Citi Strata Elite℠ vs IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Side-by-side comparison
| Citi Strata Elite℠ | IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $595 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 75,000 ThankYou® Points | 125,000 points |
| Dining | 3x | 3x |
| Groceries | 1x | 1x |
| Gas | 1x | 3x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 3x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $439 | $431 |
| Points type | Transfers to airlines & hotels | Locked to IHG One Rewards |
| 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 Citi Strata Elite℠ earns about $439 a year in rewards and the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card about $431, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Citi Strata Elite℠ charges $595, but carries about $700 in annual statement credits that offset it for anyone who uses them. The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card delivers more total value, about $237 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on gas and travel. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Citi Strata Elite℠ earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card stays locked to a single airline or hotel program. Favor the Citi Strata Elite℠ if you will use travel transfers, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Citi Strata Elite℠ if your spending leans toward everything else. Pick the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if your spending leans toward gas, travel.