Citi
Credit Card

Citi Credit Card

FDIC InsuredVerified · May 2026Rate verified by SwitchWize
SwitchWize take
Best for

Frequent travelers who spend across dining, groceries, gas, and book hotels via Citi's portal.

Avoid if

Rewards minimalists, occasional travelers, or anyone avoiding annual fees.

Main catch

The Citi Strata Premier® sits in a crowded mid-tier travel card space, and it punches competitively for its $95 price point. The five active 3x categories — air, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and gas/EV — are unusually broad for this fee tier; most comparable cards in our database focus on two or three. The 10x rate on the Citi Travel portal is the headline, though it's only relevant if you're willing to book through a proprietary platform rather than direct with airlines or hotels. The $100 annual hotel benefit nearly cancels the annual fee on its own, provided you spend $500+ on a single hotel booking once a year — a realistic threshold for most leisure travelers. That makes the effective cost closer to $0 for moderate travelers. The purchase APR range of 20.24%–28.24% runs roughly in line with the category average for rewards travel cards in SwitchWize's database. With the Fed Funds Rate at 3.63%, these rates reflect a significant credit spread — carrying a balance here is expensive. This card rewards those who pay in full each month. For points accumulators who clear their balance monthly and travel at least once a year, this is a strong value proposition at its fee level.

What to verify before applying

Read the Schumer Box for the purchase APR, cash advance APR, and foreign transaction fee. Confirm the annual fee after the first year.

Last checked

Jun 5, 2026

Data source

SwitchWize Research Desk · methodology

Pros
  • No monthly maintenance fee
  • FDIC insured up to $250,000
Account Features
Annual Fee$95
Authorized User Fee$0
Purchase APR20.24% – 28.24% variable
Cash Advance APR29.49% variable
Penalty APRUp to 29.99% variable
Rewards – Citi Travel Portal10x points on Hotels, Car Rentals & Attractions via cititravel.com
Rewards – Air & Hotels3x points on Air Travel and other Hotel Purchases
Rewards – Dining3x points at Restaurants
Rewards – Groceries3x points at Supermarkets
Rewards – Gas & EV3x points at Gas & EV Charging Stations
Rewards – Everything Else1x points on all other purchases
Points ExpirationNo expiration on earned points
Points Earning CapNo limit
Annual Hotel Benefit$100 off a single hotel stay of $500+ once per calendar year, booked via cititravel.com
Foreign Transaction FeesNone
Points Transfer PartnersJetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay Pacific, Eva Air, Choice Hotels, The Leading Hotels of the World, and others
Minimum Points Transfer1,000 points; no transfer fee
Redemption OptionsTravel bookings, points transfers, Amazon/PayPal/CVS shopping, gift cards, cash back
Citi Flex PayBuy-now-pay-later on eligible purchases of $75+; monthly plan fee up to 1.72%
NetworkMastercard
Contactless PayYes — tap-to-pay chip-enabled card
Digital WalletsSupported
FICO Score AccessFree via Citi online
Travel ProtectionsTrip Cancellation/Interruption, Trip Delay, Lost or Damaged Luggage, MasterRental Coverage (car rental)
Fraud Protection24-hour fraud monitoring with alerts
Quick LockInstant card block via Citi Mobile App or citi.com
Mastercard ID Theft ProtectionIncluded; free enrollment at mastercardidps.idprotectiononline.com
Customer Service24/7 live support
Citi EntertainmentPresale and exclusive tickets to concerts, sports, arts & culture events
Fees
Annual Fee$95
Authorized User Fee$0
Foreign Transaction Fee$0
Balance Transfer Fee$5 or 5% of transfer amount, whichever is greater
Cash Advance Fee$10 or 5% of advance amount, whichever is greater
Citi Flex Pay Plan FeeUp to 1.72% per month depending on plan duration and applicable APR
Minimum Interest Charge$0.50
Penalty APRUp to 29.99% variable — triggered by late or returned payment
Requirements
Credit ApprovalSubject to Citi credit approval; creditworthiness determines APR tier
Credit ScoreNo specific score stated; Citi uses multiple factors including credit score — pre-qualify tool available without hard inquiry
Bonus EligibilityNew cardmembers only; no new account bonus if you received one for a Citi Premier® or Citi Strata Premier® in the past 48 months, or converted an eligible account with a prior bonus in the last 48 months
Hotel Benefit Minimum Spend$500+ single hotel stay (excluding taxes and fees) required to trigger $100 benefit
Citi Flex Pay MinimumPurchase must be $75 or more to be eligible
How to Open

Apply online at citi.com or use the pre-qualify tool to check eligibility without a hard credit pull. Approval is subject to creditworthiness. New cardmembers only for the welcome bonus; existing Citi Premier or Strata Premier holders within the past 48 months are ineligible.

The SwitchWize Take

The Citi Strata Premier® sits in a crowded mid-tier travel card space, and it punches competitively for its $95 price point. The five active 3x categories — air, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and gas/EV — are unusually broad for this fee tier; most comparable cards in our database focus on two or three. The 10x rate on the Citi Travel portal is the headline, though it's only relevant if you're willing to book through a proprietary platform rather than direct with airlines or hotels. The $100 annual hotel benefit nearly cancels the annual fee on its own, provided you spend $500+ on a single hotel booking once a year — a realistic threshold for most leisure travelers. That makes the effective cost closer to $0 for moderate travelers. The purchase APR range of 20.24%–28.24% runs roughly in line with the category average for rewards travel cards in SwitchWize's database. With the Fed Funds Rate at 3.63%, these rates reflect a significant credit spread — carrying a balance here is expensive. This card rewards those who pay in full each month. For points accumulators who clear their balance monthly and travel at least once a year, this is a strong value proposition at its fee level.

Rates are sourced from Bankrate and verified by SwitchWize. SwitchWize may earn a referral fee when you click through to a partner. Content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Verify current rates directly with the institution before opening an account.