Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Annual fees: Citi Strata Elite℠ Card $595/yr, Citi Strata Premier Card $95/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Citi Strata Elite℠ Card on dining, Citi Strata Premier Card on hotels.
Card data as of September 27, 2026.
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
| Category | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card | Citi Strata Premier Card |
|---|---|---|
| Dining | 3X | 3X |
| Flights |
The Citi Strata Premier Card wins in 4 of 5 categories. The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card leads in 1. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Hotels
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 10X vs 1.5X
10X via issuer travel portal
Car Rentals
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 10X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X (1.5X without restrictions)
Attractions
Depends: via issuer travel portal
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 10X when conditions are met; Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X (1.5X without restrictions)
Gas Stations
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 3X vs 1.5X
Flights
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 3X vs 1.5X
Grocery Stores
Citi Strata Premier Card earns 3X vs 1.5X
Everyday purchases
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card earns 1.5X on all other spending vs 1X
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.
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 1.5X on the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card vs 1X on the other card.
Published annual fees: Citi Strata Elite℠ Card $595/yr, Citi Strata Premier Card $95/yr — a $500 difference before welcome offers and credits.
| 1.5X |
| 3X |
| Gas Stations | 1.5X | 3X |
| Grocery Stores | 1.5X | 3X |
| Hotels | 1.5X | 3X |
| Everything Else | 1.5X | 1X |
Network
Key Benefits
Pros
Cons
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
| Scenario | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card | Citi Strata Premier Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $331 Credits (our usable estimate): $604 − Annual fee ($595) Ongoing: $340 Year one: $1,810 | Rewards: $346 Credits (our usable estimate): $125 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $376 Year one: $1,336 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $1,325 Credits (our usable estimate): $604 − Annual fee ($595) Ongoing: $1,334 Year one: $2,804 | Rewards: $1,382 Credits (our usable estimate): $125 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $1,412 Year one: $2,372 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card |
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card costs $595/yr — that's $500 more than the Citi Strata Premier Card ($95/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $500 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card includes lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $500 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $500 fee gap means the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card needs roughly $500 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on dining and everyday spend.
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing Citi Strata Premier Card means losing:
Get the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card if you:
Get the Citi Strata Premier Card if you:
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
