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Citi recently launched its latest travel credit card, Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, with one of the fastest rates of points accrual in the credit card world, despite a low annual fee ($95) and travel protections aplenty. The new card builds upon the success of the Card Citi Premier® Card and replaces its predecessor as a more premium version of Premier, with enhanced benefits yet the same annual fee.
“It has been our vision to refresh our Citi rewards credit card portfolio for some time,” says Pam Habner, head of U.S. branded cards and lending at Citi, in an interview with Afar. “It’s actually been a multiyear journey, which first entailed enhancing our ThankYou program and developing a Citi travel portal powered by booking.com.” Now, she states, Citi has “a breakthrough premier card” with rewards and benefits most in tune with the desires of today’s travelers. The executive, whose name is synonymous with the development and success of the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, also draws parallels between the Strata and the Reserve, stating that both are bound by “deeply understanding customer needs, building breakthrough value propositions, and delivering excellent acquisition offers.”
To celebrate its launch, the Citi Strata Premier Card is enticing prospective cardholders with a hefty welcome offer: Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. This sum of points can be cashed out for $700 in gift cards or $700 in travel rewards through Citi’s booking platform or even transferred to 14 airline partner and 3 hotel partners.
Here, find more details on why you should consider the new Citi Strata Premier Card, from its earnings rates to its travel benefits and, of course, the tempting welcome offer.
A card that allows you to earn points quickly
The Citi Strata Premier Card lets you rack up points quickly by offering extra points in several popular spending categories among travelers. “In 2023, travel spending was up 13 percent and constituted the fastest growing category of spending in the credit card world,” says Habner. “Travel is back to stay, and we wanted our new card to reflect that in terms of earning and redeeming points.” In this vein, card members earn 10 ThankYou Points when booking hotels, car rentals, and attractions through CitiTravel.com. Next, you’ll earn three points per dollar spent on air travel and hotels (outside of Citi’s travel site) and at restaurants, EV charging stations, gas stations, and even supermarkets. You’ll earn one point per dollar on everything else.
Here’s how those earnings rates compare to other popular low-fee travel credit cards and those with higher annual fees.
*Earn four points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then one point per dollar).
For those looking to earn points using a low annual fee card, Citi Strata Premier comes in strong. Overall, it offers better earnings rates than its $95 competitors, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Put in perspective, the $95 annual fee Chase Sapphire Preferred Card grants three points per dollar on dining, but only two on travel and one at gas stations and brick-and-mortar supermarkets. Triple points on both dining and travel are on par with the pricey Chase Sapphire Reserve’s earnings structure, and that multiplier remains a key selling point for the Reserve.
On the flip side, getting just one point per dollar on other everyday purchases on the Strata stands inferior to double points per dollar spent on Capital One cards, regardless of category. Also, foodie-favorite American Express® Gold Card still reigns supreme in the categories of restaurants and supermarkets, with four points per dollar spent.
Learn more about these top travel credit cards here.
Travel benefits
There are numerous travel benefits on the Citi Strata Card. Each calendar year, you’ll get a $100 credit on a single-stay prepaid hotel booking of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when you book through the Citi Travel site. Like AmEx, Capital One, and Chase, Citi offers extra perks at select high-end hotels when you book through its proprietary site. On-property benefits may include complimentary breakfast for two, free Wi-Fi, a $100 resort credit, and early check-in, late check-out, and room upgrades upon availability.
While the Citi Premier didn’t include any travel protections, the new Strata has four: Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption (Common Carrier), Trip Delay, Lost or Damaged Luggage, and MasterRental Coverage (Car Rental).
Finally, as a Mastercard World Elite credit card, the Strata arrives with the perks standard to this Mastercard portfolio. Highlights include a complimentary 24/7 concierge service, Lyft discounts and credits until September 30, 2025 (earn a $5 credit after three Lyft rides each month and save 10 percent on all scheduled rides to U.S. airports), and access to Priceless Experiences, which allows Mastercard holders to partake in exclusive, curated once-in-a-lifetime events and endeavors.
A big welcome bonus and the best ways to spend it
The Citi Strata Premier Card is welcoming new cardmembers with a 70,000-point welcome offer. This bonus comes in the form of Citi ThankYou points, which can be redeemed in dozens of ways. One of our favorites is toward gift cards at a ratio of 1,000 points to $10 (e.g., 70,000 welcome bonus = $700 in gift cards). More than 100 retailers participate in this gift card program, from Apple to Starbucks to CVS Pharmacy to Target and DoorDash.
Another preferred route for cashing out ThankYou points is transferring to airline and hotel partners. ThankYou points transfer to 14 airline partners at a 1:1 ratio, and there are ways to amplify the value of your ThankYou points with these partnerships. For example, JetBlue TrueBlue is one partner; TrueBlue points are pegged to ticket dollar value and are worth about 1.5 cents apiece. If you do the math, the 70,000 welcome bonus means $1,050 in JetBlue tickets.
Below is the complete list of airline transfer partners.
- Aeromexico Club Premier
- Air France–KLM Flying Blue
- Avianca LifeMiles
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Emirates Skywards
- Etihad Guest
- EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Points can also be transferred to three hotel partners at the following ratios:
- ALL – Accor Live Limitless at 1:0.5 ratio
- Choice Privileges at 1:2 ratio
- Wyndham Rewards at 1:1 ratio
In addition, points can be used to redeem travel through the Citi Travel portal at a rate of 1 cent per point (e.g., 70,000 points = $700). Customers have access to “an expansive set of options, including 1.4 million hotels through the site,” according to Habner. They also can book airfare, attractions, and experiences “from hot-air balloon rides to cooking classes,” she says.
For existing Premier cardholders
For those who already have the Citi Premier Card, the benefits of the new Strata take effect immediately. A new card with the sleek design of the Strata will arrive upon card renewal. For those hoping to double-dip on the Premier bonus, think again. If you have received a new account bonus in the past 48 months on the Premier card, you are not eligible for the welcome bonus on the Strata. This is strictly enforced.
Takeaways
The new Citi Premier Strata Card has launched with a welcome offer of 70,000 points. The card promises the chance to earn points quickly and has lots of flexibility for points redemptions. Overall, those wanting a versatile credit card should consider getting this card, but note that there are other competitive cards on the market as well. Pick the one that’s right for you.
While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they are subject to change at any time and may have changed or may no longer be available.
