Three-way comparisons → Chase Sapphire Reserve vs The Platinum Card from American Express vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve vs The Platinum Card from American Express vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
All three side by side, every category valued in real cents per dollar — the printed rate times our conservative value for the points it pays, which is the same math the Credit Upside engine runs on every charge. Card data verified 2026-08-21.
| Category | Chase Sapphire Reserve | The Platinum Card from American Express | Citi Strata Elite℠ Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining | 3.8¢/$ (3x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 3.3¢/$ (3x) |
| Groceries | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.7¢/$ (1.5x) |
| Gas | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.7¢/$ (1.5x) |
| Travel | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.7¢/$ (1.5x) |
| Flights | 5.0¢/$ (4x) | 5.5¢/$ (5x) | 1.7¢/$ (1.5x) |
| Hotels | 5.0¢/$ (4x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.7¢/$ (1.5x) 12x at Citi Travel (cititravel.com) only — not counted |
| Streaming | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.7¢/$ (1.5x) |
| Transit | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.7¢/$ (1.5x) |
| Online retail | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.7¢/$ (1.5x) |
| Issuer travel portal portal only | 10.0¢/$ (8x) | 5.5¢/$ (5x) | 6.6¢/$ (6x) |
| Everything else | 1.3¢/$ (1x) | 1.1¢/$ (1x) | 1.7¢/$ (1.5x) |
| Annual fee | $795 | $895 | $595 |
| Statement credits (max/yr) | $2,190 | $2,994 | $730 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None | None |
| Rewards currency | Chase Ultimate Rewards | Amex Membership Rewards | Citi ThankYou points |
| Signup bonus | 100,000 after $6,000/3mo | 175,000 after $12,000/6mo | 80,000 after $4,000/3mo |
| Offer last confirmed | 2026-09-14 | 2026-09-14 | 2026-09-14 |
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card wins the most everyday categories outright (7 of 10), but that is only half the question. It is also the cheapest of the three at $595 a year, against $895 for The Platinum Card from American Express — so what that fee buys has to be perks and credits, because it is not rate. Which of the three earns you more still depends entirely on where your money actually goes.
Cents per dollar = printed earn rate × our conservative point value. A big multiplier in a cheap currency loses to a small one in an expensive currency, which is exactly why we never rank on the raw number. The issuer-travel-portal row is shown for reference but excluded from the verdict — it only pays if you book through that issuer's own site, which is a condition, not a category. The same goes for a rate that only pays at one brand (14x at Hilton, 8x on United fares): it is printed under the card's flat rate, labelled, and never counted. Caps, rotating categories and credits you forget to use change the real answer — the app applies all of them to your actual statement.
Prefer them two at a time?
- The Platinum Card from American Express vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
Are the fees worth it?
- Is Chase Sapphire Reserve's $795 fee worth it?
- Is The Platinum Card from American Express's $895 fee worth it?
- Is Citi Strata Elite℠ Card's $595 fee worth it?
If you want out of a fee later
- What does Chase Sapphire Reserve downgrade to?
- What does The Platinum Card from American Express downgrade to?
- What does Citi Strata Elite℠ Card downgrade to?
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