Citi Strata® Card Review: No Annual Fee and 3x Points on Groceries, Gas, and Transit

Citi Strata® Card

• Best for: Households that spend more at supermarkets, gas stations, and on transit than on purchases outside its bonus categories
• What Sets It Apart: 3x on transit and on a category you choose, with no annual fee
• Cost: $0 annual fee; 3% foreign transaction fee; 3% balance transfer fee for 4 months, then 5%; 18.74% to 28.74% variable APR after a 15-month 0% intro period
• Rewards: 5x on Citi Travel hotels, car rentals, and attractions; 3x at supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations, select transit, and one chosen category; 2x at restaurants; 1x on everything else
• Welcome Offer: 20,000 bonus points after $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
• Pros: 3x on everyday costs; category you can switch each quarter; 15 months at 0% on purchases and balance transfers
• Cons: 1x outside bonus categories; reduced airline transfer rates; no supermarket bonus at superstores or warehouse clubs; 3% foreign transaction fee

The Citi Strata® Card is a solid fit for people who spend more on groceries, gas, and transit than on purchases outside its bonus categories. With no annual fee, it earns 3 ThankYou points per dollar in those areas, which can be worth 3% when redeemed for gift cards. Spending outside the bonus categories earns just 1 point per dollar, which is less rewarding than a flat 2% card.

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This is the entry-level card in Citi’s Strata family of points cards, designed for everyday spending and positioned below the Citi Strata Premier, which carries a $95 annual fee. It replaced the Citi Rewards+ Card in 2025, and ThankYou points can be used for gift cards, Citi Travel bookings, or transfers to airline and hotel loyalty programs.

Key Features

• $0 annual fee
• 3 points per $1 at supermarkets, at gas and EV charging stations, on select transit, and in one category you choose
• 5 points per $1 on Citi Travel bookings of hotels, car rentals, and attractions, 2 per $1 at restaurants, and 1 per $1 on everything else
• 20,000 bonus points after $1,000 in purchases in the first three months
• 0% intro annual percentage rate (APR) on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then 18.74% to 28.74% variable

Pros

• Points worth a cent each toward gift cards, so the 3x categories return 3% and the bonus is worth $200
• Transit category that covers commuter trains, subways, buses, taxis, tolls, and parking
• A 3x category you can switch once a quarter among select streaming services, gyms, live entertainment, cosmetics stores and salons, and pet supply stores
• 15 months at 0% on new purchases as well as balance transfers

Cons

• 1 point per $1 outside its bonus categories, worth 1% toward gift cards, half a flat 2% card’s rate
• No supermarket bonus at superstores or warehouse clubs
• American AAdvantage transfers at 1,000 points to 700 miles, where the Strata Premier gets 1,000
• Balance transfer fee of 3% in the first four months and 5% after, $5 minimum
• 3% foreign transaction fee

For households whose spending at supermarkets, gas stations, and on transit exceeds what they spend outside those bonus categories, this card can be more rewarding than a flat 2% card. For everyone else, the Citi Double Cash may be the better option, since it pays 1% cash back when you buy and another 1% as you pay.

Learn more about the Citi Strata® Card or compare it with other top credit cards for everyday spending.

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