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.
Advertiser disclosure
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.
Reviews
Citi Strata Card review: Phenomenal earning rates for a no-annual-fee card
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.
July 31, 2025 • 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 note: Citi is a TPG advertising partner.
Quick summary
A newly rebranded no-annual-fee card offers strong earning potential in categories such as dining, gas, supermarkets and a flexible quarterly bonus category.
Cardholders benefit from broad bonus-earning options, including travel booked through the issuer's portal and a self-select category that can be changed each quarter.
The card is positioned as an excellent entry-level option for those interested in a flexible rewards ecosystem, with a straightforward welcome offer and no annual fee.
Existing holders of the previous version were automatically converted to the new card as of July 20, while new applications are now open.
What to consider
Bonus points can be earned across a wide range of categories, but transfer ratios to travel partners are less favorable than with premium cards.
Eligibility for the welcome offer is restricted if you have received a similar bonus or converted from a related card in the past 48 months.
Points are redeemable for statement credits, cash back or gift cards, but travel portal redemptions may yield lower value compared to TPG's July 2025 valuations.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of how this card's earning structure and redemption options stack up against other popular no-annual-fee and premium cards.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
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.
Related stories
Citi Strata℠ Card
TPG Editor's Rating4 / 5
at Citi's secure site. Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
5X
Earn 5 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals and Attractions booked on Citi Travel® via cititravel.com.
3X
Earn 3 ThankYou Points for each $1 spent at Supermarkets, on Select Transit purchases, and at Gas & EV Charging Stations.
3X
Earn 3 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent in an eligible Self-Select Category of your choice (Fitness Clubs, Select Streaming Services, Live Entertainment, Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons, or Pet Supply Stores). Choose your eligible Self-Select Category on Citi Online or by calling customer service. The default Self-Select Category is Select Streaming Services.
2X
Earn 2 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent at Restaurants.
1X
Earn 1 ThankYou® Point for each $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
The (see rates and fees) is the newest no-annual-fee Citi card that earns Citi ThankYou Rewards points. Citi Strata has impressive earning rates on dining, gas and supermarkets, making it an excellent choice as an everyday card. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
* Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The Citi Rewards+® Card was rebranded to the Citi Strata Card in May. It's tricky when an issuer changes a fan-favorite card, but these changes have made it more beneficial for cardholders.
New applications for the Citi Strata Card are now open, and as of July 20, all Citi Rewards+ Card holders have been converted to the Strata Card and will receive a new card when their current one expires.
The Citi Strata has a broad range of bonus-earning categories, from travel and supermarkets to a new self-select quarterly category. This gives cardholders flexibility and helps them maximize their earnings. With no annual fee and an easy-to-earn welcome offer, the Citi Strata is a great choice for those starting their journey in the Citi ThankYou Rewards points ecosystem.
To increase your likelihood of approval, you'll need a recommended credit score of 670 or higher.
Whether your account was converted or you're thinking of applying for the card, read ahead to learn how this card stands out.
The information for the Citi Rewards+ 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 Strata Card pros and cons
Pros
Cons
Bonus points on travel booked through the Citi travel portal
Wide range of bonus-earning categories, including supermarkets and transit, gas and electric vehicle charging
Self-select bonus category that you can change each quarter
No earning limit on bonus categories
No annual fee
Poorer transfer ratios than premium Citi cards
No points rebate
No lounge access
Citi Strata Card welcome offer
New applicants for the can earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Based on TPG's July 2025 valuations, this welcome offer is worth $380.
New cardholders also receive a 0% introductory annual percentage rate on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, after which, based on your creditworthiness, a variable APR of 18.49% to 28.49% applies.
THE POINTS GUY
If your Citi Rewards+ Card was automatically changed to the Citi Strata Card on July 20, you can’t apply for the Strata Card because you already have it. But if you never had the Citi Rewards+ Card, you can apply for the Strata Card and get the welcome bonus.
Additionally, the welcome bonus is not available to applicants who received a new account bonus for a Citi Rewards+ account in the past 48 months or those who converted another Citi account on which they earned a new account bonus in the last 48 months into a Citi Strata or Citi Rewards+ account.
The has no annual fee, and, as such, you won't find many benefits like statement credits or travel perks. Typically, no-annual-fee cards have introductory APR offers on purchases and balance transfers but provide limited ways to redeem rewards.
For example, the (see rates and fees), with a $95 annual fee, comes with a $100 annual credit when spending at least $500 (excluding taxes and fees) on a hotel booked through the Citi travel portal.
