Review: Is the Citi Rewards+ the best credit card for you?
If you're looking for a no-annual-fee credit card that earns flexible points, the
The
You'll earn 2x Citi ThankYou points at supermarkets and gas stations for the first $6,000 each year (then 1x), and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. The points you earn for every purchase automatically round up to the nearest 10 points, and you'll get back 10% of the first 100,000 points you redeem per calendar year.
Read more: The best Citi credit cards of 2021
This is the only card that offers both the round-up and rebate feature, which makes it a standout, especially among no-annual-fee cards. The rewards system makes it ideal for small purchases, and because it's a ThankYou card, you can pair it to "share" the benefits with other ThankYou cards, like the
For example, if you also have the
On its own, you're limited to redeeming your points for gift cards or travel booked through Citi, statement credits, merchandise, or JetBlue, which is this card's only airline transfer partner (at a reduced ratio of 1,000 points to 800 JetBlue miles). You can also trade in your points for cash back, but at a reduced rate of 0.5 cents per point.
If you're just looking for a strong cash-back card, consider the
Read more: The best cash-back credit cards of 2021
The
Comparison: Citi Rewards+ vs other Citi ThankYou credit cards
Annual fee | |||
Rewards rate | 2x points at supermarkets and gas stations* 1 point per dollar on everything else | 5% cash back on up to $500 spent in your top eligible spending category*** each billing cycle (then 1%) 1% cash back on all other purchases | 3x points on air travel, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels 1 point per dollar on everything else |
Welcome bonus | |||
Card benefits | Access to Citi Entertainment | Access to Citi Entertainment | $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) booked through thankyou.com once per calendar year Purchase protection Extended warranty Access to Citi Entertainment |
Introductory 0% APR offer | 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (then a | 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (then a | N/A |
Foreign transaction fee | Yes | Yes | No |
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*2x points at supermarkets and gas stations on the
***eligible 5% cash back categories on the
Citi Rewards+ vs other no-annual-fee credit cards
Annual fee | |||
Rewards rate | 2x points at supermarkets and gas stations* 1 point per dollar on everything else | 5% cash back (5x points) on travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards 5% cash back (5x points) on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter in rotating bonus categories when you activate 3% cash back (3x points) on dining and drugstore purchases 1% cash back (1x points) on everything else | 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined spending each quarter (then 1%) 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases |
Welcome bonus | 5% cash back (5x points) at grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 in spending during the first year of account opening (then 1x) | None, but Discover offers Dollar for Dollar match of all cash back earned the first year | |
Card benefits | Access to Citi Entertainment | Car rental insurance (secondary in the US, primary otherwise) Trip cancellation/interruption insurance Purchase protection Extended warranty Travel and emergency assistance services | Free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score No late payment fee on your first late payment (then up to $40) |
Introductory 0% APR offer | 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (then a | 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (then a | 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 14 months (then a |
Foreign transaction fee | Yes | Yes | None |
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*2x points at supermarkets and gas stations on the
How to earn points with the Citi Rewards+ card
The
For example, if you spend $21 on gas, you'll earn 42 points (at 2 points per dollar) which will round up to 50 points. Or if you spend $3 on a coffee, you'll earn 10 points. There's no cap on the number of points that are rounded up. Because of this benefit, the
How to use ThankYou points from the Citi Rewards+ card
When you're ready to redeem your points, you can use them to purchase gift cards at a variety of popular merchants or to book travel through the Citi travel portal at a rate of 1 cent per point. Or you can use them to pay for purchases at Amazon or Best Buy, though this isn't a great value because your points are worth 0.8 cents each when you redeem them this way.
Citi also lets you redeem points for statement credits toward eligible purchases in select categories, but each point is worth half a cent, making it the worst redemption option.
Read more: How to earn, redeem, and maximize Citi ThankYou points
Another way to use your points is to transfer them to your JetBlue frequent flyer account. You can redeem 1,000 Citi ThankYou points for 800 JetBlue miles, and can only redeem in 1,000-point increments. This can be helpful if you need additional miles to book an award trip, or if you often fly on JetBlue.
No matter how you choose to redeem your points, you'll get a 10% rebate on all redeemed points each year, up to the first 100,000 redeemed points. That maximum translates to a rebate of up to 10,000 points per year and adds slightly more value to your points. For example, if you redeem 20,000 points, you'll get 2,000 points back — up to your annual limit of 10,000 points returned as a rebate.
Even better, you can pair this card with other Citi ThankYou cards to "share" benefits. For example, when you have the
Benefits and features
Introductory 0% APR offer
New
Read more: The best low-interest and 0% APR credit cards in 2021
For balance transfers, you'll pay $5 or 3% of the amount you transfer, whichever is greater.
Citi Entertainment event access
The
Fraud early warning and ID theft protection
Cardholders can receive alerts as a text, email, or phone call if Citi detects early signs of fraud on your account. You can also enroll in the ID theft protection program for monitoring and alerts if suspicious activity is found in conjunction with your credit report, credit accounts, or identity. This service also monitors the dark web for suspicious activity related to your Social Security Number and identity.
$0 liability on unauthorized charges
You won't be responsible for unauthorized charges, which Citi defines as charges which were not made by you or anyone allowed to use your account. This feature protects you in the event that your card is lost or stolen.
Virtual account numbers
Citi allows you to generate a random Citi card number to use when you shop online. This makes your actual card number virtually impossible to steal. All the purchases you make with virtual account numbers will still show up on your billing statement, along with the card number that was used for each transaction.
Citi Quick Lock
You'll have the ability to easily and instantly lock your card if your card is lost or stolen, or if you temporarily misplace it. This can prevent unauthorized charges until you find your card or get a replacement.
Credit report alerts
You'll receive alerts when information on your Experian or TransUnion credit report changes, like new account inquiries, address changes, or credit score updates.
Fees and costs
The
Read more: The best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees
Like most other cards, the
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