Choice Privileges® Mastercard® vs Citi Strata Elite℠
Side-by-side comparison
| Choice Privileges® Mastercard® | Citi Strata Elite℠ | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $595 |
| Welcome offer | 60,000 points | 100,000 ThankYou® Points |
| Dining | 1x | 3x |
| Groceries | 3x | 1x |
| Gas | 3x | 1x |
| Travel | 5x | 12x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1.5x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $527 | $628 |
| Points type | Locked to Choice Privileges | Transfers to airlines & hotels |
| Network | Mastercard | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® earns about $527 a year in rewards and the Citi Strata Elite℠ about $628, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Choice Privileges® Mastercard® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Citi Strata Elite℠ charges $595, but carries about $700 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® delivers more total value, about $144 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and gas. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Citi Strata Elite℠ earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® stays locked to a single airline or hotel program. Favor the Citi Strata Elite℠ if you will use travel transfers, the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Citi Strata Elite℠ currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Choice Privileges® Mastercard® if your spending leans toward groceries, gas. Pick the Citi Strata Elite℠ if your spending leans toward dining, travel, everything else.