Introduction to Citi Credit Cards
Citi offers a variety of credit cards for different consumers. Most Citi products earn rewards through the valuable Citi ThankYou Rewards program, although the issuer also offers American Airlines and Costco co-branded credit cards.
Our guide to the best Citi credit cards can help you find the right fit for your spending habits and financial goals.
Best Citi Credit Cards
- Best overall: Citi Strata 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® World Elite Mastercard®
- Best for Costco shoppers: Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
- Best for small purchases: Citi Rewards+® Card
- Best for 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers: Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
- Best for 0% intro APR with no fees: Citi Simplicity® Card
- Best for low or no credit: Citi® Secured Mastercard®
Compare the Top Citi Credit Cards
$95
N/A
20.24% - 28.24% Variable
Earn 75,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- Earn 3 points on most travel, restaurants, gas/EV charging, and supermarkets
- Earn 10 points on hotels, rental cars, and attractions booked via Citi Travel
- $100 annual hotel credit on a single stay of $500 or more
- No foreign transaction fees
- Trip delay/interruption benefits and lost/damaged baggage coverage
- Has an annual fee
- Citi Travel rates often are higher than retail cost of travel
$0
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months
18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Earn $200 cash back
Excellent, Good, Fair
- No annual fee
- Simple earning structure without confusing bonus categories
- Some cards earn higher rates of cash back on rotating categories
- While it has an introductory APR offer, that's only on balance transfers, not purchases, so you can't use it to fund a major expense without interest
The Citi® Double Cash Card doesn't come with a lot of bells and whistles. But earning 2% cash back (1 point per dollar at the time of purchase and 1 point per dollar when you pay your bill) without an annual fee is an excellent deal. It's also one of our picks for the best balance transfer credit cards.
Citi Double Cash Card
$0
0% intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months
18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Earn $200 cash back (fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points)
Excellent, Good, Fair
- Flexibility to customize rewards by earning 5% cash back on up to $500 per billing cycle in your top spending category (from a list)
- Generous welcome offer for a no-annual-fee card
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for or track
- Redeem for cash back, travel, gift cards, and more
- Only earns 1% back outside of $500 in top spending category each billing cycle
- Foreign transaction fee of 3%
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card offers a solid welcome bonus and 5% cash back on up to $500 in purchases in your top spending category every billing cycle. There's no annual fee and you won't need to keep track of rotating bonus categories, but keep in mind it only earns 1% back outside of your highest spend category each month.
Citi Custom Cash Card
$99, waived for first 12 months
N/A
20.24% – 29.24% Variable
Earn 50,000 bonus miles
Good to Excellent
- Bonus categories help you earn miles on everyday purchases
- First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines flights
- $125 American Airlines flight discount is nice, but you need to spend $20,000 in a cardmember year to earn it
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is one of the best credit cards for people who like to fly American Airlines and earn miles in the AAdvantage loyalty program but don't want a card with a high annual fee.
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
$0
N/A
19.49% - 27.49% Variable
N/A
Excellent
- Generous cash-back categories, especially for gas purchases
- No foreign transaction fee
- You can only receive rewards once per year
- You need to visit a Costco location to redeem rewards for cash back instead of merchandise
If you're a Costco member and you spend a lot of money on gas or EV charging, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi card can a great option. Just remember that your rewards will only become available to you once per year, and that you'll have to visit a brick-and-mortar Costco store to get your cash back or to cash in your rewards for merchandise.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
$0
0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening
17.74% - 27.74% Variable
Earn 20,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- Citi rounds up rewards to the nearest 10 points on every purchase
- Long introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee
- 2x earning at supermarkets and gas stations is capped at $6,000 in purchases per year
- Other Citi cards have welcome bonuses that are more generous
- Foreign transaction fees
The Citi Rewards+® Card has a unique earning structure and is worth considering if you're looking for a flexible rewards card with no annual fee. However, if you prefer cash back, there are better options that have the potential to earn higher rewards.
Citi Rewards+® Card
$0
0% intro APR on balance transfers completed within four months of account opening for 21 months from date of first transfer and on purchases for 12 months
17.24% - 27.99% Variable
N/A
Good to Excellent
- Very long intro APR period for balance transfers
- No annual fee
- Charges a balance transfer fee
- No rewards (but that’s not the point of this card)
The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card's biggest selling point is the intro APR on balance transfers and purchases — among the longest of any card with an intro APR offer. However, it doesn't earn rewards for spending, nor does it usually come with a welcome bonus offer.
Citi Diamond Preferred Card
$0
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months (transfers must be completed within four months of account opening) and on purchases for 12 months
18.24% - 28.99% Variable
N/A
Good to Excellent
- Offers one of the longest intro APR periods for balance transfers (21 months)
- No late fees or penalty APR for late payments
- Higher balance transfer fee than some other cards
- Doesn't offer rewards, so you may want to upgrade to another card once you're done paying off your debt
The Citi Simplicity® Card can be helpful to those carrying big balances on high-interest credit cards. The card can give you a chance to get ahead of crippling monthly interest fees by giving you a long intro APR on balance transfers and purchases.
