Advertiser Disclosure: Melissa's Travel Addiction has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Melissa's Travel Addiction and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.

When it comes to travel reward credit cards, the Citi Strata Premier℠ stands out as a powerhouse option for earning points and maximizing value. If you’re serious about leveraging your everyday spending to unlock incredible travel experiences, the Citi Strata is a card you shouldn’t overlook. Here’s why this card deserves a spot in your wallet:

1. Generous Welcome Bonus

The Citi Strata Premier℠ card offers a standard welcome bonus of 70,000 but for a limited-time is elevated to 75,000! Once you spend $4,000 in 3 months of account opening, you will earn 75,000 ThankYou® Points. There is a low annual fee of $95.

2. What are 75,000 ThankYou® Points worth?

You can redeem 75,000 ThankYou® Points for $750 in cashback or travel rewards. However, to get the most value from your points, it's best to transfer them to one of Citi's 14 airline partners or 4 hotel partners. Keep reading for a full list of partners and top redemption opportunities!

3. Flexible Earning Categories

The Citi Strata has some of the BEST Spending Multipliers:

10 Points per $1 Spent
- Earn 10X points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com, making it one of the most rewarding cards for travel booked directly through Citi’s portal.
3 Points per $1 Spent
- Earn 3X points on the following categories:
  - Air travel
  - Other hotel purchases (not through CitiTravel.com)
  - Restaurants
  - Supermarkets
  - Gas stations
  - EV charging stations (a newly added category, great for eco-conscious travelers!)
1 Point per $1 Spent
- Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

Why These Multipliers Matter:

This card is an excellent alternative to the American Express Gold Card. If you’re looking for a lower annual fee while still enjoying strong earning rates on dining, groceries, and gas, this is the perfect choice! The Citi Strata card offers great earning potential across a wide range of every day and travel-related categories. The 10X points on bookings through CitiTravel.com make it a fantastic option for those who frequently book trips online. Meanwhile, the 3X points on air travel, hotels, dining, groceries, gas, and EV charging ensure you earn elevated rewards in essential categories.

4. Valuable Transfer Partners

Citi’s rewards program shines with its impressive roster of transfer partners. You can transfer your points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs, often at a 1:1 ratio.

Here is a list of their travel partners:

HOTELS:

ALL - Accor Live Limitless: 1,000 Citi points = 500 ALL Reward points
Choice Privileges®:1,000 Citi points= 2,000 Choice Privileges Points (my favorite!)
Leaders Club: 1,000 Citi points = 200 Leaders Club points
Preferred Hotels & Resorts (I Prefer Rewards): 1,000 Citi points = 4,000 I Prefer points
Wyndham Rewards®:1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Wyndham points

AIRLINES:

Aeromexico Rewards Points: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Aeromexico Rewards Points

Avianca LifeMiles: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 LifeMiles
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Asia Miles
Emirates Skywards: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Skywards Miles
Etihad Guest Miles: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Guest Miles
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands Miles: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Infinity MileageLands Miles
Flying Blue (Air France/KLM): 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Flying Blue Miles
JetBlue TrueBlue Points: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 TrueBlue points
Qantas Frequent Flyer Points: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Qantas Points
Qatar Privilege Club (Avios): 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Avios
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 KrisFlyer Miles
Thai Royal Orchid Plus Miles: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Royal Orchid Plus Miles
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Miles: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Miles&Smiles Miles
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Points: 1,000 Citi points = 1,000 Virgin Points

5. Travel Perks and Protections

The Citi Strata comes with a suite of travel benefits designed to enhance your journeys. These perks include:

Trip delay and cancellation insurance
Lost luggage reimbursement
MasterRental Coverage (car rental insurance)
No foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for international travel

6. Sweet Spots for redeeming points

One of my favorite ways to use Citi ThankYou points is by transferring them to Choice Privileges Hotels, where your points double in value! While Choice Hotels may not be as popular in the U.S., they shine as a fantastic option for redemptions in Europe.

For example, Venice is a top destination where you can redeem Choice points for a suite, offering incredible value for your stay.

Another excellent use of Citi points is transferring them to airline partners, offering the same great options we’ve come to love from other major banks. One standout redemption is transferring points to Flying Blue for flights to Europe. For just 75,000 points, you could book one-way flights for a family of five to Europe—such an amazing deal!

Another use of CIti points would be for business class redemptions! With 75,000 points you could book a bucket list business class seat and just pay the taxes!

7. How often can you get this welcome offer?

You can qualify for the welcome offer if you haven’t held the Citi Premier or Citi Strata cards in the past 48 months.

Ready to apply? Check out my best offers page.

Thank you so much for using my affiliate links when applying for a credit card. I really appreciate your support!

Hotel Aquarius, booked with Choice points (transferred from Citi)

Advertiser Disclosure: Melissa's Travel Addiction has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Melissa's Travel Addiction and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.

Why the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card Should Be in Your Wallet