Citi ThankYou^® Preferred Card — Full Review [2024]

Great Card If

• You spend more time in restaurants than in your kitchen
• Your budget includes plenty of money for entertainment spending
• You have a large purchase to pay off
• You want to earn points without having to pay an annual fee

Don’t Get If

• You rarely eat out
• You want a card that earns big points for everyday spending
• You travel internationally

Welcome Bonus and Earning Categories

Unlike several other Citi credit cards, the Citi ThankYou Preferred card does not typically offer points as a welcome bonus. However, you do get an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers.

Using an intro APR is a great way to pay off a big purchase or a high-interest credit card without accumulating finance charges! After the initial period, the APR returns to normal rates (see the above card summary table).

With this card, you get 2x points on dining and entertainment and 1x points on other purchases. If you eat out a lot and enjoy going to movies, plays, sporting events, etc. then the points can really add up.

There is no limit to the number of points you can earn, and best of all they don’t expire.

Bottom Line: The Citi ThankYou Preferred Card offers an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers and earns 2x points for dining and entertainment and 1x everywhere else!

Other Citi ThankYou Preferred Card Benefits

One of the biggest benefits of the card is that it comes with no annual fee. In addition, you can add authorized users for free to rack up points for their purchases too.

The card also gives you some flexibility when it comes to paying your bill. You can choose to pay your bill on any available due date at the beginning, middle, or end of the month.

Traveling Internationally With the Card

If you want help making trip arrangements, purchasing tickets, and booking exclusive events, the Citi ThankYou Preferred card has your back. It comes with a 24/7 global concierge team to assist you.

An EMV chip is built into the card, which makes it easier to use (and more secure) overseas. Unfortunately, there is a 3% foreign transaction fee if you choose to so.

Best Way To Maximize Citi ThankYou Points

Getting the most out of your card is important. If you want to earn the most Citi ThankYou Points, check out the following tips:

Tip #1: The top strategy for accumulating points with the Citi ThankYou Preferred card is simple to use it for all your dining and entertainment spending since it earns 2x points.

Using the card for all of your monthly expenses will help you bank points faster.

Tip #2: Remember, entertainment is a huge category. You get 2x points for using your card at movie theaters, sporting events, tourist attractions, theatrical productions, record stores, and video stores.

Tip #3: Get extra points by putting the entire restaurant bill on your card when dining with friends or colleagues. Then they can pay you back with cash later!

Tip #4: There’s no additional fee for adding authorized users, which not all cards offer. Add users to the card so you can earn their points too.

Tip #5: You are allowed to combine ThankYou Points from multiple Citi credit cards. If you have points on other cards, move them all to one account so you can redeem them for bigger awards.

Tip #6: If you have canceled the card and a sign-up bonus reappears, make a note that you can sign up for the card again to take advantage of the bonus. However, you must follow the “18 Months Rule” when doing so.

Under this rule, you can only receive the sign-up bonus points if you have not opened or closed an account for the same card within the last 18 months.

In other words, if you closed your card account on January 1, 2023, you cannot open it again until July 2, 2024.

Best Way To Redeem Citi ThankYou Points

The Citi ThankYou Preferred card provides several opportunities for redeeming your ThankYou Points.

Tip #1: Unlike the Citi Prestige^® Card, you won’t get more value out of your points by booking flights through the ThankYou Travel Center. However, redeeming through the Travel Center allows you to combine cash and ThankYou Points to pay for your flight.

Plus, all flights paid for with ThankYou Points earn additional points based on the cost of the fare. So not only can you redeem points for a flight, but you also get more points!

Tip #2: Transfer ThankYou Points to an airline or hotel partner’s loyalty program to gain maximum value for your points.

Note that card members transfer points to JetBlue at a reduced rate from the Citi Prestige^® Card and Citi ThankYou^® Premier Card, which transfer at a 1:0.8 ratio.

Tip #3: Transfer ThankYou Points to the Hilton Honors loyalty program. You can earn free hotel stays in no time with the awards ratio: transfer 1,000 points and get 1,500 Hilton Honors Bonus Points.

Tip #4: Redeem ThankYou Points for merchandise and gift cards from top retailers. For example, pay for purchases at Amazon.com, Expedia.com, and Live Nation using your points.

You can even make purchases through the Best Buy app and Wonder app, and then receive statement credit to cover the cost within 24-48 hours.

Tip #5: With Citi ThankYou Online Billpay and a Citibank checking account, you can use your points to pay your monthly bills. If you don’t have enough points to cover the cost, you can combine points and cash instead.

Tip #6: Get credit for eligible purchases you already made using your card with Select and Credit. It includes categories like utilities, gas, groceries, clothing, dining, department stores, and more!

Tip #7: Donate money to worthy causes with PointWorthy. You can browse non-profits approved by the IRS before making a donation with your ThankYou Points. Even better, earn points for every dollar you donate using your card!

Alternatives to the Citi ThankYou Preferred Card

Other Citi cards have more spending categories to earn bonus points, but the Citi ThankYou Preferred card limits them to dining and entertainment.

Fortunately, dining and entertainment are broadly defined.

Dining includes fast-food and full-service restaurants, bars, and lounges. Entertainment covers live entertainment, amusement parks, zoos, and even streaming media like Spotify or Netflix.

However, if you want a card that earns mega-rewards for everyday spending, you may want to consider the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express.

HIGHEST CASH BACK

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card is great for those who want to earn cash-back with U.S. supermarkets, U.S. streaming subscriptions, transit, and U.S. gas stations.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

This card is great for those who want to earn cash-back with U.S. supermarkets, U.S. streaming subscriptions, transit, and U.S. gas stations.

Welcome Offer

Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

$250

Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

APR

18.49%-29.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express is a stellar cash-back credit card for those looking to maximize every purchase they make.

With bonus categories like U.S. supermarkets, select U.S. streaming services, U.S. gas stations, and transit purchases, this card rewards you for the items you spend the most on in a big way! For those looking to earn up to 6% cash-back on their purchases, this could be the card for you!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year)
• 6% cash-back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• 3% cash-back on U.S. gas stations and transit (including rideshares, parking, etc.)

Cons

• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee (rates and fees)

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
• Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It^® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
• Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 18.49% - 29.49%.
• 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
• 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
• 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations.
• 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
• 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
• Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
• $84 Disney Bundle Credit: With your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred Card, spend $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription, to receive a monthly statement credit of $7. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 18.49%-29.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

Rewards Center

Redeem cash-back through your American Express account

It has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95, but earns 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000, then 1%), 3% cash-back at U.S. gas stations, and 1% everywhere else (rates & fees).

In addition, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card typically has an intro APR offer as well as a cash-back welcome bonus.

Bottom Line: The Citi ThankYou Preferred card has no annual fee, but it doesn’t earn as high of rewards as the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express.