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The Chase Sapphire Reserve card, The Platinum Card^® from American Express, and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card have long been the go-to premium travel rewards cards for frequent travelers.
The cards are known for offering premium travel benefits, including bonus earnings on travel purchases, flexible redemption options, worldwide lounge access, statement credits for select purchases, and travel insurance.
Today’s comparison introduces a new player in the travel rewards card arena, the Citi Strata Elite card. The card provides all the perks a traveler would look for in a travel rewards card.
We’ve compared the Citi Strata Elite card to other popular premium travel rewards cards. Today, we’re focusing on comparing it to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card.
Here’s how the card measures up, along with all the information you need to determine if it’s a good fit for you.
We’ll expand on all the features and benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Citi Strata Elite card shortly.
First, though, it can be helpful to review an overall comparison of the cards before we get into card details.
Feature or Benefit
Welcome offer
Earning potential
Top redemptions
Key travel protections

Key travel benefits

Top shopping protections
Purchase protection, extended warranty, return protection

Purchase Assurance Plus, extended warranty
Top shopping benefits
Annual fees and authorized users
We’ve also compared the Citi Strata Elite card to the Capital One Venture X card and the Amex Platinum card.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card and Citi Strata Elite card come with generous welcome offers that can help you earn a large number of rewards in a short time.
You can earn the welcome bonus offer on either card after meeting the minimum spending requirements within the specified period, immediately following card approval.
Here are the most current offers for our featured cards, along with some additional information:
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options.
The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like worldwide airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus, it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to cover you at home or on the road.
Don’t forget the more than $2,000 in annual credits, which can offset the annual fee!
Chase Ultimate Rewards
The Citi Strata Elite card is Citi's most premium card built for frequent travelers and foodies.
The Citi Strata Elite card is a great option for frequent travelers, foodies, and those who are fans of the Citi ThankYou Rewards ecosystem thanks to its combination of bonus categories, perks, and annual credits.
Welcome offers can fluctuate, so it’s best to check for the most current offer available before applying.
We value Ultimate Rewards points earned on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card at approximately 2 cents each, and ThankYou Points earned on the Citi Strata Elite card at 1.6 cents each. You can use these estimates to calculate the value of a welcome bonus offer.
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Earning potential is a key factor when considering which card may better suit your situation. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Citi Strata Elite card earn rewards on every purchase you make. Plus, the cards have bonus categories for earning even more rewards.
Here’s how you earn points on our featured cards.
Earning Category
Travel purchased through the card travel portal
8x Ultimate Rewards points on travel purchased through Chase Travel

Travel purchased directly
4x points for flights and hotels
1.5x points
All other travel purchases
1x points
1.5x points
Dining
3x points
6x points on dining during Citi Nights (Friday and Saturday nights from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Eastern time), and 3x points all other times
All other purchases
1x points
1.5x points
Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Citi Strata Elite card encourage purchasing travel through their associated travel portals and reward those purchases well.
Beyond that, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card earns 4x points on flights and hotels purchased directly with the airline or hotel program. Compare that to the Citi Strata Elite card, which earns 1.5x points for those travel purchases.
If you can set your clock to use the Citi Strata Elite card on weekend nights for dining, you’ll earn well, with 6x points and 3x points outside those times. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card earns 3x points on every dining purchase, including carryout and delivery.
Consumers who spend heavily on everyday purchases such as groceries, gas, tuition, medical bills, home improvement, repairs, or other categories without bonuses earn better with the Citi Strata Elite card, which earns 1.5x points on every purchase. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card earns 1x points.
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders who spend $75,000 or more in a calendar year receive additional benefits, including Southwest Airlines A-List status and a $500 Southwest Airlines credit when booked through Chase Travel, a $250 credit to the Shops at Chase, and IHG One Rewards Diamond Elite status.
At redemption time, you want to receive the most value possible. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Citi Strata Elite card each earn flexible rewards that have several redemption options.
Redeeming travel rewards, whether through the card’s travel portal or by transferring them to travel partners, may yield the best value, but it’s always good to have options.
Here are the choices you have when redeeming rewards earned on each card:
Redemption
Travel
General statement credit
1 cent per point
Additional redemptions
Cash, shopping with participating retailers, gift cards, charitable donations
Transfer to an eligible Citi account, cash, shopping with participating retailers, gift cards, charitable donations
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has the edge when redeeming points. While both cards have a base value of 1 cent each for rewards points, it’s possible to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points directly with Chase Travel for up to 2 cents each with Points Boost.
Both cards offer the option of transferring points to airline or hotel partners. American Airlines loyalists will appreciate that the airline is a 1:1 transfer partner of the Citi Strata Elite card. World of Hyatt loyalists will like the ability to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to the program at a 1:1 ratio and redeem for free hotel nights. These are just a couple of redemption sweet spots.
Learn more about the best way to redeem Ultimate Rewards points and redeem ThankYou Points in our detailed articles on these topics.
Either card can offer great value when transferring to airline or hotel partners. When redeeming through travel portals, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card may offer better potential value than the Citi Strata Elite card.
Travel protections are an added card benefit that can provide economic relief should you experience a covered loss during your travels.
Here are the key travel protections offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Citi Strata Elite card:
Travel Protection
Rental car insurance
Primary auto rental coverage
Secondary MasterRental coverage within the renter’s country of residence, primary outside the country; terms apply
Trip cancellation and trip interruption
Included
Included
Trip delay
For trip delays more than 6 hours or overnight, up to $500 per purchased ticket
Included
Baggage insurance
Lost, stolen, or damaged luggage coverage included
Emergency evacuation and emergency Medical and mental
Emergency evacuation and transportation up to $100,000, up to $2,500 emergency medical and dental
N/A
Roadside assistance
4 free service calls each year within the U.S. and Canada, up to $50 each
N/A
Foreign transaction fees
None
None
Please note that we have abbreviated coverage descriptions and omitted the full terms and conditions for brevity. You can find this information in the associated card’s guide to benefits.
With the extra coverage of primary auto rental insurance, trip and baggage delay, emergency evacuation, limited medical and dental coverage, and roadside assistance, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers better travel insurance protections than the Citi Strata Elite card.
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Travel benefits help you save money on specific purchases and offer travel perks that enhance the comfort of your trip.
Here are the travel benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Citi Strata Elite card:
Travel Benefit
Worldwide lounge access
Hotel program benefits
Car rental program and transit benefits

