9 best Citi credit cards in April 2024
Updated 7:12 AM EDT, Thu April 4, 2024
Mirel Kipioro/iStockphoto
Citi is one of the biggest credit card issuers in the country — and it offers a wide variety of cards to fit any financial goal. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a starter card or you’re a veteran in the world of credit and want to collect rewards that’ll let you travel for a fraction of the usual cost, Citi has an option for you.
Let’s examine which Citi credit card is the best choice for your situation. Citi is a CNN Underscored Money partner,
Our team of credit card experts evaluated all of the Citi credit cards currently available to new applicants, reviewing their rewards, benefits, APRs and fees. Using a data-based approach, we narrowed down the list to the top nine credit cards that scored highly based on our weightings. Read our full methodology below.
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Citi Premier® Card: Best Citi credit card
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Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best for cash back
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Citi Rewards+® Card: Best for small purchases
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Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: *Best for Costco members
The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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Citi Double Cash® Card: Best for balance transfers
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Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®: *Best for frequent American Airlines flyers
The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®: *Best for occasional American Airlines flyers
The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: *Best small-business card
The information for the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi: *Best small-business card for Costco members
The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Citi Premier® Card
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
Citi Custom Cash® Card
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
Citi Rewards+® Card
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
*The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
Citi Double Cash® Card
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
*The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
*The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
*The information for the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi
*The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The CNN Underscored Money editorial team has developed a star rating so you can see the best card for specific categories. While we believe this card excels in this category, its overall star rating may differ.
Our picks at a glance
| Annual fee | Welcome bonus | Best for | Notable benefit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Citi Premier® Card
| $95
| 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.
| Citi
| Transfer points to airline and hotel partners
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Citi Custom Cash® Card
| $0
| $200 cash back 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
| Cash back
| Top eligible monthly spending category receives 5% bonus cash back (up to $500 in spending each billing cycle)
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Citi Rewards+® Card
| $0
| Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 on eligible purchases within the first three months after opening the account. 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.
| Small purchases
| Return on purchases are rounded up to the nearest 10-point increment
|
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
*
The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
| $0
| This card does not offer a welcome bonus
| Costco members
| Earn 4% back on qualifying gas/EV charging purchases (up to $7,000 in spending per year, then 1%)
|
Citi Double Cash® Card
| $0
| $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points
| Balance transfers
| 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers (then 19.24% - 29.24% Variable)
|
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
*
The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
| $595
| 70,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $7,000 in the first three months of account opening
| Frequent American Airlines flyers
| Complimentary American Airlines Admirals Club airport lounge membership
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Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
*
The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
| $99, waived for first 12 months
| 75,000 AAdvantage bonus miles after spending $3,500 within the first 4 months of account opening
| Occasional American Airlines flyers
| First checked bag free for you and up to four travelers on your domestic travel reservation
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CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
*
The information for the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
| $99, waived for the first 12 months
| 65,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 4 months of account opening
| Small businesses
| $125 American Airlines flight discount after spending $20,000 on purchases in a cardmember year and renewing your card
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Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi
*
The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
| $0
| No publicly available intro offer
| Small businesses with Costco membership
| Earn 4% back on qualifying gas/EV charging purchases (up to $7,000 in spending per year, then 1%)
|
Why get a Citi credit card?
- To earn Citi ThankYou® points: Citi ThankYou points are valuable credit card rewards, and you can earn them from eligible Citi credit cards. You can redeem points for cash back, travel and gift cards, and with certain cards, you can also transfer them to airline and hotel loyalty programs such as JetBlue TrueBlue and Wyndham Rewards for award travel.
- To earn lots of cash back: Citi offers some of the best cash back credit cards on the market, whether you’re looking for a flat return rate on all spending or bonus categories that complement your biggest expenses.
- To receive American Airlines perks: Citi issues American Airlines credit cards that come with incredibly valuable benefits for frequent flyers, including free checked bags, preferred boarding and in-flight discounts.
- To save money with a 0% intro annual percentage rate offer: You’ll find generous interest-free terms on several Citi credit cards. If you’ve got a large upcoming expense that you aren’t confident you can pay off quickly, the right Citi credit card can save you a lot.
Citi credit card benefits
Again, Citi issues a wide variety of credit cards. Regardless of the specific perk you’re looking for, it’s likely that a Citi credit card offers it. With the right Citi card, you can:
- Earn travel rewards: The Citi Premier Card earns Citi ThankYou points which can be converted into airline and hotel rewards for (nearly) free travel. And with any ThankYou points-earning card, you can redeem your rewards directly for flights, hotels, rental cars and attractions through the Citi ThankYou Travel Portal.
