Our evaluations and opinions are not influenced by our advertising relationships, but we may earn a commission from our partnersโ links. This content is created by TIME Stamped, under TIMEโs direction and produced in accordance with TIMEโs editorial guidelines and overseen by TIMEโs editorial staff. Learn more about it.
There are so many travel rewards credit cards that it can be challenging to pick the right one for you. card_name and Citi Strata Premierโ Card are two cards that offer generous rewards on travel and everyday spending. Both cards come with welcome bonus points and a $95 annual fee, but card_name is likely to be the more cost-effective choice.
Hereโs a glance at what these beginner travel rewards cards offer and how they vary.
card_name | Citi Strata Premierโ Card | |
---|---|---|
Credit score needed | credit_score_needed | credit_score_needed |
Bonus rewards | bonus_miles_full | bonus_miles_full |
Annual fees | annual_fees | $95 (Rates & Fees) |
Foreign transaction fees | foreign_transaction_fee | foreign_transaction_fee |
Both cards feature a welcome bonus when you make $4,000 in purchases in the first three months. Both the card_name and the Citi Premier only offers a bonus of 60,000 points.
Every point earned is normally worth 1 cent for both Citi Strata Premierโ Card and card_name. With Citi Strata Premierโ Card, points can be redeemed for $600 in gift cards.
card_name also lets you earn up to 25% more when you redeem the points for travel with Chase Ultimate Rewards. So, youโll earn a travel credit of $750 instead of $600 on your welcome bonus points.
Welcome bonus winner: card_name
card_name gives you five points per dollar spent on travel arrangements made through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Youโll also get the following:
Hereโs what Citi Strata Premierโ Card offers:
The verdict: card_name provides more flexibility with its reward categories. Plus, you can maximize your earnings by using points for travel.
Rewards winner: card_name
The annual fee is identical for both cards (annual_fees for card_name and
$95 (Rates & Fees)
for bonus_miles_full).Annual fee winner:tie
The APR ranges from reg_apr,reg_apr_type on card_name and reg_apr,reg_apr_type on Citi Strata Premierโ Card. So, the card_name has a slight edge since the maximum APR is one percentage point lower.
APR winner: card_name
Both cards allow you to make purchases abroad without incurring foreign transaction fees.
Foreign transaction fee winner: tie
Both cards include their fair share of perks, but card_name has a competitive edge as it offers:
With Citi Strata Premierโ Card, you can take advantage of:
Additional perks winner: card_name
If you spent $650 in each category, hereโs how many points youโd earn:
Online grocery purchases | Dining out | Streaming service subscriptions | Lodging and airfare | Rental cars | Gas station purchases | Total points | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
card_name | 1,950 | 1,950 | 1,950 | 1,300 | 1,300 | 650 | 9,050 |
Citi Strata Premierโ Card | 650 | 1,950 | 650 | 1,950 | 650 | 1,950 | 7,800 |
However, youโd earn more with the Citi Strata Premierโ Card on lodging and airfare booked independently. card_name offers 2 points per dollar spent on purchases made outside of Chase Rewards, but Citi Strata Premierโ Card offers 3 points per dollar spent. In this case, youโd earn more with Citi Strata Premierโ Card.
card_name is the better pick for travel rewards. Points are worth 25% more when used for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, and youโll get an annual $50 hotel statement credit. Cardholders who dine out or order groceries online can benefit tremendously. Youโll also get built-in travel coverages and purchase protections, which makes this card even more attractive.
If you donโt travel often and prefer not to keep tabs on spending categories, the Citi Strata Premierโ Card could be the better choice. Earnings on everyday expenses are rather generous. And, like the card_name, you can transfer points and receive an annual hotel savings benefit.
card_name and Citi Strata Premierโ Card are affordable starter travel cards. Both come with the same annual fee of $95, and you can transfer points to other loyalty programs. That said, the right card for you will vary depending on how you spend your money and which perks are the most important to you.
Youโll generally need good or excellent credit to qualify for Citi Strata Premierโ Card. A credit score of at least 670 (or higher) is ideal.
card_name offers the most significant earning potential. However, you can rack up more points for independently booked travel with Citi Strata Premierโ Card.
The card_name is another other low-cost option worth considering.
The information presented here is created by TIME Stamped and overseen by TIME editorial staff. To learn more, see our About Us page.