travel portal. They're worth $0.0125 per point that way, giving the sign-up bonus a value of over $900. Once again, you can also transfer points to travel partners.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Citi Strata Premier vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred: Rewards

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card has a mix of everyday and travel-friendly bonus categories. It earns:

  • 10X points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
  • 3X points per $1 on restaurants, supermarkets, at gas stations, for air travel, and other hotel purchases
  • 1X points per $1 on other purchases

You also get quite a few bonus categories with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Here's what it earns:

  • 5X points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 annual hotel credit)
  • 5X points per $1 on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025
  • 2X points per $1 on other travel purchases
  • 3X points per $1 on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out
  • 3X points per $1 on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
  • 3X points per $1 on select streaming services
  • 1X point per $1 on other purchases

These cards have lots of similar bonus categories. As far as differences, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the only one to earn bonus streaming rewards.

But the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is the only one to earn bonus gas rewards. It also earns 3X points per $1 on supermarket spending, not just online groceries. That's a big advantage, as most people spend more on gas and groceries than streaming.

Winner: Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Citi Strata Premier vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred: Travel protections

Both cards have a strong set of complimentary travel protections::

  • Auto rental collision damage waiver
  • Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
  • Baggage delay insurance
  • Trip delay reimbursement

These aren't features that get a lot of attention, but they're nice to have. They give you the peace of mind that you're covered if something goes wrong on a trip.

Winner: Tie

Final take

These are both top credit cards. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is slightly ahead for a few reasons. It gives you better ways to use your points, and it's the more well-rounded card. It has a long list of perks and no notable weaknesses, and all for a reasonable annual fee.

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card has the edge for earning rewards. Bonus points on gas and groceries are always a great perk. That's especially true with travel cards, since most don't offer those types of bonus categories. It's also easy enough to earn a $100 hotel credit with this card and make back your annual fee. The decision comes down to whether you prefer that or Chase's rewards program.

Ratings Methodology

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

21.49%-28.49% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases

Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$95

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

75,000 bonus points

  • The enormous welcome bonus (worth over $900), bonus points for travel and dining, and $50 annual hotel credit alone make this card well worth the $95 annual fee. What really stands out are the rare travel protections such as trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance. It’s one of the only low annual fee cards we’ve seen offer those protections. Read Full Review

    • Big sign-up bonus
    • Travel rewards
    • Dining rewards
    • Flexible travel points
    • Consumer and travel protections
    • Annual fee
    • Limited-time perks
    • Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
    • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
    • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 75,000 points are worth $937.50 toward travel.
    • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
    • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
    • Member FDIC

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Apply Now for Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. 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.

1x - 10x points

Annual Fee

$95

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.

70,000 ThankYou® Points

  • Citi Strata Premier offers 3X points on restaurants, supermarkets, at gas stations, for air travel, and other hotel purchases – a unique combination of bonus categories for a low annual fee card. It comes with a welcome bonus that's redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards, no foreign transaction fee, and access to Citi's ThankYou® Rewards program, a standout in the industry. Read Full Review

    • Big sign-up bonus
    • Annual hotel savings offer
    • Travel and dining rewards
    • Grocery and gas rewards
    • Flexible travel rewards points
    • Travel insurance protections
    • Annual fee
    • Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
    • Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
    • Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, 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.
    • No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
    • No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Our Credit Cards Experts

Lyle Daly
By: Lyle Daly

Writer

Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

Eric McWhinnie
Check IconFact Checked Eric McWhinnie

Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.