Key facts
If you are already shelling out a lot in annual fees each year, but you don’t have a credit card that earns Citi ThankYou® Points, the Citi Strata℠ Card is an excellent option. It has an impressive earning potential for a card that doesn’t charge an annual fee, and you’ll get access to Citi Entertainment®, Citi Travel®, and a variety of transfer partners. Although the additional benefits are light, it doesn’t cost you anything to have in your wallet.
Annual Fee:
$0Min. Credit Score for Approval:
670-739 * GoodAPR on Purchases:
0 % Intro APR on purchases for 15 months, 18.74%-28.74% thereafterAPR on Balance Transfers:
0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, 18.74%-28.74% thereafterBalance transfer fees
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.Foreign Transaction Fee:
3%Reward multipliers
You’ll earn Citi ThankYou Points when using the Citi Strata℠ card.
Earn 5 points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on cititravel.com
Earn 3 points per $1 spent at supermarkets, select Transit, at gas & EV charging stations, and on an eligible self-select category of your choice
Earn 2 points per $1 spent at restaurants
Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Eligible self-select categories include:
- Fitness Clubs
- Select Streaming Services
- Live Entertainment
- Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons
- Pet Supply Stores
Note that if you want to redeem for cash back, the points on this card will redeem for 0.5 cents per point. However, if you also have a Citi® Double Cash linked to the same ThankYou account, you would be able to redeem all points for cash back at 1 cent per point.
Earns bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
ALREADY HAVE THIS CARD?
Pair another card and boost your rewards
In some cases, adding cards from the same points system will increase your rewards by unlocking a higher point value based on the ability to transfer points to air or hotel partners. In other cases, the cards simply work together to earn more points with one bank or diversify your bonus category rewards across banks.
Key features
Unique Card Benefits
Access to Citi Entertainment
Citi cardmembers have access to Citi Entertainment, which gives special access to concert tickets and exclusive experiences. If you’re searching for a hard-to-get concert ticket, having a card from each of the major issuers is always a great idea. Many artists will partner with a specific issuer for exclusive presale access. Earlier this year, Lady Gaga partnered with Citi for presale tickets to the Mayhem Ball.
0% Intro APR on Purchases
As a new cardholder, you can enjoy a 0 % Intro APR on purchases for 15 months, 18.74%-28.74% thereafter.
If you need to make a large purchase, you could apply for the card, make the purchase, earn your welcome bonus, and have over a year to pay off the balance before accruing interest.
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers
You can also take advantage of a 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, 18.74%-28.74% thereafter.
Balance Transfer Fees: There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening..
Note that this differs from a Citi Flex Pay Plan, which allows you to split up an eligible purchase of $75 or more into fixed monthly payments.
Earns Transferable Points
The Citi Strata℠ Card earns Citi ThankYou Points. These points can be transferred to a variety of hotel and airline transfer partners, including:
| Citi ThankYou Transfer Partners | Transfer Ratio for Citi Strata EliteSM, Citi Strata Premier®, Prestige®, AT&T Acccess More Cardmembers | Transfer Ratio from a Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi Strata℠ Card, Citi Double Cash® Card, Citi Custom Cash® Card, Citi ThankYou® Mastercard®, AT&T Universal Rewards World, AT&T Universal Savings and Rewards, AT&T Universal Rewards, AT&T Points Plus℠ Card from Citi, or AT&T Access card | Approximate Transfer Time (our estimate / not a guarantee) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AeroMexico | 1:1 | 1:0.7 (1,000 ThankYou = 700 Aeromexico Rewards) | Generally instant |
| Air France Flying Blue | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant |
| American Airlines AAdvantage® | 1:1 (Strata Elite, Strata Premier, and Prestige) | 1:0.7 (Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi StrataSM Card, Citi Double Cash® Card, Citi Custom Cash® only) | Within 24 hours generally, in practice should be <1 hour. |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific AsiaMiles | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant |
| Etihad Guest | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant |
| Emirates | 1:800 | 1:0.56 (1,000 gets 560) | Instant |
| Eva Air | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | ~1-3 days |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant |
| Qantas | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant to 1 day |
| Qatar Privilege Club | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | ~2 days |
| Singapore Airlines | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | ~1-2 days |
| Thai Orchid Plus | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | ~3-7 days |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | 1-2 days |
| Virgin Atlantic | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | Instant to 2 days |
| Hotels | |||
| Choice Hotels | 1:2 | 1:1.4 | Instant |
| Wyndham Rewards | 1:1 | 1:0.7 | TBD |
| Leaders Club | 5:1 | 1:0.014 (1,000 gets 140) | TBD |
| Preferred Hotels and Resorts “I Prefer” | 1:4 | 1:2.8 | TBD |
| Accor Live Limitless | 1:0.5 | 1:0.35 (1,000 gets 350) | TBD |
Note above the decreased transfer ratio on this card compared to the Citi Strata Premier® Credit Card or the Citi Strata℠ Elite Card. In the Citi ecosystem, the ThankYou cards with annual fees get the “full” transfer ratio which is most often 1:1 whereas the no annual fee ThankYou cards get a reduced rate which is generally 70% of the standard ratio, i.e. 1:0.7.
