Citi rounded out its lineup of Strata bank cards this yr, giving customers three choices to select from.
However what’s behind the names, and what ought to candidates know earlier than sending of their functions?
For one, the Citi Strata℠ Card (see charges and costs) is good for novices to transferable factors. The mid-tier Citi Strata Premier® Card (see charges and costs) is superb for frequent vacationers seeking to construct their steadiness of Citi ThankYou Rewards factors. And the premium Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see charges and costs) is a strong choice for luxurious vacationers loyal to Citi.
There are a number of causes you’d need to choose up a Strata bank card — together with the flexibility to gather one among TPG’s most beneficial transferable rewards currencies, valued at 1.9 cents apiece per our September 2025 valuations. You need to use these factors for money again, present playing cards or journey, booked by Citi Journey or transferred to loyalty companions.
Which Strata card is best for you? Let’s get into the main points that will help you determine.
Evaluating the Citi Strata playing cards
Earlier than we element the advantages of every card, let’s go over the fundamentals.
| Card | Welcome supply | Annual price | Switch ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strata | Earn 30,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | $0 | 1:0.7 |
| Strata Premier | Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | $95 | 1:1 |
| Strata Elite | Earn 80,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. | $595 | 1:1 |
As is the case with most rewards bank cards, these welcome affords present nearly all of every card’s first-year worth. So, it is vital to maintain these in thoughts and apply for the cardboard when the bonus is excessive.
With the Strata Premier and Strata Elite, we suggest transferring your ThankYou factors to obtain most worth. While you switch to companions reminiscent of Air France-KLM Flying Blue, American Airways AAdvantage or Wyndham Rewards, you’ll obtain a switch ratio of 1:1. This implies in the event you have been to switch 1,000 ThankYou factors, you’d obtain 1,000 factors or miles in this system you are transferring to.
The no-annual-fee Strata doesn’t unlock a 1:1 switch ratio. So, in the event you transferred 1,000 ThankYou factors, you’d obtain simply 700 factors or miles within the companion program. Due to this, we do not suggest transferring ThankYou factors from the Strata.
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After all, you possibly can pool your Citi ThankYou factors in a single account (like you possibly can with Chase Final Rewards), however you will need to make certain you will have a premium card, just like the Strata Premier, Strata Elite or Citi Status® Card, to unlock the total 1:1 switch ratio.
The data for the Citi Status has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
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Strata: Award journey novices
In the event you’re newer to incomes factors for journey, making use of for the Strata is an effective place to start out. The cardboard is not perfect for knowledgeable award vacationers, nevertheless it’s an honest studying device for these simply moving into the pastime.
Prime perks
The Strata supplies a superb introduction to incomes ThankYou factors. As a result of the cardboard would not cost an annual price, extra perks are restricted.
Nevertheless, the Strata options a formidable listing of bonus classes for a no-annual-fee card:
- 5 factors per greenback spent on points of interest, automotive leases and inns booked by Citi Journey
- 3 factors per greenback spent on electrical car charging stations, fuel purchases, choose transit and supermarkets
- 3 factors per greenback spent on an eligible self-selected class (which you’ll change every quarter)
- 2 factors per greenback spent at eating places
- 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
The self-selected classes are:
- Barber outlets, beauty shops and hair salons
- Health golf equipment
- Reside leisure
- Pet provide shops
- Choose streaming companies
Factors from the Strata switch to loyalty companions at a 1:0.7 ratio, so this is not the cardboard to make use of with companions. Nevertheless, if you wish to complement with a premium ThankYou points-earning card or redeem your factors in one other means, this card is an effective alternative.
The Strata is greatest for cardholders who …
- Do not need to pay an annual price
- Redeem ThankYou factors by Citi Journey or money again (not transferring to companions)
- Spend regularly throughout a number of classes
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the Strata.
Associated: When (and why) you need to downgrade from the Citi Strata Premier to the Citi Strata Card
Strata Premier: Frequent vacationers
The mid-tier Strata Premier is the only option for vacationers who need to earn factors rapidly and redeem them at a excessive worth.
