Thinking of Getting the Citi Premier Card? Read This Review First

Citi Premier Card is an ideal travel rewards card with a reasonable annual fee, offering travelers valuable welcome bonuses and an annual hotel savings benefit of $100. However, other cards provide greater luxury travel benefits.

TPG estimates that the 60,000 bonus points earned through spending during the first three months are worth around $1,080 and feature excellent transfer partners and categories that allow for generous expansion opportunities.

Sign-up Bonus

This card’s signup bonus may not compare with that of its competitors, but it still makes an attractive choice for those seeking an accessible rewards card. With benefits like an annual hotel credit and the 3% transfer bonus (explained here) offsetting its high annual fee.

Citi is unique in that when applying for a credit card with them, they only pull one credit bureau when reviewing an application – though this may slow down approval processes somewhat, it won’t impact your score adversely and they should notify you within one week of their decision.

Citi Premier card stands out from its competition by offering not only an impressive signup bonus but also generous airline and hotel transfer partners, helping maximize the value of your points when redeeming them through the Citi Travel portal. Furthermore, it features numerous prepaid travel cards that make earning rewards easier for travel expenses.

Citibank credit cards also come with other useful rewards, including special Citi merchant offers that offer discounts on travel, dining, and entertainment purchases – such as concert presales or unique experiences – which can save a great deal of money. In some instances, Citi has even provided gift cards to cardholders who spend a certain amount during a specific period!

The Citi Premier Card may have its downsides, but it remains an excellent choice for anyone who seeks an accessible rewards card that pays well across categories. With generous signup bonuses and a $100 annual hotel credit as advantages, its high annual fee can easily be offset.

Transfer Partners

Citi provides its cardholders with access to several airline and hotel transfer partners, making the card an ideal option for frequent travelers. Airline miles tend to be among the most valuable redemption options, and Citi’s partners provide outsized value compared to industry standards of 1 cent per point redeemed.

Citi’s loyalty program also offers several hotel transfer partners, including Choice Privileges and Wyndham Rewards, that offer good redemption values to cardholders by transferring points into the program offering them the greatest benefit for their trip. Furthermore, these partners typically make award seats available first to members of their own loyalty programs.

Conversely, many cards in its category offer 0% APR on new purchases and balance transfers for an initial period after opening an account. Unfortunately, however, Citi Premier Card doesn’t feature either offer and therefore you won’t be able to take advantage of either offer if you carry a balance. Furthermore, there are no luxury travel perks such as lounge access or travel statement credit available here either; therefore, it would make an ideal option for people who prefer keeping spending low while needing versatile rewards cards without an annual fee commitment.

Citi cardholders can redeem their points for airline and hotel travel through an online portal provided by Citi, car rentals, dining and entertainment are also possible with Citi points. Plus, they have access to special discounts like concert presales and exclusive experiences, as well as concierge experts available 24/7 who will help plan and book trips!

Citi Premier Card is an ideal choice for travelers seeking a high welcome bonus, numerous airline and hotel transfers, and category bonuses on everyday spending. However, some may find its lack of travel protections a dealbreaker; there are numerous other excellent cards which provide comparable benefits.

Annual Fees

The Citi Premier Card comes with an annual fee of $95 and is the perfect card for travel rewards collectors looking to gain points that can be transferred directly to airline partners. In addition, its low foreign transaction fees (which can reach up to 3%) help save on foreign transaction costs that otherwise would total 3-4% on other cards; its three times points on air travel, hotels, gas stations and supermarkets (https://www.latimes.com/compare-deals/credit-cards/instant-approval-cards), with one point earned per dollar spent elsewhere (excluding non-category purchases like takeout).

Purchase protection and warranty extension can be invaluable, guarding against fraudulent charges on your account as well as extending manufacturer warranties by up to 24 months. Likewise, damage or theft coverage provides additional peace of mind – although unfortunately return protection isn’t an available feature like it might be on other credit cards.

Though this card offers an attractive signup bonus and points-earning opportunities, its annual fee may not justify itself if you fail to spend enough in order to unlock its welcome bonus or meet its spending requirement for hotel benefits. Furthermore, as there is no introductory APR or grace period with which interest charges start accruing immediately.

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