For this reason, if you plan to transfer points often, the Citi Strata℠ Premier Credit Card or the Citi Strata℠ Elite Card may make more sense despite the annual fees!
It’s also worth noting that one of Citi’s transfer partners is American Airlines’ AAdvantage® program. This is a recent addition and one worth noting, as most people are quite familiar with the AAdvantage® program and how it works.
Free Access to Credit Score
As a cardholder, you can access your FICO Score for free to monitor your credit history. You’ll also be protected by the Mastercard ID Theft Protection, which helps guard you against identity theft.
Earn more rewards by combining credit cards
Pros & cons
- Impressive earning potential
- Low intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
- Decent welcome bonus
- Charges foreign transaction fees
- No insurance coverage
- Transfer points to partners at a lower ratio than other Citi cards
Our review
As a no-annual-fee card, the Citi Strata℠ Card doesn’t come with a ton of additional benefits. However, the primary thing to note before applying is the impressive earning potential. As we’ve already mentioned, you’ll earn 3 points per $1 at supermarkets and on gas purchases. You’ll earn 2 points per $1 at restaurants, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
In addition, you have the opportunity to self-select a 3X earning category from a list of options: fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, and pet supply stores. Sure, it would be nice to see travel listed as a self-select option, but we can’t have it all. The ability to personalize your earning potential is fantastic.
If you subscribe to every streaming service out there, you can earn a solid chunk of points each month. If you have a pricey gym membership, you might as well earn as much as possible while you’re working out. And if you love going to concerts, live entertainment is your best option.
You’ll also earn 5 points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through cititravel.com. If you prefer to book directly with the provider, this won’t do you much good. However, you can try to book your attractions through the portal when you go on vacation to maximize your earning potential.
The welcome bonus, although not extremely high, is easily accessible for most people. You can spend your bonus points by booking travel through Citi Travel at a flat rate of 1 cent per point. Or, you can stretch your points farther by taking advantage of Citi’s comprehensive list of transfer partners — which includes American Airlines. Although you’ll transfer at a lower ratio than if you held the Citi Strata Elite℠ or the Citi Strata Premier®, having access to American Airlines is phenomenal.
Unfortunately, cardholders won’t be able to take advantage of any statement credits or be covered by things like trip cancellation coverage or cell phone insurance. Still, the Citi Strata℠ Card is worth considering.
Frequently asked questions
Does Citi Strata℠ Card have an annual fee?
No, the Citi Strata℠ Card does not have an annual fee.
Is it worth getting the Citi Strata℠ Card?
Whether or not it’s worth getting the Citi Strata℠ Card will depend on your travel and financial goals. If you want to have access to American Airlines as a transfer partner but don’t want to pay an annual fee, the Citi Strata Card is the best card on the market for you.
How do I earn points with the Citi Strata℠ Card?
You will earn points with the Citi Strata℠ Card by using it for your day-to-day purchases. Try to use it when making purchases at merchants that fall into the cards bonus categories to maximize your earnings.
Does the Citi Strata℠ Card charge foreign transaction fees?
Yes, the Citi Strata℠ Card charges foreign transaction fees of 3% of each purchase in U.S. dollars. So, you’ll want a different card to take on your trip abroad.
What can I do with the points earned for spending on the Citi Strata℠Card?
The points you earn with your Citi Strata℠ Card can be used to book travel through Citi’s extensive list of airline and hotel transfer partners. You can also shop with points, buy gift cards, or book travel through Citi Travel. Note that different redemption options have different values, so always do your research before completing a redemption.
How does the Citi Strata℠ card compare with the Citi Strata℠ Premier card?
Although the Citi Strata℠ Card is a solid option for those looking to save money on annual fees, the Citi Strata℠ Premier is a much more well-rounded option. It has an even better earning potential, and offers cardholders a $100 discount on a hotel stay of $500 or more once per year when booked through Citi Travel. That’s enough to cover the low $95 annual fee.