CSR vs Strata Elite
The incumbent premium card vs Citi's new contender.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Chase
- Our rating
- 9.2/10
- Welcome bonus
- 150,000 points
- Bonus value
- ≈$3,075
- Annual fee
- $795
- Credits, max/yr
- $1,640
- Foreign txn fee
- None
Top earning rates
- 8x Chase Travel purchases
- 4x Flights and hotels booked direct
- 3x Dining worldwide
- 1x All other purchases
Citi Strata Elite
Citi
- Our rating
- 8.2/10
- Welcome bonus
- 80,000 points
- Bonus value
- ≈$1,440
- Annual fee
- $595
- Credits, max/yr
- $700
- Foreign txn fee
- None
Top earning rates
- 12x Hotels, car rentals, attractions via Citi Travel
- 6x Air travel via Citi Travel
- 6x Dining on Fri & Sat nights
- 3x Dining (other times)
The Compound Verdict
Our ratings give it to the Chase Sapphire Reserve (9.2 vs 8.2). On current welcome offers, the CSR brings the bigger first-year haul at ≈$3,075. The fee gap is $200 a year, so make sure the extra credits and multipliers actually fit your spend.
Read the full reviews for the complete math: CSR review and Strata Elite review, or put them side by side in the comparison tool.