Which credit card offers more valuable rewards: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey or Citi Strata Premier?

Both the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card and the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card are excellent travel credit cards with annual fees under $100. Both cards offer high redemption values if you optimize your rewards. Given their numerous similarities, which one is the best fit for you?

CNBC Select offers comprehensive information on the Citi Strata Premier and Wells Fargo Autograph Journey to assist in selecting the best credit card.

Annual fee

Both the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey and Citi Strata Premier credit cards have a $95 annual fee, which is reasonable for their rewards programs. These cards do not charge foreign transaction fees and have similar variable APRs.

Both cards offer rewards that make them worth keeping year after year. The Autograph Journey provides a $50 annual statement credit for airline purchases (minimum $50 purchase to qualify), while the Strata Premier offers an annual $100 discount on eligible hotel bookings through Citi Travel (minimum $500 booking).

Welcome bonus

The Citi Strata Premier Card offers a welcome bonus of 70,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. These points can be redeemed for $700 in travel booked through Thankyou.com or transferred to 18 travel partners.

The intro bonus of the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card is 60,000 bonus points, which can be redeemed for $600 in gift cards, statement credits, and other options. Additionally, this card allows you to transfer your rewards to six hotel and airline loyalty programs.

Rewards

Earning travel rewards is a smart move, and the Citi Strata Premier and Autograph Journey cards are excellent options. They offer increased earnings in various practical categories.

The more valuable card is determined by where you spend the most, making The Autograph Journey an excellent choice for travelers who frequently make travel purchases.

The Citi Travel site offers a remarkable return on travel bookings, including hotels, rental cars, and attractions, making it a top pick for airlines and hotels. Additionally, it is an excellent choice for supermarkets, gas stations, and EV charging stations.

Redemption options

Both the Citi Strata Premier and Wells Fargo Autograph Journey offer the option to transfer rewards to travel partners, as well as redeeming points for gift cards, travel and statement credits at a rate of one cent per point in value.

The difference in value between the two rewards programs lies in their travel partners.

The Autograph Journey gives you access to these travel programs:

Aer Lingus AerClub
Choice Privileges
Flying Blue (Air France and KLM)
Avianca LifeMiles
British Airways Executive Club
Iberia Plus

The transfer ratio for Choice Privileges is 1:2, while all other partners of Wells Fargo have a 1:1 transfer ratio.

With the Citi Strata Premier, you can access a more extensive range of Citi ThankYou transfer partners.

Accor Live Limitless
Aeromexico Rewards
Cathay Pacific Cathay
Avianca LifeMiles
Etihad Guest
Eva Air Infinity MileageLands
Flying Blue (KLM and Air France)
JetBlue TrueBlue
Hotel Leaders Club
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Choice Privileges
Wyndham Rewards

You can transfer your Sears Shop Your Way rewards at a 1:10 ratio.

Benefits

Both cards provide valuable travel insurance benefits and annual travel discounts or statement credits.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey offers an annual $50 credit for airline purchases (minimum $50 purchase) and additional perks.

Cell phone protection ($25 deductible applies)
Travel accident insurance
Lost baggage reimbursement
Trip cancellation and interruption coverage
Rental car insurance
Travel and emergency assistance services
Visa Signature benefits

When booking through Citi Travel, the Citi Strata Premier offers an annual $100 discount on hotel bookings of $500+, in addition to travel insurance perks.

Trip cancellation and interruption
Lost or damaged luggage
Rental car insurance (MasterRental®)
World Elite Mastercard benefits

Compare savings accounts

Which should you get?

The Citi Strata Premier offers more value for most people due to its larger welcome offer, more transfer partners, and comparable rewards structure. However, until Wells Fargo enhances its rewards program with additional transfer partners, the Citi Strata Premier remains the better option.

If you prioritize certain insurance benefits or specific airline partnerships, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey may be the best choice. This card offers cell phone coverage and travel accident insurance, and its rewards program partners with several airlines, including British Airways, which aren't transfer partners with Citi.

Why trust CNBC Select?

Our goal at CNBC Select is to deliver top-notch service journalism and in-depth consumer advice to our readers, enabling them to make well-informed decisions when it comes to their finances. Each credit card review we publish is the result of thorough reporting by our team of expert writers and editors, who possess extensive knowledge of credit card products. At CNBC Select, we take pride in our journalistic standards and ethics, and we earn a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links. However, our content is created independently, without any input from our commercial team or external third parties.