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Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card — Full Review [2023]

Name: Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card — Full Review [2023]
Item: Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card
Rating: 4
Author: Alex Miller

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"More points for those on the go."

Earn 2x points for dining out and entertainment, plus pay off balances with a intro APR. Use your points with Citi ThankYou transfer partners for travel rewards!

Alex Miller

- Updated: May 10, 2023, 7:02am CDT|

4Comments

The information for the Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

You prefer dining out to eating at home, hands down. You thrive on entertainment, whether it’s sporting events, concerts, or the movies.

In fact, you’d much rather spend your money on a baseball game than your credit card’s annual fees.

Luckily, you have the Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card in your wallet. Not only does it not have an annual fee, but it also comes with Citi Private Pass. That means special access to tickets for the best in live music, sports, and more!

Citi ThankYou Preferred card — Snapshot

Welcome Bonus & Info (Partner Content)
- Earn 15,000 bonus points after $1,000 in purchases made with your card in the first 3 months the account is open.*
- 0% intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 12 months. After that, the variable APR will be 14.24%-24.24% based upon your creditworthiness*
- There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.*
- 2 ThankYou® Points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants and entertainment
- 1 ThankYou® Point on other purchases
- Points earned with this card do not expire and there is no limit to the amount of points you can earn.
- Redeem ThankYou Points for merchandise, travel rewards and gift cards.
- No annual fee*
Card Categories:
Rewards Center
Citi ThankYou Rewards
Customer Service Number
888-248-4226
Login Link
https://online.citi.com

Great Card If

You spend more time in restaurants than 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

Citi ThankYou Preferred Card — Fees

Foreign Transaction Fees
3%
Interest Rates ?
- 0% intro APR for first 12 months
- After that, your APR will be 14.24% to 24.24%, based on your creditworthiness
Late fees ?
- Up to 29.99% Variable Penalty APR
Balance Transfers
- 0% intro APR for first 12 months
- $5 or 3% of each transfer (whichever is greater)
- After that, your APR will be 14.24% to 24.24%, based on your creditworthiness
Cash Advance APR
- $10 or 5% of each transfer (whichever is greater)
- 25.99% APR

The Ideal Cardholder

Sign-Up Bonus and Earning Categories

Unlike several other Citi credit cards, the Citi ThankYou Preferred card does not typically offer points as a sign-up bonus. However, you do get a 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 the normal rates (see 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 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 cancelled 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, 2016, you cannot open it again until July 2, 2017.

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!

Citi Airline & Hotel Transfer Partners

Citi Transfer Partner	Min Transfer	Transfer Ratio	Transfer Time
Aeromexico Club Premier	1,000	1:1	Almost Instantly
Air France / KLM Flying Blue	1,000	1:1	Almost Instantly
ALL - Accor Live Limitless	1,000	2:1	Almost Instantly
Avianca Airlines Lifemiles	1,000	1:1	Almost Instantly
Cathay Pacific	1,000	1:1	Almost Instantly
Choice Privileges	1,000	1:2	Almost Instantly
Emirates Skywards	1,000	1:1	Almost Instantly
Etihad Airways	1,000	1:1	Almost Instantly
EVA Air	1,000	1:1	2 Days
JetBlue Airways	1,000	1:1	Almost Instantly
Qantas Airways	1,000	1:1	Almost Instantly
Qatar Airways	1,000	1:1	2 Days
Singapore Airlines	1,000	1:1	2 Days
Thai Airways	1,000	1:1	4 Days
Turkish Airlines	1,000	1:1	Almost Instantly
Virgin Atlantic	1,000	1:1	Almost Instantly
Wyndham Rewards	1,000	1:1	Within 24 Hours

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.

It has a $95 annual fee (after an introductory year of $0; see rates and fees), 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.

In addition, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express typically has an intro APR offer as well as a cash-back sign up 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.

Featured Image Credit: Citi

Frequently asked questions

What are the Citi ThankYou Preferred card benefits?

The card does not typically have a sign-up bonus. However, it does include an intro APR for new cardholders. You can earn points and utilize them in the Citi Travel Center or transfer them to airline or hotel partners.

You also get access to Citi Private Pass, Citi Cards with Apple Pay.

Does the Citi ThankYou Preferred card have an annual fee?

No. There is no annual fee with the card.

How do I earn points with Citi ThankYou Preferred card?

Cardmembers earn 2x points for dining and entertainment purchases and 1x for all other spending.

How do I redeem Citi ThankYou Preferred card points?

All points can be redeemed through the Citi ThankYou Rewards program. You can choose from travel, gift cards, merchandise, and more.

Do Citi ThankYou Preferred card points have an expiration date?

Citi ThankYou Points never expire as long as you have your card open and in good standing.

Can I use the Citi ThankYou Preferred card to get airline credit?

There are two ways you can use your ThankYou Points for airline travel. You can book flights directly through the Citi ThankYou Travel Reward Center, or transfer points to participating airline loyalty programs.

Which is better, the Citi ThankYou Preferred card or the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express?

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express 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.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express does have a $95 annual fee after your first year, but you typically get sign-up bonus cash-back. For the Blue Cash Preferred Card's rates and fees, click here.

In contrast, the Citi ThankYou Preferred card earns 2x points in dining and entertainment and 1x points everywhere else, and has no annual fee (but also no sign-up bonus typically).

It can also transfer points to travel partners, which often boosts the power of points to $0.02 or more.

About Alex Miller

Alex has been traveling for over 25 years and from a young age was lucky enough to set out on numerous family trips all over the world, which gave him the travel bug. Alex has since earned tens of millions of travel points and miles, mainly through maximizing every opportunity to earn the most points possible on each dollar spent.

Rob June 13, 2019
Thanks for the good review. I am considering this card to supplement the Prestige card for 2x entertainment points plus since it is no fee. Most Citi cards have a great benefit that is seldom mentioned – “Event Ticket Protection”, which is insurance to refund tickets if you cannot make the event for specific reasons. I am probably spending more on group concert and sports tickets these days than travel. I save a lot of money not buying online ticket insurance. Does this card have ‘Event Ticket Protection” benefit?
Thanks.
-Rob-
- Jarrod West June 22, 2019
  Hi Rob,
  The Citi ThankYou Preferred card has been discontinued and is no longer being offered to new customers. However, the Citi Premier card offers 2x on entertainment purchases, as well as Event Ticket Protection.
  You can read more about the card details here: https://upgradedpoints.com/credit-cards/reviews/citi-thankyou-premier-card/
  - Jack February 4, 2023
    If we already have the card, it will still keep giving these rewards, correct?
    - Jarrod West February 9, 2023
      Hi Jack,
      Yes, if you already have the keep earning rewards.

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Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card — Full Review [2023]

Citi ThankYou Preferred card — Snapshot

Great Card If

Don't Get If

Citi ThankYou Preferred Card — Fees