The best 7 Citi credit cards of 2024: Rewards, perks, and more

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Citi might be an underrated card issuer, but its cards are anything but underwhelming. While competitors like American Express and Chase have a larger market share, Citi’s cards have much to offer. 

Citi offers a range of credit cards, including cash back cards, travel cards, and balance transfer cards. We'll explore the best Citi cards, comparing their features, benefits, and rewards to help you find the perfect card for your wallet.

Best Citi credit cards

• Best for bonus cash back: Citi Custom Cash® Card
• Best for flat-rate cash back: Citi Double Cash® Card
• Best for travel: Citi Strata Premier® Card 
• Best for businesses: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
• Best for Costco loyalists: Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
• Best for paying off debt: Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
• Best for building credit: Citi® Secured Mastercard®

Best for bonus cash back: Citi Custom Cash® Card

Rewards

• 5% cash back (on up to $500 each billing cycle, then 1%) on your top eligible spending category each billing cycle
• 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal (through June 30, 2025) 

The Citi Custom Cash® Card offers a whopping 5% cash back in your top earning category (up to $500 each billing cycle). The top category is automatically selected based on your purchases. This card also has a solid welcome bonus and introductory APR offer on purchases and balance transfers. 

The Custom Cash is best for someone who spends a lot of money in a single category and can benefit from the 5% cash back. For example, a family that spends $500 or more on monthly groceries could earn $25 in cash back monthly or $300 in cash back annually. For a card with no annual fee, that’s pretty good.

Best for flat-rate cash back: Citi Double Cash® Card

Rewards

• Earn 2% cash back on all purchases — 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay your bill

The Citi Double Cash® Card is a standout choice if you're looking for a flat-rate cash back card. Its unique earning structure rewards you twice: once when you purchase and again when you pay your bill. This gives you a 2% cash back rate on all purchases, making it one of the highest flat-rate cards available.

One key advantage of Citi Double Cash is its simplicity. You don't need to track bonus categories or activate quarterly promotions. Every purchase earns the same 2% cash back rate if you pay your minimum due on time. 

This card also features a competitive 0% intro APR on balance transfers, making it a great option to consolidate high-interest debt. 

Best for travel: Citi Strata Premier® Card 

Rewards

• 10X points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com
• 3X points on air travel travel and other hotel purchases 
• 3X points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations
• 1X points on all other purchases

Citi recently rebranded its Citi Premier® travel card as the Citi Strata Premier® Card. This mid-tier travel card is almost the same as the old one but includes added travel protections and bonus spending categories. 

This card earns elevated points on travel bookings through Citi and at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and electric vehicle charging stations. You can redeem rewards through Citi’s ThankYou rewards program, which has 18 travel transfer partners. 

You’ll also earn a $100 annual hotel benefit if you book a $500 or more stay through CitiTravel.com. 

This card has a modest annual fee of $95. It also includes robust travel insurance protections, such as trip interruption and cancellation coverage, lost baggage coverage, and car rental insurance. 

Best for businesses: CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®

Rewards:

• 2X miles at gas stations and restaurants
• 2X miles on eligible American Airlines purchases
• 2X miles at telecommunications merchants and cable and satellite providers 
• 1X miles on all other purchases

The CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® is great for American Airlines business travelers who want to earn miles on everyday spending.

The card earns elevated miles on gas stations, restaurants, telecommunications merchants, and eligible American Airlines purchases. Each mile also earns a point toward AAdvantage® status.  

You and four companions on the same reservation will receive free first checked bags. Other benefits include preferred boarding on American Airlines flights and in-flight discounts on food and beverage purchases. You'll also get a $125 American Airlines flight discount after $20,000 purchases on the card each year.

This card offers a solid welcome bonus and a $99 annual fee that’s waived for the first year. You can also earn an American Airlines Companion Certificate for domestic travel after spending $30,000 or more in yearly purchases. Certificate redemption costs $99 per ticket, plus taxes and fees. 

Best for Costco loyalists: Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

Rewards

• 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases, including gas at Costco (for the first $7,000 per year, then 1%) 
• 3% back on restaurant and eligible travel purchases 
• 2% back on all Costco and Costco.com purchases 
• 1% back on all other purchases

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is one of the best gas credit cards on the market. It’s a great pick for shoppers who want to earn Costco-specific rewards on everyday spending. The card’s main downside may be a major benefit for those who love Costco: Cash back is only redeemable for Costco purchases.

This card doesn’t charge an annual fee, but you’ll need a $60 Costco membership to qualify. Other card benefits include purchase protection and access to Citi Entertainment. 