- Receive a long 0% intro APR offer: Two Citi credit cards offer a 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers. That matches the industry high, and provides an excellent way to avoid high interest charges if you consolidate debt from other issuers’ cards. A few Citi cards also offer 0% intro APRs on purchases for 12 or 15 months.
- Get useful bonus categories: Depending on the card, you can earn bonus rewards in popular everyday spending categories, including groceries, gas stations, restaurants and travel. Citi also issues a card that effectively earns 2% cash back — a solid return — on all spending.
- Unlock annual statement credits: Some Citi credit cards reward you with a statement credit after completing a specific spending goal. For example, the Citi Premier Card gives you a $100 discount on a prepaid hotel stay of at least $500 booked through the Citi Travel portal each calendar year.
- Upgrade your travel: If air travel is important to you, there are Citi credit cards that can make the experience more enjoyable. The Citi AAdvantage Executive Card provides access to American Airlines Admirals Clubs where you can relax with free snacks and beverages, including alcohol. It also allows you to board your American Airlines flight before most other travelers, helping ensure you’ve got plenty of overhead bin space.
Frustratingly, travel and purchase protections are virtually nonexistent on most Citi credit cards, making them much less attractive payment options for flights, rental cars, nonrefundable hotel stays and large purchases. One exception to this rule is the Citi AAdvantage Executive Card, which comes with excellent perks like trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay insurance, damage and theft purchase protection and more. The Citi Costco cards also offer decent travel and purchase coverage.
How to apply for a Citi credit card
The simplest way to apply for a credit card from Citi is online through its website. You can also apply at a Citi branch or by calling 800-347-4934. You’ll need to provide your birth date, address, Social Security number and other details.
If you’re applying for a co-branded American Airlines credit card, you’ll be asked to enter your AAdvantage loyalty number as part of your application (if you don’t have one, it’s OK — you’ll receive one upon approval). That way, the miles you earn from the card will get deposited into the correct account. And if you’re applying for a small business Citi credit card, you’ll be prompted to enter additional details such as your business structure, monthly spending and number of employees.
If you’re not instantly approved, you can check your application status on Citi’s website.
Citi credit card eligibility requirements
Citi exercises unique rules (some official, some unpublished) when it comes to application approvals. Depending on the credit cards you’ve recently opened, you may not be eligible for the Citi credit card you’re after. These quirks likely won’t affect you, but they’re worth knowing:
- 8/65 rule: You can’t apply for more than one personal Citi credit card in an eight-day period or more than two personal cards in a 65-day period.
- Business credit card rule: You can’t apply for more than one small business Citi credit card every 90 days.
- 48-month rule: If you’ve earned a welcome bonus on a specific Citi credit card in the past 48 months, you aren’t eligible to open the card and earn its bonus again.
If you’ve already got several credit cards with Citi, it may be less willing to extend more credit to you, depending on your income and other factors. That said, there’s no hard limit on how many Citi cards you can have.
Citi credit card credit score requirements
Most Citi credit cards require you to have at least a good credit score (a FICO score of 670 or higher) to be considered for approval.
However, Citi has loosened the approval standards for one of its best cash back credit cards: the Citi Double Cash. You can be considered for this cards even with fair credit (a FICO score of 580 to 669). This card previously required good credit to qualify.
Managing your Citi credit card
Citi offers various ways to manage your account. You can reach customer service by calling the number on the back of your card, but it can be more efficient to do things like set travel notifications and add or remove authorized users through your online account. Citi is also one of the few banks that instantly apply your payment to your credit card before it’s been processed, immediately freeing up your credit line.
With Citi’s app, you can easily view your transaction history, rewards details, FICO score and other important information. In fact, you can even opt into “Mobile Snapshot” which gives you some of these details without even logging in.
Maximizing Citi credit card rewards
ThankYou points are Citi’s rewards currency. If you use the Citi Premier Card, Citi Double Cash, Citi Rewards+ Card or Citi Custom Cash Card, you earn ThankYou points. You can redeem ThankYou points for cash back at a rate of 1 cent each — or you can maximize them by transferring them to airline and hotel loyalty programs for award travel. The exact value you’ll get can vary greatly, but it’s not uncommon to receive 1.5 cents or more per point when you transfer to partners and book (nearly) free flights and hotels.
One note on transferring points to travel partners: The Citi Premier Card is the only credit card available to new applicants that gives you access to all of Citi’s airline and hotel partners. Cards such as the Citi Double Cash can only transfer to a few programs. But if you’ve also got the Citi Premier Card, the rewards you earn with the Citi Double Cash can be transferred to any partner.
Beyond rewards, Citi credit cards deliver ongoing value for your everyday spending through Citi Merchant Offers, which are effectively promotions that you can add to your card to save money or earn bonus rewards when you make a qualifying purchase. You’ll also receive access to the Citi Bonus Cash Center, an online shopping portal that yields bonus rewards for shopping at popular merchants.
