Choice Privileges Select Mastercard vs Citi Strata Premier Card
Both cards cost $95/yr. The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard leads on gas stations; the Citi Strata Premier Card on hotels.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
Wells Fargo · $95/yr
- Citi Strata Premier Card
Citi · $95/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard$95Citi Strata Premier Card$95
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard60,000 pointsCiti Strata Premier Card60,000 points
- Rewards
- Choice Privileges Select MastercardChoice Privileges PointsCiti Strata Premier CardCiti ThankYou Rewards
- Foreign transaction fee
- Choice Privileges Select MastercardNoneCiti Strata Premier CardNone
- Network
- Choice Privileges Select MastercardMastercard World EliteCiti Strata Premier CardMastercard World Elite
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Gas Stations
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestCiti Strata Premier Card3x
- Grocery Stores
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestCiti Strata Premier Card3x
- Home Improvement
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestCiti Strata Premier Card1x
- Telecom
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard5xHighestCiti Strata Premier Card1x
- Dining
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xCiti Strata Premier Card3xHighest
- Flights
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xCiti Strata Premier Card3xHighest
- Hotels
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xCiti Strata Premier Card3xHighest
- Everything else
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard1xCiti Strata Premier Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit · $120 every 4 years
Citi Strata Premier Card- $100 hotel credit
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Automatic Platinum Elite status
Citi Strata Premier Card- The Reserve by Citi Travel Luxury Hotel Program
- Airline perks
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—Citi Strata Premier Card
- ThankYou Points Transfer Partners Airlines and Hotels
- Other perks
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- No foreign transaction fees
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
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—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
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—Citi Strata Premier Card
- Three Thousand Dollar Lost or Damaged Luggage Insurance · up to $3,000
- Rental car
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—Citi Strata Premier Card
- MasterRental Car Insurance Coverage
- Purchase & returns
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Zero Liability on unauthorized transactions
Citi Strata Premier Card- Ten Thousand Dollar Purchase Protection Theft and Damage · up to $10,000
- Extended warranty
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard—Citi Strata Premier Card
- Extended Warranty Protection Up to Twenty Four Months
- Cell phone
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Up to $800 cell phone protection
Citi Strata Premier Card— - Other protections
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- 24/7 lost/stolen card assistance worldwide
Citi Strata Premier Card- Comprehensive identity theft monitoring
- Free FICO Score Access Through Your Citi Account
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- Automatic Platinum Elite status with meaningful benefits
- Industry-leading 10x earning at Choice Hotels
- Strong 5x earning on gas, grocery, home improvement, and phone plans
- 30,000 anniversary bonus points (worth ~$180 in stays)
- 20 elite night credits annually
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
- Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
- $95 annual fee that may be hard to justify for occasional guests
- Higher $3,000 spend requirement for welcome bonus vs no-fee card
- Choice Hotels limited to economy and midscale properties
- Points value relatively low compared to premium hotel programs
- No lounge access or premium travel benefits
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
Category-by-Category Winner
The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard wins in 4 of 7 categories. The Citi Strata Premier Card leads in 3. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Gas Stations
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 3X
Grocery Stores
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 3X
Home Improvement
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 1X
Telecom
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 1X
Hotels
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 10X vs 1X
10X via issuer travel portal
Car Rentals
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 10X when conditions are met; Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Attractions
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 10X when conditions are met; Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 1X (1X without restrictions)
Dining
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 3X vs 1X
Flights
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 3X vs 1X
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.
Both scenarios favor the Citi Strata Premier Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | Choice Privileges Select Mastercard | Citi Strata Premier Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $192 Credits (our usable estimate): $30 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $127 Year one: $607 | Rewards: $346 Credits (our usable estimate): $60 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $311 Year one: $1,271 | Citi Strata Premier Card | Citi Strata Premier Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $768 Credits (our usable estimate): $30 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $703 Year one: $1,183 | Rewards: $1,382 Credits (our usable estimate): $60 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $1,347 Year one: $2,307 | Citi Strata Premier Card | Citi Strata Premier Card |
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Citi Strata Premier Card means losing:
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Citi Strata Premier Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the Citi Strata Premier Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which card earns more rewards, the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard 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.
- What benefits does the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard have that the Citi Strata Premier Card doesn't?
- The Choice Privileges Select Mastercard offers cell phone protection. The Citi Strata Premier Card focuses more on earn rates than premium perks.
- Should I get the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard 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 October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.

