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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
Citi Prestige vs. Citi Strata Premier: Should you keep the Prestige or downgrade to the Strata Premier?
Credit card writer Danyal Ahmed is an avid traveler, averaging about 100,000 aeronautical miles per year. He regularly applies that knowledge and his expertise in credit cards to his role as a credit card writer at TPG.
August 9, 2024 • 10 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
Two popular travel rewards cards are compared, focusing on benefits, earning potential and redemption flexibility.
One premium card is no longer available to new applicants, but existing holders retain valuable perks like annual travel credits and hotel stay benefits.
The other card remains open to new applicants, offering a substantial introductory bonus and broad earning categories at various merchants.
Both cards allow point transfers to multiple airline and hotel loyalty programs, providing flexibility for travel redemptions.
What to consider
Eligibility for the introductory bonus may be restricted if you have received a similar bonus on related products within the past 48 months.
Switching from the premium card to the more accessible option is possible, but upgrading is not; product changes do not grant a new bonus and may affect future eligibility.
The premium card's unique benefits, such as lounge access and fourth-night free hotel stays, are only available to current cardholders.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed side-by-side comparison of benefits, earning rates and redemption strategies to help decide which travel rewards card best fits your needs.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Citi is a TPG advertising partner.
Citi's flagship transferable points cards — the Citi Prestige® Card and the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees) — often fly under the radar compared to the likes of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and other mid- or top-tier travel cards.
Several years ago, Citi announced that the Prestige Card is no longer available for new applicants for the "foreseeable future." However, existing cardmembers continue to enjoy the benefits of their Prestige card, so we'll still see how the Citi Strata Premier compares to the Citi Prestige.
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Citi Prestige vs. Citi Strata Premier comparison
Benefit
Citi Prestige
Citi Strata Premier
Annual fee
$495
$95 (see rates and fees)
Sign-up bonus
No longer available to new applicants
60,000 ThankYou points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
Earning rates
5 points per dollar on air travel and restaurants
3 points per dollar at hotels and cruise lines
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
10 points per dollar on purchases made on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com
3 points per dollar at restaurants, gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, supermarkets, air travel and other hotels
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Benefits
No foreign transaction fees
$250 travel credit every calendar year
Fourth-night free award
Priority Pass Select membership
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
$100 annual hotel savings of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) each calendar year on a single stay when booked through CitiTravel.com
Access to Citi ThankYou transfer partners
Travel and car rental protections
No foreign transaction fees
Citi Prestige vs. Citi Strata Premier welcome offer
The Citi Strata Premier offers new applicants 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. This sign-up bonus is worth $1,080, based on TPG's August 2024 valuations. But, based on your recent activity, you may not be eligible for a sign-up bonus. The application page for the card notes:
Bonus ThankYou® Points are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi Premier® or a Citi Strata Premier® account in the past 48 months.
Meanwhile, the Citi Prestige is no longer available for new applicants, putting the Prestige out of the running in this category. However, its previous sign-up bonus (before the application shut down) was 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening — worth $900, based on TPG's August 2024 valuations.
Winner: Citi Strata Premier. Due to its welcome offer and the Prestige being closed to new applicants.
Citi Prestige vs. Citi Strata Premier benefits
The Citi Prestige flexes its muscle as a premium credit card in this area, offering several perks and credits to help you travel more luxuriously for less money.
Even though it's capped at two uses per year, one of Citi Prestige's most popular benefits is the fourth night free on eligible hotel stays, which I've used at hotels like the Andaz Maui.
PHOTO COURTESY OF HYATT
Here's a list of the other perks offered by the Prestige:
Up-to-$250 travel credit: Each year, you'll receive a $250 travel credit that will be automatically applied whenever you make purchases within the travel category
Global Entry credit: Once every five years, you can get a statement credit to cover an application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck on your card (up to $100).
If you can get significant value from the Priority Pass Select membership and the fourth-night free benefit — even if it's capped — the Citi Prestige can present an excellent value.
The easiest benefit you can utilize for the Citi Strata Premier is the $100 annual hotel savings perk. When you book a hotel reservation of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) through CitiTravel.com, you'll receive a $100 discount on your stay. This benefit is available once per calendar year. In addition, the card offers travel protections to ensure your trips are stress-free if something goes wrong. Protections include trip delay, cancellation and interruption (Common Carrier) protection, lost or damaged luggage insurance and secondary car rental coverage.
