The Citi Strata Premier card is the top-tier travel rewards card in Citi’s ThankYou Points ecosystem. If you want a strong sign-up bonus, valuable transfer partners, and solid earning categories, this is the card to get if you’re serious about travel redemptions through Citi.
This is the most valuable card Citi offers for earning and redeeming ThankYou points. The 60,000-point sign-up bonus — earned after $4,000 in spending within 3 months — is significantly higher than what you’ll find on Citi’s no-fee cards. With a $95 annual fee that can be offset by a $100 hotel credit through the Citi Travel portal, the value is clear. If you’re looking to access Citi’s airline and hotel transfer partners, this is the card that unlocks that functionality.
The Citi Strata Premier gives you meaningful earning opportunities and full access to Citi’s ThankYou transfer partners — all for a relatively low annual fee.
If you’re redeeming ThankYou points for travel, especially through transfer partners, this is the card you want in your wallet.
This card may not be the right fit if:
Citi points have limited utility; we don’t generally collect them without a clear use in mind
Citi offers two lower-tier cards without annual fees. Both feature much smaller sign-up bonuses — $200 cash back for both the Citi Double Cash and Citi Custom Cash cards. Each card has its own spending multipliers: 2x points on all purchases with no limits for the Double Cash, and 5x points on your top eligible spending category each billing cycle for the Custom Cash.
Despite these lower-tier cards' welcome offers, the primary advantage of choosing the Strata Premier is the ability to transfer your Citi ThankYou points to any of their hotel and airline partners. For those familiar with the points and miles hobby, this capability is crucial for unlocking the most valuable rewards and redemptions.
| Bonus Points | Minimum Spend | Point Value | Annual Value | Annual Fee |
1st Year Value
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60,000 | $4,000 | 1.4 ¢ | $22 | $95 |
$823
|
3X points
4.2¢ Per Dollar Spent
1X points
1.4¢ Per Dollar Spent
3X points
4.2¢ Per Dollar Spent
3X points
4.2¢ Per Dollar Spent
3X points
4.2¢ Per Dollar Spent
3X points
4.2¢ Per Dollar Spent
Transfer To Spouse/Partner Yes
Transfer To Friends Yes
Citi ThankYou Points Outside Point System
1:1 93% value retained
1:1.12 96% value retained
1:1 86% value retained
1:1 93% value retained
1:0.8 74% value retained
1:1 86% value retained
1:1 86% value retained
1:1 93% value retained
1:1 86% value retained
1:1 100% value retained
1:0.8 57% value retained
You'll be declined if you've OPENED or CLOSED any Citi Card in the ThankYou "family" in past 24 months
Card approval not subject to 5-personal-cards-in-24-months rule
You'll be declined if you apply for a third Citi card within 65 days
You'll be declined if you apply for a second Citi card (business and/or personal) within 8 days
You'll be declined if there are 6 or more hard inquiries on your credit report the past 6 months
Below is a snapshot of where this card performs best compared to the other cards in our database:
- Citi Premier MasterCard - Limited Time Offer - 75,000 Points, after spending $4000 in 3 months, $95 Annual fee.
- Citi AAdvantage Platinum - Special Offer - $75,000 AA Miles, after spending $3500 in 4 months, $0 Annual fee for the first year, then $99.
- Chase Sapphire Visa - Limited Time Offer - 80,000 Points, after spending $4000 in 3 months, $95 Annual fee.
- Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard - Limited Time Offer - 70,000 Points, after spending $2000 in 3 months, $89 Annual fee.
Earn 80,000 points after spending $4000 in 3 months with the Citi Premier Card, $85 annual fee is not waived.
Earn 80,000 Bonus Points after spending $4000 in 3 months with the Citi Premier Card - this is a limited time offer.
