Hello!
I am a new user that has been browsing these forums for months taking in all the information I could. It has helped me in many ways to understand the credit system and how to make the best of it. Unfortunately, I do not come from a family who really know, or cares to learn, about anything credit related. Thanks to skimming these forums, back in February I apped for my first credit card, the Discover IT Chrome!
However, I have one question that I really couldn't find a solid answer for searching both these forums and the internet in general.
So I am looking into apping for a travel credit card. My two choices right now are between Chase Sapphire Preferred and Citi ThankYou Premier.
Now, I have made a fun little excel sheet (as well as using thepointcalculator.com) looking at my estimated yearly spend in all categories relevant to these cards, along with their typical combos (CSP+CFU, CSP+CFU+CF, TYPremier+DC, even through in the CSR for good measure, but thats likely to never happen) and everytime Citi comes out on top for spend categories. Granted I really only know how to compare using monetary value of points. I understand that the Double Cash card is cash-back only and can't transfer the way the chase combos can, so, at least for me, I am not sure how to weight that.
All in all, most signs point to the Premier over Chase when looking at spend alone, but when I do research into the ThankYou points system I am coming up with a lot of outdated articles, and just general reviews of annoyance without much depth into why people are saying that the Ultimate Rewards system is better than the ThankYou points. I see a lot of articles raving over Chase and saying they are glad to not have to deal with ThankYou points anymore. But I can't figure out why so many people are so mad. a big problem being most user reviews are coming from 2015-ish. Not to mention TY Premier never seems to be a "favorite travel card" on those best credit card lists, which is odd considering the gas category for travel makes me think its great.
I guess what I am asking for is for a real review from people who have used both (or at least Citi because there are endless articles on UR users) and tell me what it was like working with that systems. As much as a great card the Premier looks for me, it really is only as good as its redemption capabilities. The way I see it, if I cant work with ThankYou Points, then all the gas spend in the world isn't going to help me lol.
My current situation goes like this:
Age: 24
FICO Scores: TU 765 (0 Inq) , EX: 760 (3 Inq), No Eq Score. Fairly thin credit files, though.
Gross Income: 32K. Living is Los Angeles, CA. Very sad I know 
That entry-level pay, man.
Debt: ~22k (student loans (12,7k) + car loan (~8k) )
I have one credit card, My Discover Chrome ($8,100 limit). I keep the Util around 4%-8%.
I know some might say to stick with no-fee cash back cards and while the uber visa is never off the table, I have given this probably more thought than this really needs. I love traveling. I sooner take myself to foreign countries before going home for Christmas (don't worry my parents aren't hurt by this lol). I am a budget traveler though, because, well, you see my income above. I try to make every trip stay under the $1500 mark after everything is said and done.
I want a card to grow with me. I don't want to get a new card every fews years. Which is why I am being so type A about this decision. I wanted to hear some opinions from the myFico experts about comapring the two rewards systems of UR and Citi TY. Also alternative opinions are appriciated 
Hope I was able to articulate everything right. Sorry about this novel of a question. Also if any other info is needed, please let me know!
Welcome to the forums! ThankYou Premier does get a bit of a bad rap at times. In my wallet, I have Citi and Chase cards. I find value in having both UR-earning cards and TYP-earning cards. As you said, the value is truly going to be whatever you eventually end up redeeming the points for. For redemption through the travel portal, CSP and TY Premier are essentially equal at 1.25 cents per point and equal at 1 cent per point for cash back.
If you're going for travel by moving points, the right choice is going to depend on what airline and/or airline alliance you prefer. Chase does seem to have a bit of an advantage when it comes to travel partners.
If you only have the one card, you can certainly earn points faster with Citi. I don't think anyone would argue that point. However both cards can be paired with other cards from the same issuer to rack up points. While there have been rumors that Chase may not allow Freedom and Freedom Unlimited cards to have their URs transferred to CSP/CSR in the future, at the moment the ability to earn 5x on quarterly categories on Freedom, 3x on travel and restaurants with CSR (or 2x with CSP), and 1.5x on everything else with Freedom Unlimited is a powerful combination. Even if you took the easy way with the Chase travel portal for redeeming with CSP, you'd get at least 1.875% back on everything and as much as 6.25% (that becomes 2.25% to 7.5% with a CSR).
Edit: Other considerations - Chase has a minimum line of $5,000 for CSP (and $10,000 for CSR). Citi is not known for usually having very generous starting lines, but usually you can get a soft pull CLI within a few months and then every 6 months. With Chase, CLIs are rare unless you ask for them and they will always be a HP if you do.
If you bank with Chase, and you are open to CSR instead of CSP, I would certainly see if you have a prequalification for the card. The $450 annual fee is a tough pill to swallow on the surface but it comes with lots of benefits, including a $300 annual travel credit. Effectively the card would be $55 more per year than the CSP, but the general rule is that if you spend $2500 or so a year on travel and dining (which includes Starbucks, the taco truck, and the trendy new Michelin star restaurant you have a reservation for in 18 months), the CSR will usually make more sense.
Hence my suggestion about asking if you have a prequalification in-branch. Chase also doesn't usually like being the first bank to give you a $10k+ limit, but it does happen. As for the travel credit:
Merchants in the travel category include airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, campgrounds, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages.