Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs Citi Strata Premier Card
Both cards cost $95/yr. The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card leads on travel; the Citi Strata Premier Card on hotels.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase · $95/yr
Citi Strata Premier CardCiti · $95/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card$95Citi Strata Premier Card$95
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card75,000 pointsCiti Strata Premier Card60,000 points
- Rewards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Ultimate RewardsCiti Strata Premier CardCiti ThankYou Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardNoneCiti Strata Premier CardNone
- Network
- Chase Sapphire Preferred CardVisa SignatureCiti Strata Premier CardMastercard World Elite
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xCiti Strata Premier Card3x
- Electric Vehicle Charging
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xCiti Strata Premier Card3x
- Flights
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card1xCiti Strata Premier Card3xHighest
- Gas Stations
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xCiti Strata Premier Card3x
- Grocery Stores
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xCiti Strata Premier Card3x
- Hotels
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card1xCiti Strata Premier Card3xHighest
- Streaming
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestCiti Strata Premier Card1x
- Vacation Rentals
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card3xHighestCiti Strata Premier Card1x
- Travel
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card2xHighestCiti Strata Premier Card1x
- Everything else
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card1xCiti Strata Premier Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/NEXUS credit · $120 every 4 years
- $100 hotel credit
Citi Strata Premier Card- $100 hotel credit
- Entertainment & streaming
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- A year of Apple TV, valued at $180 · $180 one-time
Citi Strata Premier Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card—Citi Strata Premier Card
- The Reserve by Citi Travel Luxury Hotel Program
- Airline perks
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card—Citi Strata Premier Card
- ThankYou Points Transfer Partners Airlines and Hotels
- Other perks
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Complimentary DashPass after activation
- Up to $10 monthly on a non-restaurant DoorDash order
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases
Citi Strata Premier Card- Citi Entertainment Presale Tickets and Exclusive Access
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on International Purchases
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Travel Accident Insurance up to $500,000
- $10,000 Trip Cancellation Insurance per person
- $500 Trip Delay Reimbursement per traveler
Citi Strata Premier Card- Five Thousand Dollar Trip Cancellation and Interruption · up to $5,000
- Five Hundred Dollar Trip Delay Protection Coverage · up to $500
- Travel Protection Benefits
- Baggage
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $500 Baggage Delay Insurance ($100 per day)
- $3,000 Lost Luggage Reimbursement per traveler
Citi Strata Premier Card- Three Thousand Dollar Lost or Damaged Luggage Insurance · up to $3,000
- Rental car
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Auto Rental Coverage
Citi Strata Premier Card- MasterRental Car Insurance Coverage
- Purchase & returns
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- 120-day Purchase Protection up to $500 per item
Citi Strata Premier Card- Ten Thousand Dollar Purchase Protection Theft and Damage · up to $10,000
- Extended warranty
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Extended Warranty Protection adds 1 extra year
Citi Strata Premier Card- Extended Warranty Protection Up to Twenty Four Months
- Other protections
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
Citi Strata Premier Card- Comprehensive identity theft monitoring
- Free FICO Score Access Through Your Citi Account
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- 75,000 point welcome bonus after $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
- $95 annual fee partly offset by a $100 Chase Travel hotel credit each account anniversary year
- Transfers to 14 airline and hotel partners, 13 at 1:1 and Hyatt at 4:3
- 5X on Chase Travel, 3X dining, streaming, online groceries
- Trip cancellation, delay, and lost luggage insurance included
Citi Strata Premier Card- 3X points on dining, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations, air travel and other hotel purchases
- 10X points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions through Citi Travel portal
- $95 annual fee with no foreign transaction fees
- Transfer to 18+ airline and hotel partners including American Airlines, JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic
- No foreign transaction fees for international purchases
- Cons
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
- $95 annual fee vs $0 Freedom cards
- No lounge access included
- 5/24 rule restricts applicants with 5+ cards in 24 months
- No 0% intro APR offer
Citi Strata Premier Card- No airport lounge access included
- Transfer partners weaker than Chase or Amex (no United, Delta, or Hyatt)
- 10X portal bonus requires booking through Citi Travel, limiting flexibility
- Welcome bonus lower than competing premium cards (60K vs 75K-90K)
- Points worth 0.75 cent each when redeemed for cash back, less than the 1 cent they get through Citi Travel
Expert Analysis
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Citi Strata Premier Card are two of the most popular cards in their category, and choosing between them comes down to which rewards structure better matches your spending. Both deliver strong value, but in meaningfully different ways.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card's strongest category is Dining at 3X, while the Citi Strata Premier Card leads with 3X on Hotels. Neither card dominates across the board — so the better choice depends on where you spend the most.
Both cards carry a $95/yr annual fee, so the decision comes down purely to rewards structure and benefits — there's no fee math to worry about.
Key Differences
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X on Streaming vs 1X for the other
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X on Online Groceries vs 1X for the other
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X on Grocery Delivery vs 1X for the other
- Different networks: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is VISA, Citi Strata Premier Card is MASTERCARD
Spending Scenarios
Which card wins in real-world spending situations?
$50/month on streaming
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X. Over a year, that's 1,800 vs 600 points — a 1,200-point advantage.
$200/month on online groceries
Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X. Over a year, that's 7,200 vs 2,400 points — a 4,800-point advantage.
$200/month on hotels
Citi Strata Premier CardCiti Strata Premier Card earns 3X vs 1X. Over a year, that's 7,200 vs 2,400 points — a 4,800-point advantage.
$150/month on gas stations
Citi Strata Premier CardCiti Strata Premier Card earns 3X vs 1X. Over a year, that's 5,400 vs 1,800 points — a 3,600-point advantage.
Who Should Get Which?
Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card if:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize spending heavily on streaming and online groceries. At $95/yr, it delivers solid return on the annual fee investment for its target audience.
Get the Citi Strata Premier Card if:
The Citi Strata Premier Card is ideal for cardholders who prioritize spending heavily on hotels and gas stations. At $95/yr, it delivers solid return on the annual fee investment for its target audience.
Upgrade & Downgrade Path
These cards are from different issuers, so switching between them requires a new application. Many rewards enthusiasts hold both to maximize earn rates across different spending categories — the annual fee total may be worth it if you're actively using both cards' bonus categories.
Consider which card's rewards ecosystem better fits your redemption goals. Transferable points programs offer more flexibility for travel redemptions.
Category-by-Category Winner
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card wins in 3 of 4 categories. The Citi Strata Premier Card leads in 1. 3 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 5X vs 1X
5X via Chase Travel portal
Hotels
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 10X vs 5X
10X via issuer travel portal
Flights
Depends: via Chase Travel portal - the Chase Travel travel rate restated per bookable subcategory, as Capital One and Citi portal rates are recorded
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 5X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Premier Card earns 3X (3X without restrictions)
Car Rentals
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 10X when conditions are met; Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 5X (1X without restrictions)
Vacation Rentals
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Streaming
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X vs 1X
Attractions
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 10X when conditions are met; Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
| Scenario | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | Citi Strata Premier Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $346 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $326 Year one: $1,784 | Rewards: $367 Credits (our usable estimate): $60 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $332 Year one: $1,352 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,382 Credits (our usable estimate): $75 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $1,362 Year one: $2,820 | Rewards: $1,469 Credits (our usable estimate): $60 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $1,434 Year one: $2,454 | Citi Strata Premier Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred Card |
The Bottom Line
Modeled value is close across spend levels — especially once statement credits are counted.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Citi Strata Premier Card?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- Should I get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Citi Strata Premier Card?
- Both cards have the same $95/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.