Citi Simplicity Card
$0
N/A
27.74% Variable APR
N/A
No Credit to Limited History
- No annual fee
- You can be approved with no credit history
- No welcome bonus
- No rewards for purchases
- You must make a security deposit for your initial credit line
Citi Credit Card Reviews
The best Citi credit cards offer purchase protections and benefits, as well as bonus rewards on certain spending categories. Business Insider's credit card experts chose the products below as our top picks right now because they offer generous perks on American Airlines, Costco, everyday expenses, and more.
Note: Citi ThankYou points are worth 1.6 cents each, on average, according to Business Insider's points and miles valuations.
Best Overall Citi Credit Card: Citi Strata Premier℠
The Citi Strata Premier℠ is our top Citi credit card right now because it earns generous rewards on several common categories with a low annual fee of just $95 a year, as well as a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Citi updated this card in May 2024, renaming it the Citi Strata Premier℠ while the previous card was simply called the Citi Premier. The "new" card added EV charging as a new bonus category for elevated rewards, and cardholders can now earn 10 Citi ThankYou points per dollar spent on most purchases within the Citi travel portal. The updated Citi Strata Premier℠ also includes several generous travel insurance benefits that the previous Citi Premier did not.
Outside the bonus earning rate, you also earn 3x points at restaurants, gas stations (and now EV charging), supermarkets, air travel, and hotels — which makes the card worth considering for everyday expenses, as well as for travel down the road.
The Citi Strata Premier℠ 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.
Read more in our Citi Strata Premier card review.
Best Citi Credit Card for Cash Back: Citi Double Cash card
The Citi Double Cash Card is the best Citi credit card for cash back. It 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. That's why it ranks highly in our guide to the best 2% cash back credit cards.
This card doesn't charge an annual fee, and it's currently offering a welcome bonus of $200 cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.
You can redeem Citi ThankYou points as 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 Strata Premier℠ Card or Citi Prestige® Card (no longer open to applications).
This card also has a generous 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, followed by a 18.24% - 28.24% Variable 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 more in our Citi Double Cash card review.
Best Citi Credit Card for Automatically Maximizing Rewards: Citi Custom Cash card
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is the best Citi credit card for automatically maximizing rewards earning. It's one of the best 5% cash back credit cards 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.
There's currently a welcome bonus offer of $200 cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. Plus, new cardholders also have the opportunity to make use of a 0% intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months (then a 18.24% - 28.24% Variable 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 Strata 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.
Read more in our Citi Custom Cash card review.
Best Citi Credit Card for Airline Miles: Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card
The Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard is the best Citi credit card for earning airline miles. The card is a winner for frequent flyers who like to fly with American Airlines and partners like British Airways, Alaska Airlines, and Cathay Pacific.
American Airlines miles are worth 1.4 cents each, on average, based on Business Insider's valuations. That means you can get around $1,050 in flights from the welcome bonus offer on the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard.
Not only can you earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $2,500 in purchases within the first three 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.
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 credit cards, including the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard.
Read more in our Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card review.
Best Citi Credit Card for Costco Shoppers: Costco Anywhere Visa card
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi could is the best Citi card 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 and EV charging 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 if you have a paid Costco membership. You also won't pay any foreign transaction fees.
Read more in our Costco Anywhere Visa card review.
Best Citi Credit Card for Small Purchases: Citi Rewards+ card
The no-annual-fee Citi Rewards+® Card is a top Citibank credit card choice if you want to earn flexible Citi ThankYou points and like its unique earning structure. Cardholders earn 5 total ThankYou® Points per dollar spent on hotel and car rentals booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through December 31, 2025, 2 points per dollar at supermarkets and gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in spending, then 1x), and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
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 an elevated 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 in the first three months of account opening. That's 5,000 points higher than the previous offer. In addition, there's a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening, followed by a 17.74% - 27.74% Variable 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.
Read more in our Citi Rewards Plus card review.
Best Citi Credit Card with 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers: Citi Diamond Preferred card
If you're looking for the best Citi credit card with an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers consider the Diamond Preferred. The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers completed within four months of account opening for 21 months from date of first transfer and on purchases for 12 months (then a 17.24% - 27.99% Variable) — one of the longest of any card on the market right now.
There's no annual fee, but there is a balance transfer fee. 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.
Pro tip: 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.
Read more in our Citi Diamond Preferred Credit card review.
Best Citi Credit Card for 0% Intro APR and No Late Fees: Citi Simplicity card
The top Citi card for avoiding late fees is the Citi Simplicity. 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 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months (transfers must be completed within four months of account opening) and on purchases for 12 months (then a 18.24% - 28.99% Variable APR). There's an introductory balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the amount of the transfer, whichever is greater, for balance transfers completed within four months of account opening.
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 more in our Citi Simplicity card review.
Best Citi Credit Card for Low Credit Scores: Citi Secured card
If you're new to credit or working on improving your credit, the Citi® Secured Mastercard® is the best Citi card to 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 your credit score could improve by using the card responsibly and paying your bills on time.