Both cards offer the advantage of no foreign transaction fees, making them ideal to carry with you on vacation.
Winner: Citi Prestige. It undeniably offers a better benefits package. Current cardholders should continue to be able to recoup the annual fee between the $250 annual travel credit and the fourth-night free benefit.
Earning points with the Citi Prestige vs. Citi Strata Premier
Besides the annual fee, the biggest difference between the two cards is the rate at which they earn points for different purchases:
The Citi Prestige earns 5 points per dollar spent on air travel and restaurants, 3 points per dollar at hotels and cruise lines and 1 mile per dollar everywhere else
The Citi Strata Premier earns 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com
The Citi Strata Premier earns 3 points per dollar spent on air travel, other hotel purchases, gas stations, EV charging stations, supermarkets and restaurants (including takeout) and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
It should be no surprise that the premium Citi Prestige takes the lead with its high-powered 5 points per dollar bonus category for air travel and restaurants. However, in all other areas, the cards are either tied or the cheaper Citi Strata Premier comes out ahead.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP
If you already have the Prestige card, you'll also earn 5 points per dollar at restaurants. Based on our valuations, this means you'll get a 9% return on restaurant spending.
Winner: Tie. The Citi Prestige's earning rate is great for those who already have it; however, for those looking to open a new card, the Citi Strata Premier offers stellar earning options and a limited-time offer of 10 points per dollar on certain purchases.
Redeeming points with the Citi Prestige vs. Citi Strata Premier
Both the Citi Prestige and Citi Strata Premier earn ThankYou points that can be redeemed in many ways:
Transfer to airline or hotel partners
Statement credits
Citi Travel Center redemptions
Shop with Points
Citi ThankYou points are a transferable currency, and the best value for them would be to transfer them to an airline partner instead of redeeming points for gift cards, statement credits, or travel through the Citi Travel Center portal, which would value your points at 1 cent a piece.
Winner: Tie. Both cards have the same redemption options.
Transferring points with the Citi Prestige vs. Citi Strata Premier
The Citi Prestige and Citi Strata Premier transfer to 18 airline and hotel partner loyalty programs. Airline transfer partners include Air-France KLM Flying Blue, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, and Avianca LifeMiles, and hotel transfer partners include ALL Accor Live Limitless and Wyndham Rewards.
ZACH HONIG/THE POINTS GUY
One of the best ways to redeem Citi ThankYou points is to transfer to top-tier programs that offer the greatest return on your points. This includes transferring points to LifeMiles to book Lufthansa, first class, for as little as 87,000 points or transferring to Singapore KrisFlyer for business-class tickets on Singapore Airlines.
My favorite transfer partner is Air France-KLM Flying Blue, which offers business-class tickets for as little as 50,000 miles one-way from any North American airport to any destination within Europe that either Air France or KLM service.
Winner: Tie, with no difference in transfer partners.
Should I get the Citi Prestige or Citi Strata Premier?
Keeping the Prestige in your wallet is a good choice if you frequent airports with Priority Pass lounges and don't have another card that provides Priority Pass lounge access, pay for at least a couple of hotel stays of four nights or longer, and spend a lot at restaurants and on airfare. However, the Citi Strata Premier is right for you if you have significant gas or grocery expenses and moderate dining and travel spending.
How to switch/upgrade from the Citi Prestige to Citi Strata Premier
As a Citi Strata Premier card member, you cannot request a product change to upgrade to the Citi Prestige; however, you can downgrade from the Citi Prestige to Citi Strata Premier. As both cards are part of the same travel credit card family, you can easily switch to Citi Strata Premier if you no longer find much value in the Prestige or do not wish to keep paying the hefty annual fee.
To do so, call Citi customer service to request to switch your card to the Strata Premier. Remember that a product switch or downgrade will not give you a welcome bonus offer and may make you ineligible for future welcome offers on the card for at least 48 months.
Bottom line
Citi's two premium ThankYou Rewards credit cards provide solid earning potential. The Citi Strata Premier has a modest annual fee and a broad range of 3 points per dollar earning categories. While the Citi Prestige is no longer available to new cardholders, existing cardholders are lucky as they can more than offset the annual fee by taking advantage of the card's annual travel credit and fourth-night free benefit — even though it's limited to two uses per year.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
