Citi Credit Cards Review – Which Citi Card Is Right for You?
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As a tightwad, I hate paying annual fees to credit card companies. They’re already making money every time I use the card, and they want me to pay $95 each year so I can have the privilege of using the card?
It seems outlandish, but some simple math shows the fee is worthwhile when the value of the card benefits is included. I have two credit cards — one without a fee that pays me travel credits and one with a $95 annual fee that pays rewards points for everyday purchases that give my family free hotel rooms.
My family gets about 10 free hotel nights each year by using the card for most of our expenses, so the fee is more than worthwhile. We pay the card balance off each month, which means we’re not paying money that negates the value of the free hotel nights.
These are the computations that credit cardholders need to do, often in their head, to help justify the average annual credit card fee of $110. For the nearly 70% of credit cards that don’t charge an annual fee, choosing a credit card is a lot easier.
Citibank offers its Citi credit cards in all categories, including cashback, rewards, travel, and low introductory interest rates that can make balance transfers or large purchases cheaper for a year or more.
Here are some of the best credit cards offered by Citi we recommend, listed by categories where some might appeal to you more than others. Some categories overlap, such as the Citi Rewards+ Card, which offers a great rewards program and cash back.
Be sure to calculate how much you’ll use the card, and if the annual fee is more than made up for in savings you expect to get in a year, minus any interest charges, late fees, or other fees from using the card.
Jump To
Overview of the best Citi credit cards
Card name | Best for |
Citi Rewards+® Card | $0 annual fee |
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card | Travelers |
Citi Custom Cash® Card | $200 cashback bonus |
Citi Double Cash® Card | Earn cash back twice |
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | American Airlines travelers |
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card | Balance transfers |
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® | Business travelers |
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi | Costco customers |
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | Global travelers |
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
Citi Rewards credit cards
Citi Rewards+® Card
Citi Rewards+® Card
Card Name
Citi Rewards+® Card
APR
18.74% - 28.74%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Earn 20,000 bonus points
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com. Special offer: earn 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.
Rewards Rate
Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases. Plus, as a special offer, earn a total of 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase.
- No cap on rewards earnings.
- Bonus points that are redeemable for a gift card.
Citi Travel cards
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Card Name
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
APR
21.24% - 29.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$95
Special Offer
Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points
Special Offer Terms
after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
Rewards Rate
10x on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Terms
Why We Like It
- Annual Hotel Savings benefit.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Card Name
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
APR
20.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Special Offer
Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles
Special Offer Terms
after spending $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
Rewards Rate
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus miles offer.
- Flight discounts ($125) on American Airlines after you spend $20,000 or more in purchases during your card membership year and renew your card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- First checked bag is free and preferred boarding on American Airlines flights.
Citi Bank Credit Cards
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Card Name
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
APR
21.24% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$595
Special Offer
Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles
Special Offer Terms
after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
Rewards Rate
Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus miles offer
- Admirals Club® membership for you with access for up to two guests traveling with you
- First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines flights for you and up to 8 companions
Citi Cash Back cards
Citi Double Cash® Card
Citi Double Cash® Card
Card Name
Citi Double Cash® Card
APR
19.24% - 29.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good, Fair
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Earn $200 cash back
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Rewards Rate
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Unlimited cash back earned on every dollar spent.
- Earn cash back when paying your bills on time.
- Intro 0% on balance transfers for 18 months (after which is an ongoing APR of 19.24% - 29.24%)
Citi Custom Cash® Card
Citi Custom Cash® Card
Card Name
Citi Custom Cash® Card
APR
19.24% - 29.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Earn $200 in cash back
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Rewards Rate
Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.
Terms
Why We Like It
- No rotating bonus categories.
- No annual fee.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Card Name
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
APR
20.49%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Exclusively for Costco Members: Go Big with Cash Back Rewards
Special Offer Terms
Rewards Rate
4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter; 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases; 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com; 1% cash back on all other purchases
Terms
Why We Like It
- Cash back rewards exclusively for Costco members.
- No annual fee with your paid Costco membership.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Annual credit card reward certificate, redeemable for cash or merchandise at Costco.
Citi balance transfer cards
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
Card Name
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
APR
18.24% - 28.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
0% Intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers
Special Offer Terms
from date of first transfer and 0% Intro APR for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 18.24% - 28.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
Rewards Rate
N/A
Terms
Why We Like It
- Free access to your FICO® Score.
- Special access to purchase tickets to concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and more through Citi Entertainment®.
Related: Best Balance Transfer Cards
Citi business cards
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
Card Name
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard®
APR
21.24% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent
Annual Fee
$99, waived for first 12 months
Special Offer
Earn 65,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles
Special Offer Terms
after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening.
Rewards Rate
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations. Earn 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on other purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus miles offer.
- First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines flights.
