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Side-by-side

American Express Schwab Investor Card vs Citi Strata Elite Card

Both are travel travel cards. The American Express Schwab Investor Card comes from American Express at $0/yr; the Citi Strata Elite Card from Citi at $595/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

For most people the Citi Strata Elite Card is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,240 more in estimated value) than the American Express Schwab Investor Card's. Get the Citi Strata Elite Card first; revisit the American Express Schwab Investor Card after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureAmerican Express Schwab Investor CardCiti Strata Elite Card
Annual fee$0$595
Sign-up bonus10,000 Membership Rewards points75,000 points
Bonus value (est.)$110$1,350
Min spend to unlock bonus$1,000 in 6 mo$6,000 in 3 mo
IssuerAmerican ExpressCiti
Card categorytraveltravel
Best earning category (All_purchases)1.5x1x
Transfer partnersamex-mrciti-ty
Headline benefits
  • 1.5X MR on everything
  • $0 annual fee
  • 1.0c/pt Invest with Rewards
  • Full MR transfer partners
  • 12x on Citi hotels
  • $300 hotel + $200 Splurge + $200 Blacklane
  • 4 Admirals Club passes
  • Citi TY transfer to 16 partners
Read the full review
American Express Schwab Investor Card
$0/yr · 10,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
Citi Strata Elite Card
$595/yr · 75,000 points

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 Strata Elite Card

Citi's premium answer to Amex Platinum + Sapphire Reserve. The 12x on Citi-booked hotels is the best earning rate in the category; the $200 Blacklane and 4 Admirals Club passes are differentiated perks. $595 fee penciled out if you'll actually use the hotel + Splurge credits.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Schwab Investor Card or Citi Strata Elite Card?
The Citi Strata Elite Card has the bigger bonus, 75,000 points, worth roughly $1,350, 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 Strata Elite Card?
The American Express Schwab Investor Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Citi Strata Elite Card's $595 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Citi Strata Elite Card's benefits to clear $595 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 Strata Elite 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 American Express Schwab Investor Card or the Citi Strata Elite Card 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 Strata Elite Card: $6,000 in 3 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.