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.
Pro tip: Opening one of the best secured credit cards is a good way to build credit if you're starting from scratch or recovering from past credit errors. Be sure to also check out our guide to the best credit cards for bad credit, because there are other options with better features, including some that earn rewards for spending.
Read more in our Citi Secured Mastercard review.
Citi Credit Card Key Benefits and Security Features
Citi credit cards offer a number of perks for cardholders across the spectrum of products. Many of these benefits focus on financial security and identity protection.
FICO Score Reports
Citi credit cardholders can access their FICO score free of charge through their credit card's online dashboard or mobile app.
Citi Entertainment
Some credit cards like the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card offer exclusive access to presale tickets for shows, concerts, sporting events, and other ticketed activities via Citi Entertainment. Entertainment is one of the eligible bonus categories for the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card, so cardholders can also earn extra rewards when tickets are one of the highest expenses in a particular month.
$0 Liability on Unauthorized Charges
Citi offers a $0 liability guarantee on unauthorized card charges. However, some cardholders report that the fraud alert tool can be overly sensitive or glitchy for certain users or accounts. Cardholders can request replacement cards at via the replacement card page or by calling Citi Customer Service at 1-800-950-5114.
Citi Credit Card Consumer Insights
In addition to consulting our credit card experts for this guide, Business Insider looked at consumer feedback on online forums such as Reddit to see what everyday customers are saying about Citi credit cards.
Great Cards, Dated Support
Many people seem to like Citi credit cards and their earning rates, but find them outdated in certain aspects. For example, people who have unique names such as double first names or suffixes often see erratic credit reporting on their accounts or may not have their names accurately reflected on the account or the card itself.
False Positive Fraud Alerts
Many cardholders complain that the Citi fraud alert system is too sensitive for modern use, frequently generating false positives or locking credit cards that were appropriately used. This issue is particularly likely to occur in the first three months after you open a new Citi card, so cardholders warn newbies to communicate as much as possible to avoid having the card closed or locked against your wishes.
Citi Customer Service Can Be A Mixed Bag
Consumers can't seem to agree on Citi as an issuer. Some cardholders love the company, while others are frustrated with many issues including messy dispute resolutions and poor or unresolved problem-solving. One Redditor said, quoting someone else, "In no other aspect of life is good customer service more important than in financial management. End of story."
No Referral Bonuses
Unlike many of its competitors, Citi doesn't offer referral bonuses for happy cardholders who refer friends and family to get the same products. This is a big loss for people who really love their credit cards and want to earn something in exchange for telling their loved ones. In contrast, Amex, Chase, and Capital One all offer referral bonuses on various products.
Citi Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions
How do I redeem my ThankYou® Points?
Cardholders can redeem Citi ThankYou Points as cash back or statement credits, for gift cards via the portal, for travel through the Citi ThankYou travel portal, or by transferring rewards to Citi Citi ThankYou Rewards points transfer partners.
Can I have multiple Citi credit cards?
Yes, you can have multiple Citi credit cards if the issuer individually approves you for each card.
What is the top-tier Citi credit card?
Citi's top-tier card is the consumer-targeted Citi Strata Premier Card. With an annual fee of under $100, a lucrative welcome bonus, solid earnings potential, newly added travel insurance benefits and valuable transfer partners, it's one of the best travel rewards credit cards on the market.
Which Citi card is easiest to get?
The easiest Citi credit card to qualify for is the Citi® Secured Mastercard® because you can be considered for the card with no credit or bad credit. On the downside, because it's a secured credit card, you'll need to put down a cash deposit that will become your credit limit.
Are Citi credit cards hard to get?
In most cases, Citi credit cards are no harder to get than a credit card issued by a different bank. If you've got at least a good credit score, you should be eligible to apply for most Citi credit cards. That doesn't mean you're guaranteed approval, since Citi will look at factors including the number of other cards you have with them, your overall credit history, and other criteria.
What credit score do I need for a Citi credit card?
Most Citi credit cards (except the Citi® Secured Mastercard®) require a credit score in the good to excellent range, which means a FICO score of at least 670.
Who is eligible for Citi credit cards?
You are eligible for Citi credit cards if you have a qualifying credit profile and abide by the issuer's few quirky application rules. Depending on the card, you might not be eligible if you've earned a welcome 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 Strata Premier℠, whereas the 48-month language applies to American Airlines credit cards like the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard.
Do Citi credit cards have car rental insurance or travel protection?
Citi credit cards do not offer car rental insurance or travel protection. Citi removed these coverages from most of its credit cards in 2019, including coverage like trip cancellation and interruption insurance, primary rental car insurance, and trip delay 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.
Are Citi credit cards Visa or Mastercard?
Almost all major Citibank credit cards, including the Citi Strata Premier℠ and Citi® Double Cash Card, are Mastercards, with a few exceptions. For example, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi , and My Best Buy® Visa® Card are Visa cards.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Citi Credit Cards
Business Insider evaluated Citi credit cards 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.
Learn more about how we rate credit cards at Business Insider.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
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