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American Express Schwab Investor Card vs Citi Strata Premier Card

Both are travel travel cards. The American Express Schwab Investor Card comes from American Express at $0/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

These cards are close on the fundamentals (similar bonus value, similar fee). The right pick depends on which category you spend the most in and which transfer partners best fit your travel goals.

FeatureAmerican Express Schwab Investor CardCiti Strata Premier Card
Annual fee$0$95
Sign-up bonus10,000 Membership Rewards pointsNot advertised
Bonus value (est.)$110-
Min spend to unlock bonus$1,000 in 6 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
  • 10x CitiTravel.com hotels/cars/attractions
  • 3x on restaurants, groceries, flights, hotels, gas, EV
  • $100 hotel savings benefit
  • No foreign transaction fees
Read the full review
American Express Schwab Investor Card
$0/yr · 10,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
Citi Strata Premier Card
$95/yr ·

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 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 16 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, American Express Schwab Investor Card or Citi Strata Premier Card?
The American Express Schwab Investor Card has a public bonus (10,000 Membership Rewards points, worth roughly $110), while the Citi Strata Premier Card doesn't advertise one right now.
Is the American Express Schwab Investor Card's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Citi Strata Premier Card?
The American Express Schwab Investor Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Citi Strata Premier Card's $95 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Citi Strata Premier Card's benefits to clear $95 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 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 American Express Schwab Investor Card or the Citi Strata Premier 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 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.