Citi Premier Card provides incredible rewards, such as a welcome bonus worth up to $4,000 and transfer partners like Wyndham. Furthermore, it boasts competitive restaurant and supermarket rewards as well as money-saving hotel benefits that save time and money when traveling.
World Elite Mastercard holders enjoy additional travel-related perks such as Lyft credits and access to Mastercard Luxury Hotels properties for on-property benefits.
1. 60,000 ThankYou Points
Citi Premier Card’s sign-up bonus is an attractive incentive and an effective way to offset its annual fee, but to receive it responsibly you must spend $4,000 within three months of opening your card; otherwise it may not be right for you.
Your spending at gas stations, dining establishments and supermarkets will net three points for every dollar spent; all other spending will earn one point per dollar spent – putting this card near the top of our rankings for average earners looking for travel rewards cards. Citi’s ThankYou Rewards program also provides significant value when redeeming for airline miles thanks to an expansive list of airline and hotel transfer partners. This card’s bonus categories align with household expenses like airfare, hotels and gas stations – and its bonus categories provide added savings! These programs include Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, JetBlue TrueBlue and Air France/KLM Flying Blue – giving you plenty of redemption options for international business class flights. Citi also has some good hotel partners – Choice Privileges and Avianca LifeMiles can be redeemed with reasonable transfer rates.
ThankYou Points can be redeemed for gift cards or cash back at a rate of one cent per point; however, their best value lies in being converted into airline miles – particularly premium classes like first class travel where Citi Premier Card’s 60,000 bonus points could easily get you roundtrip tickets.
Pool your points with other Citi cards to increase their redemption potential, and add authorized users without incurring a cost in order to leverage household spending and maximize earnings. However, please remember that shared points expire every 90 days so be sure to use them quickly!
2. $100 Annual Hotel Discount
Citi Premier Card provides a $100 annual hotel discount when making bookings of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) through the Citi Travel portal, this benefit resetting each year and offering great value for its $95 annual fee. However, please remember that this credit only applies when booking single room rates through this platform and not package deals that combine hotel stays with airfare or car rentals.
Citi’s ThankYou Rewards program offers many airline and hotel transfer partners that could make this benefit extremely useful to some cardholders, while Citi Premier Card owners can pool points they earn with other cards in this same program to increase their earnings even further.
This card’s overall rewards earning potential is quite generous, offering three times points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations and air travel while giving one point on all other purchases – making it one of the more well-rounded cards in its category for people who spend frequently on dining out, entertainment or travel.
Citi Premier Card provides some solid travel benefits like purchase protection and extended warranty coverage at no cost, although it lacks some premium perks such as lounge access or TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credits. While its annual fee of $95 may seem steep compared to other cards in this category, its earnings and welcome offer should make offsetting it easier with frequent travel. While TPG has estimated its point valuation per cent as average for this category, redeeming these points through Citi Travel portal or transfer them could increase it significantly in value.
3. World Elite Mastercard Benefits
Citi Premier Card stands out among non-Mastercard alternatives by offering World Elite Mastercard features and benefits, such as cell phone protection that covers up to $600 of repair/replacement expenses (with certain limits in effect), discounted Fandango movie tickets and ID theft protection – not forgetting 24/7 Mastercard Global Services support should your card go missing or you need travel emergency assistance – plus $100 annual hotel discounts as well as access to their Luxury Hotels portfolio for on-property perks.
ThankYou points are a flexible reward currency similar to American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, enabling cardholders to redeem them for gifts such as airfare or gift cards; plus they can be pooled among Citi accounts for even greater flexibility. Furthermore, Citi offers welcome bonuses and spending categories bonuses which could earn extra points when combined together.
The Premier card offers 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel, hotels and you can transfer them directly to 16 airline partners for award flights. In addition, it comes equipped with additional perks such as extended warranty coverage and purchase protection – making it a solid option for travelers wanting a versatile travel credit card with high earning rates in common categories such as airfare. Unfortunately though, its $95 annual fee might seem steep if you already possess other cards that provide these features – meaning this card may not be the best fit for everyone.
4. Purchase Protection
When it comes to credit cards, finding one with robust consumer protections may provide maximum value. Citi Premier Card provides such features, including extended warranty protection and damage/theft coverage that provide extra peace of mind when spending large sums of money on major purchases.
However, this card lacks some of the more luxurious travel perks typically found on premium cards, such as status with airline and hotel loyalty programs or airport lounge access. However, its zero foreign transaction fees could make it a good option for international travelers.
Citi Premier Card sign-up bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 within three months is generous, offering three times earnings on two of the most popular travel categories: airfare and hotels. You can transfer Citi Premier points directly into many popular airline and hotel programs for easy transfer at a 1:1 ratio.
This card offers useful benefits, including cellphone protection and Global Emergency Services, monthly Lyft credits of $5 each month and free two-day shipping through ShopRunner. Furthermore, it extends the standard 90 day manufacturer’s warranty coverage by 2 years – an advantage over most competing cards.
Remember, however, that as with all Citi cards, this one carries some important rules and requirements. Citi generally limits you to opening one personal card every eight days or two within 65 days if you already received a sign-up bonus on one product within the past 48 months if these restrictions concern you; otherwise consider other Citi cards instead; provided you can responsibly spend at least $4,000 within three months while paying off your balance monthly, this card should be worth considering.
5. Extended Manufacturer’s Warranty
Citi Premier cards provide extended warranty protection that extends up to two additional years beyond what’s offered by Amex or Chase; their one-year extension falls short. In order to access this benefit, all purchases must be charged entirely on this credit card; additionally, Citi reserves the right to decide whether repairs or replacement are provided under its benefits guide.
Citi Premier Card benefits include cell phone protection and Global Emergency Services, a $5 Lyft credit when taking three rides within one month and free two-day shipping with ShopRunner membership – great perks when traveling abroad! Furthermore, foreign transaction fees are waived on purchases made with this card – another big plus when traveling.
Travel rewards with this card include three times points on airfare and hotels; standard spending earns one. Furthermore, Wyndham Rewards points may be transferred at 1:1 ratio or Choice Privileges points can be transferred at 1:2 ratio.
However, other cards offer more comprehensive travel benefits, including lost luggage protection and trip interruption coverage; the Citi Premier Card still boasts an extensive set of travel protections; however, travelers who rely heavily on credit card travel protections should explore alternatives.
