Citi — a finder.com advertising partner — is one of the largest credit card issuers in the United States, offering almost 20 cards, most of them travel products. The best Citi credit cards are those that offer the biggest rewards or most travel perks for your specific financial and travel needs. Finder’s credit card experts reviewed all of these cards and compared them against one another based on several factors, including the value they offer versus their annual fee, additional card features and APRs. We’ve ranked the 8 best Citi credit cards based on our comparisons to help you make the right choice for your financial needs.
Why trust us? Unlike our competitors, Finder’s credit card experts research and write about all credit cards, including those from providers who aren’t partners on our site. Our trustworthy, unbiased evaluations are solely meant to help you choose the best credit card for your financial needs.
The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card has long been the balance transfer card of choice for long intro periods. Though the card doesn't have the longest intro period available as of January 2021, the simplicity of the card, lack of annual fee and opportunity for intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers means this card should remain high on your list for balance transfer cards.
Intro APR for purchases and balance transfers. Get a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for an impressive 18 months after account opening, then 14.74% to 24.74% variable after that. You'll also get a 0% intro APR on purchases for 18 months following your account opening. After the intro period passes, your rate reverts to an APR between 14.74% to 24.74% variable.
No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee to use this card.
No rewards. The card is excellent for saving money on interest, but you won't earn any rewards on your purchases.
No signup bonus. There's no bonus to earn upon signup.
Annual Fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 18 months (then 14.74% to 24.74% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 18 months (then 14.74% to 24.74% variable)
Though it lost some of its shine thanks to stiffer competition through 2020, the Citi® Double Cash Card remains no-annual-fee favorite for cash back. Earning 2% back your purchases is still higher than the industry average for flat-rate cards, and you'll often find an intro APR on balance transfers with this card.
Intro APR: 0% on balance transfers for 18 months after account opening. After that, your balance transfer APR will be 13.99% to 23.99% variable.
Rewards: Superb cash back. Earn Up to 2% cash back on purchases (1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay).
No intro APR period on purchases. You don't get to save money with a 0% intro APR period on purchases.
No signup bonus. There's no bonus to earn when you signup for the card.
Annual Fee
$0
Purchase APR
13.99% to 23.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 18 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
Welcome offer
N/A
Rewards
Up to 2% cash back on purchases (1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay)
Signup bonus: 60,000 bonus ThankYou Points. To earn them, spend $4,000 in purchases within the first three months of opening your account. These points are worth $750 in airfare when you redeem them through the ThankYou Travel Center.
Rewards: Wide variety of rewards. 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, flights and hotels. And earn 1x points on all other purchases.
Points transfers. Transfer your points to airline and hotel loyalty programs such as TrueBlue and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
Annual fee. You'll pay an annual fee of $95.
No intro APR period. With this card, you won't get a intro APR period on purchases or balance transfers.
Annual Fee
$95
Purchase APR
15.99% to 23.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
15.99% to 23.99% variable
Welcome offer
60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, flights and hotels and 1x points on everything else
This is an excellent all-around cashback product, provided you don't mind (or even prefer) receiving your rewards in the form of Costco statement credits. Notably, it earns 4% back on gas, which is as high as you'll find on a non-travel rewards card that doesn't feature rotating categories.
Annual fee: None with your paid Costco membership.
Rewards: Great cash back for several categories. Earn 4% cash back on your first $7,000 in eligible gas purchases (then 1%), 3% back on restaurant and travel purchases, 2% back on Costco and Costco.com purchases and 1% back on all other purchases.
No foreign transaction fees. Use this card freely online with foreign merchants or abroad and you won't pay any foreign transaction fees.
Limited reward redemption. You can only redeem your rewards once every year.
No intro APR period. There's no 0% intro APR period on purchases or balance transfer, or a 0% deferred interest on Costco purchases.
Annual Fee
$0
Purchase APR
15.24% variable
Balance transfer APR
15.24% variable
Welcome offer
N/A
Rewards
4% at gas stations on up to $7,000 annually (then 1%), 3% at restaurants and on travel, 2% at Costco and 1% on all other purchases
There isn't another rewards card on the market quite like the Citi Rewards+â„ Card. That's because rewards earned with this card will be rounded up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase. This makes it a phenomenal card for racking up points on small, numerous purchases.
Rewards: Best for gas and groceries. Earn 2x points at gas stations and supermarkets. This applies to the first $6,000 in qualifying purchases per calendar year, after which you will earn 1x points.
Rounding gets you more points. Your points will be rounded up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase.
A good intro APR. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months after account opening, then 13.49% to 23.49% variable.
Foreign transaction fees. Because of the 3% foreign transaction fee, this may not be a good card to us with foreign merchants abroad or online.
Penalty APR. If you miss a payment, Citi may impose a penalty APR of up to 29.99% variable.
Annual Fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.49% to 23.49% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.49% to 23.49% variable)
Welcome offer
Earn 15,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
Earn 2x points at supermarkets and gas stations on up to $6,000 annually, then 1x points after that and on all other purchases
Best for premium travel Citi Prestige® Credit Card
The Citi Prestige® Credit Card is Citi's luxury travel card offering great rewards on air travel and restaurants. If you're looking for luxury perks, this is your Citi card of choice, as it offers a sizeable annual travel credit and other premium benefits such as airport lounge access and opportunities for free nights. For the price, however, you'll want to weigh this card against other luxury offerings such as the Platinum Card from American Express.
Signup bonus: 50,000 bonus points. You will earn these points after you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.
Rewards: Best for air travel and restaurants. Earn 5x points on air travel and restaurants. Earn 3x points on hotels and cruise lines. And earn 1x points on all other purchases.
Premium travel benefits. Get complimentary Priority Pass Select, a $250 annual travel credit and a credit for your Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee. Also, get your fourth night free when you book a stay of four consecutive nights through ThankYou.com. This benefit is capped at twice each calendar year.
Annual fee. The card costs $495 each year.
No intro APR period. There's no 0% intro APR period on purchases or balance transfers with this card.
Annual Fee
$495
Purchase APR
16.99% to 23.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
16.99% to 23.99% variable
Welcome offer
50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
Now, through December 2021, supermarket and restaurant packages will also count towards the $250 Travel Credit
Rewards
5x points on flights and dining, 3x points on hotels and cruises and 1x points on all other purchases
The Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® perhaps the best American Airlines credit card available at the moment thanks to the value it brings versus the price. It allows you to earn a generous signup bonus and solid miles on your purchases without putting a strain on your wallet.
AAdvantage miles. Earn 2x miles on your American Airlines purchases, at restaurants and at gas stations, and 1x miles on all other purchases.
Signup bonus. Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,500 within your first 3 months of card membership.
Flight discount. Earn an annual $125 American Airlines flight discount after you spend $20,000 or more with your card every year.
Annual fee. During the first year you won't pay an annual fee, but starting from the second, you'll pay a $99 each year.
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($99 thereafter)
Purchase APR
15.99% to 24.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
15.99% to 24.99% variable
Welcome offer
50,000 miles after spending $2,500 in the first 3 months
Rewards
2x miles on eligible American Airlines purchases, at gas stations and restaurants and 1x miles on all other purchases
The information about Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard® has been collected independently by Finder and and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
How to apply for a Citibank card
Select your favorite Citi card above and click Apply now to start the application process. Alternatively, you can go to the Citibank website and click View all credit cards to browse your options. After reviewing the card, you can click Learn more and apply to begin. Before you apply, check that you meet the eligibility requirements and have the required information on hand.
Eligibility criteria
You must be at least 18 years old.
Information you’ll need
To complete the application, you’ll need to provide information that includes:
Your name and residential address.
Your Social Security number.
Your email address, phone number and date of birth.
Financial information like your annual income and income source.
Once approved, you can activate your Citi card online, by phone or through the Citi mobile app.
How many Citi cards can I have?
You can have as many Citi credit cards as you can get approval for. But there is an 8/65/95 rule to keep in mind.
In essence, this rule says you can apply for your second Citi card eight days after you applied for your first card. After that, you have to wait 65 days to apply for your third card. The number 95 means you have to wait at least 95 days between Citi business credit card applications.
Is this the same as the Citi-48-month rule?
No. The Citi 48-month rule is a policy that restricts you from gaining the signup bonus from a card more than once within a 48-month period. Not all cards are affected, so check out the full 48-month rules for more information.
Can I prequalify for a Citi credit card?
Yes, Citi gives you the option to prequalify for a card without a hard pull on your credit. All you have to do is visit Citi’s prequalification page, fill out the form and wait to receive your offer.
Once you choose your card and apply for it, Citi will do a hard pull on your credit.
Not seeing something on our best list that grabs your attention? Want a side-by-side look at all of Citibank’s credit card options? Select your credit score below and click Show cards to start comparing all of Citibank’s credit card products.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
Citi has plenty of great card options, so you might find choosing one a little tough. To narrow down the best choice for your wallet, you’ll want to look into a few factors:
Consider your existing debt. Citi boasts three cards with long intro APRs of 18 months or more on balance transfers. If you want to consolidate your existing debt and pay it off within that intro period interest free, you’ll want to check out these balance transfer options.
Review your typical spending. You have a few solid reward options available to you through Citi, so pick a card that will earn you the most rewards on your specific spending habits. And if your spending is more spread out over various categories, the Citi® Double Cash Card is a great flat cash back pick.
Look for appealing travel perks. If you travel frequently, Citi has a few solid options to choose from when it comes to additional perks and features. Citi is the go-to provider for American Airlines cobranded credit cards, including favorites like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard. You can also consider the Expedia cards for a more general travel card option.
Look at the credit requirements. Several of Citi’s cards require a good or excellent credit score to qualify. If you need help building your credit score, the Citi Secured MasterCard is a good choice, as you can apply with a poor or no credit score, make a security deposit and start building your credit.
Types of Citi cards
Check out each of our Citi credit card guides if you’re on the hunt for a specific type of Citi credit card.
Unlike other card providers that specialize in cards for building credit, Citi doesn’t offer a credit card specifically for those with bad credit.
Instead, Citi offers a secured card for those who are new to credit. It’s an excellent card with a $0 annual fee, free access to your FICO score and it reports to all three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. With timely payments, you can boost your credit score.
If your credit is severely damaged, you might have a better chance of qualifying for a secured card from a different bank.
Typical features and benefits of a Citibank card
Rewards. Most Citibank products offer rewards. Exceptions include balance transfer cards and the bank’s secured credit card.
No annual fee or waived first-year fee. Several Citibank cards offer no annual fee. If you want a powerful travel card but aren’t sure you want to pay an annual fee, try a card that waives the fee for the first year.
Ongoing APR between 13% and 25% variable. With strong credit, you may qualify for an ongoing APR near the bottom of this range. With weaker credit, you may get a relatively high APR around 26% variable.
Signup bonus. Many Citibank cards offer signup bonuses. Exceptions include products like the Citi® Double Cash Card and the bank’s balance transfer cards.
How does Citibank keep my credit card information secure?
Citibank uses advanced technology to keep your information safe online and on mobile. It deploys 128-bit SSL encryption to secure the information you transmit, as well as an SSL certificate that helps you confirm you’re on the correct website. Additionally, the bank uses two-step verification if it needs to confirm your identity.
Through the Quick Lock feature, you can lock your card if you misplace it. Just use the Citi Mobile App or log in to your account on the Citibank website.
The bank also offers $0 liability protection on unauthorized transactions. It attempts to stop fraud before it happens through 24/7 monitoring and suspicious-activity alerts through phone, text, email or mail.
Alternatives to Citibank credit cards
Citi isn’t the only provider to look at if you want high-level cards. For example, American Express, Discover, or Chase are a few other examples of providers that offer the same breadth of quality and variety as Citi.
First, lock your card with Citi Quick Lock. Then call 1-800-950-5114 to report your lost card. Citibank will cancel your current account, then issue you a new account number and credit card.
To cancel your Citi card online you have to chat with a Citi representative. This may not always work, in which case you’ll need to call in to cancel.
Megan Horner is the credit cards publisher at Finder. She's passionate about helping you find the best credit cards to meet your financial needs — whether that's earning great rewards or improving your credit score. Megan's expertise has been spotlighted on Lifehacker, CreditCards.com, American Banker and featured on news broadcasts across the country.
Pre-qualification for Citi credit cards can give you a much better sense of your approval odds. It can also give you card recommendations you didn’t expect.
If you can’t get enough of Best Buy, applying for the My Best Buy Credit Card is easy. The only catch is you can’t choose which card you qualify for.
I would like to cancel my credit card account, but it is not yet activated. Can you cancel an account without activating it first? I got the card in hopes to transfer a balance off another card but decided against it and I no longer need it.
You can surely cancel your credit card anytime. However, just because you didn’t activate the card doesn’t change the fact that you applied and was approved for a line a credit. You can do that with a phone call to the credit issuer. But just be aware that if it has helped your score go up because it broadened your credit utilization ratio, your scores will likely drop once you lose that credit line. But don’t worry too much about that as you can hike it back up by deleting any debt you’re carrying elsewhere and make sure to always pay your creditors on time.
Please send me a message if you need anything else. :)
Legally, no one can get a credit card on their own unless they’re at least 18 years old. Anyone under 18 can only be an authorized user on someone else’s — for example, their parents’ — account. You may check on credit card options for your teen.
If you are referring to offers from Citi, they have the Citi Thank You Preferred Card for College Students, in which the minimum age requirement is for the applicant to be at least 18 years of age and is currently an enrolled college student.
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I would like to cancel my credit card account, but it is not yet activated. Can you cancel an account without activating it first? I got the card in hopes to transfer a balance off another card but decided against it and I no longer need it.
Hi Nicole,
Thanks for leaving a question on finder.
You can surely cancel your credit card anytime. However, just because you didn’t activate the card doesn’t change the fact that you applied and was approved for a line a credit. You can do that with a phone call to the credit issuer. But just be aware that if it has helped your score go up because it broadened your credit utilization ratio, your scores will likely drop once you lose that credit line. But don’t worry too much about that as you can hike it back up by deleting any debt you’re carrying elsewhere and make sure to always pay your creditors on time.
Please send me a message if you need anything else. :)
Cheers,
Joel
Is my 16 year old eligible to apply for a credit card with or without me as a consignor?
Hi Cherylee,
Thanks for reaching out.
Legally, no one can get a credit card on their own unless they’re at least 18 years old. Anyone under 18 can only be an authorized user on someone else’s — for example, their parents’ — account. You may check on credit card options for your teen.
If you are referring to offers from Citi, they have the Citi Thank You Preferred Card for College Students, in which the minimum age requirement is for the applicant to be at least 18 years of age and is currently an enrolled college student.
Best Regards,
Joanne