Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority 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 closer look at why we recommend the Citi Strata Premier®.

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• The card earns bonus points on a wide range of everyday purchases, including at supermarkets, gas stations, and restaurants.
• It comes with valuable travel protections like trip cancellation and interruption insurance, though it does have an annual fee.
• The annual $100 hotel credit more than covers the card's annual fee, providing immediate value (publisher-formulated estimate).

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Pros

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• Earns an exceptionally high rewards rate on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through the Citi Travel portal.
• ThankYou® Points can be transferred to numerous airline and hotel loyalty programs, providing valuable and flexible redemption pathways.
• A generous welcome offer is available to new cardholders who meet an initial spending requirement.

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Cons

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• The card has an annual fee, which may not be justified for users who don't maximize its bonus categories and travel benefits.
• The annual hotel credit comes with restrictive booking requirements that can make it difficult to redeem.
• It lacks some premium travel perks, such as airport lounge access, that are offered by competing travel cards.

Citi Strata Premier® vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority

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Categories

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Deciding which is better, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority or Citi Strata Premier®, depends on whether you value airline-specific perks or flexible travel rewards.

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• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: This card is built for dedicated Southwest flyers. It provides the most value to those loyal to the airline who want to maximize rewards and premium benefits on their flights.
• Citi Strata Premier® Card: This card is best for travelers seeking flexible rewards. It's ideal for those who want to earn points across broad spending categories and transfer them to a wide array of airline and hotel partners.

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Redemption

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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Rewards are redeemed as Rapid Rewards points, which are used primarily for booking flights on Southwest Airlines. Points can also be used for other travel-related purchases, merchandise, and gift cards through the airline's portal.

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Citi Strata Premier® Card: ThankYou® Points offer great flexibility, as they can be transferred to a wide range of airline and hotel loyalty programs. You can also redeem them for travel through the Citi portal, cash back, or gift cards.

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Travel Perks

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• Foreign Transaction Fees: Both the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority and Citi Strata Premier® cards are great for international travel as neither charges foreign transaction fees.
• Travel Portals: The Southwest card primarily uses the airline's own booking platform, with other travel options available through its More Rewards portal. The Citi Strata Premier® card uses the ThankYou® travel portal, which includes an annual hotel savings benefit on a qualifying booking.
• Airline-Specific Perks: The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority card is loaded with benefits for flying with the airline, including an annual travel credit, anniversary bonus points, Upgraded Boardings when available, and a percentage back on in-flight purchases.
• Reward Flexibility: The Citi Strata Premier® card's main ecosystem advantage is its wide array of airline and hotel transfer partners, allowing you to move points to other loyalty programs for maximum flexibility.
• Lounge Access: Neither card offers complimentary airport lounge access as a benefit.

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Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

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To make an informed decision, you can use a tool like Kudos, which helps you compare thousands of credit cards based on your personal spending habits.

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• Test drive cards: The platform's Test Drive feature lets you simulate how much you would earn with a new card by analyzing your real transaction history, without a hard credit pull.
• Approval odds: Get a detailed analysis of your approval chances for different cards based on your credit report.
• Welcome offer guarantee: Kudos will match a better welcome offer if you find one within three months of approval.
• Bonus rewards: Earn extra rewards through Kudos Boost when shopping at participating stores. You can also get a $20 bonus for signing up with a promo code and making a qualifying purchase.
• Financial tracking: Monitor your spending, transactions, and credit score all in one place.
• Kickstart+ Rewards: You can unlock $100 in Kickstart+ Rewards when you add certain approved cards to your Kudos Wallet.

Who Should Choose the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority?

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The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card is tailor-made for frequent Southwest flyers who can take full advantage of its airline-specific benefits. This includes travelers looking to fast-track their way to A-List status, earn the coveted Companion Pass®, or simply rack up points for family vacations on the airline. Ultimately, the card delivers the most value for loyalists who fly Southwest multiple times a year, making use of perks like the annual travel credit and upgraded boardings detailed in this complete review.

Who Should Choose the Citi Strata Premier®?

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The Citi Strata Premier® Card is designed for frequent travelers and individuals who want to maximize rewards on both travel and everyday spending. It’s an excellent fit for those who spend regularly on airfare, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and at gas stations, as the card offers accelerated points in these common categories. Those who appreciate flexible rewards will also find value in the ability to transfer points to a wide array of airline and hotel partners, making it a versatile premium travel rewards card.

Alternatives to Consider

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If our Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority vs Citi Strata Premier® comparison has left you feeling that neither card is the perfect match, don't worry. There are several other excellent travel rewards cards to consider that might be a better fit for your spending habits.

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_{Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.}

Tips for Application Success

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Before You Apply

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• Check your credit score to ensure you meet the typical requirement for good to excellent credit.
• Plan your spending to ensure you can naturally meet the welcome offer requirements without forcing purchases.
• Review issuer-specific rules, as some banks have restrictions on earning a welcome bonus if you've had the card before.

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Application Strategy

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• Time your application strategically before a large purchase to help meet the spending requirement for a welcome offer.
• Consider your loyalty to an airline or hotel, as co-branded cards like the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card offer perks that are most valuable to frequent customers.
• Research transfer partners to understand the potential value of your points, especially with flexible currencies like Citi ThankYou® Points.

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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Can I transfer points between Southwest and Citi?

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No, you cannot directly transfer points between the Southwest Rapid Rewards program and Citi ThankYou Rewards. They are distinct loyalty programs, each with its own set of rules and airline partners.

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Which card is better for earning rewards on everyday spending?

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The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card offers broader bonus categories for everyday spending, including restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and travel. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card's rewards are more focused on Southwest purchases and select travel and transit partners.

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Do both cards have foreign transaction fees?

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No, neither the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card nor the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card charges foreign transaction fees. This makes both of them suitable options for purchases made outside of the United States.

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