Citi Strata Premier℠ Card Review

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Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Rates & Fees

REVIEW & APPLY

On Issuer's Site

Rewards Summary

Earn 1X – 10X points

APR

20.49% - 28.49% variable

Annual Fee

$95

Recommended Credit

670-850 (Good to Excellent)

PROS
- Opportunity to earn a sizeable sign-up bonus
- 3X points for travel purchases and on a few other categories
- No foreign transaction fees
- Transfer points to popular frequent flyer programs or redeem them in other ways
- $100 hotel savings benefit each year
CONS
- Annual fee of $95
- No complimentary insurance
- No purchase protection
- Cash advance and balance transfer fees
- Penalty APR may apply in case of a late or returned payment
- Introductory Offers
  - For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou Points after spending $4,000 in the first three months. Redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Rewards
  - Earn 10 ThankYou Points per dollar on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com.
  - Earn 3 points per dollar on air travel, other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas, and EV charging stations.
  - Earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
- Perks & Benefits
  - Enjoy a $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Get $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more once per calendar year when booked through CitiTravel.com.
  - No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases.
  - Points do not expire and there's no limit to the amount you can earn.

WHY TRUST OUR REVIEWS

MoneyGeek uses a comprehensive review process when appraising credit cards. We independently collect data from various sources, including the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau’s database. Throughout our process, we standardize data points, use an average spending profile and factor in promotions, among many other considerations. Additionally, our team regularly revisits our data to ensure the accuracy of our findings.

For a $95 annual fee, the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card rewards spending on popular categories with flexible points. You earn three ThankYou points per dollar spent on groceries, gas, restaurants, airlines and hotels, while you earn one point per dollar on everything else. The points can be redeemed as gift cards, travel rewards, cash back and more. You can even transfer your points to Citi's transfer partners.

Additionally, you can earn the sign-up bonus of 75,000 ThankYou points if you spend $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening. That’s worth around $800 in gift cards. Plus, you earn a total of 10 ThankYou® points per dollar spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel portal.

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card Overview

All purchases made with the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card earn ThankYou points. Every dollar spent on groceries, gas, restaurants, hotels and airfare earns you three points, while you get one point on everything else. There’s no limit on the points you can earn, and they don’t expire. While the value of your ThankYou points may change, they are usually around one cent per point.

Currently, the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card gives a welcome bonus of 75,000 ThankYou points if you spend $4,000 within three months of the account opening. Plus, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® points per dollar spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel.

ThankYou points can be redeemed in a number of ways:

Quick Take

Earn 75,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months (valued at $800 when you redeem them for gift cards).
Earn 3x points on air travel, on hotel bookings, at gas stations, at supermarkets and at restaurants.
Earn 1x points on all other purchases.
Get $100 off a hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding fees and taxes) when you book through thankyou.com (online or over the phone).
Transfer your points to airline loyalty programs such as American Airlines AAdvantage, Aeromexico, Asia Miles, Avianca LifeMiles, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, Flying Blue, InterMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Malaysia Airlines Enrich, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qatar Privilege Club, Singapore Airlines, Thai Royal Orchid Plus, Miles & Smiles and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Other ways to redeem your points include getting gift cards, shopping online, paying for travel, getting statement credits, making online bill payments and making charitable donations.
Pay no foreign transaction fees when you use this card internationally.
Additional cards come with no annual fees.
Access to Citi Entertainment gives you the means to buy tickets to various events as well as presale tickets.

Citi Strata Premier Points Estimator

Estimate the value of the rewards you could earn with the Citi Strata Premier card. Enter your estimated monthly spending in each category to see how many points you can earn annually.

Important Disclaimers:

This calculator is for planning and evaluation purposes and not sponsored or endorsed by Citi.
Some of your purchases may not be eligible for earning points.
The value of points at redemption will vary.

