My new favorite credit card does everything my old one did — but better
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Ariana Arghandewal
- My new preferred credit card for everyday spending is the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card.
- It has excellent cellphone protection, with $1,000 in coverage for a $25 deductible.
- While my previous credit card had a higher hotel credit, it was harder to use in practice.
For many years, the Citi Premier® Card was my go-to for everyday spending. It earned 3X rewards on numerous travel and everyday spending categories and carried a reasonable $95 annual fee.
I earned a ton of Citi ThankYou points and used them to travel the world for many years. It was my preferred card and one I recommended to friends, family, and strangers who asked for my expertise.
While the Citi Premier Card worked well for many years, I've replaced it with the new Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card. While Citi has released an updated version of the Premier Card in the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, I'm happy with my choice to switch — the updated card improves some of what I didn't like about it, but not everything.
The Autograph Journey card launched in March 2024 and has already made a big splash with superior category bonuses and a small but mighty list of transfer partners, three of which it has in common with Citi. With a similar welcome bonus and the same $95 annual fee, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card is better for me than my Citi Premier Card. Here's why.
1. Better category bonuses
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card's bonus categories better suit my spending habits than the Citi Premier bonuses did. I was happy earning 3X points on air travel, hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and supermarkets. However, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey offers higher bonuses on key categories.
Going forward, I'll earn 5X points on hotels, 4X on airlines, and 3X on all other travel and dining. Since travel is a big spending category for me, I'd much rather earn four or five points per dollar in those categories than have 3X on gas and groceries. The Autograph Journey card will help me earn more points beyond flights and hotel, especially since the 3X travel category includes rental cars, cruise lines, and travel agencies.
2. Valuable travel protections
Not only does the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey earn generous rewards on some of my biggest expenses, but it also offers an important feature the Citi Premier Card lacked: travel and purchase protection.
Over the years, I've used credit card travel protection to recoup thousands of dollars in otherwise nonrefundable travel. A few years ago, I recouped over $1,000 in airfare when my brother got COVID-19 and had to cancel his trip to London. My Amex Platinum Card offered trip interruption insurance, which reimbursed the expense after I submitted all the required paperwork.
Three years ago, I got into an accident involving my rental car, and my American Express® Gold Card covered the $4,500 in damages involved. For years, I couldn't charge my travel expenses to my Citi Premier, despite the 3X category bonus, because it lacked this important benefit.
Now, with the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card, I can enjoy elevated earnings on travel while receiving lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, and travel accident insurance.
3. Cellphone protection
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card is one of the few credit cards with cellphone protection. It provides up to $1,000 in coverage against damage or theft up to twice a year. The $25 deductible is reasonable compared to other credit cards that have deductibles upwards of $100 per claim. Even the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card charges $50 and limits coverage to $800 per claim, making the Autograph Journey Card a better option.
The only requirement for cellphone protection coverage is charging your monthly bill to the card. That's easy for me since the card earns the same 1 point per dollar as the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card. With such a valuable benefit as an incentive, I'd much rather use the Autograph Journey card to pay my bill.
4. An easier airline credit
The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card has a $95 annual fee, partially offset by a $50 airline fee credit. This credit is much more flexible and easier to use than Citi Strata Premier's $100 hotel credit. The airline credit requires a minimum $50 charge, which isn't hard to meet if you're paying for flights.
On the other hand, Citi Strata Premier's $100 hotel credit only applies to bookings of $500 or more. It's restricted to hotels booked through Citi's proprietary ThankYou travel portal. Booking through a third-party portal like this often means you won't earn points with your hotel loyalty program or get access to elite member benefits. Furthermore, the credit applies after taxes, limiting your savings.
Overall, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey's $50 airline credit is easier to use and more versatile. I know I'll use it every year, while Citi Strata Premier's $100 hotel credit often went unused because I prefer to book my hotel stays directly to reap the rewards and benefits.
5. Access to the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection
As a Visa Signature Card, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey provides access to 24/7 concierge services and the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection. The former isn't a benefit I'll actually use, but the Luxury Hotel Collection offers substantial savings and perks on hotel bookings. Cardholders receive valuable benefits at select hotels, including the third or fourth night free, on-site dining and resort credits, automatic room upgrades, complimentary breakfast for two, and other valuable perks.
Over 900 hotels participate in the Luxury Hotel Collection, including popular brands like Kimpton, Waldorf Astoria, Park Hyatt, and more. It's a great way to secure extra perks at hotels where I don't have elite status with the chain. Visa Signature offers the best rate guarantee, so in theory, I won't pay a higher rate for these benefits than if I were to book directly. The Citi Strata Premier Card offers nothing similar to the Luxury Hotel Collection, so the Wells Fargo Autograph Card is a better fit for me.
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