Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
Part of Chase Sapphire Preferred hub · Chase Ultimate Rewards hub · Citi Strata Premier Card hub
COMPARISON
Citi Strata Premier vs Chase Ultimate Rewards Compared
Citi Strata Premier is a travel credit card from Citi that charges a $95 annual fee and pays 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on cititravel.com [1]. Chase Ultimate Rewards program rules cited here state that points transfer in 1,000-point increments, that most transfers process by the next business day, and that points do not expire while the account stays open [3].
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- The Citi Strata Premier charges a $95 annual fee and pays 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on cititravel.com, 3 points per dollar on air travel, other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets and gas or EV charging, and 1 point per dollar on everything else [1].
- Citi sets a 1,000-point minimum transfer, while Chase transfers Ultimate Rewards points in 1,000-point increments [1] [3].
- Citi says ThankYou Points earned on the Strata Premier do not expire, while Chase says Ultimate Rewards points do not expire as long as the account is open [1] [3].
- At Chase a transfer is final: transferred points cannot be refunded, the transaction cannot be cancelled, and the points then follow the receiving programme's rules [3].
What annual fee and earning rates does the Citi Strata Premier have?
The Citi Strata Premier is a Mastercard with a $95 annual fee, no fee for additional authorized users and no foreign transaction fee [1]. Purchases earn Citi ThankYou Rewards points at the rates below, as published by Citi [1].
| Purchases | Points per $1 [1] |
|---|---|
| Hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on cititravel.com | 10 |
| Air travel and other hotel purchases | 3 |
| Restaurants | 3 |
| Supermarkets | 3 |
| Gas and EV charging stations | 3 |
| All other purchases | 1 |
The variable APR is 20.24% to 28.24% on purchases and balance transfers, set by creditworthiness, with a 29.49% variable APR on cash advances and a penalty APR of up to 29.99% that may follow a late or returned payment [1]. The balance transfer fee is $5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater, the cash advance fee is $10 or 5%, and the minimum interest charge is $0.50 [1].
The card's annual travel benefit is $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more, once per calendar year, excluding taxes and fees, when booked on cititravel.com or by phone, and it is applied at the time of booking [1]. Citi lists trip cancellation and trip interruption for common carrier travel, trip delay, lost or damaged luggage, and MasterRental coverage for car rentals [1].
Points can be used for bookings on Citi Travel, transferred to partners that include American Airlines, JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay, Eva Air, Choice Hotels and The Leading Hotels of the World, spent with merchants such as Amazon, PayPal and CVS, or taken as gift cards and cash back [1].
How do Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to frequent travel programmes work?
Chase sets its programme rules in a program agreement that describes how Ultimate Rewards works; the version cited here is the Ink Business Preferred® with Ultimate Rewards® Program Agreement, whose card-specific earning tiers apply to that account [3]. Points move in 1,000-point increments, and only to participating frequent travel programme accounts belonging to you or, for a company account, to an owner of the company listed as an authorized user on the account [3]. A transfer fee may be charged, and the amount is disclosed before the transfer is made [3].
Most transfer requests process by the next business day, but can take up to seven business days depending on the receiving programme, and the details supplied must match that programme's records or the transfer may be delayed or fail [3]. Once transferred, points cannot be refunded and the transaction cannot be cancelled; they become subject to the receiving programme's terms, Chase is not responsible for those rules, and the list of participating programmes can change without notice [3].
For redemptions kept inside the programme, cash, gift cards and travel have a set value per point, while other options may be worth more or less and promotional offers can pay more [3].
When can points on the Citi card or in Ultimate Rewards be lost?
Citi states that there is no expiration on points earned with the Strata Premier [1]. Chase says points do not expire while the account is open, but that all points are lost immediately if the account status changes or the account is closed for misuse, fraud, failure to comply with other Chase agreements, or because Chase believes the holder may be unwilling or unable to pay debts on time [3]. Chase will not reinstate lost points unless it made an error [3].
If an account is closed for any other reason, Chase gives at least 30 days from the closure date to use the points, provided they are not lost for the reasons above; after that they are lost unless the law limits that outcome, in which case the unused points are automatically redeemed for cash as a statement credit [3]. The same 30-day window applies if Chase cancels the programme, and, unless required by law, points are not the holder's property and have no value until redeemed [3].
Which conditions and limits apply to each card?
- The Citi new account bonus offer is not available to anyone who currently holds or has previously held a Citi Strata Premier or Citi Premier account, and eligibility can also depend on the history of opening, closing and using credit cards [1].
- The $100 hotel benefit on the Citi card is limited to one use per calendar year, requires a single stay of at least $500 before taxes and fees, and must be booked through cititravel.com or the Citi phone line to apply [1].
- Citi names several transfer partners and states that others exist, with a 1,000-point minimum transfer [1].
- Chase transfers must go to an account belonging to the account holder, or to an owner of the company listed as an authorized user on the account, and every transfer is irreversible [3].
- The 30-day period for using Ultimate Rewards points applies when the account is closed for other reasons or the programme is cancelled; points lost through misuse, fraud or a change of account status are not reinstated [3].
- Points that have been transferred sit outside the issuer's rules: the receiving travel programme's own terms govern their use [3].
Frequently asked questions
What is the annual fee on the Citi Strata Premier?
The annual fee is $95, and Citi charges no fee for additional authorized users [1].
Do ThankYou Points or Ultimate Rewards points expire?
Citi states that points earned with the Strata Premier do not expire [1]. Chase states that Ultimate Rewards points do not expire while the account is open, but that points can be lost if the account closes or its status changes [3].
What is the smallest points transfer on each programme?
Citi sets a minimum transfer of 1,000 points to its airline and hotel partners [1]. Chase transfers Ultimate Rewards points in 1,000-point increments [3].
How long does a Chase transfer to a travel programme take?
Most requests process by the next business day, but Chase says a transfer may take up to seven business days depending on the receiving programme [3].
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. Other Citi Strata cards and the Citi Premier are outside this comparison, as are the rules of the airline and hotel programmes that receive transferred points; those are covered on the Citi ThankYou Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards pages.
- Citi Strata Premier card terms, benefits and pricing information, checked 18 October 2026
- Ink Business Preferred with Ultimate Rewards Program Agreement (PDF), checked 18 October 2026