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Citi Strata Premier^® Card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Better for Hotels vs. Everyday

The Citi Strata Premier is one of the most underrated cards on the market, while the Venture Rewards is popular for good reason. Here's how they stack up. Citi is a FinanceBuzz partner.

By Ben Walker, CEPF, CFEI®
and Harrison Pierce

Edited by Melinda Sineriz, ABFP™

Updated July 11, 2025

4.9

4.7

Our view

As a cardholder of the Citi Strata Premier^® Card(Rates and fees) and a former cardholder of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (I now have the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card), I am intimately familiar with both cards. The Citi Strata Premier is one of the most underrated cards on the market, especially after Citi added more perks and protections to the card in mid-2024 when rebranding it from the "Citi Premier® Card." The Capital One Venture card, on the other hand, has lived up to its hype for years.

You can tell from their rewards structure that these cards are designed to be used in slightly different ways — and I can see them working well together.

But if you're trying to choose just one, choose the Citi Strata Premier if you do a lot of traveling and don't want to feel tied down to your card issuer's travel portal, especially if you stay in hotels often. You're better off picking the Capital One Venture if you want to earn a higher flat reward rate on all of your spending that doesn't fall into a bonus category. For both travel cards, the best way to use them and maximize your points or miles is to book travel directly through either CitiTravel.com or Capital One Travel, so it sort of comes down to choosing between Citi or Capital One.

You can tell from their rewards structure that these cards are designed to be used in slightly different ways — and I can see them working well together.

How we evaluate products

Citi Strata Premier vs. Capital One Venture

The Citi Strata Premier is, frankly, very underrated. The Venture Rewards Card is a fan favorite among points and miles enthusiasts. Here's how they stack up.

	Citi Strata Premier^® Card 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card 4.7 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Earning rate	10X Points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com; 3X Points on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations; and 1X Points on all other purchases	2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25
FinanceBuzz value calculation¹ <p class="">These values are based on the <a href="https://financebuzz.com/financebuzz-credit-card-valuation">FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model</a>, which takes a look at rewards earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee. We used a valuation of 1 cent/point unless otherwise stated above. These are estimated values - your actual earnings will depend on how much you spend and in what categories.<br></p>	Year one earnings: $1,580 Year two earnings: $980	Year one earnings: $1,571 Year two earnings: $821
Annual fee	$95	$95
Welcome bonus	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	Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Travel perks	$100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) through CitiTravel.com each calendar year	Up to $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years Hertz Five Star status $50 experience credit on Lifestyle Collection bookings
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Excellent, Good
	Read full review	Read full review

When to go with the Citi Strata Premier

These two cards are more closely matched than a lot of cards I've compared side-by-side like this, with equal annual fees, no foreign transaction fees, and comparable earnings potentials.

But I'd be more likely to recommend the Citi Strata Premier to you if:

You spend a lot on hotels each year, including one stay of at least $500.
You want the flexibility to book travel how you want, but you're open to using the Citi travel portal.
You prefer Citi's transfer partners (Wyndham Rewards, JetBlue, and Choice Privileges are a few honorable mentions).

Hotel benefits

One of the primary benefits that sets the Citi Strata Premier apart from other mid-range travel cards is an annual hotel benefit. You will receive $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more each calendar year through CitiTravel.com (excluding taxes and fees). If you expect to spend a weekend away at least once a year, you can essentially cover your entire annual fee with this benefit alone.

I want to take a moment to contrast this with the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, because this is a popular one with a hotel credit. This card offers a statement credit up to $50 each account anniversary year for hotel stays you book through Chase Travel℠. This is less value, but it doesn't have a spending requirement to qualify.

If you end up applying for and getting the Citi Strata Premier, don't be like me and forget you have this benefit. The card is giving you an opportunity to recoup the cost you're spending to carry it, which most cards at this level don't do.

Bonus earning categories

Remember how I said the choice between these two cards can come down to Citi vs. Capital One? The Citi Strata Premier and Capital One Venture differ in this major way: The Citi card is better for travel spending outside the Citi Travel portal, but the Capital One card earns the higher base rate on "everything else."

As a refresher, the Citi Strata Premier earns 10X points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com. This rate rivals the most premium credit cards on the market. Then it also earns 3X points on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations, though just 1X points on all other purchases.

If you can maximize the bonus-earning categories, the Citi Strata Premier is the better option for you.

