Best Citi Credit Cards of April 2024
Updated March 29, 2024 at 2:55 pm
Citi offers a variety of credit cards, whether you’re looking to get into the rewards game, save money on interest or build credit. Here are our top picks for the best Citi credit cards, plus everything you need to know about being a Citi cardholder.
Our Methodology Understanding the value of cash back is simple, but valuing airline miles or points redeemable for travel requires digging a bit deeper. At Newsweek, we’ve developed a common language to talk about the value of points and miles: our valuations.
Our valuations translate points into dollars and cents in a way that reflects reality. They are based on actual data across a balance of accessible redemption options, not just the aspirational first and business class redemptions that require a PhD in miles and points to book. The upshot is that our valuations help you understand the actual value you can easily get from your miles and points.
Our Picks - Best for Flat-Rate Cash Back: Citi Double Cash® Card
- Best for Cash Back Categories: Citi Custom Cash® Card
- Best Overall for Travel Rewards: Citi Premier® Card
- Best Travel Rewards With No Annual Fee: Citi Rewards+® Card
- Best for Luxury Travel: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- Best APR Terms: Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
- Best for American Airlines Loyalists: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
- Best for Balance Transfers: Citi Simplicity® Credit Card
- Best for Building Credit: Citi® Secured Mastercard®
- Best for Costco Members: Costco Anywhere Visa® Credit Card by Citi
10 Best Citi Credit Cards of 2024
Best for Flat-Rate Cash Back: Citi Double Cash® Card
$200 cash back when you spend $1,500 on purchases within the first six months of opening your Citi Double Cash® card account
Why we chose it: The Citi Double Cash offers an effective 2% back on all purchases (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay off your purchases), making it a great fit for earning cash back no matter where you shop. Read our Citi Double Cash review.
Pros
- Great rewards rate across the board
- No annual fee
- No bonus categories to track
Cons
- No welcome bonus
- High ongoing variable APR
- No 0% intro APR for purchases
Best for Cash Back Categories: Citi Custom Cash® Card
After spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening
Why we chose it: Citi offers something unique with the Custom Cash card: Bonus rewards that automatically apply to your top spending category. This takes some of the strategizing off your plate, which is a big plus for simplicity seekers. Read our Citi Custom Cash Card review.
Pros
- Good sign-up bonus
- Automatically-optimizing bonus categories
- No annual fee
Cons
- Bonus rewards have a $500 monthly spending cap
- The 1% cash back rate on non-bonus category spending is low
Best Overall for Travel Rewards: Citi Premier® Card
Why we chose it: The Citi Premier Card’s ongoing rewards categories make this an excellent card for turning everyday purchases into flights, hotel stays and other travel purchases. Perks like no foreign transaction fees and concierge service make it even more friendly for frequent travelers. Read our Citi Premier Card review.
Pros
- Hefty sign-up bonus
- Everyday rewards categories
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Limited domestic airline partners
- Point value varies by redemption choice
Best Travel Rewards With No Annual Fee: Citi Rewards+® Card
After spending $1,500 in the first 3 months of account opening Bonus ThankYou® Points are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi Rewards+® account in the past 48 months.
Why we chose it: The Citi Rewards+ Card is a low-maintenance credit card that earns boosted points on daily purchases. It also offers a unique, valuable feature: Citi rounds up the points you earn on every purchase to the nearest 10 points. Read our Citi Rewards+ Card review.
Pros
- Good sign-up bonus
- Good intro APR offer
- Points round up to the nearest 10 points
Cons
- 2X earning rate isn’t the highest
- Few travel perks
- High ongoing APR
Best for Luxury Travel: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Why we chose it: This card comes with automatic Admirals Club® (airport lounge) access. The card’s $595 annual fee is sizable, but it’s still cheaper than actually buying an Admirals Club membership. Plus, you’ll have the ability to earn a hearty sign-up bonus and boosted points on all of your American Airlines purchases, along with a long list of travel perks.
