There are dozens of travel credit cards on the market today, but many consumers prefer cards with so-called flexible rewards programs. With flexible, or transferable, points, you aren't tied down to a specific loyalty program, and you can redeem your rewards how you want.
The
Like other popular travel credit cards, Citi has also stepped up to offer improved earning categories as a result of the pandemic, and it offers a program that lets you use your rewards for everyday essentials.
Bottom line: The Citi Premier℠ Card offers a generous sign-up bonus, strong rewards, and many ways to use your points. If you're looking for a travel credit card with an annual fee south of $100, this one should be on your shortlist.
Citi Premier card sign-up bonus
The
Even better, this 60,000-point sign-up bonus is the Citi Premier's standard welcome offer, so you shouldn't have to worry about it disappearing overnight.
Citi Premier card earning rates
We don't want to confuse you, but there are two earning rates you should be aware of with this card as a new cardholder — one for now and one that starts on August 23, 2020.
For the time being, you'll earn 3x points on travel including gas, 2x points on restaurants and entertainment, and 1x points on other purchases. Starting on August 23, 2020, however, you'll earn 3x points on air travel and hotels as well as gas stations, supermarkets, and restaurants, and 1x points on other purchases.
While the 2x category is eliminated starting in August, the 3x categories are expanded dramatically. The only real negative of this change is the fact you'll no longer earn any bonus points on "entertainment purchases" made with your card once the full transition is made, which would include purchases like movie tickets and tickets for sporting events.
For most people, the change that takes place in August is positive. After all, even some of the top credit cards for groceries don't let you earn 3 points per dollar in this category. Also note that all the bonus categories on this card let you earn unlimited points; there's no cap on your earnings.
Citi Premier Card redemption options
Here's where the
You can redeem points for gift cards at a rate 1 cent per point, making the 60,000-point initial bonus worth $600 in gift cards for a retailer of your choice. You can also use Citi ThankYou points to make a charitable donation, and you can use them for statement credits to cover purchases made to your credit card.
Interestingly, you can use rewards from this card to make a payment toward your mortgage or your student loans, or you can use them to shop for merchandise with participating retailers. You can also use them to book travel through the Citi portal, which works similarly to Expedia.com or Priceline.com.
Finally, the Citi ThankYou program has several airline transfer partners that make turning your points into airline miles a breeze. All transfer ratios are 1:1 and airline partners include:
- Aeromexico
- Asia Miles
- Avianca LifeMiles
- Emirates
- Etihad Guest
- EVA Air
- Flying Blue / Air France
- JetBlue
- JetPrivilege
- Malaysia Airlines
- Qantas
- Qatar Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- Turkish Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
Citi Premier card benefits
Starting on August 23, 2020, the
As a cardholder, you also get access to the Citi Entertainment program, which offers presale tickets, preferred tickets, VIP packages and more. You'll need to provide the first six digits of your card number as the passcode to take advantage of Citi's ticket benefits when you check out at Ticketmaster or Live Nation.
The
Additionally, the card offers an extended warranty — you'll get 24 additional months on manufacturers' warranties for items purchased with the card.
The other major benefit of this card is the fact you don't have to pay foreign transaction fees. This perk may not seem like a big deal, but it can help you avoid paying the average foreign fee of 3% when you need a credit card for purchases outside the United States.
Citi Premier card costs and fees
The standard variable APR for this card falls between
This card comes with a $95 annual fee, but you won't pay any foreign transaction fees.
A balance transfer fee of 3% (minimum $5) applies if you transfer a balance, but you probably don't want to due to the high APR this card charges.
How the Citi Premier Card compares to other cards
If you're looking at travel credit cards with a similar annual fee, you're probably wondering how the top options stack up. This chart can help you figure out which card works best for you, or whether other options are worth exploring:
| Sign-up bonus | 60,000 Citi points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening | 60,000 Chase points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening | 50,000 Capital One miles after you spend $3,000 in the first three months from account opening |
| Annual fee | $95 | $95 | $95 |
| Earning structure | 3x points on travel including gas 2x points on restaurants and entertainment 1 point per dollar on everything else* | 2x points on travel and dining 5x points on Lyft rides through March 2022 1 point per dollar on everything else | 2x miles on every purchase |
| Options for using rewards |
*Starting on August 23, the Citi Premier card will earn 3x points on air travel, hotels, gas stations, supermarkets, and restaurants (and 1 point per dollar on everything else).
All three of the travel credit cards we've profiled above are similar. After all, they all have a similar welcome bonus and the same annual fee. Each of them also let you redeem your points for travel directly, or for transfers to airline or hotel partners.
Where the
All three cards have their own selection of transfer partners, but this is an area where you'll want to do some exploring. The Citi ThankYou program has entirely different transfer partners than Chase Ultimate Rewards, and the transfer partners you get with the
At the end of the day, any of these cards could help you earn free travel or other types of rewards. The best one for you is one with an earning structure that aligns with your spending style, and with the transfer partners you may be more likely to take advantage of. We suggest taking a deep dive into each of these cards and their rewards programs before you decide.
The bottom line
The Citi Premier card comes with a generous bonus that is worth $600 in gift cards and potentially more if you redeem your points for travel. You'll also qualify for no foreign transaction fees and will get a $100 hotel benefit later this year.
With that in mind, it's hard to argue against giving the
Still, you should take the time to compare other travel and rewards credit cards you can find on the market today, including options we've highlighted here.
