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Side-by-side

American Express Schwab Investor Card vs Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select

Both are travel travel cards. The American Express Schwab Investor Card comes from American Express at $0/yr; the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select from Citi at $99/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

For most people the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($730 more in estimated value) than the American Express Schwab Investor Card's. Get the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select first; revisit the American Express Schwab Investor Card after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureAmerican Express Schwab Investor CardCiti AAdvantage Platinum Select
Annual fee$0$99
Sign-up bonus10,000 Membership Rewards points60,000 miles
Bonus value (est.)$110$840
Min spend to unlock bonus$1,000 in 6 mo$3,500 in 4 mo
IssuerAmerican ExpressCiti
Card categorytraveltravel
Best earning category (All_purchases)1.5x1x
Transfer partnersamex-mrNone
Headline benefits
  • 1.5X MR on everything
  • $0 annual fee
  • 1.0c/pt Invest with Rewards
  • Full MR transfer partners
  • Free checked bag
  • Priority boarding
  • 2x on AA + dining + gas
  • First year free
Read the full review
American Express Schwab Investor Card
$0/yr · 10,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select
$99/yr · 60,000 miles

Editorial take: American Express Schwab Investor Card

The hidden gem of the Amex MR lineup for Schwab brokerage customers. Flat 1.5X MR with $0 annual fee, full transfer-partner access, AND a 1.0 cents-per-point cash-into-brokerage redemption guarantees you can always extract real cash. The catch: you need a Schwab brokerage account to apply.

Editorial take: Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select

The free checked bag covers the fee on just one round-trip with a partner. Good if you fly AA more than twice a year, otherwise AAdvantage is worth collecting through other means.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Schwab Investor Card or Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select?
The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select has the bigger bonus, 60,000 miles, worth roughly $840, versus 10,000 Membership Rewards points (~$110) on the American Express Schwab Investor Card.
Is the American Express Schwab Investor Card's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select?
The American Express Schwab Investor Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select's $99 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select's benefits to clear $99 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the American Express Schwab Investor Card.
Can I have both the American Express Schwab Investor Card and Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select?
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 American Express Schwab Investor Card or the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Schwab Investor Card: $1,000 spend in 6 months. Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select: $3,500 in 4 months. 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.