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Citi Strata Premier vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is undoubtedly more popular than the Citi Strata Premier, but which one provides more benefits? Here’s how the two cards stack up.
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| Star ratings | ||
| FinanceBuzz value calculation1 | Year one earnings: $1,630
Year two earnings: $930 |
Year one earnings: $1,486
Year two earnings: $789 |
| Annual fee | $95 | $95 |
| Welcome bonus | 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 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 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 | 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases |
| Statement credits | $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com | Up to $50 in annual statement credits for hotels booked through Chase Travel |
| Other benefits | N/A |
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| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Credit score needed | Excellent, Good | Excellent, Good |
| Learn more | Learn more |
When to go with the Citi Strata Premier
The Citi Strata Premier Card is an ideal option if:
- You want to maximize your earning potential
- You can utilize the annual hotel credit
- Your spending habits match the bonus categories
Earning potential
Many travel rewards cards earn points or miles on travel-related purchases. With the Citi Strata Premier, you can earn 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.
With the Sapphire Preferred, you can earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.
Overall, each card’s bonus categories are useful, but the Citi Strata Premier takes the edge with how much you can earn in common spending categories. Personally, I’ve never made an online grocery purchase, so I’ve never been able to utilize this category bonus on the Sapphire Preferred. I also don’t pay for streaming services, so I concentrate my card use on travel and dining purchases.
The Citi Strata Premier is an excellent card if you’re booking travel directly with a hotel or airline and don’t have a co-branded credit card with the provider. That extra point per dollar can allow you to accumulate a decent balance in your account pretty quickly.
Hotel benefit
Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Citi Strata Premier offer a hotel benefit, but they are slightly different. Citi Strata Premier cardholders can receive $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through Citi Travel. This benefit alone is enough to cover the annual fee, making it a solid benefit for cardholders.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred gives cardholders a $50 statement credit each account anniversary on hotel stays booked through Chase Travel. Note that there isn’t a spending requirement, which makes it much easier to use than the Citi Strata Premier.
However, the value of the statement credit is only half that of the Citi Strata Premier. If you’re staying at least a few nights, you’ll likely meet the spending requirement. The Citi Strata Premier is the better choice for travelers looking to benefit from discounted hotel stays.
When to go with the Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred might be the better option if:
- You like the transfer partners better
- You want to book travel through the travel portal
- You’re looking for an easy-to-use hotel credit
Transfer partners
Both the Citi Strata Premier and Chase Sapphire Preferred allow you to transfer points to various hotel and airline transfer partners, which can potentially yield outsized value from your earnings.
Citi transfer partners aren’t necessarily better than Chase transfer partners, and vice versa, as it all depends on which partners offer you more value. Citi transfer partners include over a dozen top loyalty programs like Avianca, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and Qatar Privilege Club.
On the other hand, Chase partners with a few major hotel brands, including IHG Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt. Chase also has a number of domestic airline partners, such as JetBlue TrueBlue, Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, and United MileagePlus.
Value of points
The Chase Sapphire Preferred gives cardholders a 25% bonus in the value of points when redeemed through Chase Travel. So, instead of one point being worth one cent, it is worth 1.25 cents. When you see this on a larger scale, you’ll need to spend far fewer points to book travel through the portal than the Citi Strata Premier.
Plus, cardholders will get a point bonus on each account anniversary of 10% of their total purchases from the previous year. If you spend $25,000 throughout the year, you’ll get 2,500 bonus points. Even if you don’t care about transferring your points for greater value, it’s clear that the Sapphire Preferred offers a better value proposition no matter which redemption method you choose.
A closer look at the welcome bonuses
The Citi Strata Premier allows new cardholders to 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. However, utilizing the available transfer partners can likely get outsized value from your points.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred allows new cardholders to earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Although this might sound like a worse deal, thanks to the 25% bump in value when you redeem points through Chase Travel, that welcome offer is worth $750.
Why not get both cards?
Ultimately, I think these cards work better together than they do individually. When you hold both cards, you’ll get up to $150 in statement credits toward hotel bookings each year, a fantastic earning potential across several bonus categories, and comprehensive travel insurance so you’re protected while on the road. You’ll also gain access to more transfer partners, allowing you to extend the value of your points.
I’ve never regretted holding both cards, and I know there’s room for both in my larger points and miles strategy. Keep in mind that Chase has the 5/24 rule, which means you’ll likely be automatically denied for a new card if you’ve gotten five cards in the past 24 months. If you want to apply for both the Citi Strata Premier and the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you might want to apply for the Sapphire Preferred first to avoid any issues.
FAQs
Is the Citi Strata Premier worth it?
The Citi Strata Premier card is well worth it if you need a travel rewards credit card with flexible points redemption options. Compared to other travel credit cards, the Citi Strata Premier may not have as many premium travel benefits, but it provides a wide range of ways to earn bonus rewards on your purchases.
Is the Chase Sapphire Preferred a good card?
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is one of the best travel credit cards available. It has a low $95 annual fee, earns valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points, and comes with helpful benefits like travel coverage and purchase protection. In addition, you’ll also earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
What credit score do you need for the Citi Strata Premier?
You'll likely need a good or excellent credit score to get approved for the Citi Strata Premier card. Good credit typically starts around 670 on the FICO model.
What credit score do you need for the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
You’ll likely need a good or excellent credit score to get approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred. A FICO credit score in the high 600s to the mid-700s is typically considered good, whereas credit above 800 is considered excellent.
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Citi Strata Premier are two fantastic travel credit cards with annual fees below $100. Each has qualities that could make it a better option for a different type of consumer, so there isn’t a clear winner between the two. When deciding between them, analyze your spending habits and travel and financial goals to see which aligns better with your lifestyle.
Great for Flexible Travel Rewards
Current Offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$95
Rewards Rate
5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases