Hilton Honors American Express Business Card vs Citi Strata Premier Card
Both are well-respected travel cards. The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card comes from American Express at $195/yr; the Citi Strata Premier Card from Citi at $95/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
Bottom line
For most people the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($585 more in estimated value) than the Citi Strata Premier Card's. Get the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card first; revisit the Citi Strata Premier Card after you've earned that bonus.
Feature
Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Citi Strata Premier Card
Annual fee
$195
$95
Sign-up bonus
150,000 points + Free Night Reward
Not advertised
Bonus value (est.)
$585
-
Min spend to unlock bonus
$8,000 in 6 mo
-
Issuer
American Express
Citi
Card category
hotel
travel
Best earning category (Hilton)
12x
1x
Transfer partners
None
citi-ty
Headline benefits
12x at Hilton
Free night cert after $15k spend
Second free night after $60k
Hilton Gold status
10x CitiTravel.com hotels/cars/attractions
3x on restaurants, groceries, flights, hotels, gas, EV
Editorial take: Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
If you stay at Hiltons, this is the underrated middle tier, the $60/quarter credit + the $15k-spend Free Night routinely cover the $195 fee, and Gold status is real value at any Hilton property.
Editorial take: Citi Strata Premier Card
A strong mid-tier card with the late-2024 refresh adding 10x on CitiTravel.com and EV charging to the 3x grid. The $100 hotel benefit and 19 transfer partners (Avianca, Flying Blue, Turkish, Virgin Atlantic, Wyndham) make it competitive with Sapphire Preferred at the same $95 fee.
Common questions
Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Hilton Honors American Express Business Card or Citi Strata Premier Card?
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card has a public bonus (150,000 points + Free Night Reward, worth roughly $585), while the Citi Strata Premier Card doesn't advertise one right now.
Is the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card's $195 annual fee worth it compared to the Citi Strata Premier Card?
At $195/yr, the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Citi Strata Premier Card's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.
Can I have both the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card and Citi Strata Premier Card?
Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Citi) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
Should I get the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card or the Citi Strata Premier Card first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: $8,000 spend in 6 months. Citi Strata Premier Card: no published min spend. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.
Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.