Citi credit card fees and costs
Citi credit cards come with the standard fees you’ll find on the cards from any issuer:
- Annual fees: Several Citi credit cards charge a fee simply for holding the card. These cards generally have superior benefits to cards with no annual fee, so you’ll have to do the math to decide if an annual fee-incurring card’s perks will save you money in the long run.
- APR: When you carry a balance month-to-month, you’ll pay significant interest charges. As long as you faithfully pay your bill in full each month, you won’t have to worry about APR.
- Balance transfers: When you transfer a balance to a Citi credit card, you’ll usually be charged a fee. Completing a balance transfer could still save you money if you open a balance transfer credit card that offers 0% intro APR. Zero-interest credit cards are an excellent way to temporarily shield your debt from a high APR while you pay down your balance.
- Foreign transaction fees: Some Citi credit cards charge a fee for purchases processed outside the US. These are bad cards to bring along if you’re traveling overseas.
Also, watch out for authorized user fees. Most Citi cards allow you to request authorized user cards for no charge, but the Citi AAdvantage Executive Card charges $175 for up to three authorized users (and $175 per authorized user after that). That’s a steep fee, but each authorized user gets American Airlines Admirals Club lounge access — making it well worth the price tag for those who would otherwise pay for entry into Admirals Clubs.
Methodology
Our money and data analytics teams reviewed 20 Citi credit cards currently available to new applicants. We then narrowed down our list of the best Citi cards by giving them a star rating out of five, based on the following factors and our editorial judgment:
Sign-up bonus value (25%)
Some Citi credit cards offer a welcome bonus to consumers who spend a certain amount in their first months with the card. We calculated how much those bonuses are worth using points valuations from The Points Guy, and ranked cards that offer more value highly.
Rewards value (25%)
Some Citi credit cards earn points, miles or cash back, but these rewards don’t always have the same value. We used spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and estimates of rewards values from The Points Guy to determine which cards dole out the most value.
Benefits (20%)
Cards that offer benefits such as a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers, travel perks, or discounts received a boost.
Annual fee (20%)
Credit cards with no or low annual fees got higher grades in this category compared to cards that charge higher annual fees.
Foreign transaction fee (5%)
Cards with no foreign transaction fee had the advantage in this category.
Annual credits/bonuses (5%)
Credit cards that come with bonuses for meeting spending thresholds or credits toward certain purchases received a boost.
What didn’t make the cut
While many other Citi credit cards offer generous benefits, they weren’t considered the best for various reasons. Here are some that missed the cut:
- Citi Simplicity® Card * The information for the Citi Simplicity® Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. : This card has an incredibly long 0% intro APR offer on balance transfers, and it doesn’t charge late fees. However, it doesn’t have a rewards program.
- Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card * The information for the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. : An ultra-long 0% intro APR offer on balance transfers is the card’s best feature, but you won’t earn rewards for your spending.
- Citi® Secured Mastercard® * The information for the Citi® Secured Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. : Targeted at those trying to build (or rebuild) credit, this card could be an option for consumers with limited or spotty credit histories. But you’ll need to put down a refundable security deposit (minimum $200) and the card doesn’t have a rewards program.
- American Airlines AAdvantage® Mile Up® * The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® Mile Up® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. : The only American Airlines credit card with no annual fee, this is a solid credit card to dip your toe into the world of travel rewards. Unfortunately, its American Airlines-related benefits and welcome bonus offer are inferior to those available with its more expensive siblings.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Yes, you can use your Citi credit card internationally — anywhere Visa or Mastercard is accepted (depending on the card you’ve got). To save money, be sure that you’re using a card that waives foreign transaction fees, such as the Citi Premier Card or Citi AAdvantage Platinum.
Many Citi credit cards allow you to transfer your balance from another credit card — even cards that aren’t considered “balance transfer” cards.
You can add an authorized user to your Citi credit card account by either calling Citi, managing authorized users within your online account or adding them during the application process.
It’s possible to convert your Citi credit card to other credit cards within the same family. For example, you could downgrade your Citi AAdvantage Platinum to the American Airlines MileUp if you decide you no longer want to pay an annual fee.
*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by CNN Underscored Money: Citi Simplicity® Card * The information for the Citi Simplicity® Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card * The information for the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , Citi® Secured Mastercard® * The information for the Citi® Secured Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , American Airlines AAdvantage® Mile Up® * The information for the American Airlines AAdvantage® Mile Up® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi * The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® * The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® * The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , and CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® * The information for the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines, hotel chain, or other commercial entity and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of such entities.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended and should not be understood to constitute financial, investment, insurance or legal advice. All individuals are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified financial professional before making any financial, insurance or investment decisions.
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.