Additional travel benefits
Airport lounge access can be a welcome benefit during your travels. The Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Citi Strata Elite card both offer cardholders a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. This worldwide lounge access to more than 1,500 properties includes the cardholder and up to 2 guests (subject to club capacity).
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card also includes access to Chase Sapphire Lounges by the Club and select Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounges.
The Citi Strata Elite card comes with 4 passes each year to the American Airlines Admirals Club.
As well as earning 5x points on Lyft purchases, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers up to $120 in annual Lyft in-app credits, available in monthly credits of up to $10.
The card also provides car rental discounts and status with Avis Car Rental and National Car Rental.
The Citi Strata Elite card comes with up to $200 in annual credits with the global chauffeur company Blacklane. Credits are distributed as $100 from January through June and $100 from July through December.
Additionally, with World Elite Mastercard benefits, you can earn a $5 monthly credit with Lyft after taking 3 rides when you add your card as a payment option in the Lyft app. Mastercard benefits also include car rental discounts.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Citi Strata Elite card each provide reimbursement for application or renewal fees for Global Entry (up to $120) or TSA PreCheck (up to $85). The Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers the additional option of reimbursing the NEXUS fee. You can use 1 fee reimbursement every 4 years.
Another essential benefit for travelers is that neither card charges foreign transaction fees.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with a $300 annual travel statement credit. The credit is easy to use because the company’s definition of a travel purchase is quite broad. You do not earn Ultimate Rewards on purchases that qualify for the credit.
Cardholders receive exclusive access to Citi Entertainment events, including concerts, sporting events, and other entertainment experiences. Benefits include access to ticket presales, preferred seating, and exclusive events for cardholders.
Shopping protections can provide economic relief should you experience a covered loss to an eligible item you purchased with your card. You can save money on specific purchases with shopping benefits.
Here are the key shopping benefits and protections found on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Citi Strata Elite card:
Shopping Protection or Benefit
Purchase protection
Included
Purchase Assurance Plus
Extended warranty
Included
Included
Return protection
Included
N/A
Shopping benefits

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders receive $250 in value each year with complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music. Activation is required.
It’s smart to understand any associated fees you may incur when holding a rewards credit card.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has an annual fee of $795 and charges an additional $195 annual fee for each authorized user.
The Citi Strata Elite card has an annual fee of $595 and $75 annual fee for each authorized user.
Citi Strata Elite cardholders who have a Citigold relationship receive $145 off the annual membership fee. Cardholders with a Citigold Private Client relationship receive $595 off the first year and $145 off each subsequent year.
Authorized users receive their own Priority Pass membership with worldwide lounge access on both the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Citi Strata Elite card.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card and Citi Strata Elite card have similar earning, redemption, and benefit structures. However, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card wins out in nearly every category.
When considering earning potential, both cards perform well when purchasing travel through travel portals. However, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card also earns rewards on flights and hotels purchased directly. The Citi Strata Elite card offers 6x points on dining during specific weekend hours and earns 1.5 cents per $1 spent on all other purchases, compared to the Chase Sapphire Reserve card’s 1 cent per $1.
Redemption options are the same for both cards, but the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers the potential for up to 2 cents in value per point when using Points Boost or Pay Yourself Back. American Airlines loyalists may prefer the Citi Strata Elite card for its transfer option. In contrast, Hyatt loyalists may prefer the Chase Sapphire Reserve card for that transfer option value.
There’s no debate that the Chase Sapphire Reserve card offers excellent travel insurance and more generous statement credits than the Citi Strata Elite card.
If you’re willing to pay a higher annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card could offer significantly more value at the end of the day, depending on your situation and preferences.
Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and the Citi Strata Elite card have elevated earnings on travel purchased through the associated travel portal, offer statement credits for select purchases, flexible redemption options, and travel and shopping benefits. However, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card has additional earnings for flights and hotels purchased directly, an easy-to-use $300 travel statement credit, higher potential redemption options, and better travel insurance.
Yes. The Citi Strata Elite card offers complimentary Priority Pass Select membership and 4 passes each year to American Airlines Admirals Clubs.
The Edit is a collection of luxury hotels you can book through the Chase Travel portal using points or charging to your card. Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be redeemed for up to 2 cents each when booking Edit properties. Cardholders also receive elite benefits at the property and can use the $500 annual Edit statement credit that comes with the card (1 credit of $250 twice a year, January through June and July through December).
It can be. If you have a current Citigold relationship with Citi, the card is worth it, as these cardholders receive credits toward the annual fee each year. Additionally, if you don’t mind using Citi Travel for your travel purchases, you will earn well. ThankYou Points earned on the card can be a valuable and flexible rewards currency, resulting in good value when transferred to airline or hotel partners. Finally, the card comes with hotel and shopping credits that, when used, can add value for the cardholder.
The information regarding the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Citi Strata℠ Elite Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here.
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Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services offices. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
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