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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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American Express Platinum vs. Citi Prestige: Should you make the switch?
Olivia Mittak is a credit cards editor at TPG. She specializes in maximizing earn for points and miles, finding the best welcome bonuses and choosing the right credit cards for your wallet.
Ethan's been a frequent flier for as long as he can remember, from studying abroad in Paris to moving to Shanghai after graduating college, where he served as TPG's eyes and ears for all things travel in the Asia-Pacific region. If you asked him where he wants to travel next he'd quote Anthony Bourdain and tell you "anytime I'm eating spicy noodles in a bowl, I'm happy."
also contributed to this story
June 13, 2024 • 13 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
A comparison of two longstanding premium travel cards highlights differences in benefits, earning structures and point valuations.
One card is no longer open to new applicants, while the other offers a substantial welcome offer for eligible new cardholders.
The card still available to new applicants provides extensive travel and lifestyle credits, broad lounge access and a higher point valuation per TPG's September 2025 data.
The closed card features a stronger earning structure in certain categories and unique perks like a complimentary fourth hotel night on select bookings.
What to consider
The closed card cannot be applied for by new customers but can still be used by existing cardholders.
Benefits, credits and redemption options vary significantly, so evaluating which align with your travel habits is important.
Point values differ, with one program valued at 2 cents each and the other at 1.9 cents each as of September 2025 per TPG's valuations.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed side-by-side analysis of benefits, earning rates and transfer partners to help decide which premium travel card best fits your needs.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Over the past decade, newer premium credit cards, including those from Chase, Hilton and Marriott, have entered a now-crowded market. Annual fees of $400 or more on premium cards are common these days.
There may be readers with one or both of the "older" premium cards — The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Citi Prestige® Card. Although the Citi Prestige has not been open to new applicants since 2021, current cardholders may want to know if it's worth switching to the Platinum.
So, let's look at how the Platinum and Prestige match up against each other in key categories, including welcome offers, points-earning potential, redemption options and the all-important perks and benefits.
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
American Express Platinum vs. Citi Prestige comparison
Annual fee
$895 (see rates and fees)
$495
Earning rates
5 points per dollar on flights booked with airlines or with American Express Travel® (on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)
5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
1 point per dollar on all other purchases
10 points per dollar on hotel, rental car and eligible attraction bookings made through the Citi ThankYou travel portal
5 points per dollar spent at restaurants, airlines and travel agencies
3 points per dollar spent at hotels and cruise lines
1 point per dollar spent on other purchases
Welcome offer
Find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $12,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
No welcome offer
TPG points valuation
2 cents per point
1.9 cents per point
Benefits
Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by one airline you select
Up to a $600 annual hotel credit per calendar year (up to $300 biannually), in the form of a statement credit, on prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with Amex Travel when you pay with your Amex Platinum (Hotel Collection stays require a two-night minimum)
Up to $400 per calendar year at U.S. Resy restaurants (up to $100 quarterly). Enrollment required.
Up to $300 statement credits for Lululemon (up to $75 quarterly) at U.S. stores (excluding outlets) and online. Enrollment required.
Up to $200 per calendar year in Uber Cash, valid on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S. (split into monthly $15 credits plus a $20 bonus in December) Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Platinum as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.
Up to $200 statement credit per calendar year for Oura Ring (hardware only; not for memberships; enrollment required)
Up to a $120 Uber One statement credit that fully covers an auto-renewing $96 annual or $9.99 monthly membership (enrollment required)
Up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year to cover your Clear+ annual membership (subject to auto-renewal)
Up to $300 in annual digital entertainment statement credit disbursed as up to $25 monthly statement credits when you pay for eligible purchases with the Amex Platinum at eligible partners
Up to a $155 statement credit per calendar year that covers the cost of a monthly Walmart+ membership when paying with the Amex Platinum (on one membership, subject to auto-renewal); Plus Up excluded.
A $120 statement credit for Global Entry every four years or an up to $85 fee credit for TSA PreCheck every 4½ years (depending on which application fee is charged to your card first)
Complimentary Gold status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy, and Leaders Club Sterling status (enrollment required)
Complimentary car rental status and hotel status
Trip delay and trip interruption insurance*
Extended warranty and purchase protection**
Enrollment required for certain benefits.
Citi will cover the cost of your fourth night at a hotel stay booked through the ThankYou portal. Certain hotels are excluded, and this benefit may only be used twice per calendar year
Up to $250 statement credit every calendar year for eligible travel purchases, including airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, travel agencies, travel aggregators, tour operators, commuter transportation and more
Up to $100 statement credit every four years for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
Cellphone protection for up to five lines
Extended warranty
Purchase protection
Lounge access
Yes; access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection for eligible cardmembers, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass™ lounges, Airspace lounges, Escape lounges, Plaza Premium lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (Eligible Platinum Card Members will receive 10 Visits per Eligible Platinum Card per year to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight). Terms apply. Enrollment is required.
Yes; Priority Pass Select membership
Authorized user annual fee
$195 (see rates and fees)
$75
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. **Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
American Express Platinum vs. Citi Prestige welcome offer
The first factor to consider when considering a new card is the welcome offer, as it's the fastest way to rack up points and miles.
