Sapphire Preferred vs Citi Strata Premier
It depends on how you spend: the Sapphire Preferred wins for 1 of our three profiles and the Citi Strata Premier for 2. Below: what each card pays after fees for three spending profiles, the break-even, and a live calculator for your own numbers. Card terms verified Oct 5, 2026.
Simulated results
Five years, welcome offers counted when the profile's own spending reaches them, points valued for travel (Chase points at 1.5¢, Citi points at 1.4¢). Merchant credits like Uber or DoorDash aren't counted for typed profiles; they show up in the break-even instead.
| Profile | Sapphire Preferred: year 1 | then yearly | 5 years | Citi Strata Premier: year 1 | then yearly | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everyday spender About $2,000 a month, mostly groceries and errands, one trip a year. | $1,670 | $545 | $3,850 | $1,390 | $550 | $3,591 |
| Balanced About $3,500 a month with a few trips a year and regular dining out. | $2,165 | $1,040 | $6,325 | $1,955 | $1,115 | $6,413 |
| Frequent traveler About $5,000 a month, heavy on flights, hotels and restaurants, some trips abroad. | $2,790 | $1,665 | $9,448 | $2,643 | $1,803 | $9,857 |
The break-even
Everyday spender
Citi Strata Premier trails Sapphire Preferred by $52 a year. It wins only if its credits you'd have to use are worth more than $52 a year to you.
This flips if Citi points are worth more than 1.49¢ each to you (we're using 1.4¢).
Balanced
Sapphire Preferred trails Citi Strata Premier by $18 a year. It wins only if its Global Entry credit and credits you'd have to use are worth more than $18 a year to you.
This flips if Chase points are worth more than 1.52¢ each to you (we're using 1.5¢).
Frequent traveler
Sapphire Preferred trails Citi Strata Premier by $82 a year. It wins only if its Global Entry credit and credits you'd have to use are worth more than $82 a year to you.
This flips if Chase points are worth more than 1.57¢ each to you (we're using 1.5¢).
Try it with your spending
Starts from the Balanced profile. Change any number, or drop in your statements; they're read on this device and never uploaded.
The live calculator needs JavaScript. The tables above are precomputed.
The live calculator needs JavaScript. The tables above are precomputed.
Side by side
| Term | Sapphire Preferred | Citi Strata Premier |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer and network | Chase, Visa | Citi, Mastercard |
| Annual fee | $95 | $95 |
| Requires | Nothing extra | Nothing extra |
| Welcome offer | 75,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months | 60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months |
| Earning | 5x on all Chase Travel purchases (flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, vacation homes, activities, tours) · 3x on dining worldwide (incl. takeout and eligible delivery) · 3x at gas stations and EV charging (new 6/15/2026) · 3x on vacation homes booked direct with top brands: Airbnb, Vrbo, Plum Guide, HomeAway, Homestay.com, Vacasa (new 6/15/2026) · 3x on top streaming services (Apple Music, Apple TV, Disney+, ESPN+, Fubo, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Pandora, Paramount+, Peacock, Showtime, SiriusXM, Sling, Spotify, YouTube Premium, YouTube TV, Vudu) · 3x on online grocery (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs) · 2x on all other travel worldwide · 5x total on Lyft rides/products in the Lyft app through 9/30/2027 · 5x total on Peloton equipment/accessory purchases over $150, on up to $5,000 in total purchases (promo through 12/31/2027) · 1x on everything else | 10x on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel · 3x on air travel and other hotel purchases · 3x at restaurants (including restaurant delivery) · 3x at supermarkets · 3x at gas and EV charging stations · 1x on everything else |
| Rewards currency | Chase Ultimate Rewards points | Citi ThankYou points |
| Statement credits | $100 annual Chase Travel hotel credit · $10 monthly DoorDash promo on a non-restaurant order · Complimentary DashPass membership ($120 value) · Complimentary Apple TV for one year ($156 value) | $100 annual hotel benefit (Citi Travel, $500+ stay) |
| Lounges | None | None |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Authorized users | No fee | No fee |
| Availability | Open to new applicants | Open to new applicants |
| Verified | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Is the Sapphire Preferred worth its $95 fee? · Is the Citi Strata Premier worth its $95 fee? · Compare every card with your statements