Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.
Choosing between the American Express® Gold Card ($325/yr) and the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card ($595/yr) comes down to where you spend most. Both cards can deliver real value. Let’s break it down, then run your numbers to find the winner.
Strongest in dining at 4% (up to $50,000/yr). 4X points at restaurants worldwide, 4X on U.S. supermarkets, 3X on flights.
Perfect if: You spend enough in bonus categories to easily offset the annual fee.
Apply NowStrongest in dining at 3%. 12x on hotels/car rentals via Citi Travel, 6x on flights via Citi Travel, 3x on dining. Earns a solid 1.5% on everything else.
Perfect if: You spend enough in bonus categories to easily offset the annual fee.
Apply Now| Feature | American Express Gold Card | Citi Strata Elite Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $325 | $595 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | 100,000 points after $8,000 spend in 6 months | 75,000 points after $6,000 spend in 3 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 1% | 1.5% |
| Dining Rewards | 4% (up to $50,000/yr) | 3% |
| Groceries Rewards | 4% (up to $25,000/yr) | 1.5% |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
3% on flights Earns 3% only on flights booked direct with the airline or on AmexTravel.com. Hotels, car rentals and cruises earn 1%. |
12% through Citi Travel Earns 12% only on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel, Citi's own booking site. Travel booked anywhere else earns the flat 1.5%. 6% on flights through Citi Travel Earns 6% only on flights booked through Citi Travel. Flights booked direct with an airline earn the flat 1.5%. |
| Key Benefits | 4X points at restaurants worldwide, 4X on U.S. supermarkets, 3X on flights. | 12x on hotels/car rentals via Citi Travel, 6x on flights via Citi Travel, 3x on dining. |
American Express Gold Card pulls ahead for dining, groceries spending.
Citi Strata Elite Card wins on travel, gas.
The $270/year fee difference means Citi Strata Elite Card needs to earn about that much more in rewards to justify its cost.
American Express Gold Card carries $424/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings), while Citi Strata Elite Card carries $300/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings). Those only count if you’d actually use them. Worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.
Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.