Monthly spending on airfare (3x points)

Monthly spending on hotel purchases outside CitiTravel.com (3x points)

Monthly spending at restaurants (3x points)

Monthly spending at supermarkets (3x points)

Monthly spending on gas (3x points)

Monthly spending on EV charging stations (3x points)

Monthly spending on other purchases (1x points)

Points Earned From the Card:0

Estimated Points Value:0 cents

Value of Points:$0

Important Card Details

To accurately assess the potential value proposition of the Citi Strata Premier Card to your wallet, it’s important to understand the fees associated with the card.

Regular APR

This card comes with a variable APR of 21.24% - 29.24% , depending on the cardholder’s creditworthiness. This APR applies to all purchases.

Annual Fee

The card comes with a $95 annual fee. However, it can easily be set off by earning at least 9,500 points, which is equivalent to spending around $3,200 per year in the reward categories with tripled points.

Points Rewards Rate

You earn 3x ThankYou points for every dollar spent on groceries, restaurants, gas, hotel and airfare; other purchases earn 1x points per dollar. Points can be redeemed as gift cards, cash back and travel rewards. While the conversion varies depending on available offers, one point usually converts to one cent. You can also transfer your points to Citi’s partner airlines to get more value on your points.

Additional Benefits

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card has a number of benefits beyond its lucrative rewards system.

Contactless payment: Use this card to safely shop with qualified merchants by simply tapping your cards on contactless payment readers.
Additional users: You can add an authorized user to your account for free. This allows you to earn points faster.
Citi Entertainment: Users of this card gain exclusive access to the most anticipated concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and more.

How the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card Compares To Other Cards

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card stands firm when compared with similar cards. It offsets the reasonable annual fee by offering tripled rewards on various spending categories and a flexible rewards redemption option. However, its overall value depends on your needs and preferences.

In-Depth Credit Card Comparisons:

Citi Strata Premier® Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

How the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card Compares

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Annual Fee: $95
Rewards Rate: 3x points on grocery, restaurants, gas, hotel and airfare; 1x points on other categories
Welcome Bonus: 75,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first three months. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® points per dollar spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel portal.
Travel Benefits: N/A
Mini Verdict: Ideal for big spenders who frequently travel internationally

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Annual Fee: $95
Rewards Rate: 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases and 1x on all other purchases.
Welcome Bonus: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first three months
Travel Benefits: Complimentary insurance on trip cancellations, auto rental collisions, baggage delays and trip delays
Mini Verdict: Ideal for travelers who want to earn points and have some travel protections with their card

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average credit score needed to get approved for the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card?

You need good to excellent credit to qualify.

Does the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card report to all three credit bureaus?

Yes, it reports to the three major credit bureaus.

Is the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card application process lengthy? Can you prequalify?

Currently, you cannot obtain a pre-approval for the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card. However, its application process is easy, and it can be done online.

What information is needed to apply for the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card?

You’ll have to provide personal, contact and financial information to apply. This may include your name, birthday, address, Social Security number, annual income and more.

Does the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card have good customer service or satisfaction?

Based on J.D. Power’s 2021 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, Citi ranked below average on customer service. However, they do offer 24/7 support via phone and web-based chat.

Does the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card have a mobile app or the option to pay or manage your account online?

You may use Citi’s mobile app or website to manage your account online.

Does the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card raise credit limits automatically or charge for limit increases?

Citi may automatically raise your credit limit starting the sixth month after account opening. You can also request a credit limit increase online or by calling their customer service hotline. They don’t charge for this service.

Does the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card offer the option to freeze your credit/account or have other security features?

Yes, you can block your card using the Citi mobile app. They also offer transaction alerts, virtual credit card numbers and identity theft assistance.

Does Citi offer other credit cards besides the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card?

Citi offers a variety of credit cards for all kinds of consumers. They have quite a few cards for business and personal customers alike.

About Doug Milnes, CFA

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.

Read Full Bio »

sources

Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. "Credit card agreement database." Accessed October 4, 2024.
J.D. Power. "2021 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study." Accessed October 4, 2024.

*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
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MoneyGeek’s Take

Citi Strata Premier Card Review