Earning points on the Citi Strata Card
The shines in its ability to easily earn bonus points across many categories, including:
5 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through the Citi travel portal
3 points per dollar spent at supermarkets and on select transit, EV charging and gas purchases
3 points per dollar spent on an eligible self-select category (which you can change each quarter)
2 points per dollar spent at restaurants
1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
The eligible self-select categories are:
Barber shops, cosmetic stores and hair salons
Fitness clubs
Live entertainment
Pet supply stores
Select streaming services
D3SIGN/GETTY IMAGES
These strong earning rates largely mirror those of the but without the $95 annual fee, making the Strata an excellent entry-level option.
These earning rates can create Citi’s version of the Chase Trifecta, where you combine multiple Citi cards to maximize rewards. For example, cardholders can carry both the Citi Strata and the new, premium (see rates and fees) to maximize earnings through the Citi travel portal and restaurant purchases on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The Citi Strata Card stands out with its quarterly self-select category of 3 points per dollar. Citi gives you a well-rounded list of categories that make it easy to maximize your rewards — and you can change the category each quarter.
By default, the self-select category is select streaming services. In order to change your category once per quarter, you must log in at citi.com/selfselect or call 1-800-842-6596. This is one of the best bonus categories found on the card compared to other no-annual-fee cards.
MARY KOUW/CBS/GETTY IMAGES
These earning rates make this card a strong contender for everyday purchases, challenging the likes of the (see rates and fees) and the (see rates and fees), which has included fitness clubs or streaming services as previous quarterly bonus categories (but caps reward earnings for these bonus categories at $1,500 each quarter; activation required).
Redeeming points on the Citi Strata Card
The earns Citi ThankYou Rewards points that are redeemable for statement credits, cash back or gift cards. Points can also be transferred to a set of travel partners specific to the card.
FRESHSPLASH/GETTY IMAGES
Redeeming ThankYou Rewards points for travel booked through the Citi travel portal will give you 1 cent per point in value, far less than TPG's July 2025 valuations.
holders can transfer points to 20 air, hotel and retail partners in the ThankYou Rewards program. Most transfer ratios are 1:0.7, meaning you get 0.7 points or miles for every ThankYou point transferred.
SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
However, if you hold an eligible premium Citi card, like the Citi Prestige® Card, the or the , you can transfer to Citi's full list of 21 partners at improved transfer ratios. This also means the ability to combine points and transfer to Citi's newest transfer partner, American Airlines AAdvantage.
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.
TPG lead writer Katie Genter loves the Wyndham Rewards program and has secured award stays for just 7,500 points per night in Jeju, South Korea, and 15,000 points per night in Hawaii.
While the comes with no annual fee and offers stellar earning rates, here are some other cards to consider if you prefer another issuer or a simpler card:
If you want to earn cash back on online purchases: The earns similarly to the Citi Strata at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations. It also earns 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, but all the bonus categories only earn bonus cash back for up to $6,000 in purchases for each category per calendar year, then 1%. (Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at amazon.com checkout.) To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card.
If you want to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points: The has fewer bonus categories, earning bonus cash back at drugstores and on Chase Travel℠ purchases and dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services). The best aspect of the card is the ability to earn 1.5% cash back on all other purchases, making it excellent for everyday purchases. If you have a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards card like the (see rates and fees), you can combine your rewards from the Freedom Unlimited. To learn more, read our full review of the Freedom Unlimited.
If you want a simple earning rate: The (see rates and fees) earns 2% cash back on all purchases: 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay off your statement bill. Cardholders can also convert cash back to ThankYou points with an eligible credit card that earns Citi ThankYou Rewards points. To learn more, read our full review of the Citi Double Cash.
For a no-annual-fee card, the 's earning rates are great and challenge competitors like the . The card pairs well with Citi's more travel-oriented cards, like the , which can be a great way to quickly earn ThankYou points and combine them to transfer to Citi's airline and hotel partners. If you're looking to expand the diversity of your points, the Citi Strata Card is definitely worthy of consideration.
Bottom line
The is one of the best no-annual-fee cards to add to your wallet. The card's wide range of bonus categories and unique self-select category that you can change quarterly is an easy way to earn bonus points on everyday purchases.
I would recommend pairing this card with a more premium card in the Citi Strata lineup to take advantage of more lucrative transfer partners like American Airlines AAdvantage — and at higher transfer rates. With Citi’s refreshed lineup, the Citi Strata is a strong contender for your everyday spending.
