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Citi Premier Card

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The Citi Premier Card offers 3x points on dining, grocery, air travel, hotels, and gas stations, and then 1x on all other purchases. It also comes with an excellent signup bonus. It charges a $95 annual fee.

Citi Premier Card
Learn More
Our Rating
4.7/5.0
Welcome Offer
60,000 Points
Annual Fee
$95
0% on Purchases
None
Rewards Rate
1x - 3x
0% on Balance Transfers
None

Snapshot

  • Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 within your first 3 months.
  • Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
  • Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
  • Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
  • 60,000 ThankYou® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
  • No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
  • $95 annual fee

Editorial Review

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Sign-up bonus
  • Multiple earning categories up to 3x points (equivalent to 3% cash back)
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $100 hotel savings benefit (which would cover the annual fee)

Cons

  • $95 annual fee
  • High APR
  • Only beneficial for frequent travelers

Approval Odds

Credit card companies consider a number of factors when evaluating an application. These factors may include income, debt, existing credit cards and, of course, the applicant's credit score.

While credit card issuers do not publish the criteria for approval, we collect publicly available data on credit scores for those who have been either approved or denied for a credit card. Keep in mind that we cannot verify this information and an issuer's credit score requirements can change over time.

  • Approved (07/14/2021): 798 (Equifax)--$6,200 credit limit
  • Approved (10/05/2020): 716 (Experian)--$2,000 credit limit
  • Approved (09/28/2021): 794 (TransUnion)--$2,500 credit limit
  • Approved (09/28/2021): 757 (Experian)--$2,500 credit limit
  • Denied (11/11/2021): (Not Provided)

Strategy for Using the Citi Premier Card

The big question with any rewards card is whether it will improve your overall credit card rewards strategy. In the case of the Citi Premier Card, the analysis is straightforward.

First, the cash value of ThankYou points is 1 cent each. As a result, the signup bonus is worth $600. Transferring the points to airlines can easily take the value above 2 cents. As such, the signup bonus itself is extremely valuable and would pay for at least 6 years worth of annual fees.

Second, the $100 annual hotel savings benefit also pays for the annual fee. To qualify, you must have a single hotel stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees. You also most book the hotel through thankyou.com or 1-800-THANKYOU. One stay of a couple of days should cover this.

Third, the card has a long list of 3x points, including everyday categories such as restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations. While other cards payout more on one of these categories, as a group the Citi Premier Card is very rewarding.

Finally, the question remains whether the card can serve as a one-card solution. It certainly is an excellent choice as a second card used for just its elevated reward categories. Whether it can serve as an everyday card depends on whether your overall rewards rate exceeds 2%. If not, a 2% cash back card should be your primary card.

Citi Premier Card Calculator

Use the calculator to get an estimate of rewards based on your spending habits. The calculator assumes you redeem ThankYou points for cash back worth 1 cent.

if your overall cash back percentage is 2% or higher, the card could serve as your everyday card. If not, it's best use as a secondary card.

Final Thoughts

The Citi Premier Card offers excellent rewards in exchange for a reasonable annual fee. In addition, the $100 annual hotel benefit alone can pay for the card.

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