The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is the undisputed king of "everyday" travel rewards. While competitors like Chase and Amex force you to choose between dining, travel, or groceries, the Strata Premier offers 3X points on all three, plus gas stations and EV charging. For a modest annual fee, it earns transferable points faster on daily errands than almost any other mid-tier card, making it a powerful tool for families and commuters.

At a Glance

Welcome Offer:
Rewards Rate: 10X Points on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked via Citi Travel; 3X Points on Air Travel, Hotels, Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas Stations, and EV Charging; 1X on everything else
Annual Fee:
Travel Credit: $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes/fees) booked through CitiTravel.com once per calendar year
Foreign Transaction Fee: None
Transfer Partners: 15+ partners, including JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Avianca LifeMiles, and Choice Privileges
Credit Score:

Overview

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (a rebrand and refresh of the popular Citi Premier®) is Citi's flagship mid-tier travel card. It is designed to compete directly with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® and Amex Gold Card. Its philosophy is simple: you shouldn't have to carry three different cards to earn bonus points on your daily commute, weekly grocery run, and weekend dinner. It consolidates all these categories into one 3X powerhouse.

Rewards & Benefits

The 3X "Everyday" Engine:
- 3X Air Travel & Hotels: Standard for a travel card.
- 3X Restaurants: Matches the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
- 3X Supermarkets: Beats both Chase (online only) and Capital One (0 bonus).
- 3X Gas & EV Charging: A category almost totally missing from Chase and Amex travel cards.
10X on Citi Travel: If you book hotels, attractions, or car rentals through the Citi portal, you earn a massive 10 points per dollar. On a $1,000 hotel stay, that’s 10,000 points (worth ~$100+).
$100 Annual Hotel Savings: Once per calendar year, get $100 off a hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes/fees) booked through CitiTravel.com.
ThankYou® Points: Points are flexible. You can transfer them to airlines, redeem for gift cards, or use "Shop with Points" (though transferring to airlines usually yields the highest value, often 1.5–2 cents per point).

Fees & Requirements

Annual Fee: .
Foreign Transaction Fee: None.
Credit Score: Requires credit.
Authorized Users: Free to add.

Borrower Experience

Citi Trifecta: The Strata Premier unlocks the full potential of the Citi Double Cash® and Citi Custom Cash®. You can combine points from those no-fee cards into your Strata Premier account, allowing you to transfer all your points to airline partners.
Portal Experience: The Citi Travel portal is powered by Booking.com, offering a vast hotel inventory and competitive rates.

Who It’s Best For

The Commuter Family: If your household budget is dominated by groceries and gas (or EV charging), this card earns significantly more points than the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
American Airlines Loyalists: If you want transferable points that can become American Airlines AAdvantage miles, Citi is currently the only major bank points ecosystem with a direct transfer path
International Travelers: Its access to Avianca LifeMiles, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer makes it a goldmine for booking international award flights.
"One Card" Travel Lovers: If you want to earn points for travel but don't want to carry a separate "gas card" and "grocery card," this consolidates everything.

Who Should Skip It

Premium Perks Seekers: If you want lounge access and premium statement credits, you’ll likely prefer a higher-tier travel card.
Primary-Coverage Rental Car Loyalists: Citi’s rental coverage is secondary within your country of residence; if you want primary domestic coverage and strong delay protections, other cards may fit better.
Portal-Averse Travelers: If you won’t book through Citi Travel, you’ll miss the biggest accelerators and the $100 off $500+ hotel stay benefit.

Compare

Bottom Line

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is the most underrated mid-tier card on the market. It is a workhorse that rewards you for the mundane spending of daily life (gas, groceries) just as well as it rewards you for dining out. If you are willing to master the art of transferring points to international airline partners, this card offers unbeatable earning potential for a fee.

Citi Strata Premier® Card