Pros
- 4X points on American Airlines purchases
- Admirals Club access
- Travel perks like a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit and a free checked bag
Cons
- $595 annual fee
- Mostly useful for those who can exclusively fly American Airlines
- No non-travel bonus categories
Best APR Terms: Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
Why we chose it: The Citi Diamond Preferred gives you one of the longest interest-free periods for balance transfers. New cardholders will have 21 months to enjoy a 0% intro APR on transferred balances before the standard variable APR, ranging from 18.24% to 28.99%, kicks in. New purchases also get 12 months of 0% intro APR before the variable APR applies. Read our Citi Diamond Preferred Card review.
Pros
- Long intro APR period for balance transfers
- Decent intro APR period for new purchases
- No annual fee
Cons
- No rewards and few card perks
- Intro APR offer for purchases is short
- 5% balance transfer fee (minimum $5)
Best for American Airlines Loyalists: Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
$0 intro annual fee, $99 after the first year.
Earn 50,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after making $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Why we chose it: With a solid sign-up bonus, a good ongoing rewards rate and several travel benefits, the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard is a useful card for those who travel often as well as those who take off just once or twice a year.
Pros
- Valuable sign-up bonus
- 2X miles at restaurants, gas stations, and on eligible American Airlines purchases
- First checked bag is free on American Airlines domestic flights
Cons
- $99 annual fee after first-year $0 introductory annual fee
- Rewards are only applicable to those who exclusively fly American Airlines
Best for Balance Transfers: Citi Simplicity® Credit Card
Why we chose it: The Citi Simplicity offers one of the longest intro APR offers for balance transfers (21 months) before the variable APR of 19.24% to 29.99% applies. Plus, the card doesn’t charge late fees or a penalty APR. Read our Citi Simplicity Card review.
Pros
- Long intro APR offer for balance transfers
- No late fees
- No annual fee
Cons
- 3% balance transfer fee
- No rewards
- Intro APR offer for purchases is short
Best for Building Credit: Citi® Secured Mastercard
Why we chose it: The Citi Secured Mastercard helps credit builders get your foot in the door, offering a $200 to $2,500 credit limit in exchange for a refundable security deposit of the same amount. It’s got beginner-friendly features, including the ability to choose your due date, pay your bill automatically and track your credit score over time. Read our Citi Secured Mastercard review.
Pros
- Reports to all three credit bureaus
- Free credit score access
Cons
- Requires a minimum security deposit of $200
- No rewards
- High APR
Best for Costco Members: Costco Anywhere Visa® Credit Card by Citi
Why we chose it: If you’re already making frequent Costco trips, you probably have some large receipts that could benefit from earning cash back. The Costco Anywhere Visa Credit Card by Citi doesn’t just reward Costco purchases. Cardholders also get boosted rewards (4% back) on eligible gas and EV charging for the first $7,000 spent annually, along with 3% on restaurants and eligible travel. Read our Costco Anywhere Visa Credit Card by Citi review.
Pros
- Unlimited 2% back on Costco purchases
- Additional rewards in everyday categories
- No annual fee (with an active Costco membership)
Cons
- Requires a Costco membership
- Rewards can only be redeemed once per year
- No sign-up bonus
A Closer Look at the Best Credit Cards by Citi
Best for Flat-Rate Cash Back: Citi Double Cash Card
Why we love this card: The effective 2% cash back on all purchases (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay for your purchases) is a good fit for someone who doesn’t want to strategize spending or remember bonus categories.
Who should have this in their wallet: With such broad appeal, few people wouldn’t benefit from having this card. If you want an all-purpose, use-for-everything rewards card, this is an excellent choice. It’s also a great option if you already have bonus category cards and want to maximize earnings on your general purchases.
Other cards to consider: If you’re more interested in bonus categories, consider the Citi Custom Cash Card. Since the bonus categories automatically optimize to match your spending habits, it’s still got simplicity going for it but with a higher return in select categories.
Best for Cash Back Categories: Citi Custom Cash Card
Why we love this card: Sometimes, fixed cash back categories can feel restrictive, while the ability to choose and change your rewards categories can feel like too much labor. The Citi Custom Cash Card is the happy medium, offering dynamic bonus categories that automatically update to where your spending is trending.
