Citi, when compared to American Express and Chase, has a limited number of cards that earn transferable points. The Citi Premier Card earns transferable points, otherwise known as Citi ThankYou points.
New cardmembers earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening. The annual fee is $95, however, the Citi Premier Credit Card benefits help to offer this fee.
Citi Premier Bonus Categories
3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel, and hotels are what you earn with the Citi Premier Card. Restaurants include cafes, bars, lounges, and fast-food restaurants.
$100 Annual Hotel Credit
Every calendar year, you receive $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, when booked through thankyou.com. The $100 credit requires you to pre-pay for your entire stay with your Citi Premier Card, ThankYou Points, or a combination of the two. The $100 credit is applied at the time when you book the hotel. If you cancel your stay, $100 credit is valid for the remainder of the calendar year. The $100 hotel credit cannot be combined in the same transaction with the Citi Prestige Credit Card 4th night hotel stay benefit.
Airline Partners
The ability to transfer points earned from the Citi Premier Card to airline partners like Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Avianca LifeMiles, and Air France-KLM Flying Blue makes the program valuable. Generally speaking, booking premium cabin seats yields the highest value with your Citi ThankYou points.
Pair With the Citi Double Cash Card
One of my favorite cards to use for non-bonus category spend is the Citi Double Cash Card. You can convert cashback earned on the Citi Double Cash Card if you have the Citi Premier Card or the Citi Prestige Card. The Citi Double Cash Card 2% cashback on all transactions and has no annual fee.
Citi Premier FAQs
What are the benefits of the Citi Premier?
The Premier earns 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotels. Cardmembers receive a $100 hotel credit every year and pay no foreign transaction fees. You can also transfer points earned to airline partners including Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, Avianca, and Air France-KLM.
How many points do I earn for my purchases with the Citi Premier?
You earn 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, travel agencies, hotels, cafes, bars, lounges, and fast-food restaurants.
Are there foreign transaction fees for the Citi Premier?
There are no foreign transaction fees with the Citi Premier Card.
Is the Citi Premier worth it?
From a points-only perspective, you need to earn at least 14,250 points every cardmember year to make the Premier Card worth it. This assumes Citi ThankYou points are worth 1.5 cents per point. Separately, you may also want to compare the Citi Premier Card vs Chase Sapphire Preferred to see which one makes sense for you.
What is the Citi Premier?
The Premier cards one of two cards that earn ThankYou points. The Citi Prestige Card is the other card. You earn 3x points in select bonus categories, receive an annual hotel credit, and can transfer points to airline partners with the Premier.
Is the Citi Premier a Visa or Mastercard?
The Premier card is a Mastercard.
Is the Citi Premier metal?
The Premier card is plastic.
Citi Premier Conclusion
New cardmembers earn a sizable number of bonus points with the Citi Premier Card. Bonus earning categories, an annual hotel credit, airline transfer partners, and pairing the Premier with the Citi Double Cash Card are ways to receive the most rewards. All in all, this card can be value by earning rewards year after year.
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