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Citi issues a range of top credit cards, including excellent intro APR cards, travel cards and airline cards. Additionally, Citi ThankYou® Rewards is one of the best travel rewards programs, featuring 18 airline and hotel transfer partners.
If you're debating which Citi credit card is right for you, we have the details on everything from cards with no annual fee to luxury cards with airport lounge access.
Best Citi credit cards
- Best no-annual-fee card: Citi Double Cash® Card
- Best balance transfer card: Citi Simplicity® Card
- Best travel card: Citi Strata Premier® Card
- Best for custom categories: Citi Strata℠ Card
- Best premium travel card: Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
- Best airline card: Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- Best Costco card: Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Best no-annual-fee card
Who's this for? The Citi Double Cash® Card is a straightforward, no-annual-fee cash-back card that offers flat-rate rewards.
Standout benefits: Earn at least 2% cash back on all purchases (1% back when you buy and an additional 1% back when you pay your credit card bill). Since you earn cash back as Citi ThankYou® Points, you can transfer your rewards to all of the Citi travel partners (at reduced rates unless you have certain cards, like the Citi Strata Premier® Card or the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card).
The Citi Double Cash also has a generous intro APR offer.
What makes the Citi Double Cash® Card special is that it sits near the top of its class in several categories. It is an excellent option if you want flat-rate rewards, a balance transfer intro-APR or no annual fee.
- Balance transfers get a long intro APR
- Generous flat-rate cash-back rewards structure
- Earns transferable rewards
- No annual fee
- It has a foreign transaction fee
- Intro APR only applies to balance transfer
- Points transfer ratios are reduced compared to premium cards
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn $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.
- 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, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Best balance transfer card
Who's this for? The Citi Simplicity® Card is one of the best cards for balance transfers. If you're paying off credit card debt, it's worth doing the math to see how much you could save with this card's intro APR offer.
Standout benefits: You'll receive a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 18 months from account opening (after that, the variable APR is 17.49% to 28.24%, based on your creditworthiness). Balance transfers must be completed within four months of account opening. An introductory balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) applies to transfers completed within the first four months of account opening. After that, a fee of 5% of each transfer (minimum $5) applies.
The Citi Simplicity® Card has amazing intro-APR offers and is particularly valuable for balance transfers due to its lower introductory fee.
- Long intro APR offers for balance transfers
- Low intro-fee for balance transfers
- No annual fee
- No rewards
- No welcome bonus
Best travel card
Who's this for? The Citi Strata Premier® Card is a good option for frequent travelers because of its generous rewards structure. Plus, it earns Citi ThankYou® Points, which are versatile travel rewards thanks to Citi's long list of airline and hotel transfer partners.
Standout benefits: In addition to a generous welcome bonus and points on travel, the Citi Strata Premier is one of the most rewarding cards for all sorts of purchases. You earn 3X points at supermarkets, restaurants and gas and EV charging stations.
The Citi Strata Premier® Card has competitive rewards rates and unlocks access to all of the Citi ThankYou® transfer partners, which boosts the value of your points.
- Unlocks point transfers to all of the Citi ThankYou® partners, including Emirates Skywards, Choice Privileges, Flying Blue and more
- Generous bonus spending categories include dining, supermarkets, hotels and flights
- Valuable welcome bonus
- Has an annual fee
- Car rental coverage is secondary, not primary
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 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
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Balance transfer fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Best for custom categories
Who's this for? If you want to earn points across various everyday categories, including a self-select category of your choice, the Citi Strata℠ Card accomplishes that — and without charging an annual fee. Earn 3X points on an eligible category of your choice, including: fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons or pet supply stores.
Standout benefits: The ThankYou® Points you earn can double as travel rewards via Citi's transfer partners. While you'll get slightly lower transfer ratios than other premium Citi cards, it offers more flexibility in rewards redemptions.
The Citi Strata℠ Card is a solid rewards credit card that earns in several everyday spending categories, with no annual fee.
- No annual fee
- Customizable earnings category
- Earns transferable rewards
- Has foreign transaction fees
- Fewer built-in benefits
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff
- Earn 20,000 bonus Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months; after that, the variable APR will be 18.49% - 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 3 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent in an eligible Self-Select Category of your choice (Fitness Clubs, Select Streaming Services, Live Entertainment, Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons, or Pet Supply Stores). Choose your eligible Self-Select Category on Citi Online or by calling customer service. The default Self-Select Category is Select Streaming Services.
- Earn 5 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals and Attractions booked on Citi Travel® via cititravel.com; earn 3 ThankYou Points for each $1 spent at Supermarkets, on Select Transit purchases, and at Gas & EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 2 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent at Restaurants; earn 1 ThankYou® Point for each $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
- No Annual Fee
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Best premium travel card
Who's this for? The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card is ideal for anyone who wants to upgrade their travel experience. It's packed full of premium perks, such as airport lounge access, travel credits and a trusted traveler program application fee credit.
Standout benefits: You can enroll to receive a Priority Pass airport lounge membership that grants you and up to two guests unlimited complimentary visits. You'll also receive four Admirals Club single-visit passes per calendar year and up to $700 in annual credits for a variety of purchases, including eligible hotel stays and chauffeur services.
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card offers luxury travel benefits and heightened rewards on travel and restaurant purchases — while still earning 1.5X points on all other purchases.
- Exceptional rewards rate on travel booked through cititravel.com
- Earns flexible points that transfer to popular airline and hotel partners, like American Airlines
- Features roughly $1,500 in value through statement credits, airport lounge access and more
- High $595 annual fee
- $75 annual fee for each authorized user
- Limited rewards categories
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
- Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time
- Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Balance transfer fee
Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Best airline card
Who's this for? The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is a perfect companion for frequent American Airlines flyers. It comes with unlimited Admirals Club lounge access, and paying its annual fee is actually cheaper than purchasing an Admirals Club membership outright.
