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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless vs Citi Strata Premier: Which Is Better In 2025?
July 1, 2025
Editor's Picks
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: This card is ideal for earning Marriott Bonvoy points on hotel stays and everyday purchases at grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants.
- Citi Strata Premier® Card: This card is a strong choice for earning high rewards on a wide range of travel and everyday spending categories like air travel, hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
Here’s a closer look at what makes the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® card a strong contender.
- The card offers a solid earning structure, rewarding spending at Marriott properties as well as on combined annual purchases at grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants.
- While it has an annual fee, it eliminates foreign transaction fees and includes a suite of travel protections like baggage delay and trip delay reimbursement.
- The annual Free Night Award, valued for a stay of up to 35,000 points, can provide more value than the card's annual fee. (publisher-formulated estimate)
Pros
- New cardholders can earn a substantial welcome offer after meeting initial spending requirements.
- You automatically receive Silver Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program, which comes with on-property perks.
- The card provides an annual head start toward achieving higher elite status tiers within the loyalty program.
Cons
- The card has an annual fee that is not waived in the first year.
- Its rewards program is less flexible for those who aren't loyal to Marriott, as points deliver the most value when redeemed for stays.
- The annual Free Night Award is subject to property redemption level restrictions, which can exclude some luxury locations.
Citi Strata Premier® Breakdown
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Why We Like It
This section breaks down why we like the Citi Strata Premier® Card.
- It earns an impressive number of points across a broad spectrum of popular spending categories like travel, restaurants, and supermarkets.
- Cardholders get access to valuable travel protections and can transfer points to a variety of airline and hotel partners.
- The annual $100 hotel credit effectively cancels out the card's annual fee, making it a great value proposition (publisher-formulated estimate).
Pros
- Offers strong bonus rewards across a broad range of categories, from air travel and hotels to everyday spending at restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations.
- Includes a valuable suite of travel protections, such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, alongside an annual hotel credit.
- ThankYou® Points offer great flexibility, with the option to transfer them to a wide variety of airline and hotel partners for potentially higher value.
Cons
- The annual hotel credit is restrictive, as it only applies to a single, expensive hotel stay booked through the Citi travel portal.
- It lacks premium travel perks like airport lounge access, which are often found on competing travel cards.
- Car rental insurance is secondary, not primary, meaning it only covers costs your personal auto insurance doesn't.
Citi Strata Premier® vs Marriott Bonvoy Boundless®
Categories
Deciding which is better, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless or Citi Strata Premier, depends entirely on your travel style and spending habits. Each card excels in different areas, catering to distinct types of travelers.
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is designed for frequent travelers who are loyal to the Marriott brand, offering the most value to those who regularly stay at Marriott properties.
- Citi Strata Premier® Card is ideal for travelers seeking flexible rewards across a wide range of categories, including air travel, dining, and supermarkets.
Redemption
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Points are primarily redeemed for stays and upgrades within the extensive Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotels. You can also transfer points to a variety of airline partners, though the value is often best when used for hotel stays.
Citi Strata Premier® Card: ThankYou® Points offer significant flexibility, allowing you to transfer them to numerous airline and hotel partners. You can also redeem points for travel through the Citi portal, gift cards, or even cash back.
Travel Perks
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: This card's travel benefits are deeply integrated with the Marriott Bonvoy ecosystem. It includes an annual Free Night Award after your account anniversary, automatic Silver Elite Status, and no foreign transaction fees. However, it does not offer airport lounge access.
- Citi Strata Premier® Card: This card offers a more flexible travel ecosystem through the Citi ThankYou® Rewards program, which features numerous airline and hotel transfer partners. Cardholders receive an annual hotel savings benefit on a qualifying booking made through the Citi portal and pay no foreign transaction fees. This card does not include airport lounge access.
Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos
To make an informed decision, you can use a tool like Kudos to compare top-rated cards based on your own spending.
- Test drive a credit card using your real spending data to see potential earnings before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.
- Receive personalized card recommendations and approval odds based on your credit report and spending habits.
- Stack extra rewards on top of your credit card points by shopping online through Kudos Boost.
- Get a welcome offer guarantee, where Kudos will match a better offer if you find one within three months of signing up for a card.
- Manage multiple credit cards, track spending, and monitor your credit score from a single dashboard.
Who Should Choose the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless®?
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is an excellent choice for frequent travelers who regularly stay at Marriott properties, whether for business or leisure. It also appeals to value-conscious individuals who can maximize the annual free night award and everyday spenders looking to earn points on groceries, gas, and dining. Additionally, those seeking to climb the loyalty ladder will benefit from the automatic Silver Elite status and the annual elite night credits that fast-track them toward higher tiers.
Who Should Choose the Citi Strata Premier®?
The Citi Strata Premier® Card is an excellent choice for frequent travelers and jet-setters seeking a premium travel rewards card. It also caters to those who want to maximize rewards on everyday spending, offering accelerated points at supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations. Ultimately, the card is ideal for individuals who appreciate flexible rewards and want to transfer points to various travel partners for high-value redemptions.
Alternatives to Consider
If the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® vs. Citi Strata Premier® comparison didn't land on the right card for you, don't worry. There are plenty of other excellent travel rewards cards to consider.
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Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Tips for Application Success
Before You Apply
- Check your credit score: Most premium rewards cards require good to excellent credit for approval.
- Plan your spending: Make sure you can naturally meet the minimum spend for the welcome offer.
- Review application rules: Be aware of issuer-specific restrictions that may affect your bonus eligibility.
Application Strategy
- Time your application: Apply before a large planned purchase to help meet the spending requirement.
- Know the issuer rules: Some issuers, like Citi, restrict welcome offers if you’ve had the card recently.
- Don’t settle for a lower offer: Some applications allow you to see and decline an offer without impacting your credit score.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which card is better for earning hotel points?
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is specifically designed for earning Marriott Bonvoy points, making it the superior choice if your goal is to maximize rewards within the Marriott ecosystem. The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card earns general ThankYou® Points, which offer more flexibility across various travel partners.
Can I transfer points from the Citi Strata Premier Card to Marriott Bonvoy?
No, Marriott Bonvoy is not a direct transfer partner for the Citi ThankYou® Points program. You can, however, transfer your ThankYou® Points to a variety of other airline and hotel loyalty programs.
What are the annual fees for these cards?
Both the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card have a $95 annual fee.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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