Best for automatic bonus category

Apply now
On Citi's secure site
Rewards rate
  • 5% Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter.
  • 1% Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Intro offer
$200 
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
15.49% - 25.49% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

Best for 0% intro APR offers and no late fee

Apply now
On Citi's secure site
Rewards rate

N/A

Intro offer
N/A
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
16.24% - 26.24% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

Best overall cash back card

Apply now
On Citi's secure site
Rewards rate
  • 2% Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
Intro offer
N/A
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
15.49% - 25.49% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

Best balance transfer card

Apply now
On Citi's secure site
Rewards rate

N/A

Intro offer
N/A
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
15.24% - 25.24% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

Best for pairing with other Citi credit cards

Apply now
On Citi's secure site
Rewards rate
  • 5X For a limited time, earn 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent at restaurants up to $6,000 in the first 12 months and 1 ThankYou® Point per $1 spent thereafter.
  • 2X Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter.
  • 1X Earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
Intro offer
20,000 points 
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
14.99% - 24.99% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

Best for travel rewards on everyday purchases

Apply now
On Citi's secure site
Rewards rate
  • 3X Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
  • 3X Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
  • 1X Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Intro offer
80,000 points 
Annual fee
$95
Regular APR
17.49% - 25.49% (Variable)
Recommended credit
Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

Best for building credit

Apply now
On Citi's secure site
Rewards rate

N/A

Intro offer
N/A
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
23.99% (Variable)
Recommended credit
No Credit History 

The information about the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.


Bankrate’s picks for best Citi credit cards of 2022

Card Name Best For Annual Fee Rewards Highlights Bankrate Review Score
Citi Custom Cash Card Best for automatic bonus category $0 5% cash back in top eligible spending category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent and then 1% 4.4 / 5
(Read full card review)
Citi Simplicity Card Best for intro APR offers and no late fee $0 N/A 3.5 / 5
(Read full card review)
Citi Double Cash Card Best overall cash back card $0 Up to 2% cash back (1% at time of purchase, then 1% at time of payment) on all purchases 3.5 / 5
(Read full card review)
Citi Diamond Preferred Card Best balance transfer card $0 N/A 3.7 / 5
(Read full card review)
Citi Rewards+ Card Best for pairing with other Citi credit cards $0 2X ThankYou® Points at supermarkets and gas stations (for the first $6,000/year, then 1 point per $1), and 1 point on all other purchases 3.4/ 5
(Read full card review)
Citi Premier Card Best for travel rewards on everyday purchases $95 3X ThankYou Points per $1 on restaurant, supermarket, gas station, hotel and air travel purchases; 1X Points on all other purchases 4.0 / 5
(Read full card review)
Citi Secured Mastercard Best for building credit $0 ($200–$2,500 security deposit required) N/A 3.0/ 5
(Read full card review)
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® Best for American Airlines flyers $99 (waived first 12 months) 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations, restaurants and on eligible American Airlines purchases 4.1 / 5
(Read full card review)

A closer look at our top Citibank credit cards

Citi Custom Cash Card: Best for automatic bonus category

  • What we love about the Citi Custom Cash Card: Earning a high level of cash back is a relatively easy feat with this card since it automatically adjusts to your highest eligible spend category per billing cycle and awards you 5 percent back on up to $500 (then 1 percent). For example, if you spend the most on groceries, you can earn at least $25 back.
  • Who this card is good for: If you’re seeking a lucrative cash back card with a simple rewards structure, this is the card for you.
  • Alternatives: The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers a solid alternative for consumers who love almost everything about the Citi Custom Cash, but want a simpler welcome bonus. Freedom Flex cardholders also get a $200 bonus, but it comes in the form of a statement credit, unlike the Custom Cash, with which you’d have to redeem ThankYou points. The Freedom Flex is also a bit easier to obtain because the spending requirement is only $500 within the first three months of account opening, whereas the Custom Cash requirement is $750 within the first three months of account opening.

Read our full Citi Custom Cash Card review.

Jump back to offer details.

Citi Simplicity Card: Best for intro APR offers and no late fee

  • What we love about the Citi Simplicity Card: Cardholders will get one of the longest introductory APR periods on balance transfers available on the market. They’ll also skip late fees and penalty APRs with late payments (late payments still negatively impact your credit score).
  • Who this card is good for: Someone looking to build better credit habits and pay off credit card debt. If you’re having trouble learning to manage your credit effectively, this card has consumer-friendly terms that can help.
  • Alternatives: If you want to stick with Citi, but are hoping to earn more rewards, the Citi Double Cash offers an alternative. Citi Double Cash cardholders will earn an unlimited 2 percent cash back on all purchases, 1 percent when you buy and 1 percent when you make a card payment.

Read our full Citi Simplicity Card review.

