Great Card If
- You want a travel rewards credit card without an annual fee.
- You want to maximize your points-earning potential on everyday purchases at supermarkets, gas stations, and more.
Don’t Get If
- You want full access to the Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partners at elevated ratios, which requires carrying a premium Citi travel credit card.
- You want a card that waives foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
Citi Strata Card — Is It Worth It?
Citi’s newest travel credit card is pretty exciting. With no annual fee, the Citi Strata card still lets you earn up to 5x points on eligible purchases from travel to everyday spending. That’s a great way to stack up Citi ThankYou Points fast:
- 5x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com
- 3x points at supermarkets, select transit, gas and EV charging stations, and an eligible self-select category of your choice every quarter (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores)
- 2x points at restaurants
- 1x points on all other eligible purchases
With the Citi Strata card, you can transfer your points to all the Citi transfer partners, except for the AAdvantage program. The transfer ratios are also reduced compared to other credit cards.
However, to unlock full access to Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partners, you’ll need to hold a premium card, the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card or Citi Strata Elite℠ Card.
Hot Tip:
Current Citi Rewards+® Card (no longer open to new applicants) holders will be automatically transitioned to the Citi Strata card on July 20, 2025. New applicants will be able to apply for the Citi Strata card starting July 27, 2025.
Citi Strata Card Top Benefits and Perks
For a $0 annual fee card, the Citi Strata card packs a punch by offering the following benefits:
Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Citi ThankYou Points
With the Citi Strata card, you can earn unlimited points across a wide variety of bonus categories. You’ll get 3x points on everyday essentials like gas stations and supermarkets. Each quarter, you can select a bonus category — such as fitness clubs or pet supply stores — to earn 3x points tailored to your spending habits.
As noted, you can transfer your points to most programs at a reduced ratio. However, full access to Citi’s complete list of transfer partners at the higher ratio is reserved for those with a premium Citi travel card. Alternatively, you can redeem ThankYou Points for cash-back as a statement credit, gift cards, travel bookings through Citi Travel, or for purchases with select retailers such as Amazon and Best Buy.
Alternative Cards to the Citi Strata Card
The Citi Strata Premier Card is a great option if you’re serious about travel. It gives you full access to all of Citi’s transfer partners, including American Airlines AAdvantage, so you’ll have many more ways to use your points.
There are a few perks that make the card worth its $95 fee. You’ll earn 10x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com, 3x points on air travel, other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and EV charging stations, and 1x points on all other eligible purchases.
In addition, you won’t pay foreign transaction fees with the Citi Strata Premier card, making it a better choice for international travelers. You’ll have the opportunity to earn an annual $100 statement credit from a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com.
If you’re looking for another no-annual-fee rewards card, the Double Cash card is an excellent choice. It offers a straightforward earning structure — 2% cash-back on all purchases (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay, earned as ThankYou Points) — with no caps or bonus categories to track.
You’ll have access to all Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partners at a reduced rate – except for the AAdvantage program, which is excluded. The Double Cash card is ideal for those seeking straightforward cash-back redemptions.