Best for paying off debt: Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is an excellent choice for those looking to pay down existing debt or finance a large purchase. With one of the longest intro APR offers, this card provides a substantial window to pay off balances without incurring interest charges.

New cardholders enjoy a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months, providing nearly two years to pay down transferred balances. This is a significantly longer period than most other balance transfer cards offer. The card also features a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, giving you the flexibility to finance large purchases and pay them off over time.

It's important to note that the Citi Diamond Preferred does not offer rewards or a welcome bonus. Its primary focus is providing a lengthy low-interest period for debt repayment or large purchases. 

Best for building credit: Citi® Secured Mastercard®

The Citi® Secured Mastercard® is best for those looking to build (or rebuild) their credit. You don’t need a credit history to apply for this card. All payments are reported to the three major credit bureaus, so you can build up your credit if you use the card responsibly.

Like other secured cards, this card requires a security deposit to open the card ($200 minimum), which typically acts as your credit limit. This card has no annual fee but comes with a high APR.

The Citi Secured Mastercard also doesn’t come with any perks, such as a sign-up bonus, cash back, or benefits. It’s meant to be used for a period of time until you establish a credit history.

Comparing the best Citi credit cards 

Here’s how the cards stack up:
 

Citi rewards: How to earn and use them 

Citi offers two primary reward currencies: ThankYou Points and cash back. The type of rewards you earn depends on your specific Citi card. 

Here's a closer look at how to earn and redeem each type of reward. 

Use the card that best aligns with your spending habits and redemption preferences to maximize your Citi rewards. If you have multiple Citi cards, you can strategically use them for different purchases to earn the most rewards possible.

Understanding Citi's ThankYou Rewards Program

Citi's ThankYou Rewards program is the central hub for earning and redeeming points with select Citi credit cards. The program offers a variety of redemption options, including travel, gift cards, statement credits, and more.

One of the most valuable features of the ThankYou Rewards program is the ability to transfer points to Citi's airline and hotel partners. This can yield a much higher value per point than other redemption options. Some notable transfer partners include Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and Wyndham Rewards.

It's important to note that not all Citi cards earn transferable ThankYou Points. Only the Citi Strata Premier and Citi Prestige (not currently available to new applicants) offer this feature. Other cards, like the Citi Double Cash Card, earn "basic" ThankYou Points that can't be transferred to travel partners.

How to choose the best Citi card for you 

Choosing the best credit card comes down to finding one that aligns with your spending habits and offers good value. Here are a few things to keep in mind: 

• Examine your spending habits: Where do you spend the most money? How do you plan to use the credit card? If you’re a commuter, you’ll want to consider the Citi cards that earn bonus points at gas stations or EV charging stations. 
• Consider the rewards you value most: Do you prefer a card that earns straightforward cash back, or are you more interested in earning flexible travel points? 
• Evaluate annual fees and interest rates: If your card has an annual fee, it needs to be worth it. For example, the Citi Strata Premier has an annual fee of $95 but offers a $100 hotel benefit. Many Citi cards don’t charge an annual fee but offer much value.

How Citi credit cards compare to other issuers 

Here's how Citi credit cards stack up against some popular alternatives:

• Cash back: The Citi Double Cash is a strong contender in the flat-rate cash back category, offering 2% back on all purchases (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay). This is slightly better than the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card (1.5% on everything). However, cards like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offer higher cash back rates in certain categories, like restaurant and drugstore purchases. 
• Balance transfers: The Citi Diamond Preferred is one of the best balance transfer cards available, thanks to its long 0% intro APR periods. However, you may find other cards with 0% APR offers with rewards and welcome bonuses. 
• Travel rewards: The Citi Strata Premier is a solid travel rewards card offering competitive earning rates and valuable benefits. But it faces stiff competition from cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. When comparing travel cards, look at each card's bonus categories, transfer partners, and perks like travel credits or lounge access to find the best fit. 

How we rated the best Citi credit cards 

To find the best Citi cards, we evaluated each card's sign-up bonus, rewards earning rates on purchases, added perks and benefits, annual fees, and overall value. 

Our team analyzed numerous credit card offers and selected the top contenders based on these key criteria. The options on this list represent the best value, rewards, and benefits available. Read more about our methodology here. 

Bottom line 

The best Citi credit cards offer unique perks not found on other credit cards — often with no annual fees. The best card for you is the one that works best for your lifestyle. Pick one that aligns with your financial goals and spending habits to get the most value from it. 

Editorial disclosure: Opinions expressed are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.