First-year winner
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
$1,329 Year 1 edge
$2,688 vs $1,359
Compare Cards
Stack up the better credit card
Compare two cards side by side with your real spend, credits, fees, and rewards.
Card A
Card B
Monthly spend
Start with spending categories
Monthly Total
$2,430/mo
Reward assumptions
Credits & benefits
Count the credits and perks you actually expect to use. Credit rows start with conservative default values; edit them for your own merchant, timing, or travel friction.
Card A
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Counted benefits
$0
Credits
None
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Perk
IHG Award-Night Perks
Other · No listed cash value
IHG co-brand cards are built around hotel-program value such as elite-style perks and award-night enhancements on eligible stays.
Perk
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible international purchases do not incur an added foreign transaction surcharge.
Perk
Travel Rewards Ecosystem
Other · No listed cash value
The card is designed to fit into a broader travel-rewards setup through issuer redemptions, hotel stays, flights, or travel-portal bookings.
Card B
Citi Strata Premier Card
Counted benefits
$100
Credits
$100
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$100 Annual Hotel Benefit
Travel Credits · Listed $100/yr
Eligible hotel stays booked through Citi Travel can receive a $100 benefit once per calendar year.
Perk
Citi Entertainment
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can access select tickets, experiences, and presales through Citi Entertainment.
Perk
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse covered prepaid travel expenses when a qualifying trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason.
Perk
Trip Delay Protection
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse eligible out-of-pocket expenses when a covered trip is delayed beyond the issuer's threshold.
Perk
Baggage Delay Protection
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse essential purchases when baggage is delayed on a covered trip.
Perk
Car Rental Protection
Rental Car · No listed cash value
Can provide coverage for eligible rental car damage or theft on qualifying rentals.
Verdict
IHG One Rewards Premier wins year 1 and long term.
Winner after year 1
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
$629 ongoing edge
$1,288 vs $659
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $4,136 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
Chase
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Year One
$2,688
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$1,288
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$1,387
4.76% effective return
Welcome Offer
$1,400
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
None
$0 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$3,000
3 mo window · $1,000/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Comes with a particularly strong welcome offer.
- • Earns well on the spend mix you entered.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The annual fee is harder to justify if you do not use the credits and perks consistently.
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Citi
Citi Strata Premier Card
Year One
$1,359
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$659
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$654
2.24% effective return
Welcome Offer
$700
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$100
$100 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$4,000
3 mo window · $1,333/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Spend Mix Math
Where the value actually comes from
Category returns are based on the spend mix you entered, your point-value assumption, and the benefits you chose to count.
Dining
5x
$5,400
IHG One Rewards Premier
$270
5.00%
Citi Strata Premier
$162
3.00%
Groceries
5x
$7,800
IHG One Rewards Premier
$390
5.00%
Citi Strata Premier
$234
3.00%
Travel
10x
$3,000
IHG One Rewards Premier
$300
10.00%
Citi Strata Premier
$90
3.00%
Gas
5x
$1,920
IHG One Rewards Premier
$96
5.00%
Citi Strata Premier
$58
3.00%
General
3x
$11,040
IHG One Rewards Premier
$331
3.00%
Citi Strata Premier
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
IHG One Rewards Premier$1,387
Citi Strata Premier$654
Raw Breakdown
Full side-by-side details
Use the spec table below when you want the literal field-by-field differences in rewards, benefits, transfer partners, fees, and approval profile.
| Metric | IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card | Citi Strata Premier Card |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | $99 | $95 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | 5x | 3x 3 ThankYou Points per $1 at restaurants. |
| Gas rewards | 5x | 3x 3 ThankYou Points per $1 at gas and EV charging stations. |
| Groceries rewards | 5x | 3x 3 ThankYou Points per $1 at supermarkets. |
| Travel rewards | 10x 10x points on eligible IHG hotel purchases. | 10x 10 ThankYou Points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel. |
| All rewards | 3x | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | 140,000 bonus points Spend $3,000 in 3 mo | 70,000 bonus points Earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening. |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | 3 listed | ~$100/yr |
| Benefit highlights | IHG Award-Night Perks · No Foreign Transaction Fees · Travel Rewards Ecosystem | $100 Annual Hotel Benefit · Citi Entertainment · Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection · +3 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Good | Good |
| Network | mastercard | mastercard |
| Reward type | Points | Points |
Costs
Annual fee
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
$99
Citi Strata Premier Card
$95
Foreign transaction fee
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
None
Citi Strata Premier Card
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
5x
Citi Strata Premier Card
3x
3 ThankYou Points per $1 at restaurants.
Gas rewards
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
5x
Citi Strata Premier Card
3x
3 ThankYou Points per $1 at gas and EV charging stations.
Groceries rewards
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
5x
Citi Strata Premier Card
3x
3 ThankYou Points per $1 at supermarkets.
Travel rewards
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
10x
10x points on eligible IHG hotel purchases.
Citi Strata Premier Card
10x
10 ThankYou Points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel.
All rewards
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
3x
Citi Strata Premier Card
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
140,000 bonus points
Spend $3,000 in 3 mo
Citi Strata Premier Card
70,000 bonus points
Earn 70,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
Benefits
Estimated benefits
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
3 listed
Citi Strata Premier Card
~$100/yr
Benefit highlights
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
IHG Award-Night Perks · No Foreign Transaction Fees · Travel Rewards Ecosystem
Citi Strata Premier Card
$100 Annual Hotel Benefit · Citi Entertainment · Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection · +3 more
Profile
Credit needed
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Good
Citi Strata Premier Card
Good
Network
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
mastercard
Citi Strata Premier Card
mastercard
Reward type
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Points
Citi Strata Premier Card
Points