Standout benefits: The Citi AAdvantage Executive is helpful if you want to earn American Airlines elite status; you earn 1 Loyalty Point per dollar spent on the card. Plus, you'll receive up to 20,000 bonus Loyalty Points per status qualification year (10,000 bonus Loyalty points after earning 50,000 Loyalty Points and an additional 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points once you earn 90,000 Loyalty Points in the same status qualification year).
It also has up to $360 in annual credits for rental cars, rideshares and food delivery.
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is one of the best ways to get access to American Airlines' network of Admirals Club® airport lounges.
- Access to nearly 100 Admirals Club® and partner airport lounges
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit
- High annual fee
- Additional fee for authorized users
- No bonus rewards outside of American Airlines purchases
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $7,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Admirals Club® membership for you and access for up to two guests or immediate family members traveling with you
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
- Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases
- First checked bag is free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 8 companions traveling with you on the same reservation
Balance transfer fee
5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum
Best Costco card
Who's this for? If you are a Costco member, consider the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi. This is one of the best cards for Costco, which only accepts Visa credit cards in-store.
Standout benefits: The Costco Anywhere Visa is one of the best credit cards for gas. You earn 5% cash back on gas at Costco and 4% cash back on other eligible gas and EV charging purchases for the first $7,000 combined spend per year (then 1%).
While this card is rewarding, redeeming your rewards isn't easy. You receive a reward certificate once per year, redeemable only at U.S. Costco locations.
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is a valuable card to pair with a Costco membership, but the rewards program is more restrictive than what you get with a typical cash-back card.
- High rewards rates for gas/EV charging and travel
- No foreign transaction fees
- Restrictive rewards that you can only cash out once per year
- Requires a paid Costco membership
- No welcome bonus
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Discover one of Citi's best cash back rewards cards designed exclusively for Costco members
- Earn 5% cash back rewards on gas at Costco and earn 4% cash back on other eligible gas and electric vehicle (EV) charging purchases for the first $7,000 combined spend per year, and then 1% thereafter.
- 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases and eligible travel, including Costco Travel.
- 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No annual fee with your paid Costco membership and enjoy no foreign transaction fees on purchases
- Receive an annual credit card reward certificate, which is redeemable for cash or merchandise at U.S. Costco warehouses, including Puerto Rico
Balance transfer fee
5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum
Foreign transaction fee
None
How to choose a Citi credit card
To choose the right Citi card for you, start by figuring out which cards you're potentially eligible for. It's also important to consider what rewards are the best fit for your lifestyle and which card or cards would be the most rewarding for you.
Rewards
Citi's travel cards and cash-back credit cards both earn Citi ThankYou® Points, which are transferable travel rewards. However, the value of these points varies by card. For example, the Citi Double Cash offers 1 cent per point cash-back redemptions, while the Citi Strata Premier provides higher transfer ratios to travel partners.
Citi also issues co-branded cards, so if you want to earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles or elite status, or you frequently shop at Costco, those cards may be a better fit.
Annual fee
The upfront cost of a card is a key consideration because paying an annual fee can dramatically reduce the value you receive if you're not also utilizing the card's other perks. If you prefer to keep things simple and affordable, Citi issues several of the best credit cards with no annual fee, such as the Citi Double Cash Card.
Benefits
In addition to the rewards you earn for making purchases with most Citi cards, you may also have access to valuable benefits. These vary widely by card, but can include airport lounge access, travel and purchase protections and statement credit offers. In general, you'll have access to more benefits when you're paying a higher annual fee.
Understanding the perks each card offers will help you decide whether a card's cost is worth it.
Pros and cons of Citi credit cards
- Valuable rewards: When it comes to travel rewards, Citi ThankYou® Points are near the top in terms of value, usefulness and flexibility.
- Excellent intro APRs: Several of the top balance transfer intro APR offers are available with cards issued by Citi.
- Strong no-annual-fee cards: The best no-annual-fee cards issued by Citi offer an uncommon mix of value and simplicity.
- Transfer partners: On top of Citi's other strong transfer partners, it's currently the only credit card rewards program partnered with American Airlines.
- No hotel cards: Citi currently does not offer any co-branded hotel credit cards.
- Few business credit cards: If you need a credit card for your business or side hustle, the most valuable options are issued by other banks and financial institutions.
- Few poor-credit options: If you have poor credit or no credit, there aren't many Citi cards you can qualify for.
FAQs
Can you combine Citi points?
You can pool your Citi ThankYou® Points from multiple Citi cards owned by one person into a single account balance. This allows you to take advantage of certain Citi card's increase travel ratios or redemption values. However, you can no longer move points between different people's Citi accounts.
Does Citi offer preapproval for credit cards?
Citi has a prequalification form you can submit to see which Citi cards you're prequalified for. Being prequalified doesn't guarantee approval, but there is no hard credit pull as part of this process, so it doesn't affect your credit score.
Does Citi offer credit cards for people with 580 credit scores?
Citi issues the Citi® Secured Mastercard®, which requires an upfront minimum security deposit instead of a minimum credit score. This allows anyone with weak credit to possibly qualify, and it can help build credit with responsible use.
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Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card list is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Our methodology
We compared each Citi card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees.
When choosing the best Citi cards, we focused on those with travel-centered rewards and benefits, including cards that earn Citi ThankYou® Points. We paid special attention to cards with travel insurance, elite status benefits or airport lounge access. Additional perks, such as ongoing travel or merchant statement credits and cardholder protections, also factored into the decision.
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
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