Who should have this in their wallet: If you already have a good flat-rate rewards card, the Custom Cash can be an excellent boost to your overall earnings—especially if you value the automatically optimizing bonus categories. And with bonus categories like restaurants, gas stations and grocery stores, this card will be valuable for most people.
Other cards to consider: If you like the concept of bonus rewards categories but want the stability of fixed categories, consider the Citi Rewards+ Card, which rewards everyday purchases like gas and groceries or the travel-focused Citi Premier Card.
Best Overall for Travel Rewards: Citi Premier Card
Why we love this card: While some travel cards only earn boosted rewards on travel purchases, this card turns everyday purchases like groceries, restaurant meals and gas station trips into valuable ThankYou points—on top of boosted rewards for air travel and hotels.
Who should have this in their wallet: The useful bonus categories make this an excellent pick for anyone looking for an everyday travel rewards credit card. If you tend to stay in hotels when you travel, this card can be especially beneficial: If you use the $100 Annual Hotel Savings Benefit, the card pays for itself.
Other cards to consider: If you want to kick the travel perks up a notch and live near an American Airlines hub, consider the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card. On the other hand, the Citi Rewards+ Card is a good fee-free travel rewards option.
Best Travel Rewards With No Annual Fee: Citi Rewards+ Card
Why we love this card: Sometimes, you want to earn travel rewards but you don’t want to pay a premium for it. This no-annual-fee card is easy to love and easy to benefit from, thanks to its everyday rewards categories and unique points roundup feature.
Who should have this in their wallet: Some travel rewards cards are geared toward those who already travel a lot. Instead, this one is ideal for those who want to earn travel points on their everyday purchases, like gas and groceries.
Other cards to consider: If you can swing the $95 annual fee, the Citi Premier Card may be more rewarding. It offers a higher rewards rate and an annual hotel credit that makes up for the cost of the annual fee.
Best for Luxury Travel: Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
Why we love this card: It’s pretty incredible how much this card can elevate your travel experience, from letting you skip the lines in TSA PreCheck to lounging in the Admirals Club, where you’ll enjoy complimentary food and drinks before your flight.
Who should have this in their wallet: The ideal user for this card is pretty straightforward: If you travel often and like to do so in style, the boosted rewards on American Airlines flights and long list of travel perks can be highly rewarding.
Other cards to consider: Maybe you’re not ready to commit to a single airline or the staggering annual fee. If that’s the case, consider the Citi Premier Card, which earns versatile ThankYou Points you can use for travel redemptions. You won’t get the same luxury perks, but the annual fee is just $95.
Best APR Terms: Citi Diamond Preferred Card
Why we love this card: While some credit cards offer a dizzying list of perks, the Citi Diamond Preferred does one thing well: introductory APR offers. Its 21-month balance transfer offer is industry-leading, giving you the maximum amount of time to pay down your balance without interest. New purchases also get a 0% intro APR for 12 months. When the introductory periods are over, a variable APR of 18.24% to 28.99% applies.
Who should have this in their wallet: Since the card offers no rewards, its ideal holder is someone who has a large purchase on the horizon or a lot of consumer debt, such as credit card balances, that they’re ready to pay down. Just be sure that you’re okay with paying the 5% fee (minimum $5) on any transferred balances.
Other cards to consider: The Citi Simplicity Card is very similar to the Citi Diamond Preferred, offering a similar intro APR period for new purchases as well as balance transfers. But it offers a lower balance transfer fee (3% with a $5 minimum) and a slightly higher ongoing APR.
Best for American Airlines Loyalists: Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
Why we love this card: If you like the sound of the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard Credit Card but don’t like the $595 annual fee, we can’t blame you. This card is an excellent compromise, offering some of the same perks—including a free checked bag on American Airlines domestic flights and airline miles earned on every purchase—but for a $99 annual fee ($0 the first year). Plus, you’ll earn boosted rewards on everyday purchases like restaurant meals and gas, rather than just travel.
Who should have this in their wallet: If you live near an American Airlines hub and feel confident that you can get American flights wherever you need to go, this card may be more valuable than an unbranded travel credit card. The free checked bag is another huge perk for heavy packers.
