Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® vs Citi Strata℠
Side-by-side comparison
| Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® | Citi Strata℠ | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 60,000 points | 20,000 ThankYou® Points ($200 value) |
| Dining | 1x | 2x |
| Groceries | 5x | 3x |
| Gas | 5x | 3x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 3x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $618 | $511 |
| Points type | Locked to Choice Privileges | Pools with Citi → transferable |
| 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® Select Mastercard® earns about $618 a year in rewards and the Citi Strata℠ about $511, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® charges $95, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The Citi Strata℠ has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The two are close on value, but the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® edges ahead by about $12 a year, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and gas. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Citi Strata℠ earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® stays locked to a single airline or hotel program. Favor the Citi Strata℠ if you will use travel transfers, the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® 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® Select Mastercard® if your spending leans toward groceries, gas. Pick the Citi Strata℠ if your spending leans toward dining, streaming.