- Savings on inflight Wi-Fi and preferred boarding on American Airlines flights
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Related: Best Business Cards for Travel
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
Summary of the best Citi credit cards
Card | Reward rate | Regular APR | |
Citi Rewards+® Card | $0 | Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases. Plus, as a special offer, earn a total of 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025. | 18.74% - 28.74% |
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card | $95 | 10x on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases | 21.24% - 29.24% |
Citi Custom Cash® Card | $0 | Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025. | 19.24% - 29.24% |
Citi Double Cash® Card | $0 | Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. | 19.24% - 29.24% |
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® | $99, waived for first 12 months | Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations. Earn 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on other purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases. | 21.24% - 29.99% |
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card | $0 | N/A | 18.24% - 28.99% |
Citi® / AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® | $99, waived for first 12 months | Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases, and on purchases at telecommunications merchants, cable and satellite providers, car rental merchants and at gas stations. Earn 1 AAdvantage® mile per $1 spent on other purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases. | 21.24% - 29.99% |
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi | $0 | 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter; 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases; 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com; 1% cash back on all other purchases | 20.49% |
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | $595 | Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases | 21.24% - 29.99% |
FAQs
What happened to the Citi Prestige Card?
The Citi Prestige Card was once one of the best travel credit cards around. It offered perks such as free rounds of golf, fourth night free on hotel bookings, and unlimited Admirals Club access. Citi devalued the card in 2019 by raising the annual fee to $495, stripping protections, and putting caps on benefits usage. In July 2021, it no longer offered the card to new customers. Travel reviewers say the card is either being discontinued entirely or is being overhauled and will return later. The company said the card is being discontinued “for the foreseeable future,” which means it’s not available to new customers for now.
What is APR?
APR stands for annual percentage rate. It’s the cost you pay to borrow money, including fees and the interest rate charged for borrowing money. A 24% APR card, for example, is the rate charged over 12 months, which is 2% in this case. The better your credit score, the more likely you will qualify for a credit card with a low APR and get a low APR offer. An APR below 14% is good for a credit card and is likely if you have good credit. You may qualify for an APR of around 10% with excellent credit, though credit cards may not be offering such low rates on rewards cards. Bad credit can mean paying 20% or higher. You’ll likely see a variable APR in the credit card terms. A variable-rate APR changes with the index interest rate and can change from month to month. An introductory APR is available on three of the Citi credit cards we reviewed. An intro APR is good for a certain amount of time, usually one year, then changes to the variable APR. A 0% APR means you don’t pay interest on new purchases or balance transfers from credit cards for a year or however long the introductory period lasts. Be sure to pay those balances off before the intro period ends, or you will be charged interest on them. Another term you may see in the fine print of credit card terms is a “representative” APR. This means that the number you see is offered to 51% of successful applicants. The remaining 49% are offered a higher rate.
Which credit card should I choose?
\nThis is a personal choice, but you should look at areas where you spend money the most with many of the Citi cards we reviewed. If you dine out a lot, you may want a card that pays 3% or more on restaurant charges. If you fly often, a card tied to an airline is a good choice, and frequent Costco shoppers can benefit from a card connected to Costco. If your spending habits don’t lean toward one area, you may be best off with a card that pays cash back. A double cash card that pays 2X points is common. One of the biggest ways to save money with a credit card is with a 0% intro APR card that doesn’t charge interest on new purchases or balance transfers for a year or so. It’s a kind of free loan that you can use to split the total cost of new furniture for your home, for example, to be broken down into 12 monthly payments. Or transfer a high-balance credit card with a high interest charge to the 0% card and pay it off within a year.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Cash back and rewards such as Citi ThankYou points for free flights can make regular spending on a credit card a little cheaper, whether you’re earning 1X points or are getting 3X points or better in bonus categories. You can also shop with points and have other redemption options with rewards points.
- Most credit cards don’t charge foreign transaction fees when using the card overseas, though you should check the card details online for every card you apply for.
- A 0% intro APR can be a smart way to move a credit card balance to a new card and pay the balance off without paying interest. It can also help make a big purchase and pay it off over a year.
Cons
- If you don’t pay off a credit card balance completely and on time each month, you’ll be charged interest and possibly late fees that negate some of the rewards earned on the card.
- Your creditworthiness is a big factor in the interest rate you’re given with a new card, so do all you can to improve your FICO score or other credit scores before applying.
- A $5 or so balance transfer fee may be charged when moving a credit card balance to a new card, even one with a 0% introductory APR.
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
The bottom line
Using a credit card wisely is one of the best raise to raise a credit score and keep it high. That can lead to better loan terms when you want to buy a house or car or just want to get a great rewards credit card to earn a few free flights each year.
Perks from a rewards credit card might be enough to encourage you to spend more. If that’s the case, or you don’t expect to pay the balance off each month, then going into debt and paying interest will reduce the value of those rewards. Your credit score may also fall.
But by doing your homework, finding the best card that fits your spending habits, and paying off the balance each month, you should earn some rewards that can make owning a credit card a little easier.
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Writer
Aaron Crowe is a freelance journalist who specializes in personal finance writing and editing. He has worked at newspapers, where he won a Pulitzer Prize, and has written for numerous online publications. These include AOL, US News & World Report, WiseBread, Bankrate, AARP, and many websites focusing on housing, credit and insurance. He lives in California with his wife and daughter.
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