Why the Citi Strata Premier Is My Favorite Credit Card for Groceries

The American Express^® Gold Card lives in my wallet, and by most rankings, it’s among the best grocery cards you can carry. It earns 4x at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1x).

But look closely at that category, because the 2 words that matter most are “U.S. supermarkets.” I spend most of the year outside the United States, and the second I walk into a grocery store in Cancun, Cartagena, or Cairo, that 4x earning rate drops to 1x.

So the card I actually pull out at the register is the Citi Strata Premier^® Card. Here’s why I think this is actually the best credit card for groceries for anyone who travels often.

 Why 3x Worldwide Beats 4x at U.S. Supermarkets

The Citi Strata Premier card earns 3x ThankYou Points at supermarkets worldwide. Not U.S. supermarkets. Not online groceries. Supermarkets, full stop, end of story — wherever I happen to be that day.

When I’ve settled into a Vrbo or Airbnb in another country and I’m cooking my own meals instead of eating out for every meal, that 1 word — worldwide — changes the whole equation.

This is how I travel now. I’ll rent an apartment for a week or two, find the neighborhood market, and build the trip around meals I make myself. A market trip in Oaxaca might mean fruits, veggies, avocados, beans, and tortillas, all paid for at a small shop that has never heard of a rewards category. My preferred credit card doesn’t care. It sees a supermarket and gives me 3x earnings.

Paying with my Amex Gold card instead would net just 1 point per $1 spent.

What the Earning Difference Costs You Abroad

The gap in earnings adds up quickly. Consider $500 per month in groceries during a month in Central America. On a card that only earns bonus points or extra cash-back at U.S. supermarkets, that spending earns a flat 1x elsewhere — or about 500 points throughout the month.

On the Citi Strata Premier card, the same $500 earns 1,500 points. That’s a difference of 1,000 points a month, 3,000 points per quarter, and 12,000 points annually.

How the Usual Grocery Cards Fall Short Overseas

Pick one of the usual “best credit cards for groceries” and watch what happens once you leave the country. The Amex Gold card earns its rich 4x only at U.S. supermarkets, but overseas the rewards rate drops to the same 1x you’d get on any random purchase.

The Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express is even more lopsided: It gives you 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), one of the best rates anywhere, then gives you just 1% back overseas and tacks on a foreign transaction fee to squander your earnings (rates & fees). The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card earns 3x on groceries too, but only on online grocery orders. When I’m buying bread in person at a corner shop in Spain, that doesn’t mean much.

Evaluating the Value of the Difference in Earnings

These aren’t just numbers on paper. There’s value here.

At Upgraded Points, we value ThankYou Points at 1.6 cents each, which makes that 3x rate at a 4.8% return on every grocery run — earned in places where most cards would be handing me 1% or 2% back as rewards.

And those points have numerous uses. The Citi Strata Premier card gives me full access to Citi’s transfer partners at the best ratios, so a grocery haul in Buenos Aires can turn into a business class seat on my next trip.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Citi Strata Premier^® Card

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Citi Strata Premier^® Card

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou^® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.

60,000 Points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$960

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.74% to 27.74% Variable

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Strata Premier^® Card is a great all-around travel rewards card that allows you to earn big rewards on a variety of purchases like air travel, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and more, along with flexible redemption options, all for a modest annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 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
• $100 annual hotel benefit

Cons

• $95 annual fee

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Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou^® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
• Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
• Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% to 27.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

The card costs $95 a year with its annual fee, but it comes with a $100 annual hotel credit on a single stay of $500 or more booked through CitiTravel.com, so the fee pays for itself before I’ve earned a single point.

I’m Not Getting Rid of My Amex Gold Card, Though

To be clear, I’m not retiring the Amex Gold card. It still earns 4x at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, then 1x), and I lean on it hard every time I eat out — and that’s often. But groceries and dining are 2 different categories. For the grocery half of my spending, the U.S.-only fine print makes the Amex Gold card the wrong tool when I shop in another country.

Final Thoughts

Most of the discussion around the best cards for groceries includes cards with bonus earnings at supermarkets in the U.S., and there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s where most of us were born, live, or hold our banking accounts.

However, those cards aren’t doing much when you head to another country. And many of those cards also come with restrictions: U.S. supermarkets only, online only, or a foreign transaction fee waiting on your next billing statement.

The Citi Strata Premier card is the rare grocery card that keeps its promise no matter which country’s checkout line I’m standing in.