Grocery-heavy
- Dining $350
- Groceries $700
- Flights $100
- Other $700
Citi Strata Premier vs Chase Sapphire Preferred
Strata Premier vs Sapphire Preferred is a fair fight: both are mid-fee cards that earn transferable points. Strata Premier spreads its bonus across more everyday categories, including in-store supermarkets and all air travel and hotels. Sapphire Preferred concentrates on dining, travel, gas, and online groceries and pairs with Chase’s partners, including Hyatt and United.
Confirm current terms with Citi and Chase. Then use the MaxPoints calculator presets below to see which card nets more on your spend.
How MaxPoints helps
Both cards have similar fees, so this comes down to where your money goes and which partners you’d use. MaxPoints runs both against your budget.
- Pick a preset or enter your own monthly spend.
- Note where you buy groceries—in-store supermarkets and online groceries are treated differently.
- Compare net value after the fee, Year 1 and Year 2+.
Open the free credit card rewards calculator — no signup required.
Spend presets
Illustrative monthly spends. Open a mix in the calculator, then change any dollar amount.
Dining-first
- Dining $650
- Groceries $350
- Flights $150
- Hotels $100
- Other $700
Regular traveler
- Dining $400
- Groceries $400
- Flights $300
- Hotels $250
- Other $800
Quick comparison
Typical differences only. Fees, credits, and earn rates change—confirm current terms with the issuer before you apply.
Earn focus
Strata Premier (typical story)
Dining, supermarkets, gas and EV, air travel, and hotels
Sapphire Preferred (typical story)
Dining, travel, gas and EV, online groceries, and streaming
Groceries
Strata Premier (typical story)
In-store supermarkets earn the bonus
Sapphire Preferred (typical story)
Only online groceries earn the bonus
Credits
Strata Premier (typical story)
Hotel benefit on a large Citi Travel stay
Sapphire Preferred (typical story)
Chase Travel hotel credit and DoorDash promos
Points
Strata Premier (typical story)
ThankYou Points; strong international airline partners
Sapphire Preferred (typical story)
Ultimate Rewards; Hyatt and United among partners
Best next step
Strata Premier (typical story)
Run Is Strata Premier worth it?
Sapphire Preferred (typical story)
Run Is CSP worth it?
| Angle | Strata Premier (typical story) | Sapphire Preferred (typical story) |
|---|---|---|
| Earn focus | Dining, supermarkets, gas and EV, air travel, and hotels | Dining, travel, gas and EV, online groceries, and streaming |
| Groceries | In-store supermarkets earn the bonus | Only online groceries earn the bonus |
| Credits | Hotel benefit on a large Citi Travel stay | Chase Travel hotel credit and DoorDash promos |
| Points | ThankYou Points; strong international airline partners | Ultimate Rewards; Hyatt and United among partners |
| Best next step | Run Is Strata Premier worth it? | Run Is CSP worth it? |
Tips
In-store groceries favor Strata Premier. Sapphire Preferred’s grocery bonus is online only.
Hyatt and United favor Chase. If those are your redemptions, Ultimate Rewards can outweigh raw earn.
Pool with no-fee cards. Each pairs with its issuer’s no-fee cards to make more points transferable.
Chase 5/24. Opening Strata Premier counts toward Chase’s limit—see Chase’s 5/24 rule.
Check transfer bonuses. See active transfer bonuses before you move points.
FAQ
Strata Premier usually earns more for grocery- and gas-heavy households; Sapphire Preferred can win if you value Chase partners like Hyatt. Run a preset with your numbers.
Strata Premier, if you shop in-store at supermarkets. Sapphire Preferred’s grocery bonus applies only to online groceries.
It depends on where you redeem. Chase has Hyatt and United; Citi has a broad set of international airlines. Pick the currency that matches your trips.
Yes, if each card’s fee clears on the spend you’d put on it. Model the pair in the full calculator.
Yes. The calculator is free with no signup.
Two mid-fee cards, different strengths. Load a preset and see which one nets more on your spend.
Compare Strata Premier vs CSP in MaxPoints →No signup · Instant recommendations · 100% free