Card terms change often — confirm the current fee, credits and offer on the issuer's page before you apply.
The Amex Platinum is the lounge-heavy, credit-heavy flagship. It fits travelers who pass through Centurion airports and will use a monthly list of perks. The Citi Strata Elite costs $300 less, and it fits people who eat out on weekends, fly American now and then, and want Priority Pass without paying Platinum prices. Our verdict: the Strata Elite is the better value for most people. The Platinum is worth the extra money only if Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Club visits are part of how you actually travel.
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Quick answer
- Pick the Amex Platinum if: you fly through Centurion hubs, fly Delta sometimes, and will use the Uber, Resy, hotel and streaming credits every month.
- Pick the Strata Elite if: you want Priority Pass plus a few Admirals Club visits, earn heavily on dining, and prefer three simple annual credits to a dozen monthly ones.
- Winner for lounges: Amex Platinum, which has its own lounge network, Priority Pass and Sky Club visits.
- Winner for everyday earning: Strata Elite (1.5x everywhere, 3x to 6x dining, vs. 1x on the Platinum).
- Winner on net cost: Strata Elite, by roughly $180 a year for a typical user (about $245 vs. $425).
Free tool: find the credit card that earns the most for how you spend, and track every statement credit at kritdeals.com/points-path, or in the free KritDeals app for iPhone and Android.
Side by side
| Amex Platinum | Citi Strata Elite | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $895 | $595 |
| Welcome offer | As high as 175k MR (personalized) | See the current offer |
| Earning | 5x flights direct/Amex Travel, prepaid hotels; 1x else | 12x Citi Travel hotels/cars; 6x Citi Travel air; 6x dining Fri–Sat nights, 3x other dining; 1.5x else |
| Points worth | 2.0¢ (Membership Rewards) | 1.8¢ (ThankYou) |
| Lounge access | Centurion, Priority Pass, 10 Sky Club visits, Escape, Plaza Premium | Priority Pass + 4 Admirals Club passes/yr |
| Key credits | Airline $200, hotel $600, Resy $400, Uber $200, streaming $300 and more | Hotel $300, Splurge $200, Blacklane $200 |
| Authorized users | $195 each, full lounge access | $75 each, own Priority Pass |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
Annual fee and real cost
Amex Platinum, $895. A typical user gets about $200 of the $400 Resy credit, $120 of the $300 streaming credit, $100 of the $200 Uber Cash and $50 of the $200 airline fee credit (bags and seats on one airline). That's $470 back, for a net cost of about $425. The $600 hotel credit needs prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or Hotel Collection stays, so we count it at $0; one $300 stay brings the net to about $125. Use the Lululemon, Oura, Walmart+, Uber One and CLEAR ($219) credits as well and you can come out ahead. Ignore the monthly credits and you pay close to the full $895.
Citi Strata Elite, $595. The $200 Splurge credit works at up to two brands you pick, including American Airlines and Best Buy, so most people can use it fully. The $300 hotel credit needs one prepaid stay of two or more nights through Citi Travel; portal rates can run above booking direct and you give up hotel points, so we count it at half, $150. The $200 Blacklane credit comes in two $100 halves; count it as $0 unless you already book car service. That's $595 − $350 = about $245 net. Use the hotel credit in full and it's about $95; add Blacklane too and it's about −$105.
On a typical year the Strata Elite is about $180 cheaper ($245 vs. $425). With one eligible hotel stay on each card, the two land close together, about $95 vs. $125, but the Strata Elite takes much less tracking to get there: three credits a year instead of monthly and quarterly ones.
Earning
At our point values:
- Everyday spend: Strata Elite 1.5x × 1.8¢ = 2.7%. Platinum 1x × 2.0¢ = 2%. On $20,000 of everyday spend, that's about $540 vs. $400.
- Dining: Strata Elite 6x on Friday and Saturday from 6pm to 6am (about 10.8%) and 3x otherwise (5.4%). The Platinum earns 1x (2%).
- Flights: the Platinum's 5x on flights booked direct (10%) beats the Strata Elite unless you book through Citi Travel, where it earns 6x (10.8%).
- Hotels: Strata Elite 12x through Citi Travel (21.6%) vs. Platinum 5x on prepaid Amex Travel hotels (10%).
