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The best credit card for you might not be a good fit for others, and some consumers are better off pursuing offers with a specific credit card issuer. Citi tends to work well for certain types of spenders, including people who want to earn a high rate of cash back and those who like the redemption options in the Citi ThankYou Rewards program.
Citi also boasts credit cards with some of the longest intro APR offers available today, making Citi a popular card issuer for debt consolidation and balance transfers.
If you’re looking for a new credit card and you’re a Citi customer already or want to become one, you should know about the top credit cards Citi offers. Here are our picks for 2022.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Best Citi credit card overall: Citi Premier Card
Best for cash back: Citi Double Cash Card
Best for automatically maximizing rewards: Citi Custom Cash Card
Best for airline miles: Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select
Best small-business card for airline miles: CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select
Best for Costco shoppers: Costco Visa
Best for small purchases: Citi Rewards +
Best with an introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers: Citi Diamond Preferred Card
Best for introductory 0% APR and no late fees: Citi Simplicity Card
Best for low credit scores: Citi Secured Credit Card
Compare the best Citi credit cards
Citi Premier card
The Citi Premier Card is our top Citi credit card for 2022 because the rewards you earn are so versatile, yet you don’t have to pay a pricey annual fee. With an annual cost of just Citi Premier® Card per year, this card is offering a bonus of 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
You also earn 3x points at restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, air travel, and hotels — which makes the card worth considering for everyday expenses, as well as for travel down the road.
The Citi Premier Card doesn’t have any foreign transaction fees, and you can use your rewards for gift cards, statement credits, travel through the Citi portal, and transfers to Citi’s airline and hotel partners. You can also shop with points on Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, and at retailers like CVS and Shell gas stations. Most redemption options are for 1 cent per point, but you may get more value when you transfer your rewards to loyalty program partners.
Citi also recently added Choice Hotels as a partner — the first hotel transfer partner since Hilton left the ThankYou Rewards program in 2017 — and shortly thereafter added Wyndham Rewards as its second hotel program.
Here’s our Citi Premier review for all the details.
Citi ThankYou points are worth, on average, 1.6 cents each according to Insider’s points and miles valuations.
Citi Double Cash card
The Citi® Double Cash Card allows cardholders to effectively earn 2 points per dollar (worth 2% in cash back) on everything they spend — 1 point per dollar when they make a purchase and another 1 point per dollar when they pay it off. This card doesn’t charge an annual fee, and you can choose from redemption options like a check in the mail or a statement credit on your credit card account.
The Double Cash card earns Citi ThankYou points instead of cash back directly. But you can still redeem your points for cash back (as well as travel, gift cards, and more) and get the same rate of return — find out more in our Citi Double Cash credit card review.
You can also use the Citi ThankYou points you earn from the Citi® Double Cash Card for other redemptions, including travel, gift cards, and transfers to select partners. But to access transfers to Citi’s full list of airline and hotel partners, you’ll also need a Citi Premier® Card or Citi Prestige® Card (no longer open to applications).
This card also has a generous Citi® Double Cash Card, followed by a Citi® Double Cash Card APR. That makes the Citi® Double Cash Card a good option for debt consolidation, although you only earn rewards on purchases, and not on balances you transfer from other credit cards.
Read Insider’s guide to the best cash-back credit cards for more options to earn rewards on your everyday spending.
Citi Custom Cash card
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a great choice if your spending habits tend to change from month to month. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on up to $500 in purchases in the eligible category they spend the most in each billing cycle (then 1%), and 1% on all other purchases.
The qualifying categories include everyday expenses that should appeal to most folks: restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment. Our Citi Custom Cash credit card review has the full rundown of how you can make the most of the card.
There’s currently a welcome bonus offer of Citi Custom Cash℠ Card. Plus, new cardholders also have the opportunity to make use of a Citi Custom Cash℠ Card (then a Citi Custom Cash℠ Card APR).
Although it’s marketed as a cash-back card, the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card actually earns rewards in the form of Citi ThankYou points, which are worth 1 cent apiece for cash back, travel booked through Citi, gift cards, merchandise, and more. And again, if you have the Citi Premier® Card or Citi Prestige® Card (no longer available to new applicants), you can pool your rewards and transfer points to airline partners.
