If you had a Citi Premier® Card, you might've noticed it's looking a little different this week. And if you were considering applying for the card, you may be wondering what happened. Citi refreshed the card on May 13 -- so say hello to the new Citi Strata Premier℠ Card*.
While it's mostly the same card, there are a few notable changes. Let's get into them.
The new rewards
What was previously a limited-time offer with the Citi Premier is now a permanent feature with the Citi Strata Premier. And a great one at that. If you're able to book your hotel, rental car or any planned attractions through CitiTravel.com, you'll earn 10x points per dollar.
That's a practically unheard-of rate on a card with a $95 annual fee. It's typically reserved only for higher-tiered cards like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card*. While booking through an issuer's travel portal might feel restrictive, you'll be well rewarded for the effort.
The other change in the card's rewards is a welcome addition for people who own an electric or hybrid vehicle. Whereas the card previously earned only 3x points per dollar at gas stations, it'll now apply that rate at EV charging stations. Its other 3x reward categories remain the same, so you'll still earn that strong rewards rate for restaurants, supermarkets, air travel, and other hotel purchases.
New cardholders can also earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com. That's 10,000 more points than its previous welcome offer, so about an extra $100 in value.
Added travel protections
It was previously hard to find out which travel protections the Citi Premier Card included because Citi was relatively tight-lipped about it. A few years ago, Citi removed a number of protections, but it looks like they've added the features back to the new Citi Strata Premier Card.
Cardholders will get access to:
- Trip cancellation and trip interruption protection (common carrier)
- Trip delay
- Lost or damaged luggage
- MasterRental coverage (car rental)
This is a welcomed change that helps bring the Citi Strata Premier Card in line with other cards at its fee level, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
What if I had the Citi Premier?
If you were a Citi Premier cardholder last week, your account should now indicate that you're a Citi Strata Premier cardholder. You likely won't be sent a new physical card right away, but once your current Premier card expires, you'll get the new Citi Strata Premier card.
Should I get the Citi Strata Premier Card?
If you're looking for a travel credit card to bring with you on your summer travels, the Citi Strata Premier could check a lot of boxes. It's a relatively affordable annual fee at $95, so its rewards (which are worth 1 cent per point if you redeem for travel or gift cards through thankyou.com) should be enough to cover it with everyday purchases.
The Citi Strata Premier Card's bonus categories cover both travel purchases and everyday expenses at gas stations, EV charging stations and supermarkets, which makes it pretty easy to get value from the card. The downside is the list of Citi's travel partners. Outside of JetBlue, there aren't many domestic options.
That might not be a deal-breaker for those who want to earn rewards and redeem them as statement credits at 1 cent per point, but to travel enthusiasts, it could make it hard for the Citi Strata Premier to reach the value that some other travel cards offer.
Compared to a few of its top competitors, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, it might not quite cut it in terms of reward potential.
While the Sapphire Preferred has a lower welcome offer, with its strong rewards program -- including a 25% point redemption bonus for using your points to book travel through Chase Travel℠ -- it pushed the value of its points a bit higher than what you might see from the Citi Strata Premier card. The Sapphire Preferred also has a number of popular transfer partners including United, Southwest and Marriott Bonvoy.
The bottom line
The new Citi Strata Premier card does a lot to bring it up to the levels of incumbent best travel cards like the Sapphire Preferred. Its rewards are quite impressive, and so is its welcome offer, but the redemption opportunities still can’t measure up to what the Sapphire Preferred offers.
However, if you’re looking for a travel credit card that can earn great rewards for both travel-related purchases and everyday expenses, the Citi Strata Premier is a good card to choose.
*All information about the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card and the Capital One Venture X Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