My two cents

Citi seems to have spent a lot of time analyzing its target consumer, which I appreciate. As a traveler, I want a card that easily accumulates points across major categories, and this isn't something you always see with a relatively low annual fee travel card.

When to go with the Capital One Venture Rewards

You might be better off with the Capital One Venture if:

You want a simple rewards rate without bonus categories to track.
You want to enroll in TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
You prefer Capital One's transfer partners (with stand-out options being Avianca, Air Canada, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines).

Again, the ideal candidate for this card is a big fan of the Capital One Travel portal.

Earnings on everyday purchases

The ability to earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day is a fantastic way to accumulate miles quickly. Although the Citi Strata Premier earns more in select categories, you can use your Venture card on any purchase anytime and know you're getting a good return.

TSA Precheck or Global Entry and car rental perks

You can receive up to $120 as a statement credit for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every four years. Whether you're already enrolled in these programs and want to renew your membership or you are ready to enroll for the first time, it's nice to be able to have those costs reimbursed. I absolutely love having Global Entry, which also gives TSA PreCheck benefits.

Cardholders also receive Hertz Five Star status, which gives benefits like upgrades when available and an additional driver for free. If you book a Lifestyle Collection property through Capital One Travel, you'll receive a $50 experience credit to use onsite, along with a room upgrade and early check-in/late checkout (as available).

Citi vs. Capital One: Transfer partners

	Citi	Capital One
Aeromexico Club Premier	Yes	Yes
Air Canada Aeroplan®		Yes
Air France-KLM Flying Blue	Yes	Yes
Avianca LifeMiles	Yes	Yes
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles	Yes	Yes
Choice Privileges	Yes	Yes
British Airways Executive Club		Yes
Emirates Skywards	Yes	Yes
Etihad Guest	Yes	Yes
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands	Yes	Yes
Finnair Plus		Yes
JetBlue TrueBlue	Yes	Yes
Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club	Yes
Preferred Hotels & Resorts	Yes
Qantas Frequent Flyer	Yes	Yes
Qatar Airways Privilege Club	Yes
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer	Yes	Yes
TAP Miles&Go		Yes
Thai Airways Royal Orchard Plus	Yes
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles	Yes	Yes
Virgin Red		Yes
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club	Yes
Wyndham Rewards	Yes	Yes

Citi

Citi has several unique transfer partners that Capital One cardholders cannot access, including Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club, Thai Airways Royal Orchard Plus, and Qatar Airways Privilege Club.

I've flown Qatar Airways before and can attest that it has one of the best business class products in the sky, so it's nice to have the option to transfer my Citi ThankYou Points to the airline.

Capital One

Capital One has five unique transfer partners: Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Finnair Plus, TAP Miles&Go, and Virgin RED. I've flown British Airways from the U.S. to England, and it was a great experience. TAP Air Portugal is also convenient for getting around Europe if you're based in Portugal.

Most of the major airline partners you'd use are shared between them, like Avianca, Emirates, and TrueBlue. Unless you're incredibly loyal to one of these international airlines or frequently fly a route operated by these airlines, transfer partners won't play a massive role in your decision-making between these two cards.

Citi vs. Capital One: Welcome offers

The Citi Strata Premier and Capital One Venture both offer welcome offers, so now is a great time to consider a new card. New cardholders of the Citi Strata Premier can 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.

New cardholders of the Venture Rewards Card can enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.

FAQs

Is Citibank better than Capital One?

Both Citibank and Capital One provide different types of credit cards, but Capital One generally has a better selection because there are more cards to choose from. This could make it easier to find credit cards that align with your personal finance goals and spending habits.

Is it hard to get approved for Citi Strata Premier?

It could be hard to get approved, depending on your credit score. You typically need a good or excellent credit score to qualify for the Citi Strata Premier, which is at least a 670 on the FICO scoring model. Remember that credit card issuers use multiple factors to determine your eligibility, and your credit score is only one of those factors.

Is the Citi Strata Premier card worth it?

The Citi Strata Premier is worth it for many frequent travelers because it provides elevated rewards on common purchases, including 10X Points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com; 3X Points on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations; and 1X Points on all other purchases. You can use any rewards you earn to help offset travel costs for airfare, hotel stays, cruises, and more.

Bottom line

The Citi Strata Premier^® Card (Rates and fees) and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card are fantastic cards with no clear winner between the two of them. With so much overlap in transfer partners, different earning methods, and equally valuable benefits, you'd be lucky to have either card in your wallet.

When deciding between them, evaluate your spending habits and travel goals to see which makes more sense.

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