Is the Citi Strata Premier well worth the annual price?

The Citi Strata Premier® Card (see charges and costs) is Citi’s mid-tier journey card. The Strata Premier earns bonus factors on on a regular basis spending classes and unlocks full-value entry to switch companions.

However with so many different good choices, is the Strata Premier well worth the $95 annual price? Under, we break down the essential elements of the cardboard so you possibly can determine whether it is for you.

The Strata Premier is presently providing 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 inside the first three months from account opening.

Citi ThankYou factors are price 1.9 cents every in accordance with TPG’s September 2025 valuations, making this bonus price $1,140.

We advocate making use of for the cardboard when a larger welcome supply of a minimum of 70,000 factors is accessible to maximise your preliminary funding in opening the cardboard and paying the annual price.

Earlier than making use of, take into account your eligibility as properly. In response to Citi:

Bonus ThankYou® Factors should not accessible when you obtained a brand new account bonus for a Citi Premier® or Citi Strata Premier® account previously 48 months or when you transformed one other Citi bank card account on which you earned a brand new account bonus within the final 48 months right into a Citi Premier® or Citi Strata Premier® account.

Associated: Finest methods to redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards factors

Should you ask individuals what they like in regards to the Strata Premier, the most typical reply is probably going that it earns factors in fashionable spending classes.

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The cardboard earns 10 factors per greenback spent on points of interest, automotive leases and motels booked by way of the Citi Journey portal.

As well as, the Strata Premier earns 3 factors per greenback spent within the following classes (no caps or annual limits):

• Air journey
• Electrical automobile charging stations
• Fuel stations
• Lodges (non-Citi Journey purchases)
• Eating places (together with takeout)
• Supermarkets

All different purchases earn 1 level per greenback spent.

TPG bank cards author Danyal Ahmed commonly makes use of his Strata Premier card to pay for gasoline and groceries, which helps him accumulate ThankYou factors rapidly. Incomes bonus factors on on a regular basis spending and Strata Premier’s spectacular switch companions motivated him to use for the cardboard.

Plus, the Strata Premier’s bonus classes apply worldwide, in contrast to some playing cards that solely supply bonus factors on purchases inside the U.S.

Associated: Do you have to guide motels by way of Citi Journey?

When figuring out if the Strata Premier’s $95 annual price is price it, take into account which airline frequent flyer packages you possibly can entry. Citi has some nice switch companions like Qatar Airways Privilege Membership, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership, however probably the most notable is the recently-added American Airways AAdvantage.

Though no-annual-fee Citi playing cards additionally switch to AAdvantage, the ratio is unfavorable at 1:0.7. The Strata Premier is probably the most reasonably priced annual price card to switch factors at a 1:1 ratio, making it a worthwhile funding.

Danyal is a large fan of the AAdvantage program, and the flexibility to switch ThankYou factors to this system is sufficient purpose for him to maintain paying the annual price yr after yr.

Resort credit score

As a cardholder, you may get an annual good thing about $100 off a single lodge keep of $500 or extra (excluding taxes and costs) whenever you guide by way of Citi Journey.

Nonetheless, whereas this profit sounds promising and may be nice when staying at boutique, unbiased properties, it might not yield the $100 in financial savings you count on.

Earlier than making a lodge reservation on Citi Journey, verify the worth of the lodge when reserving instantly to check whether or not you are getting the very best fee. Citi Journey does not all the time have the bottom fee, so your $100 low cost might not really be a strong deal.

Bookings by way of journey portals like Citi Journey usually do not earn lodge factors or honor elite advantages, so issue that into the $100 low cost.

Associated: What it’s essential to learn about direct versus third-party journey bookings

The Strata Premier offers the next journey protections:

Further details about coverage limits and exclusions could be discovered right here.

Purchasing protections embody:

As a World Elite Mastercard cardholder, you possibly can take pleasure in additional perks like International Emergency Companies, a $5 Lyft credit score whenever you take a minimum of three rides in a month (supply ends Jan. 31, 2026) and $10 off your second Instacart order every month, together with three months of complimentary Instacart+ (supply ends Jan. 31, 2027).

Anybody with a Citi bank card, together with the Strata Premier, can entry Citi Leisure.

This offers entry to unique occasions and precedence entry for advance ticket gross sales to live shows, movie festivals, performances and exhibits.

Should you can maximize the bonus classes and get good worth from Citi’s switch companions, you might discover that to be a priceless return properly past the annual price. Nonetheless, if you would like extra tangible worth from assertion credit and different perks, you may possible need to go along with a totally different bank card, just like the extra premium Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see charges and costs).

To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Strata Premier.

Apply right here: Strata Premier