For everything except airfare booked directly with the airline, the Strata Elite earns more.
Redeeming and transfer partners
Both currencies transfer to more than a dozen programs. See the transfer partners chart.
- Amex Membership Rewards: Delta, ANA, Aeroplan, Flying Blue, Avios, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore, Cathay and Emirates, plus Hilton (1:2) and Marriott. ANA and Delta are the standouts that Citi doesn't have.
- Citi ThankYou: American AAdvantage (the only major bank currency that transfers to American), Turkish Miles&Smiles, EVA, Flying Blue, Avios, Cathay, Qantas, Singapore and Virgin Atlantic, plus Wyndham, Accor and Choice.
If you redeem with American, Citi has a real advantage, and our Citi AAdvantage guide explains why AA miles are worth 1.65¢ to us. If you redeem with Delta or ANA, choose Amex. We value MR slightly higher (2.0¢ vs. 1.8¢) because Amex's partner list is deeper.
Lounge access
This is where the Platinum earns its higher fee.
- Amex Platinum: Centurion Lounges at 16 US airports and Priority Pass with two free guests. You also get 10 Delta Sky Club visits a year when flying Delta, unlimited after $75,000 in spend. Since July 8, 2026, Centurion guests must be on your flight and pay $50 per adult and $30 per child, free after $75,000 in spend. See Centurion Lounge locations.
- Strata Elite: Priority Pass Select with two free guests. Authorized users get their own Priority Pass. You also get four Admirals Club passes per calendar year, each good for 24 hours with a same-day oneworld itinerary. Check Citi's terms for whether a pass covers guests. See Admirals Club access.
Priority Pass on both cards covers lounges only, not restaurants. If your airport has a Centurion Lounge, the Platinum is far better. If it doesn't, the two cards are close; check Priority Pass lounges in the USA.
Travel perks and protections
- Amex Platinum: Marriott Gold and Hilton Gold status, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck and CLEAR Plus credits, trip delay and cancellation coverage, and baggage insurance.
- Strata Elite: Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit (up to $120), trip cancellation and interruption, trip delay, lost or damaged luggage coverage, Mastercard MasterRental car coverage and extended warranty. No hotel status.
Who should get which
- Flies through Centurion airports, flies Delta sometimes, uses credits every month: Amex Platinum.
- Flies American a few times a year: Strata Elite. You get Admirals Club passes, AAdvantage transfers and an American Airlines Splurge option.
- Big weekend restaurant spender: Strata Elite.
- Wants hotel elite status: Amex Platinum.
- Adds family members: Strata Elite, at $75 per user with Priority Pass vs. $195 on the Platinum.
FAQ
Is the Citi Strata Elite better than the Amex Platinum? For most people, yes on value. It costs $300 less, earns more on everyday and dining spend, and its credits are easier to use. The Platinum is better for lounge access, thanks to Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Club visits.
Does the Citi Strata Elite get you into Centurion Lounges? No. Centurion Lounges are for Amex Platinum, Business Platinum and Centurion cardholders, plus Delta Reserve cardholders flying Delta. The Strata Elite gives you Priority Pass and four Admirals Club passes.
Which card's points are worth more? We value Amex Membership Rewards at 2.0¢ and Citi ThankYou at 1.8¢. Citi is the only major bank currency that transfers to American AAdvantage, so for AA flyers the difference may go the other way.
Can authorized users get lounge access? Yes on both. Strata Elite authorized users cost $75 a year and get their own Priority Pass. Platinum authorized users cost $195 each and get the lounge collection. Confirm the current fees on each issuer's site.
Is the Strata Elite's 6x dining worth it? If you eat out on Friday and Saturday nights, yes. It works out to about 10.8% back in travel value at our 1.8¢ point value, the best dining return of any card on this page.
Related guides
- Amex Platinum card page · Amex Platinum guide
- Citi Strata Elite guide · Is the Citi Strata Elite worth it?
- Sapphire Reserve vs Strata Elite · Venture X vs Strata Elite
- Amex Platinum vs Sapphire Reserve vs Venture X · Is the Amex Platinum worth it?
- Best premium credit cards
Card terms, fees and offers change — check the issuer's page before you apply.