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Citi Double Cash Card: Best for overall Citi cash back card

  • What we love about the Citi Double Cash Card: This card provides cardholders with a solid cash back rate and impressive security perks. The Citi lost wallet service ensures that a card that is lost or stolen will be replaced within 24 hours. Citi will also provide you with emergency cash should you need it in the meantime.
  • Who this card is good for: The Citi Double Cash is best for simple cash back seekers who always pay off their balances. This card doesn’t come equipped with many perks, but it will give cardholders the chance to earn pretty solid rewards.
  • Alternatives: If you were hoping to snag a cash reward welcome bonus with your credit card and were disappointed with the Citi Double Cash, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a good second choice. Cardholders will get a $200 cash reward after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening.

Read our full Citi Double Cash Card review.

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Citi Diamond Preferred Card: Best balance transfer card

  • What we love about the Citi Diamond Preferred Card: This card touts a long APR period for both purchases and balance transfers. It can be valuable for anyone looking to make a large purchase or pay down debt.
  • Who this card is good for: Anyone who wants to save on interest payments. With the long introductory APR period, cardholders can carry a balance for 21 months without being charged any interest (then 15.24 percent to 25.24 percent variable thereafter).
  • Alternatives: If you were considering the Citi Diamond Preferred card to complete a balance transfer then the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card might be a good alternative. The reflect also skips the annual fee, and provides cardholders with a long balance transfer period  18 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers (up to 21 months with on-time minimum payments during the intro period). The Reflect, however, follows up the  introductory balance transfer period with a slightly lower APR (14.49 percent to 26.49 percent variable APR).

Read our full Citi Diamond Preferred Card review.

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Citi Rewards+ Card: Best for pairing with other Citi credit cards

  • What we love about the Citi Rewards+ Card: Cardholders will get standard rewards card features plus, rewards are rounded up to the nearest 10 points on purchases.
  • Who this card is good for: Someone with another Citi card looking to make the most of their rewards. For example, a traveler will likely want to pair this card with a card like the Citi Premier® Card to maximize its rewards.
  • Alternatives: The Citi Premier Card also works as a good alternative to the Citi Rewards+ Card. You’ll get a wider variety of rewards categories, and it’s particularly lucrative for frequent travelers and foodies.

Read our full Citi Rewards+ Card review.

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Citi Premier Card: Best for travel rewards on everyday purchases

  • What we love about the Citi Premier Card: The bonus categories reward major spending categories—supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and dinings—at the same rate of 3X points, a rare feature in a rewards credit card.
  • Who this card is good for: Travelers who want to earn on everyday spending at the same rate they earn on air travel and hotel purchases
  • Alternatives: If the bulk of your spending falls outside of traditional categories and you still want to earn, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a solid alternative. Capital One Venture Rewards cardholders will earn 5X miles on rental cars and hotels booked through Capital One Travel and 2X miles on everything else.

Read our full Citi Premier Card review.

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Citi Secured Mastercard: Best for building credit

  • What we love about the Citi Secured Mastercard: You’ll get the standard credit-building tools, plus a higher-than-average credit limit compared to other secured credit cards.
  • Who this card is good for: People working on their credit. This is an easily accessible card meant to help people with lower scores build up their credit.
  • Alternatives: It’s rare that a secured credit card earns substantial rewards, but if you were hoping to find one that does, consider the Discover it® Secured Credit Card. Discover it Secured cardholders will earn 2 percent cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1 percent. Plus, it earns unlimited 1 percent cash back on all other purchases.

Read our full Citi Secured Mastercard review.

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Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard: Best for frequent American Airline Flyers

  • What we love about the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard: For occasional travelers, this middle-of-the-road card offers solid perks and a respectable welcome bonus. Get 50,000 miles when you spend $2,500 within the first three months of account opening. Plus, with the MileSAAver discount, you’ll receive up to a 7,500-mile, round-trip discount for flights over 500 miles.
  • Who this card is good for: Occasional travelers who prefer to fly American Airlines. Though this card has less substantial rewards than other similar cards, its low annual fee of $99 (waived for the first 12 months) and hefty welcome bonus make it a great pick for people who only fly occasionally and want to earn rewards for their travel purchases.
  • Alternatives: For more serious travelers who want to get more from their American Airlines credit card—like lounge access around the world and a $100 application fee for Global TSA Precheck—the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is an excellent choice.

Read our full Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard review.


What is Citi?

Since launching its first credit card in 1967, when it was called First National City Bank, Citi has become a global bank specializing in investments, mortgages and credit cards. It’s also the largest credit card issuer in the world, with more than 138 million accounts.

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Bankrate insight
You can use multiple Citi credit cards to maximize your ThankYou Points earning potential. Read our full guide on the Citi trifecta and how to use it.

Pros and cons of Citi credit cards

Pros

  • Variety of types of cards: Cardholders have access to cash back cards, travel cards, student cards, balance transfer cards and more.
  • Variety of rewards options: Rewards spending categories for select cards include gas, travel, dining, supermarkets and more at both tiered and flat rates.
  • Sign-up bonuses: Several Citi cards have decent sign-up bonuses and there are plenty of no annual fee options.
  • Savings: Introductory 0 percent APR offers on purchases and balance transfers with select cards.
  • Pairing Citi cards increases rewards potential: There are plenty of opportunities to pair cards to maximize value.

