For years, the Chase Sapphire Preferred was the default recommendation for anyone starting in points hacking. At $95 with a strong sign-up bonus and access to 14 transfer partners including Hyatt and United, it was the obvious first card.
That changed in July 2025 when Citi re-added American Airlines as a 1:1 transfer partner for ThankYou Points. The Citi Strata Premier — also $95 — now gives you access to the entire Oneworld alliance through AA, plus broader 3x earning categories. Here is how the two cards compare head-to-head.
Earning Rates Compared
Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95):
- 5x on Chase Travel portal purchases
- 3x on dining, streaming services, and online grocery delivery
- 2x on all other travel (flights, hotels, Airbnb, taxis, tolls, parking)
- 1x on everything else
Citi Strata Premier ($95):
- 10x on hotels and rental cars booked through Citi Travel portal
- 3x on air travel and hotels (booked anywhere)
- 3x on restaurants
- 3x on supermarkets
- 3x on gas stations
- 1x on everything else
Winner: Citi Strata Premier. The 3x earning across five everyday categories (flights, hotels, dining, supermarkets, gas) is broader than Chase's 3x on dining/streaming/grocery. The 10x portal rate on hotels and cars is also significantly higher than Chase's 5x, though portal bookings sacrifice loyalty program benefits.
Transfer Partners Compared
Chase UR (14 partners): Aer Lingus, Aeroplan, British Airways, Flying Blue, Iberia, JetBlue (1:1), Singapore, Southwest, United, Virgin Atlantic, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, Wyndham
Citi TYP (21 partners): Aer Lingus, American Airlines (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad, EVA Air, Flying Blue, JetBlue (1:1), Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore, Thai Airways, Turkish Miles&Smiles, Virgin Atlantic, Accor, Choice (1:2), I Prefer (1:4), Leading Hotels, Wyndham
Winner: Depends on your travel goals. Chase wins on hotel partners (Hyatt alone justifies the card) and has United and Southwest as exclusive partners. Citi wins on airline breadth with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qatar, Turkish, Thai, EVA Air, and the exceptional Choice Hotels 1:2 ratio.
Unique Advantages
Chase exclusives that Citi cannot match:
- World of Hyatt (1:1): The most valuable hotel currency, averaging 1.8 cpp. This alone is a reason to carry the Sapphire Preferred.
- United MileagePlus (1:1): Access to Star Alliance's largest US carrier.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards (1:1): Companion Pass eligibility with Chase transfers.
Citi exclusives that Chase cannot match:
- American Airlines (1:1): The only major credit card program transferring to AA. Unlocks Qatar Qsuites (70K one-way), JAL First (80K), and the entire Oneworld partner chart with fixed pricing.
- Choice Hotels (1:2): Double your points. 6,000 TYP becomes 12,000 Choice points — enough for a downtown Tokyo hotel worth $200+ per night.
- I Prefer Hotels (1:4): Quadruple your points for boutique hotel stays.
- Turkish Miles&Smiles (1:1): Domestic United flights for 7,500 miles through Turkish.
Application Rules and Ecosystem
Chase's 5/24 rule means you should get the Sapphire Preferred while you are under 5 new cards in 24 months. If you are already over 5/24, Chase will auto-decline you — making the Strata Premier your only option among these two.
Citi's rules are different: the 8/65 rule (1 card per 8 days, 2 per 65 days) and a 48-month waiting period on the same card's bonus. No equivalent to 5/24 means you can get the Strata Premier at any time.
The Chase ecosystem (Freedom Unlimited, Freedom Flex, Ink cards) lets you earn UR at 1.5-5x on virtually every category and pool points into the Sapphire for transfers. Citi's ecosystem (Double Cash at 2x, Custom Cash at 5x top category) offers similar pooling through the Strata Premier.
The Verdict: Get Both (In the Right Order)
These cards are not competitors — they are complements. The optimal strategy is to get the Chase Sapphire Preferred first (while under 5/24), build out the Chase ecosystem, then add the Citi Strata Premier later for AA access and broader 3x earning.
If you can only carry one: the Sapphire Preferred wins on the strength of Hyatt alone. Transferring Chase UR to Hyatt at 1:1 for all-inclusive resorts at 3-5 cents per point is the most consistently excellent redemption in the hobby.
If you are already over 5/24 and cannot get Chase cards: the Strata Premier is an excellent standalone card with the broadest 3x earning categories and AA access that no other transferable points program offers.