Card comparison

Amex Gold vs Citi Strata Premier

Membership Rewards vs ThankYou Points

Verified July 2026

TL;DR — quick verdict

The Citi Strata Premier ($95) undercuts the Amex Gold ($250) on annual fee. Pick the Amex Gold for everyday Supermarkets spending (4x); pick the Citi Strata Premier for everyday restaurants spending (3x).

At a Glance

American Express Gold Card

Annual Fee
$250
Signup Bonus
100,000 points
Network
Amex
Points Currency
Membership Rewards
Earning Rates
Us Flights 3x
Supermarkets 4x
Us Restaurants 4x
Other Purchases 1x

Citi Strata Premier Card

Annual Fee
$95
Signup Bonus
75,000 points
Network
Mastercard
Points Currency
ThankYou Points
Earning Rates
Restaurants 3x
Supermarkets 3x
Everything Else 1x
Gas Ev Charging 3x
Air Hotel Travel 3x

Category Breakdown

How they compare across key categories

Annual Fee

Citi Strata Premier wins

Amex Gold $250 vs Citi Strata Premier $95

Welcome Bonus

Amex Gold wins

Amex Gold: 100,000 points after $8,000 in 6 months vs Citi Strata Premier: 75,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months

Top Earning Rate

Amex Gold wins

Amex Gold: 4x on Supermarkets vs Citi Strata Premier: 3x on restaurants

Perks & Credits

Amex Gold wins

Amex Gold: 3 listed benefits vs Citi Strata Premier: 2 listed benefits

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Transfer Partners

Tie

Amex Gold: 20+ airline and hotel partners vs Citi Strata Premier: 14+ airline and hotel partners

Perks & Benefits

American Express Gold

  • Dining credit ($120)
  • Resy credit ($100)
  • Disney Streaming credit ($120)

Citi Strata Premier

  • $100 annual hotel credit (single stay $500+)
  • No foreign transaction fees

Which Is Right for You?

Get the Amex Gold if...

  • Premium benefits to offset the $250 fee
  • Earns 4x on Supermarkets
  • Earns 4x on US restaurants
  • Dining credit ($120)

Get the Citi Strata Premier if...

  • Lower $95 annual fee
  • Earns 3x on restaurants
  • Earns 3x on supermarkets
  • $100 annual hotel credit (single stay $500+)

Related Resources

Amex Points Value

What are Amex points worth?

Chase Points Value

What are Chase points worth?

Search Award Flights

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Amex Gold or Citi Strata Premier better?

The Citi Strata Premier ($95) undercuts the Amex Gold ($250) on annual fee. Pick the Amex Gold for everyday Supermarkets spending (4x); pick the Citi Strata Premier for everyday restaurants spending (3x). Both earn transferable rewards, so many points collectors hold one from each ecosystem.

Which has the lower annual fee, the Amex Gold or Citi Strata Premier?

The Citi Strata Premier has the lower annual fee at $95, versus $250 for the Amex Gold.

Which card earns points faster?

The Amex Gold earns up to 4x on Supermarkets, while the Citi Strata Premier earns up to 3x on restaurants.

Can I have both the Amex Gold and the Citi Strata Premier?

Yes. They're issued independently, so you can hold both and earn Membership Rewards and ThankYou Points side by side.

Ready to use your points?

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Need More Points?

Earn bonus points with these credit card offers

Can't find availability at your current points balance? These credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses to help you book your dream flight.

The Business Platinum Card from American Express

Business · Annual fee $895

US only

200,000 points

after $20,000 in 3 months

  • Hotel credit ($600)
  • Dell credit ($1150)
  • Adobe credit ($250)
Learn more & apply

American Express Business Gold Card

Business · Annual fee $375

US only

200,000 points

after $15,000 in 3 months

  • ChatGPT Business Statement Credit ($300)
  • FedEx, Grubhub and Office Supply Statement Credit ($240)
  • Walmart+ Statement Credit ($155)
Learn more & apply

The Platinum Card from American Express

Personal · Annual fee $895

US only

175,000 points

after $12,000 in 6 months

  • Hotel credit ($600)
  • Digital entertainment credit ($300)
  • Uber Cash and One credit ($320)
Learn more & apply

American Express Gold Card

Personal · Annual fee $250

US only

100,000 points

after $8,000 in 6 months

  • Dining credit ($120)
  • Resy credit ($100)
  • Disney Streaming credit ($120)
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Personal · Annual fee $95

100,000 points

after $5,000 in 3 months

  • Chase Travel hotel credit ($100)
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit ($120)
  • DoorDash DashPass ($120)
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Personal · Annual fee $795

100,000 points

after $6,000 in 3 months

  • Travel credit ($300)
  • The Edit hotel credit ($500)
  • Dining credit ($300)
Learn more & apply

Credit card approval subject to eligibility. Terms and conditions apply. American Express cards shown are available to US residents only.