Cons

  • Credit score requirements: Most options require good credit or better (FICO Score above 670).
  • Foreign transaction fees: Some cards charge a foreign transaction fee of 3 percent.
  • Value of rewards varies: The value of Citi ThankYou Points can vary considerably between cards.
  • Limited options for beginners: Cardholders focused on building credit won’t have many options with Citi.
  • Limited cardholder protections: Limited availability of travel and shopping protection.

Who should get a Citibank credit card?

Citibank offers a robust lineup of credit cards. Here are some types of consumers who can benefit the most from owning a Citibank credit card.

Still unsure if a Citi credit card is right for you? Check out our Credit Card Spender Type Tool where you can get personalized credit card recommendations based on your credit score, spending habits and daily needs.

How to choose a Citi credit card

Prior to applying for a credit card from any issuer, it’s essential to consider your spending habits, your current financial situation and what you’re interested in getting out of the card. The questions below should help narrow down your options in choosing a Citi card:

What are Citi ThankYou Points?

The ThankYou rewards program is similar to most credit card loyalty programs, allowing cardholders to earn ThankYou Points by making eligible purchases. Cardholders can redeem points for travel, gift cards, statement credits and more.

Here are some notable ThankYou Points features available with certain Citi credit cards:

  • With the Citi Rewards+ Card every purchase is rounded up to the nearest 10 points. This feature makes a $6 coffee worth 10 points rather than six.
  • The Citi Premier Card earns 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels and earns 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

For more information, see our Citi ThankYou Points guide.

How to redeem Citi rewards points

You can redeem Citi ThankYou points for a variety of things, including gift cards, merchandise and other non-travel related purchases, but the bulk of the value is housed in transferring points to a Citi ThankYou rewards transfer partner.

Bear in mind that there are two types of points earned with Citi credit cards: basic Citi ThankYou points and “full-fledged” Citi ThankYou points. The main difference between the two is that you cannot transfer basic ThankYou points to travel partners, while you can with full-fledged points. You can, however, still redeem basic points for travel through Citi.

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Bankrate insight
Citibank serves approximately 200 million customers in 160 nations worldwide, making it one of the largest financial institutions in the world.

Citi cardholder benefits

Virtually all credit cards work the same way when you make transactions, but your experience as a cardholder can vary greatly based on the type of card you have and the credit card’s issuer. Nearly 181 million Americans have at least one credit card, and each of the major credit card issuers offers a wide range of credit options to suit different consumer needs. With so many credit card options available, you may be wondering why you should consider getting a Citi credit card. From credit protections to travel benefits Citi offers several cardholder benefits meant to improve the cardholder experience:

Citi Quick Lock

With Citi Quick Lock you can block new purchases and cash advances—while your recurring transactions continue without being disrupted. If your card is ever lost, you can protect your account without having to cancel and get a new card number. If you find your card, you can unlock it by signing on to your Citi app or Citi online.

Citi Concierge

Citi is helping cardholders travel with ease with Citi Concierge. Cardholders have access to professionals who will help you find everything you need to make your travel experience enjoyable. They’ll help you find everything from restaurants—for dining in or ordering out—to grocery stores and pharmacies.

Virtual Account numbers

For consumers, virtual account numbers provide more privacy and protect cardholders against fraud and theft. Citi is one of the two major U.S. credit card issuers that provide cardholders with a virtual account number to use when making online purchases.

How we choose the best credit cards from Citi

Bankrate's personal finance experts have evaluated the top Citi cards according to our 5-star rating system. Our list of criteria for rating credit cards includes:

Rewards

Whether the card offers cash back, travel points/miles or multi-purpose rewards for eligible purchases and the potential returns based on rewards rate (1 percent cash back per $1 spent, 1 mile per $1 spent, and so on).

Perks and benefits

Whether the card offers extras such as retail discounts, extended warranties on purchases, travel insurance and financial management tools.

Annual fee

Whether the card charges an annual fee and if so, how much the card's overall value and benefits might offset the fee.

Introductory offers

Whether the card has a sign-up bonus, welcome offer or similar sign-up incentive and how much it adds to the card's overall value.

Variable APR

How the card's annual percentage rate (APR) compares with current averages as an indicator of cost and value.

Foreign transaction fee

Whether the card charges a foreign transaction fee for international purchases and how the fee affects the card's overall value.


Have more questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.

Frequently asked questions about Citi credit cards

about the author
As a staff writer for Bankrate and CreditCards.com, Sarah offers sound advice that will improve your financial life and help simplify topics like travel hacking and credit card rewards.
about the editor
Courtney Mihocik is an editor at Bankrate Credit Cards and CreditCards.com specializing in credit card news and personal finance advice. Previously, she led insurance content at Reviews.com and worked as the loans editor at The Simple Dollar.

* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.