Review
Updated
Fact Checked
Nathan Alderman
The Citi Premier® Card has a modest $95 annual fee, but it offers better bonus opportunities than several cards that cost much more. It also has some additional travel perks and a solid rewards program with plenty of airline partners. Read our full Citi Premier® Card review to find out more about what it has to offer.
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Best
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Credit Score
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
Rewards 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, at gas stations, for air travel, and on hotels, 1x points on other purchases
1x - 3x points
Annual Fee
$95
Welcome Offer Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
60,000 ThankYou® Points
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Citi Premier offers 3X points on restaurants, supermarkets, at gas stations, for air travel, and on hotels – a unique combination of bonus categories for a low annual fee card. It comes with a welcome bonus that's redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards, no foreign transaction fee, and access to Citi's ThankYou® Rewards program, a standout in the industry.
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- Big sign-up bonus
- Annual hotel savings offer
- Travel and dining rewards
- Grocery and gas rewards
- Flexible travel rewards points
- Annual fee
- Limited consumer and travel protections
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- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- 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 or travel rewards 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
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
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Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
60,000 bonus points Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A Regular: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Full Citi Premier review
This credit card is a good fit for: Cardholders who want to save money on flights and hotel stays. Travelers who like Citi's ThankYou Rewards program will earn lots of valuable points using this card.
Top perks
The Citi Premier® Card has a solid list of benefits that can help you save money, particularly on travel costs.
60,000 ThankYou® Points bonus
You earn a sign-up bonus of 60,000 ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening. That's redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards, and it's also worth mentioning that you can transfer points to Citi partners and potentially get even more value for them.
MORE WELCOME OFFERS: Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
High rewards rate
One of the best things about the Citi Premier® Card is that it earns lots of points in several bonus categories. Here's how much it earns:
- Limited time offer: 10 points per $1 on hotels and car rentals booked on the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024
- 3 points per $1 on other hotel purchases
- 3 points per $1 on air travel
- 3 points per $1 at restaurants
- 3 points per $1 at supermarkets and gas stations
- 1 point per $1 on other purchases
In addition to the high earning rates, this Citi card has a lot of variety to its bonus categories. Many travel credit cards offer bonuses on travel and dining purchases. There aren't nearly as many offering bonuses in more everyday categories, like supermarkets and gas stations.
SEE MORE: Best Travel Credit Cards
Annual hotel savings
This card gets you $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, that you book through thankyou.com or 1-800-THANKYOU. You can use this benefit once per calendar year.
It is disappointing that the benefit only applies to a stay of $500 or more. The fact that you need to book through the Citi ThankYou travel portal is also a downside, as prices can sometimes be higher than they would booking directly with hotels. Still, you shouldn't have too much trouble saving on a hotel stay with this perk.
RELATED: Best Hotel Credit Cards
Citi ThankYou Rewards program
Citi ThankYou points are a valuable type of travel reward because of their redemption options. You can transfer points to well over a dozen partners, including quite a few international airlines. With transfers like these, it's possible to book award airfare and potentially get $0.02 per point or more in value.
There are also other ways to redeem Citi ThankYou points, including by using them to make cash travel bookings through the Citi ThankYou travel portal. You get $0.01 per point on these bookings. Transfers are normally the way to go for maximum value, but cash travel bookings are a convenient option.
No foreign transaction fee
It's important to get a travel card that you can use without paying extra, and the Citi Premier® Card qualifies. Another reason it's useful for international travel is that it's a Mastercard, one of the most widely accepted types of credit cards around the world.
LEARN MORE: A guide to Citi Premier® Card benefits
What could be improved
There is a notable drawback to the Citi Premier® Card compared to the competition.
Consumer and travel protections
Citi drastically scaled back the protections its cards offer in 2019. It now lacks quite a few protections that you can get with other travel cards, such as rental car insurance, baggage protection, and trip cancellation or delay insurance. If these are important to you, keep reading more credit card reviews, as there are lots of cards that offer them.
Find the best credit card for your needs
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
Suggested credit score
A FICO® Score of 670 or higher is recommended to apply for the Citi Premier® Card. Citi is selective with the applicants it approves, and it usually takes good credit or excellent credit to qualify. A credit score of 700 or higher will make an approval even more likely.
Is the annual fee worth it?
Considering the value that the Citi Premier® Card offers, its $95 annual fee is a bargain for many people. The Citi Premier® Card benefits can easily cover the cost of the annual fee and more.
The card pays for itself with the $100 annual hotel savings. Even if you don't use that benefit each year, you can easily earn enough rewards points to outweigh the cost of the annual fee, thanks to this card's generous bonus categories.
The Citi Premier is right for you if:
You want a travel card that offers transferable points and earns lots of rewards with its bonus categories and sign-up bonus, all for a modest annual fee. Here are a few signs that you should strongly consider applying for the Citi Premier® Card:
- You have high spending in its bonus categories. The array of rewards categories are hard to beat, especially on a card in this price range. It gives you the opportunity to get quite a bit of value from your regular spending.
- You fly with Citi's airline partners regularly. Citi ThankYou points can be valuable when you transfer them to its airline partners. If you take at least one flight per year with one of these airlines, you'll likely be able to maximize the value of your points.
- You book at least one $500-plus hotel stay per year. Whether you're booking a lengthy stay or a luxurious one, that $100 annual hotel savings will already be worth more than you spend on this card's annual fee.
SEE MORE: Best Credit Cards
Our credit card methodology
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
FAQs
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The Citi Premier® Card has a minimum credit limit of $2,000. Citi based your credit limit on a number of factors, including your income and credit history. Credit limits of over $25,000 have been reported by some cardholders.
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The Citi Premier® Card is a Mastercard. Specifically, it is a World Elite Mastercard®, which is the top of the three Mastercard tiers (Standard, World Mastercard®, and World Elite Mastercard®).
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The Citi Premier® Card is relatively easy to get if you have good to excellent credit and can qualify for the minimum credit limit. Aim for a credit score above 670 before you apply.
Our Credit Cards Experts
Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.
Fact Checked
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman has worked with The Motley Fool since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As The Ascent's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.
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