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Citi

Citi Premier® Card

Annual fee
$95
Welcome bonus
60,000 ThankYou® Points (worth $600 in travel)
Intro APR
0% for 12 months on purchases
Reg. APR
20.49% – 28.49% Variable
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Quick verdict

Best for people who want 3x on four everyday categories without paying $300+. Skip if you already have the chase sapphire preferred — 3x on four categories is great, but you likely don't need two mid-tier travel cards. also skip if you rarely travel or spend on gas/groceries/dining.

Rewards
★★★★½
4.5 / 5
Perks
★★★☆☆
3 / 5
AF Value
★★★★☆
4 / 5
Approval Ease
★★★½☆
3.5 / 5
Overall
★★★★☆
4 / 5

🎁 Welcome bonus

60,000 ThankYou® Points (worth $600 in travel) after $4,000 spend in 3 months

⚡ Rewards

CategoryRateType
Air travel & hotels 3x points
Gas stations 3x points
Restaurants 3x points
Grocery stores 3x points
EV charging 3x points
Everything else 1x points

Points/miles valued at 1.00¢ each (CreditStud.io estimate based on typical travel redemption).

💰 Annual Credits ($100 total face value)

$100 annual hotel credit (1 night stay) (Single hotel stay $50+ earns $100 credit, once per year) $100

Credit value depends on you actually using them. Many credits are split monthly or semi-annually, so factor in your usage habits before counting them against the AF.

✨ Perks

🎯 Who should consider this card

✅ Best for

  • People who want 3x on four everyday categories without paying $300+
  • Travelers who don't want to commit to a premium annual fee
  • Citi ThankYou Points ecosystem users (pairs well with Citi Double Cash)
  • Anyone who values a 0% intro APR alongside travel rewards

❌ Skip if

You already have the Chase Sapphire Preferred — 3x on four categories is great, but you likely don't need two mid-tier travel cards. Also skip if you rarely travel or spend on gas/groceries/dining.

📊 Example: Typical traveler/diner

Everything else: $1500/mo × 12 × 1x$180 value
+ Annual credits (full use)$100
– Annual fee–$95
Net annual value+$185

Based on illustrative spending. Use our AF Worth It Calculator to plug in your real numbers.

📋 Application tips

Credit needed
Good to Excellent (680+)
Issuer rules
Citi typically allows only 1 personal card application every 8 days, max 2 per 65 days, max 1 per 6 months per card family. Existing Citi cards may limit eligibility.

Not sure if you'll qualify? Try our credit score simulator to see what rate range you might fall into.

⚖️ Compare to similar cards

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase • $95 AF
Read review →
American Express® Gold Card
American Express • $325 AF
Read review →
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
Citibank • $95 AF
Read review →
Citi® Double Cash Card
Citibank • $0 AF
Read review →

Side-by-side comparison tool →

❓ Frequently asked questions

Is the Citi Premier worth the $95 annual fee?
Easily — if you use the 3x categories. Spend $1,000/month across gas, groceries, and dining and you're earning 36,000 ThankYou Points per year ($360+ in travel value). The $100 annual hotel credit covers most of the fee, leaving just net $5/yr. The signup bonus alone ($600 in travel) covers the fee for 6+ years.
How does the Citi Premier differ from the Citi Strata Premier?
The Citi Strata Premier ($400/yr) is the premium version — it adds airport lounge access (Priority Pass), a $250 annual travel credit, and a higher signup bonus. The regular Citi Premier ($95/yr) is the better value for most people. Only upgrade to Strata if you use airport lounges regularly.
What are Citi ThankYou Points worth?
1¢ each for cash back, gift cards, or statement credits. 1.25¢ each when redeemed for travel through Citi Travel. Transfers to airline partners (JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, etc.) can yield 1.5–2¢+ per point. The Premier is the key to unlocking transfer partners — without it, ThankYou Points from the Double Cash are worth only 1¢ each.
Can I combine Citi Premier points with Citi Double Cash?
Yes! This is the power move. The Citi Double Cash earns 2x ThankYou Points on everything. With the Premier, those points become transferable to airline/hotel partners at 1¢+ each instead of being locked to 1¢ cash back. The combo is called "CitiDoublePremier" and it's one of the best point-earning setups available.
How does gas station 3x work with EV charging?
The 3x rate applies to both traditional gas stations and EV charging stations. This is rare — most cards only bonus gas, not EV charging. If you drive an EV and charge at public stations, the Premier is one of the best cards for that spend category.
What happens to my points if I downgrade?
If you downgrade the Citi Premier to the Citi Custom Cash or Double Cash, you keep all accumulated ThankYou Points. However, you lose the ability to transfer points to travel partners — they revert to 1¢ cash value only. Transfer your points to partners before downgrading.

Ready to apply?

Application takes 5 minutes. Approval decision typically instant for qualified applicants.

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Reviewed by CreditStud.io editorial team • Last updated 2026-04-30 • Methodology & disclosure