Amex Green Card vs. Citi Strata Premier Card [Detailed Comparison]

The American Express^® Green Card* and the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card are excellent starter travel cards with access to transfer partners and great bonus categories, all at a relatively reasonable annual fee.

If you’ve had your eyes on both of these cards and you’re trying to decide which is the better fit for you, this detailed comparison is the post for you. Read on for our complete head-to-head comparison to learn how these cards stack up.

*The information regarding the American Express^® Green Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Overview

Before we dissect each card, category by category, here is a quick overview of their highlights:

As you can see, the Amex Green card and the Citi Strata Premier card have many similar benefits, so let’s explore a bit deeper to narrow in on which card might be better suited to you.

The Value of a Welcome Offer

Amex Green Card

American Express^® Green Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card can provide a great way to accumulate Membership Rewards points on eligible travel, transit, and at restaurants.

All information about American Express^® Green Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

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American Express^® Green Card

This card can provide a great way to accumulate Membership Rewards points on eligible travel, transit, and at restaurants.

Welcome Offer

Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your American Express^® Green Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

40,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$880

Annual Fee

$150

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Green Card is an excellent all-around travel rewards card thanks to earning 3x Membership Rewards^® points on eligible travel and transit purchases and at restaurants, access to American Express transfer partners, and a reasonable annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x points per $1 spent at restaurants worldwide, on all eligible travel purchases, and transit purchases
• Up to $199 per calendar year in statement credits after you pay for a CLEAR^® Plus membership with the Card.
• Up to $100 in statement credits annually when you purchase airport lounge access through LoungeBuddy with the Card.

Cons

• $150 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your American Express^® Green Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on travel, including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® Points on transit purchases, including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US.
• $199 CLEAR Plus Credit: Receive up to $199 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the American Express^® Green Card.
• $100 LoungeBuddy: No airport lounge membership? No problem! Purchase lounge access through the LoungeBuddy app using the American Express^® Green Card and receive up to $100 in statement credits annually.
• Payment Flexibility: When it comes to paying your bill, you have options. You can always pay in full. You also have the flexibility to carry a balance with interest or use Plan It^® to split up large purchases into monthly payments with a fixed fee, up to your Pay Over Time Limit. You may be able to keep spending beyond your limit – you’ll just need to pay for any new purchases in full when your bill is due.
• Trip Delay Insurance: If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 12 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased on the same Eligible Card, up to $300 per trip, maximum 2 claims per eligible account per 12 consecutive month period. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: No matter where you’re traveling, when you use your American Express^® Green Card there are no foreign transaction fees.
• $150 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Citi Strata Premier card

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Welcome Offer

For a limited time: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards on thankyou.com.

75,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.49% to 28.49% Variable APR

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is a great all-around travel rewards card that allows you to earn big rewards on a variety of purchases like air travel, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and more, along with flexible redemption options, all for a modest annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
• 3x points on air travel, other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and EV charging stations
• $100 annual hotel benefit

Cons

• $95 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• For a limited time: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards on thankyou.com.
• Earn 10X points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
• Earn 3X points per $1 on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations.
• Earn 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
• $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card.
• No foreign transaction fees on purchases.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.49% to 28.49% Variable APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Earning Potential

If you want to earn as many points as possible, you should ensure your new card’s bonus categories match your spending habits. Here is a comparison of the points you’ll earn with each card for their bonus categories:

The bonus categories for the Citi Strata Premier card are a bit more well-rounded. But deciding which is best for you depends on what you spend the most on.

Redemption Options

Amex Green Card

Amex Membership Rewards is easily one of our favorite points and miles programs due to the number of redemption options and excellent Amex transfer partners you can transfer your points to.

For instance, you could transfer your points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club to book a one-way business class ticket in Delta One (a SkyTeam partner) between the U.S. and various European cities for just 50,000 points and less than $6 in taxes and fees.

Beyond that, you can redeem your Amex points through the AmexTravel.com portal for cash-back via statement credit, gift cards, or shopping with select merchants.

Citi Strata Premier card

Fortunately, the Citi ThankYou Rewards program comes with its own collection of solid Citi transfer partners. This includes some of our favorite programs, such as Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, and Turkish Miles&Smiles.

Aside from using transfer partners, you can use your points through the Citi Travel with Booking.com portal, cash-back via statement credit, gift cards, and online shopping.

Statement Credits Comparison

Amex Green Card

Cardholders of the Amex Green card receive an annual CLEAR Plus credit of up to $199, fully covering the membership cost each year.

CLEAR provides an expedited security experience nationwide at select airports and stadiums using biometrics such as your fingerprint or eye. For airport travelers, this allows you to move right to the front of the ID check line and is a huge time saver for those with and without TSA PreCheck.

Additionally, Amex Green cardholders receive an annual LoungeBuddy credit of up to $100. LoungeBuddy has approximately 300+ airport lounges in its network, and the entry price can vary based on the quality of the lounge. The credit should get you at least 2 to 3 visits annually.

Citi Strata Premier Card

Meanwhile, the Citi Strata Premier card has an annual hotel savings benefit of up to $100. However, getting the credit requires a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) for reservations booked through CitiTravel.com once per calendar year.

Comparing Travel Insurance

Shopping Benefits and Protection Comparison

Amex Green Card

• Amex Offers — Discounts and opportunities to earn more points and statement credits with 100 merchants each month (enrollment required)
• Purchase Protection — Coverage of up to 90 days from the date of purchase toward stolen or damaged items
• Extended Warranty — Adds up to 1 year of additional warranty to extended warranties of 5 years or less
• American Express Experiences — Exclusive access to ticket presales

Citi Strata Premier card

• Citi Merchant Offers — Discounts and opportunities to earn more points and statement credits with 100 merchants each month
• DoorDash — 3 free months of DashPass, plus $5 off every month when you use your card at checkout
• Purchase Protection — Coverage of up to 90 days from the date of purchase toward stolen or damaged items
• Extended Warranty — Adds up to 24 months of additional warranty to extended warranties of 7 years or less

Annual Fees and Adding Authorized Users

Annual Fees

The Amex Green card annual fee is $150, while the Citi Strata Premier card’s annual fee is $95. Given that the fees are pretty close, deciding which is the better fit for you should take into account which bonus categories, perks, and protections suit you best.

Authorized Users

Amex Green cardholders can add up to 5 cards for no additional cost; any additional cards beyond that are $35 each. The Citi Strata Premier card has no additional annual fees for authorized users.

Final Thoughts

Whatever way you slice it, both the Amex Green card and the Citi Strata Premier card can be great credit card options.

Most cardholders of the Citi Strata Premier card card are likely to earn more points thanks to including supermarkets as a 3x category. However, we believe Amex offers a better collection of transfer partners and statement credits.

Ultimately, deciding which is better for you will come down to your own preferences, wants, and needs in your new card.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the Amex Green card, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the commercial car rental company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.