Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Citi Strata Premier: Which Is Better In 2025?

Citi Strata Premier® Breakdown

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Why We Like It

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Here's a quick look at why the Citi Strata Premier® card caught our attention.

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• You'll earn an impressive 3x points on a broad mix of everyday spending, including at restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations.
• The card includes a solid package of travel protections, offering peace of mind with trip cancellation, delay, and lost luggage insurance.
• Its $100 annual hotel credit effectively cancels out the $95 annual fee, making the card a low-cost entry into premium travel rewards (publisher-formulated estimate).

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Pros

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• Earns bonus points across a wide array of categories, from air travel and hotels to supermarkets and gas stations.
• Comes with a solid package of travel protections, including coverage for trip cancellations, delays, and lost luggage.
• ThankYou® Points can be transferred to an extensive list of airline and hotel partners, providing valuable flexibility for booking travel.

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Cons

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• The annual hotel credit comes with significant booking restrictions, which may limit its usefulness.
• It lacks premium travel benefits like airport lounge access, which are often standard on competing travel cards.
• Car rental insurance is secondary, offering less protection than the primary coverage provided by some other cards.

Citi Strata Premier® vs Chase Sapphire Preferred®

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Categories

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When it comes to travel rewards cards, two top contenders often go head-to-head. Deciding which is better, Chase Sapphire Preferred or Citi Strata Premier, depends on your spending habits and travel style.

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• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is considered a top entry-level travel card. It provides strong value for frequent travelers who don't want to pay a premium annual fee.
• Citi Strata Premier® Card is best for travelers seeking flexible rewards and premium travel benefits. It is positioned as a premium travel card that offers these perks for a reasonable fee.

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Redemption

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Points can be redeemed for travel with added value through the Chase portal or transferred to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs. Cardholders also have the option to redeem for cash back and gift cards.

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Citi Strata Premier® Card: ThankYou® Points provide a wide range of redemption choices, including booking travel, transferring to an extensive list of airline partners, and redeeming for gift cards or statement credits.

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Travel Perks

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• Travel Portals: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card uses the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, where points can be worth more when redeemed for travel. The Citi Strata Premier® Card operates through the Citi ThankYou® portal, which includes an annual hotel savings benefit on a qualifying stay.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: Both cards are ideal for international travel as neither charges a foreign transaction fee.
• Airport Lounge Access: Complimentary airport lounge access is not a feature of either the Chase Sapphire Preferred® or the Citi Strata Premier® card.
• Travel Protections: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with a robust set of travel protections, including a primary auto rental collision damage waiver, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and baggage delay coverage. The Citi Strata Premier® Card offers more limited travel insurance benefits.
• Annual Hotel Credits: Both cards offer an annual hotel credit for bookings made through their respective travel portals, though the requirements to earn the credit differ.

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Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

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To make a data-backed decision, a tool like Kudos can help you compare thousands of cards based on your unique spending habits.

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• Test drive a credit card: See potential earnings based on your actual spending history before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.
• Personalized recommendations: Get matched with the best card for you and see a detailed analysis of your approval odds.
• Maximize and stack rewards: Earn extra rewards with Kudos Boost and let the tool autofill the best card at checkout to maximize every purchase.
• Welcome offer guarantee: If you find a better welcome offer within three months of approval, Kudos will match it.

Who Should Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred®?

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is an excellent choice for frequent travelers who want to earn significant rewards without committing to a premium annual fee. It's also a strong contender for those whose spending is concentrated on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries, as these categories earn valuable bonus points. Ultimately, as this comprehensive review details, the card is ideal for cost-conscious consumers seeking a versatile way to turn everyday purchases into future travel.

Who Should Choose the Citi Strata Premier®?

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The Citi Strata Premier® Card is tailor-made for frequent travelers and road warriors who want to earn significant rewards on both their journeys and daily expenses. It's particularly well-suited for individuals whose spending is concentrated in key categories like air travel, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations. Ultimately, this card is for the savvy consumer looking to turn everyday purchases into their next vacation, as this premium travel rewards review details.

Alternatives to Consider

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® vs. Citi Strata Premier® comparison is a close one, but what if neither card is quite right for you? Fortunately, the world of travel rewards cards is vast, and there are plenty of other options to consider that might better align with your wallet.

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Tips for Application Success

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Before You Apply

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• Check your credit score - Most premium travel cards, including those from Chase and Citi, require good to excellent credit for approval.
• Review application rules - Be aware of issuer-specific policies, like Chase’s 5/24 rule or Citi’s 48-month bonus eligibility timeline.
• Plan your spending - Ensure you can naturally meet the minimum spending requirement to earn the welcome offer.

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Application Strategy

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• Time your application strategically - Apply when you can take advantage of the best available welcome offer.
• Consider recent applications - Some issuers, like Chase, may decline you if you've opened too many cards recently.
• Check bonus eligibility - Issuers like Citi may restrict new account bonuses if you've received one in the past.

Our Methodology

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We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.

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Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What are the annual fees for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Citi Strata Premier?

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Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card have a $95 annual fee.

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Can I transfer points from both cards to airline and hotel partners?

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Yes, both cards allow you to transfer points to a variety of airline and hotel loyalty programs. While there is some overlap in partners, each card also features unique transfer options that may better suit your travel habits.

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Which card offers better travel protections?

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is generally known for its comprehensive travel protections, including trip cancellation insurance and a primary auto rental collision damage waiver. The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card offers some travel protections, but they are typically not as extensive as Chase's offerings.

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