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.

Overview

Annual fee
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
$95
Citi Strata Premier Card
$95
Welcome offerCurrent public offer
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
60,000 points
Citi Strata Premier Card
60,000 points
Rewards
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
Choice Privileges Points
Citi Strata Premier Card
Citi ThankYou Rewards
Foreign transaction fee
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
None
Citi Strata Premier Card
None
Network
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
Mastercard World Elite
Citi Strata Premier Card
Mastercard World Elite

Earn ratesPer $1 spent

Gas Stations
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
5x
Highest
Citi Strata Premier Card
3x
Grocery Stores
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
5x
Highest
Citi Strata Premier Card
3x
Home Improvement
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
5x
Highest
Citi Strata Premier Card
1x
Telecom
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
5x
Highest
Citi Strata Premier Card
1x
Dining
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
1x
Citi Strata Premier Card
3x
Highest
Flights
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
1x
Citi Strata Premier Card
3x
Highest
Hotels
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
1x
Citi Strata Premier Card
3x
Highest
Everything else
Choice Privileges Select Mastercard
1x
Citi Strata Premier Card
1x

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
Add a 3rd or 4th card to this comparison →

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.

W

Gas Stations

Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 3X

W

Grocery Stores

Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 3X

W

Home Improvement

Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 1X

W

Telecom

Choice Privileges Select Mastercard earns 5X vs 1X

W

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)

W

Dining

Citi Strata Premier Card earns 3X vs 1X

W

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).

ScenarioChoice Privileges Select MastercardCiti Strata Premier CardOngoing winnerYear-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 CardCiti 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 CardCiti 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.

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.