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- Citi Premier® Card
An excellent travel rewards card for international use
- 1–3 Points per $1Rewards Rate
- 21.24% – 29.24% VariableAPR
- $95Annual Fee
- ExcellentRecommended Credit
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For a $95 annual fee, the Citi Premier® Card rewards spending on popular categories with flexible points. You earn three ThankYou points per dollar spent on groceries, gas, restaurants, airlines and hotels, while you earn one point per dollar on everything else. The points can be redeemed as gift cards, travel rewards, cash back and more. You can even transfer your points to Citi's transfer partners.
Additionally, you can earn the sign-up bonus of 60,000 ThankYou points if you spend $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening. That’s worth around $800 in gift cards. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® points per dollar spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024.
Citi Premier® Card Overview
All purchases made with the Citi Premier® Card earn ThankYou points. Every dollar spent on groceries, gas, restaurants, hotels and airfare earns you three points, while you get one point on everything else. There’s no limit on the points you can earn, and they don’t expire. While the value of your ThankYou points may change, they are usually around one cent per point.
Currently, the Citi Premier® Card gives a welcome bonus of 60,000 ThankYou points if you spend $4,000 within three months of the account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® points per dollar spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024.
ThankYou points can be redeemed in a number of ways:
Quick Take
- Earn 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months (valued at $800 when you redeem them for gift cards).
- Earn 3x points on air travel, on hotel bookings, at gas stations, at supermarkets and at restaurants.
- Earn 1x points on all other purchases.
- Get $100 off a hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding fees and taxes) when you book through thankyou.com (online or over the phone).
- Transfer your points to airline loyalty programs such as American Airlines AAdvantage, Aeromexico, Asia Miles, Avianca LifeMiles, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, Flying Blue, InterMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Malaysia Airlines Enrich, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qatar Privilege Club, Singapore Airlines, Thai Royal Orchid Plus, Miles & Smiles and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
- Other ways to redeem your points include getting gift cards, shopping online, paying for travel, getting statement credits, making online bill payments and making charitable donations.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you use this card internationally.
- Additional cards come with no annual fees.
- Access to Citi Entertainment gives you the means to buy tickets to various events as well as presale tickets.
Important Card Details
To accurately assess the potential value proposition of the Citi Premier Card to your wallet, it’s important to understand the fees associated with the card.
Regular APR
This card comes with a variable APR of 20.99% – 28.99%, depending on the cardholder’s creditworthiness. This APR applies to all purchases.
Annual Fee
The card comes with a $95 annual fee. However, it can easily be set off by earning at least 9,500 points, which is equivalent to spending around $3,200 per year in the reward categories with tripled points.
Points Rewards Rate
You earn 3x ThankYou points for every dollar spent on groceries, restaurants, gas, hotel and airfare; other purchases earn 1x points per dollar. Points can be redeemed as gift cards, cash back and travel rewards. While the conversion varies depending on available offers, one point usually converts to one cent. You can also transfer your points to Citi’s partner airlines to get more value on your points.
Additional Benefits
The Citi Premier® Card has a number of benefits beyond its lucrative rewards system.
- Contactless payment: Use this card to safely shop with qualified merchants by simply tapping your cards on contactless payment readers.
- Additional users: You can add an authorized user to your account for free. This allows you to earn points faster.
- Citi Entertainment: Users of this card gain exclusive access to the most anticipated concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and more.
How the Citi Premier® Card Compares To Other Cards
The Citi Premier® Card stands firm when compared with similar cards. It offsets the reasonable annual fee by offering tripled rewards on various spending categories and a flexible rewards redemption option. However, its overall value depends on your needs and preferences.
In-Depth Credit Card Comparisons:
How the Citi Premier® Card Compares
Citi Premier® Card
- Annual Fee: $95
- Rewards Rate: 3x points on grocery, restaurants, gas, hotel and airfare; 1x points on other categories
- Welcome Bonus: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first three months. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® points per dollar spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024.
- Travel Benefits: N/A
- Mini Verdict: Ideal for big spenders who frequently travel internationally
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Annual Fee: $95
- Rewards Rate: 2x points on dining and travel; 1x points on other purchases
- Welcome Bonus: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first three months
- Travel Benefits: Complimentary insurance on trip cancellations, auto rental collisions, baggage delays and trip delays
- Mini Verdict: Ideal for travelers who want to earn points and have some travel protections with their card
Frequently Asked Questions
sources
- Citi offers a variety of credit cards for all kinds of consumers. They have quite a few cards for business and personal customers alike.. "Citi." Accessed September 1, 2021.
- Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. "Credit card agreement database." Accessed September 10, 2021.
- J.D. Power. "2021 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study." Accessed September 10, 2021.
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