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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.
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4.9
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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
4.7
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| 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 |
| 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 |
| Travel perks |
|
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| 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
The Citi Strata Premier could be the better option if:
- Your spending habits align with the Citi Strata Premier rewards rate
- You will utilize the annual hotel credit
- You prefer Citi's unique transfer partners
Hotel benefits
One of the primary benefits offered to cardholders of the Citi Strata Premier is an annual hotel credit. You will receive $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more each calendar year through CitiTravel.com (excluding taxes and fees). With the rising costs of hotels, it's fairly easy to spend $500 on a few night's stay. If you expect to spend a weekend away at least once a year, you can cover your entire annual fee with this benefit alone.
I sometimes forget that I have this benefit, and it's always a pleasant surprise when I remember to use it on an upcoming trip. This is one of the reasons I feel like it's such an underrated card — it easily gives you an opportunity to recoup the cost you're spending to carry it, which most cards at this level don't do. For comparison, the hotel credit offered by the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is just up to $50 in statement credits for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠.
Bonus earning categories
The Citi Strata Premier provides 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.
If you can maximize the bonus earning categories, the Citi Strata Premier makes more sense. The 10X points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com rivals the most premium credit cards on the market. The other bonus categories are pretty lucrative, especially if you concentrate your spending on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations. The only downside is the low rate on non-bonus category spending.
If I ever book a flight or hotel outside of a travel portal, I use my Citi Strata Premier. This is another reason why I feel that the Citi Strata Premier is so undervalued. The bonus categories are categories where people spend a significant amount of money.
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 unique transfer partners
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.
Additional travel 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 not to have to pay out of pocket to apply. 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).
Transfer partners
Citi has three unique transfer partners that Capital One cardholders cannot access — JetBlue TrueBlue, Qatar Privilege Club, and Thai Royal Orchid Plus. 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. Plus, having a domestic transfer partner in JetBlue is really nice for regional flights.
Capital One has four unique transfer partners: Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Finnair Plus, and TAP Miles&Go. 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 Flying Blue. 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.
A closer look at the 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.
The Venture has a leg up on the Citi Strata Premier, but only if you can take advantage of the travel credit offered by the Venture.
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.
Earn Valuable Travel Points Even Faster
Current 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.
Annual Fee
$95
Rewards 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
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