What Is the Citi Trifecta & Is It Still Worth It?

Rewards credit cards earn bonus points for card spending. Some cards offer flat-rate earning, while others earn points in specific categories like dining or travel. You could carry several credit cards to try and maximize your earning potential, but often cards earn points in different rewards ecospheres. What if you could maximize card spending in every category while pooling your points in one place, plus have the option to transfer points to travel partners?

The Citi trifecta refers to getting three Citi credit cards to maximize your rewards-earning potential. One of the most popular Citi trios is the Citi Custom Cash, Citi Premier and Citi Double Cash cards. You can earn at least 2% on all purchases and sometimes up to 5% in specific categories through strategic spending. All three cards earn Citi ThankYou Points with a total annual fee of $95.

While earning maximum rewards means more value for card spending, determining the best card to use with each purchase can become a chore. You can redeem Citi ThankYou points for travel, statement credits, cash or gift cards, or use your points to pay for purchases with Amazon and other select retailers.

You can also transfer points to several airline and hotel transfer partners. Unfortunately, the program lacks many domestic airline partners found with other rewards programs. So unless you book international travel or are comfortable using rewards programs for foreign airlines, the Citi trifecta may not be the best option.

• What Is the Citi Trifecta?
• MoneyGeek’s Citi Trifecta Recommendations
• How to Use the Citi Trifecta
• Is the Citi Trifecta Worth It?
• How to Redeem Citi ThankYou Points
• Other Questions You May Have About Citi’s Rewards Cards

The Citi trifecta is a combination of three Citi credit cards used together to maximize rewards-earning in every spending category. Citi offers a bevy of rewards credit cards that work well together. Perhaps the most valuable version of the Citi trifecta is the trio of the Citi Custom Cash, Citi Premier and Citi Double Cash cards.

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card earns 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category up to $500 spent each billing cycle. The Citi Premier® Card earns 3X points per dollar spent at restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations, as well as on airfare and hotels.

Of course, there are other Citi cards you can use together to maximize your rewards-earning potential and take advantage of other card benefits. From cash back cards and balance transfer offers to business cards and co-branded airline cards, there are several ways to pair multiple Citi cards to meet various needs.

The goal of a Citi trifecta is to maximize your rewards-earning potential by getting Citi cards that complement each other and match your spending and lifestyle. The best Citi credit cards offer benefits and rewards you're most likely to utilize. The best Citi trifecta for someone else may not be the right fit for you.

One of the most popular Citi cards among consumers is the Citi® Double Cash Card. It earns cash back twice — 1% cash back on all purchases, plus an additional 1% cash back when you pay for those purchases. If you have Citi Double Cash already, consider pairing it with the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card and the Citi Premier Credit Card if you want to boost your potential to earn ThankYou Rewards.

Double down to maximize your rewards with two Citi cash back cards. Use the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card to earn cash back in your top spending category while continuing to use the Citi® Double Cash Card for everyday spending. You're guaranteed to earn at least 2% cash back on your card spending. Don't forget to add in the Citi Premier® Card to earn even more bonus rewards in categories like dining, groceries, fuel and travel. All three cards earn ThankYou Points, allowing you to pool your rewards for bigger redemptions.

If you like the idea of pooling ThankYou Points but want to avoid annual fees, swap out the Citi Premier® Card for the Citi Rewards+® Card. You’ll still earn bonus points on purchases like dining, groceries and fuel, but without the fee. It’s also a great card to use for smaller purchases. For example, a $3 coffee would net you 10 points, thanks to the card’s round-up rules. Combined with the Citi Double Cash and Citi Custom Cash cards, you pay $0 in total annual fees but still maximize your ThankYou Points-earning potential.

Business owners get rewarded, too, with a Citi trifecta strategy. Start with the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard to earn miles toward American Airlines flights. Then, use the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard Credit Card to earn more miles for spending at restaurants and gas stations. There’s some overlap in travel benefits, but each card also offers unique travel perks. Round out the trifecta with the Citi® Double Cash Card to take advantage of bonus cash back on everyday spending. You only pay $198 total in annual fees (waived the first 12 months) with this Citi trifecta.

The Citi trifecta is still worth it if you choose cards that match your spending habits. How you use them also determines the effectiveness of a Citi trifecta. Consider each card's annual fee to ensure you can offset the cost through card rewards and benefits.

The Citi trifecta is not for everyone, and it might not be worth it in some scenarios.

• You don’t want to keep track of multiple cards.
• You prefer domestic travel partners.
• Your spending habits don’t line up with the available bonus rewards categories.

The Citi trifecta might be worth it if used in a way that maximizes your rewards-earning potential.

• You want to pool all the points you earn together.
• You travel internationally or are comfortable booking flights through airline alliance partners.
• Your spending habits line up with the available bonus rewards categories.

Having multiple Citi cards is often beneficial, as is the case with the Citi trifecta. Individuals looking for even more rewards-earning potential could add Citi Rewards+ to the other three cards recommended to create a Citi quadfecta:

• Citi Premier® Card
• Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
• Citi® Double Cash Card
• Citi Rewards+® Card

While doing so gives you access to another decent welcome bonus, its ongoing rewards structure overlaps with Citi Premier. Individuals who already own the Citi Prestige card could create a Citi quinfecta, but the card is no longer available for new applicants.

The Citi ThankYou Rewards Program offers several ways to redeem points based on your needs. Redemptions include travel, cash back, statement credits, gift cards and other selections. Generally, Citi ThankYou points are worth one cent, but the value can vary depending on the redemption.

As mentioned, you can also transfer ThankYou points to any of Citi's transfer partners. The minimum number of points you can transfer is 1,000 points, and all transfers must be made in 1,000 increments. Popular transfer partners include Avianca, Emirates, JetBlue and Wyndham.

>> More: Citi ThankYou Rewards Transfer Partners

Analyze your needs and spending habits to determine if you could benefit from getting three or more Citi rewards credit cards. Compare welcome offers, rewards rates, bonus categories, annual fees and other card benefits to determine the best cards for you. Compare Citi cards to rewards cards from other issuers to see if there's a better match for earning rewards.