The $95-annual-fee Citi Strata Premier® Card offers a way to fast-track your next vacation with ongoing rewards on travel and everyday spending.
The card also packs travel-related perks that can save money, like trip cancellation and interruption insurance and lost or damaged luggage reimbursement, to name a few. Used wisely, it can fairly easily pay for itself.
Here are the key benefits of the Citi Strata Premier® Card.
Points: Spending rewards
1. Elevated rewards on travel and everyday spending
- 10 ThankYou® points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through the Citi Travel site.
- 3 points per $1 spent on air travel and other hotel purchases.
- 3 points per $1 spent at supermarkets.
- 3 points per $1 spent at gas stations and EV charging stations.
- 3 points per $1 spent at restaurants.
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
2. A hefty welcome offer
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
3. Flexible redemption options
Spending with the Citi Strata Premier® Card will earn you rewards in the form of ThankYou points. There are several redemption options, but you’ll get the most value — typically a penny per point — if you redeem for travel, gift card purchases or bill payments. (Points are worth only 0.75 cent each when redeemed for cash back.) If you're willing to put in some effort, transfers to partners at a 1:1 ratio may offer a way to squeeze more value out of your points.
Full list of Citi transfer partners
Transfer ratios will vary depending on which card you have.
Airlines
- Aeromexico (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- American Airlines (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- Air France/KLM (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- Asia Miles (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- Avianca (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- Emirates (1:0.8 or 1:0.56 ratio).
- Etihad (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- Eva Air (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- JetBlue (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- Qantas (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- Qatar Airways (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- Singapore Airlines (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- Thai Airways (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- Turkish Airlines (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
- Virgin Atlantic (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
Hotels
- Accor Live Limitless (2:1 or 2:0.7 ratio).
- Choice Hotels (1:1.5 or 1:1.05 ratio).
- The Leading Hotels of the World (5:1 or 5:0.7 ratio).
- Preferred Hotels & Resorts (1:2 or 1:1.4 ratio).
- Wyndham (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
Events
- Virgin Red (1:1 or 1:0.7 ratio).
Perks: Goodies that come with the card
4. $100 annual hotel savings benefit
Once a year, you’ll receive $100 off a hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) booked through cititravel.com or by calling 1-833-737-1288. Terms apply. If you already spend this amount or more annually on a stay, this benefit could go a long way toward saving money and offsetting the cost of the card’s annual fee.
5. No foreign transaction fees
Many cards come with foreign transaction fees, which are charged as a percentage (typically 3% to 5%) of any purchase you make internationally. That can make for an expensive vacation abroad.
But like any travel credit card worth its salt, the Citi Strata Premier® Card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.
» MORE: NerdWallet's best no foreign transaction fee credit cards
6. Access to The Reserve by Citi Travel
As a cardholder, you’ll get access to The Reserve by Citi Travel, a website that features high-end and highly rated hotels and resorts you can book.
Through The Reserve bookings, you’re eligible for a $100 experience credit to use for purchases made on the property, from food to spa treatments. You’ll also get other perks like daily breakfast for two, complimentary Wi-Fi and others depending on availability (a room upgrade, or early check-in or checkout). The offerings also vary depending on the property.
Protections
7. Travel protections
The Citi Strata Premier® Card has several travel protections that can help when the unexpected happens. It offers trip cancellation, delay and interruption insurance. Baggage insurance also covers lost or damaged luggage. And there’s MasterRental Coverage if you rent a car. Terms apply.
You must pay with the card and meet terms to qualify for coverage.