THE POINTS GUY
With the Amex Platinum, find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $12,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
According to TPG's September 2025 valuations, this is worth up to $3,500. That makes this one of the best welcome offers currently available for any card, assuming you can meet the spending requirement.
Since the Citi Prestige no longer accepts new applicants, it has no welcome offer.
Winner: The Amex Platinum easily wins this first challenge. Since the Citi Prestige isn't accepting new applicants, it has no welcome offer to compete with the Amex Platinum's.
American Express Platinum vs. Citi Prestige benefits
It's no secret that the Amex Platinum has many benefits. With perks like a $15 in monthly Uber Cash valid on Uber rides and Uber Eats orders in the U.S. (plus a $20 bonus in December*), up to $300 statement credit for eligible digital entertainment charges per calendar year, access to various airport lounges and complimentary hotel and car rental status, it's almost overwhelming trying to keep up with everything this card offers. Terms apply; enrollment required.
*Uber Cash will only be deposited into one Uber account when you add the Amex Platinum as a payment method and redeem with any Amex card.
RUDI_SUARDI/GETTY IMAGES
Many of the Citi Prestige's benefits were stripped in previous years. Certain benefits remain, including having Citi cover the cost of your fourth night at a qualifying hotel and up to $250 in statement credits every calendar year for eligible travel purchases.
Winner: Amex Platinum. While the Citi Prestige still offers a few solid perks, its severe devaluation several years ago left it behind the Amex Platinum in this category.
Earning points with the American Express Platinum vs. Citi Prestige
Although many cards are worth opening for the first-year welcome bonus alone, the ones that will earn a long-term spot in your wallet are often those that continue to offer solid earning rates.
MASKOT/GETTY IMAGES
The Amex Platinum is a simple travel card when it comes to its earnings structure. Cardholders will earn 5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 of these purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), 5 points per dollar on hotel bookings made directly through Amex Travel and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
The Citi Prestige has a more well-rounded earnings structure. Cardholders can earn 10 points per dollar on hotel, rental car and eligible attraction bookings through Citi's travel portal. The standard earnings rates for this card are 5 points per dollar on restaurant purchases, airlines and travel agencies, 3 points per dollar on hotels and cruise lines and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Winner: Citi Prestige. While the Amex Platinum offers solid earnings on airfare and hotels, the Prestige covers more bonus categories and earns double the points on eligible hotel purchases compared to the Amex Platinum.
Redeeming points with the American Express Platinum vs. Citi Prestige
The Amex Platinum and Citi Prestige offer a fixed 1-cent-per-point redemption value when booking travel directly through their respective portals, much lower than TPG's valuation of either currency.
The ThankYou points you earn with the Citi Prestige can also be redeemed for charity, gift cards or cash back or to cover purchases at eligible online retailers; and the Amex Platinum offers similar redemption options.
JUSTIN PAGET/GETTY IMAGES
The best redemption options typically come from transferring points to one of Amex or Citi's airline partners.
Winner: Tie. Since both cards earn points that can be redeemed for the same options, there isn't a clear winner here. Differences only become apparent when we consider transfer partners.
So why does TPG value Amex Membership Rewards points more than ThankYou points if Amex shares this many partners with Citi?
Amex's additional partners, including Air Canada Aeroplan, ANA Mileage Club, British Airways Club and Delta SkyMiles, give it the edge. It also runs more frequent transfer bonuses than Citi does.
These programs can help you unlock everything from long-haul premium-cabin awards to short domestic hops on Delta and American. You can fly luxurious first-class products, avoid fuel surcharges on partner awards and mix and match your bookings to get the best value.
TPG vice president of marketing and communications Becca Manheimer transferred 45,000 Membership Rewards points to Aer Lingus for a business-class flight from New York City to Ireland.
ANA first class, booked using Avianca LifeMiles. CHRIS DONG/THE POINTS GUY
Meanwhile, Citi's list of "unique" transfer partners isn't nearly as impressive. Programs like EVA Air Infinity MileageLands and Thai Royal Orchid Plus don't offer much value to the average traveler, and it's safe to say that nearly all of Citi's redemption value can be recreated through Amex Membership Rewards.
Should I get the American Express Platinum or the Citi Prestige?
Since the Citi Prestige is no longer accepting applicants, if you don't currently hold the card, there isn't a choice to be made here.
If you do hold the Citi Prestige, a more appropriate question might be: "Should I keep the Citi Prestige or switch to the Amex Platinum?" While the Citi Prestige has a lower annual fee and a better earnings structure than the Amex Platinum, it has fewer benefits, and the points it earns are worth less than those the Amex Platinum earns (according to TPG's valuations).
Unless you can't afford or justify the Amex Platinum's annual fee or strongly prefer Citi's exclusive transfer partners, I think it's better to go with the Amex Platinum.
For those currently holding the Citi Prestige, considering switching to the Amex Platinum is worthwhile. The extra benefits and exclusive transfer partners that the Amex Platinum offers are nothing to scoff at. Before switching, consider which card best suits your spending habits and lifestyle.
There is also an argument for holding both cards as long as you can maximize their benefits to justify the high annual fees charged.
Apply here: The Platinum Card from American Express and find out your offer and see if you are eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $12,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