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is one-third of the Citi Trifecta — a trio of Citi cards that can supercharge your ThankYou Rewards balance by earning anywhere from 2x to 5x rewards on every single purchase.
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® is a winner for frequent flyers who like to fly with American Airlines and partners like British Airways, Alaska Airlines, and Cathay Pacific. Not only can you earn an initial bonus of 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, but you’ll earn 2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, restaurant and gas station spending, and 1 mile per dollar for all other purchases you make.
Cardholder benefits include preferred boarding, 25% off inflight food and beverage purchases when you pay with your credit card, and a free checked bag for you and up to four companions on domestic itineraries when you fly American. This card comes with an annual fee of $99, waived for first 12 months. Check out our Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select credit card review to see if it’s the right fit for you.
Qualifying for elite status with American Airlines AAdvantage is now based on earning Loyalty Points. Along with earning Loyalty Points from flying and partner spending, you can earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar spent on co-branded American Airlines cards, including the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®.
CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select card
Small-business owners who fly American Airlines can do very well with the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®. It’s got a hefty welcome bonus offer of CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® and comes with money-saving perks for travelers. These include a free checked bag on domestic American Airlines itineraries (for the cardholder and up to four companions on the same reservation), preferred boarding on AA flights, and a 25% savings on inflight food, beverages, and Wi-Fi when you use your card.
It also earns bonus miles in great categories for small businesses: 2x miles on American Airlines purchases, eligible purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants, and gas stations, and 1 mile per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
The CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® is a small-business card, so to qualify you’ll need to have a small business. That said, it doesn’t have to be a formal corporation or full-time venture; side hustles like rideshare driving, freelance work, or reselling online can all make you eligible for a small-business credit card.
Every dollar you spend on the card also earns 1 Loyalty Point, which is super handy if you’re angling for American Airlines elite status. Big spenders can take advantage of a domestic companion certificate when they spend $30,000 on purchases in a calendar year and renew their card.
There’s an annual fee of CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®, and no foreign transaction fees. You can find out all the details in our CitiBusiness AAdvantage card review.
Costco Anywhere Visa card
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi could be a great choice if you’re a Costco member and you like earning cash back good for more Costco purchases. This card earns 4% back on eligible gas purchases on up to $7,000 in spending each year (then 1%), but you’ll also earn 3% back on dining and eligible travel. In addition to 1% back on regular purchases, you’ll also earn 2% back when you shop in the store at Costco or make purchases on Costco.com.
This card lets you cash in your rewards after your February statement credit each year, and there’s no annual fee with a paid Costco membership. You also won’t pay any foreign transaction fees. Here’s our Citi Costco Anywhere Visa credit card review to learn more.
Citi Rewards+ card
The no-annual-fee Citi Rewards+® Card is an interesting choice if you want to earn flexible Citi ThankYou points and like its unique earning structure. Cardholders earn 2x points at supermarkets and gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in spending, then 1x), and 1 point per dollar on everything else. For a limited time, cardholders can also earn 5x ThankYou points at restaurants on up to $6,000 in the first 12 months (then 1x)
The twist? Citi will round up the number of points you earn for each purchase to the nearest 10 points. That means whether you buy a $1 donut or a $6 latte, you’ll earn 10 points; or if you buy $21 in groceries, you’ll earn 42 points (2x points at supermarkets) which gets rounded up to 50 points. Because of this feature, it’s a great card to use if you make a lot of small purchases.
New cardholders can currently earn Citi Rewards+® Card. In addition, there’s a Citi Rewards+® Card, followed by a Citi Rewards+® Card APR, which can save you money on interest if you have big expenses coming up you want to pay off over a longer period of time.
Be sure to read our Citi Rewards+ card review to see if it’s the best pick for you.
Citi Diamond Preferred card
The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Credit Card offers an introductory Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card (then a 14.74% – 24.74% Variable APR) — one of the longest of any card on the market right now (balance transfers must be completed within four months of account opening).
There’s no annual fee, but you’ll pay a 5% balance transfer fee (minimum $5). While the card doesn’t earn rewards, it offers an excellent opportunity to pay off debt without any interest. During this time, every cent you pay on your bill will go directly toward the principal of your balance, which will expedite the process of paying down your debt.
A 0% APR offer is a good way to save on interest, but be sure you have the means and a plan to pay off your balance before the introductory period expires. Here’s our guide to the best balance transfer credit cards.