Other cards to consider: If airport lounge access is an important perk for you, consider shelling out the additional money for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card. Or if you’re interested in a travel card that isn’t tied to a particular airline, the Citi Premier® Card offers a similar setup.
Best for Balance Transfers: Citi Simplicity Credit Card
Why we love this card: The Citi Simplicity lives up to its name, with a fantastic balance transfer offer and little else to distract from the goal of paying down debt. Just as good as the intro APR period for balance transfers is the 3% balance transfer fee (minimum $5)—a much lower fee than the 5% that other cards charge.
Who should have this in their wallet: If you’re serious about eliminating your high-interest debt, this card is your ally. A relatively low transfer fee, a 0% introductory APR period of almost two years and no late fees all make this card a valuable tool for debt management.
Other cards to consider: If you can afford to cut three months off of your balance transfer period, consider the Citi Double Cash Card. It offers great ongoing cash back rewards and a slightly shorter balance transfer period.
Best for Building Credit: Citi Secured Mastercard
Why we love this card: The Citi Secured Mastercard is an attainable point of entry into credit-building. Having little or no credit history isn’t a problem, as long as you can provide at least $200 for a security deposit. Plus, it’s easy to stay on track with your goals when you can select your payment due date and monitor your credit score with no annual fee.
Who should have this in their wallet: This card comes in handy if you’ve never had a credit card or used lending products in the past. You also need to have at least $200 you can comfortably put away for a while since it requires a security deposit.
Other cards to consider: Citi doesn’t have many other starter credit card options, so you might have to look at other issuers if you’re interested in a secured credit card. The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is a similar option, requiring at least $200 for a security deposit but also earning cash back.
Best for Costco Members: Costco Anywhere Visa Credit Card by Citi
Why we love this card: If you’re a Costco member, why not try to offset that annual membership cost by earning 2% back on all Costco purchases? Plus, if you drive a lot, earning 4% back on gas (especially if you’re already saving by filling up at Costco) will rack up lots of cash back over a year.
Who should have this in their wallet: The ideal cardholder is a Costco member who not only likes the idea of earning cash back at Costco, but who also spends a lot on gas, restaurants and travel.
Other cards to consider: This card earns 2% back at Costco but other cards, like the Citi Double Cash Card, earn 2% cash back everywhere. If you’re not interested in this card’s additional bonus categories, a flat-rate 2% cash back card may be a more versatile pick.
What Are the Benefits of Citi Credit Cards?
Citi credit cards come with a suite of unique perks. One of the most unique benefits is Citi Entertainment, which grants cardholders access to exclusive events and presales for concerts, sporting events and more. If enrolled in Citi Entertainment, you’ll receive regular emails with exclusive links to these events.
When you’re on the move, select Citi credit cards have you covered through the Citi Concierge program. Designed to assist travelers, the program provides a team of on-call experts who can help plan travel itineraries, make restaurant reservations, secure event tickets, and connect you with nearly any you need.
Citi Flex Loans are another unique feature, allowing select Citi cardholders to take out a loan against their credit card limit. The benefit here is that you get a fixed APR and repayment term for no additional fee and with no application required. If you have a large payment on the horizon, this feature can save you money on interest and let you skip the credit inquiry required to apply for a loan.
Other, more common Citi credit card benefits include free credit score access, contactless payments and digital wallet compatibility, 24/7 customer service and the ability to lock your card at any time.
How Do I Get Approved for a Citi Credit Card?
Most Citi credit cards require good to excellent credit, so be sure you have a FICO score of at least 670 before applying. The exception to this is the Citi® Secured Mastercard®, which has a lower credit score requirement in exchange for a security deposit.
When you’re ready to apply, you’ll need to provide some basic information, like your Social Security number, proof of income and personal identification.
What Are Citi Credit Card Interest Rates?
Your credit card’s interest rate depends on several factors, including your credit score and the prime rate. That said, Citi provides a variable APR range for each of its credit cards so that you have an idea of how much it’ll cost you to carry a balance.
Right now, the lowest ongoing APR you can find on a Citi credit card is with the Citi Diamond Preferred Credit Card.
