Strata Premier vs Sapphire Preferred
By Quy Dinh · Updated Oct 24, 2026
The short answer
Both are $95 cards with 3x on everyday categories and transferable points, so pick by where you spend and fly. The Strata Premier earns 3x at supermarkets and on all air travel and hotels, and its points go to American Airlines. The Sapphire Preferred earns 3x on gas, streaming and online groceries plus 5x through Chase Travel, and its points go to United, Southwest and Hyatt.
The Preferred’s $100 hotel credit is easier to use: any hotel booked through Chase Travel, versus one Citi Travel stay of $500 or more.
Pick the Strata Premier if
- You buy groceries in stores (3x at supermarkets)
- You fly American Airlines
- You book flights and hotels directly
Pick the Sapphire Preferred if
- You want the easier hotel credit
- You fly United or Southwest, or stay at Hyatt
- You buy groceries online and pay for streaming
Side by side
| Feature |  Citi |  Chase |
|---|---|---|
| In one line | A strong $95 everyday card: 3x on dining, supermarkets, gas and travel, with points that transfer to American Airlines and Citi’s other partners. | One of the best first travel cards: $95 a year, a $100 hotel credit, 3x on dining and everyday categories, and points that transfer to airlines and hotels. |
| Annual fee | $95 | $95 |
| Statement credits | Up to $100 a year in 1 credits | Up to $250 a year in 4 credits |
| How it earns |
|
|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Welcome offer | 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months. | 75,000 points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. |
| Counts toward Chase 5/24 | Yes | Yes |
Credits are counted at their full cash value; see each card’s page for how each one works and which need activation. Offers change; the bank’s page has the current one.
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