Citi Simplicity card
If you want to consolidate debt and don’t want to have to worry about extra fees or penalty rates, the Citi Simplicity® Card is a great choice. It offers a Citi Simplicity® Card (then a Citi Simplicity® Card APR).
You won’t get charged late fees or pay a penalty rate, and there’s no annual fee to worry about either. However, you won’t earn rewards for your spending — so if debt consolidation isn’t your priority, there are better rewards credit cards to consider instead. Read our Citi Simplicity credit card review to help decide if the card is right for you.
Citi Secured card
If you’re new to credit or working on improving your credit, the Citi® Secured Mastercard® can help you build your credit history with responsible use. The card doesn’t offer a welcome bonus or earn rewards, but it could be a great stepping stone for those who want to qualify for better rewards cards down the road.
To be approved for the Citi® Secured Mastercard®, Citi will review your income and debt, but it’s possible to qualify with limited history or no credit at all. Citi reports your card activity to all three credit bureaus, so by using the card responsibly and paying your bills on time, your credit score could improve.
Because it’s a secured card, you’ll have to provide an initial security deposit of $200 to $2,500, and the amount of your deposit becomes your credit limit. If you close the card in the future (or after a period showing responsible use), you’ll be able to get your deposit back.
Opening a secured credit card is a good way to build credit if you’re starting from scratch or recovering from past credit errors. Be sure to check out our guide to the best cards for bad credit, because there are other options with better features, including some that earn rewards for spending.
Other Citi credit cards to consider
Citi has some other great credit cards that missed the cut for our list, but depending on your needs and spending habits, they could be a great choice for you.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®: This is the premium American Airlines credit card, with a Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® annual fee and membership to the airline’s Admirals Club airport lounge program. If you fly American all the time, this could be worth it — especially because purchasing an Admirals Club membership can cost $550 or more, so it’s cheaper to get the card.American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card: On the other end of the spectrum, there’s the AAdvantage MileUp card with no annual fee. If you want to earn American Airlines miles and Loyalty Points but you don’t fly frequently enough to warrant an annual fee, this is a good option.Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi: If you’re a small-business owner, the business version of Citi’s Costco card is worth considering.
How we chose the best Citi credit cards
We evaluated Citi credit cards that are currently available to new applicants and considered several factors:
Simplicity — Does the card have easy redemption options and a straightforward rewards program? Are there any hoops to jump through?Earning potential — How much cash back, points, or miles can you earn with the card, and do the bonus categories line up with typical spending habits?Annual fee — No-annual-fee cards are ideal, but if the card charges an annual fee, does it offer perks that make it worthwhile?Options for different types of consumers — We included cards that appeal to all kinds of users, from products with a 0% APR offer to travel points and airline credit cards.
Citi credit card frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Who is eligible for Citi credit cards?
Before you apply for a Citi credit card, it can help to understand the bank’s application rules. Depending on the card, you might not be eligible if you’ve earned a sign-up bonus, or closed a particular card or one within the same “rewards family” within the past 24 to 48 months.
The 24-month timeframe applies to Citi ThankYou Rewards cards like the Citi Premier Card, whereas the 48-month language applies to American Airlines credit cards like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®.
With this in mind, you’ll want to make sure you know when you last closed a Citi credit card before you apply. If you sign up too early, you won’t receive the bonus on these cards — even if you’re approved and you meet the minimum spending requirement.
What credit score do you need for Citi credit cards?
Most Citi credit cards (except the Citi® Secured Mastercard®) require a credit score in the good to excellent range. This means a FICO score of at least 670, or a VantageScore of at least 700.
If you’re not quite there yet, be sure to read our guides on improving your credit score and how using credit cards can help boost your score.
Do Citi credit cards have car rental insurance or travel protection?
Citi removed travel and purchase protections from most of its credit cards in 2019, including coverage like trip cancellation and interruption insurance. If you’re booking travel and want extra protection, it’s best to use a card from a different bank, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
You can find the top options in these guides:
6 credit cards with the most comprehensive travel insurance — from trip cancellation to lost luggageThe best credit cards for primary rental car insurance in 2022The best travel credit cards with trip delay insurance can get you up to $500 in reimbursement when your flight is delayed