- Citi Diamond Preferred Credit Card: 18.24% to 28.99% variable
- Citi Rewards+ Credit Card: 18.74% to 28.74% variable
- Citi Double Cash Credit Card: 19.24% to 29.24% variable
- Citi Custom Cash Card: 19.24% to 29.24% variable
- Citi Simplicity Credit Card: 19.24% to 29.99% variable
- Citi Premier Credit Card: 21.24% to 29.24% variable
- Citi Secured Mastercard Credit Card: 27.74% variable
Don’t forget to consider intro APR offers too. They don’t last forever, but 0% APR for a year or more can save you hundreds in interest. The Citi Custom Cash Card and the Citi Rewards+ Credit Card have the best offers: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (then 19.24% to 29.24% variable and 18.74% to 28.74% variable, respectively).
How Do I Choose the Best Citi Credit Card for Me?
Usually, a credit card’s unique features are far more impactful than the issuer. And among Citi’s roster of credit cards, you can find it all: cash back cards, travel rewards, low interest rate credit cards, balance transfer offers and credit-building features.
Here are a few of the most important factors to consider when selecting a Citi credit card.
Credit Score Requirements
Most Citi credit cards require good credit, which is a credit score of at least 670. But like most credit card issuers, Citi uses several factors to make its final decision. Your employment status, income and debt burden may also influence your credit card application results.
If you’re not quite within the good credit score threshold, you may want to work on building your credit score for a while before you apply for one of the best Citi credit cards. One option available to those with less than good credit is the Citi Secured Mastercard. If you want a credit card now and can afford to put away a few hundred dollars for the refundable security deposit, this is a great option. Just know that you won’t earn rewards with this card.
Rewards
Citi has options for rewards seekers. Most rewards credit cards earn one of two types of rewards: cash back or points. Cash back is pretty straightforward: You earn a percentage of each purchase back. For example, the Citi Double Cash effectively offers 2% cash back on all purchases (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay your credit card bill). That means that for every $100 you spend and pay for, you earn $2 back.
Points can be more complicated to evaluate, but the logic is the same. Citi’s cards earn ThankYou Points, which can be redeemed for travel purchases, cash back, merchandise, charity donations, gift cards and even payments toward your mortgage or student loans. The value of each point depends on the credit card you’re using and the rewards redemption option you choose, but generally, Newsweek values Citi ThankYou points at $0.01 apiece. Citi’s premium travel cards, including the Citi Premier Card and the Citi Prestige Card, allow you to squeeze a bit more value out of each point with the ability to transfer points to partner airlines.
Interest Rate
If you don’t plan to carry a balance on your credit card, your interest rate doesn’t matter too much. You won’t pay any interest if you pay your credit card on time and in full each month. But if you do anticipate the need to finance a purchase over several months, the interest rate is an important consideration.
Most Citi credit cards offer ongoing variable APRs in the neighborhood of 18% to 29%, depending on your creditworthiness. That’s standard for a credit card, but it could cost you a lot over time compared to other lending products like personal loans. Take advantage of a 0% intro APR offer if you can: You’ll get the time you need to finance a purchase without the additional expense of interest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Combine ThankYou Points on Citi Credit Cards?
Yes, if you have multiple credit cards that earn ThankYou Points, you can pool them together. Strategically, this makes sense if you want to initiate, say, a big travel redemption. Maybe one of your cards doesn’t offer the ability to transfer your points to Citi’s travel partners, but the other does. If you consolidate your points, you can transfer all of your points to Citi’s partners—regardless of which card earned them.
Does Citi Offer Preapproval?
Yes, provided with some of your basic information, Citi can perform a soft credit check to estimate how likely you are to be approved for a particular credit card. This won’t impact your credit score, but it’s also not a guarantee of approval or denial.
What Credit Limit Can I Get With a Citi Credit Card?
Citi doesn’t have any hard rules or guidelines about credit limits for most of its credit cards. Like most credit card issuers, Citi uses your income and credit history to determine your credit limit. The only Citi card with an outlined credit limit is the Citi Secured MasterCard. Because it’s a secured card, your credit limit will equal the amount you provide as a security deposit, with a minimum of $200.
Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. We may earn a commission from partner links on Newsweek, but commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
