Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Citi Strata Premier
On an illustrative household's spending, Citi Strata Premier comes out about $42 a year ahead once both annual fees are paid.
The short version
- Over a year: Sapphire Preferred nets $719 and Strata Premier nets $760, after fees of $95 a year and $95 a year.
- Where it flips: Strata Premier stays ahead at every level of spending this looks at, from a fraction of that household's to many times it.
- Category by category: Sapphire Preferred earns more on 11, Strata Premier on 3 — the table below. Pick by where most of your money goes.
- What they pay in: Sapphire Preferred earns Chase Ultimate Rewards (2.00¢ each) and Strata Premier earns Citi ThankYou Points (1.60¢ each) — which is why everything here is in dollars.
Priced on a household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits, perks and welcome offers are not priced; each card's page lists them.
Where each one earns more
| Spending on | Sapphire Preferred per $100 |
Strata Premier per $100 | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | $2.00 base rate |
$4.80 3x |
Strata Premier |
| Restaurants & Bars | $6.00 3x |
$4.80 3x |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Gas Stations | $6.00 3x |
$4.80 3x |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Flights | $4.00 2x |
$4.80 3x |
Strata Premier |
| Hotels | $4.00 2x |
$4.80 3x |
Strata Premier |
| Streaming | $6.00 3x |
$1.60 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Food Delivery | $6.00 3x |
$4.80 3x |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Rideshare & Taxis | $4.00 2x |
$1.60 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Public Transit | $4.00 2x |
$1.60 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| EV Charging | $6.00 3x |
$1.60 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Parking & Tolls | $4.00 2x |
$1.60 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Car Rental | $4.00 2x |
$1.60 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Vacation Rentals | $4.00 2x |
$1.60 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
| Everything Else | $2.00 base rate |
$1.60 base rate |
Sapphire Preferred |
Only categories where the two differ and at least one pays a bonus, plus everything else. No rotating or chosen categories are switched on, and a rate that needs the issuer's travel portal is not counted.
Side by side
| Sapphire Preferred | Strata Premier | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Chase | Citi |
| Annual fee | $95 a year | $95 a year |
| Foreign transaction fee | none | none |
| Earns | Chase Ultimate Rewards | Citi ThankYou Points |
| A year, before the fee | $814 | $855 |
| A year, after the fee | $719 | $760 |
| Rates checked | 2026-08 | 2026-08 |
Each card on its own
- Chase Sapphire Preferred — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Citi Strata Premier — every rate, where it ranks, what the issuer lists besides rewards
- Every travel card, ranked
- Which card adds the most to your own wallet
Carry both? Use the right one.
Cardful picks between them at every checkout, store by store.