Prime perks
With the Strata Premier, it is easy to gather ThankYou factors and redeem them for glorious worth.
The cardboard contains a lengthy listing of bonus classes, with many tailor-made towards frequent vacationers:
- 10 factors per greenback spent on points of interest, automotive leases and inns booked by Citi Journey
- 3 factors per greenback spent on air journey, EV charging stations, fuel purchases, different inns, eating places and supermarkets
- 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
The Strata Premier additionally supplies a $100 annual resort profit on stays booked by Citi Journey of $500 or extra (excluding taxes and costs). This credit score helps offset the cardboard’s $95 annual price.
The Strata Premier is the most suitable choice for unlocking a full 1:1 ThankYou level switch ratio to Citi’s loyalty program companions because it expenses the bottom annual price for this profit.
The Strata Premier is greatest for cardholders who …
- Maximize bonus classes
- Switch ThankYou factors to companions
- Need to pay a modest annual price
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the Strata Premier.
Associated: I am not bought on the Strata Elite — however the Strata Premier may develop into my new pockets staple
Strata Elite: Luxurious-minded vacationers
The Strata Elite is greatest for premium vacationers who’re additionally organized spenders and may maintain monitor of a number of assertion credit.
Prime perks
The Strata Elite packs a punch to assist offset its excessive $595 annual price.
First amongst these is its incomes charges, tailor-made to earn extra on journey and eating:
- 12 factors per greenback spent on points of interest, automotive leases and inns booked by Citi Journey
- 6 factors per greenback spent on airfare booked by Citi Journey
- 6 factors per greenback spent at eating places, together with restaurant supply companies on CitiNights℠ purchases, each Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to six a.m. Japanese time (3 factors per greenback spent on restaurant purchases outdoors of nowadays and hours)
- 1.5 factors per greenback spent on all different purchases
If lounge entry is a precedence and also you fly with a Oneworld alliance member, the Strata Elite is a good alternative. That is as a result of cardholders obtain 4 Admirals Membership Citi Strata Elite passes every calendar yr and a complimentary Precedence Go Choose membership.
The cardboard additionally comes with many assertion credit, reminiscent of a $300 annual resort profit, a $200 Splurge credit score, a $200 Blacklane credit score and $120 towards World Entry or TSA PreCheck each 4 years.
The important thing to getting probably the most out of the Strata Elite is group. Cardholders who keep in mind to make use of up the assertion credit and maximize CitiNights will obtain probably the most worth.
The Strata Elite is greatest for cardholders who …
- Leverage premium perks
- Use assertion credit
- Worth lounge entry
To be taught extra, learn our full evaluate of the Strata Elite.
Associated: Is the Citi Strata Elite well worth the annual price?
Do you have to maintain a number of Strata playing cards?
Having a number of Strata playing cards has a number of perks, particularly if you wish to supercharge your ThankYou level capabilities.
As an illustration, you possibly can mix bonus classes to earn extra factors. Use the Strata to spend in a class not lined by the Strata Premier, like health golf equipment or pet provide shops, whereas swiping your Strata Premier for journey purchases reminiscent of air journey and inns.
The Strata Elite provides advantages reminiscent of lounge entry, beneficial assertion credit and bonus rewards at eating places throughout hours lined by CitiNights.
After all, spending sensible and staying organized is one of the simplest ways to make sure you’re getting probably the most out of holding all three playing cards, particularly for the reason that Strata Premier and Strata Elite cost annual charges.
If maintaining with the main points sounds overwhelming to you, selecting one or two playing cards out of the Strata household might be simply as advantageous.
Associated: Maximize the Citi Trifecta
Backside line
Relating to choosing among the many Strata, Strata Premier and Strata Elite, you will need to contemplate the way you need to redeem your rewards, how a lot you need to monitor your spending towards assertion credit and the way a lot you need to be charged in annual charges.
As all the time, welcome affords and incomes charges additionally play an enormous position. Weigh all of those elements to determine which card most closely fits your life-style and journey habits.
Apply right here: Strata
Apply right here: Strata Premier
Apply right here: Strata Elite
