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Citi is replacing its long-time Citi Premier® Card with the Citi Strata Premier℠ which packs a few more benefits while maintaining a $95 annual fee. Existing Citi Premier cards are automatically converting to a Citi Strata. Additionally, new applicants can be eligible for a limited-time signup bonus of 75,000 Citi ThankYou points worth $750 in award travel. Here’s a closer look at what’s changed and the new benefits.
Learn more: Point Rewards Credit Cards
What is the Citi Strata Premier?
The Citi Strata Premier℠ is the best travel credit card for earning ThankYou points, as you can earn up to 10x points on travel purchases. Notably, it reintroduces complimentary travel cancellation and interruption insurance, which Citi stripped from its travel products several years ago.
Strata Premier is a mid-tier travel rewards card, a Mastercard World Elite product, and a direct replacement for the Citi Premier, which is no longer accepting new applications. It’s one of the best travel credit cards if you like flight and hotel rewards or combine ThankYou points.
Overall, this new credit card is a positive improvement although Citi still lacks a premium credit card since it discontinued accepting new applications for the Prestige card in 2021.
Learn more: Point Rewards Credit Cards
New Citi Strata $750 Signup Bonus
For a limited time, new cardholders earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. This bonus offer is worth $750 in gift cards or travel rewards on thankyou.com. You can also transfer your points at a 1:1 ratio to participating airlines.
This isn’t the highest signup bonus ever for this card family, but it’s higher than the standard 60,000 points offer worth $600 in travel or gift cards.
This offer is unavailable if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi Premier® or Citi Strata Premier℠ account in the past 48 months.
Related: The Best Credit Card Offers of 2024: Top Perks & Bonuses
Citi Strata Premier vs. Citi Premier Benefits
Most of the card benefits overlap, although it’s now possible to earn bonus points on more purchases, trips are eligible for credit card travel insurance again, and no benefits are going away.
Up to 10x ThankYou Points on Purchases
Qualifying purchases earn up to 10x Citi ThankYou points:
- 10x points on hotel, car rental, and attraction bookings made through Citi Travel
- 3x on air travel, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and EV charging stations
- 1x on all remaining purchases
EV charging is a new 3x bonus category and previously only gas stations qualified. The 10x bonus categories are now permanent as this earnings multiplier was a limited-time promotion with the now-retired Citi Premier.
Related: What Credit Card is Best for Getting Travel Points?
$100 Annual Hotel Benefit
The $100 annual hotel benefit remains the same. Once per calendar year, you get $100 off a single stay costing $500 or more through Citi Travel (excluding fees and taxes).
This perk applies to hotel bookings only and vacation packages are ineligible. You can pay with cash and points and the credit can still apply for this hybrid payment method.
Related: The Best Hotel Credit Cards for 2024: 100k Bonuses, Free Nights!
Travel Protection Benefits
The Citi Strata Premier travel insurance perks include:
- Trip delay protection
- Common carrier trip cancellation and interruption protection
- Lost or damaged luggage
- MasterRental Coverage (rental car insurance)
Coverage limits are unavailable online but are disclosed in the Guide to Protection Benefits that cardholders receive. In general, this is secondary coverage and your existing policy benefits activate before the credit card travel insurance activates.
This is a brand-new benefit and a hopeful step that more Citi credit cards will enjoy similar benefits in the future. It also provides peace of mind for expensive trips that you would book with a competing card that offers this protection if the Strata Premier didn’t have it.
Related: The Best Credit Cards With Travel Insurance Perks
No Foreign Transaction Fees
There are no foreign transaction fees, making this an excellent option for international travel.
Mastercard World Elite Benefits
Enjoy retail and travel perks available to all Mastercard World Elite products.
These include shopping credits on:
- Alo Moves
- Booking.com
- HealthLock
- Instacart
- Lyft
- Peacock
- ResortPass
- ShopRunner
There are also exclusive Mastercard Priceless Experiences, golf benefits, ID theft protection, and 24/7 concierge service.
Redeeming Citi Strata Premier Points
You can redeem ThankYou points for one cent each for travel and gift cards at thankyou.com.
A better option for international flights can be transferring your points directly to the following airlines (usually at a 1:1 ratio):
- Aeromexico
- Avianca LifeMiles
- Cathay Pacific
- Emirates
- Etihad
- EVA Air
- Flying Blue
- JetBlue
- Qantas
- Qatar
- Singapore Airlines
- Thai Royal
- Turkish Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
There are also two hotel transfer partners—ALL Accor Live Limitless and Choice Privileges. Unfortunately, hotel points are usually not worth more by transferring, and only having JetBlue as a domestic airline transfer partner limits point redemption flexibility.
Citi Strata Premier Fees
The annual fee is $95 and no foreign transaction fee. It’s free to add authorized users.
This annual fee remains the same as during the Citi Premier era. Typically, credit card rebranding results in a pricier fee to offset new benefit introductions.
Is the Citi Strata Premier Worth It?
The Citi Strata Premier can be worth it when you want to redeem your ThankYou points through the Citi travel portal or transfer to one of the airline transfer partners for maximum redemption value.
Being able to easily earn or redeem ThankYou points is pivotal, but the annual $100 hotel savings benefit is another deciding factor. The complimentary trip insurance makes this a more enticing product than its predecessor.
Citi Strata Premier Alternatives
You may compare the Strata Premier benefits to these top-rated travel credit cards to get the best benefits.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns up to 5x Ultimate Rewards on qualifying travel purchases. Your points are worth 25% more when booking award travel through Chase, and there are multiple 1:1 airline and hotel transfer partners, including several domestic airlines.
It also has a $95 annual fee, up to $50 in annual hotel statement credits through Chase Travel, and an annual account anniversary bonus.
Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review
Capital One Venture Rewards
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns 2x miles on card purchases along with 5x on hotels and car rentals through Capital One Travel. Redeem points as a travel statement credit or transfer them to airlines and hotels.
Enjoy two one-time airport lounge passes per year, Hertz Five Star status, and discounts or special amenities on Lifestyle Collection hotel bookings through Capital One Travel. The annual fee is $95.
Related: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Review
American Express Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card meshes travel and dining rewards with several statement credits. They include up to $120 in Uber Cash, up to $120 in dining credits, and up to a $100 experience credit to The Hotel Collection.
Earn up to:
- 4x Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
- 4x Membership Rewards® Points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X)
- 3x Membership Rewards® Points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
The annual fee is $250 for the primary card and additional cards are free (See Rates and Fees).
Related: The American Express Gold Card Review for 2024
Summary
The Citi Strata Premier Card is a breath of fresh air for the Citi travel credit cards. It’s ideal for air travel and hotel rewards. Its annual $100 hotel benefit, complimentary travel insurance, and affordable $95 annual fee make it a compelling option for many households.
Learn more: Point Rewards Credit Cards
