Citi Premier® Card Review: Top Tier Rewards Card for International Travelers
Citi Premier® Card Review: Top Tier Rewards Card for International Travelers
The is best for international travelers looking for a low-annual fee credit card with a solid rewards rate on everyday purchases.
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Quick facts
Rates & fees
- Credit needed: ?
- Sign-up bonus:
- Earning rate:
- Annual fee:
- Foreign transaction fees:
Quick facts
- Credit needed: ?
- Sign-up bonus:
- Earning rate:
- Annual fee:
- Foreign transaction fees:
Rates & fees
- Intro Purchase APR: N/A
- Regular Purchase APR: N/A
- Intro BT APR: N/A
- Regular BT APR: N/A
- Annual Fee: N/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee: N/A
- Balance Transfer Fee: N/A
Pros
Cons
The information for has been collected by ValuePenguin and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
Is the worth it?
First Year Savings
$857 ?
The offers top-tier travel rewards, especially for those who frequently take international trips. The sign-up bonus and rewards on the make it well worth its annual fee, netting around $1,000 in value for the average cardholder by our estimates. The card also grants you a $100 credit toward a hotel stay booked through ThankYou.com each year, which pays for the annual fee by itself.
It offers elevated points on everyday purchases like restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations — on top of air travel and hotels. This card earns rewards in the form of Citi ThankYou points, which can be redeemed for travel, gift cards or more. It's a great pick for international travelers because of its diverse range of airline loyalty programs, which you can transfer points to at a 1:1 ratio.
benefits and features
The is a rising star in the travel rewards cards space. With a annual fee, the card’s most attractive features make the card suited for international travel, such as foreign transaction fees.
In addition, the is a Mastercard equipped with EMV smart chip technology, which means cardholders will have less trouble getting their card accepted by foreign merchants.
Earn 60,000 bonus points
The ’s a welcome bonus is on par with other travel rewards cards:
. That’s a sizable sign-up bonus that will result in plenty of redemption opportunities, from travel to gift cards.
The downside, however, is that the spending requirement to earn the sign-up bonus is fairly high. If you're a frequent traveler, it should be easier to reach.
Bonus categories catered to travel and everyday expenses
With the , you’ll earn .
The addition of these everyday categories makes it easy to earn Citi ThankYou points in no time. Meanwhile, its simiarly tiered travel rewards card competitors have a lower earnings rate, making the a more favorable option for earning on a wide number of categories.
Average rewards earned per $1 spent
$100 annual hotel savings benefit
With this benefit, you’ll enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes or fees) when booking through thankyou.com. This benefit will recur every year, so it’s an excellent opportunity to save on travel beyond air travel.
Even if you only take advantage of this hotel credit alone, you’ll make up for the annual fee that comes with the .
No foreign transaction fees
The has a foreign transaction fee, which means you won't accumulate fees on your purchases when traveling outside the U.S. This is another reason why it makes for a great international travel card.
Things to watch out for with the
Lacks travel and purchase protections
The doesn't offer any type of travel insurance or protections, like many other travel credit cards do. The , which also has a annual fee, offers several protections like trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, trip delay reimbursement, purchase protection and more.
Few domestic airline partners
The has a great selection of international airline partners. However, of the 14 airline rewards transfer partners Citi has, the only domestic one is JetBlue TrueBlue.
Few hotel partners
While this card has a great selection of international airline transfer partners, its hotel transfer partner selection is lacking. It only has two rewards programs options available: Choice Privileges and Wyndham Rewards, leaving out many popular programs such as Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt, among others.
How to use Citi ThankYou points
Citi ThankYou points are flexible and transferable. You can redeem them in several different ways, including travel, cash, statement credits, gift cards and more.
Usually, the most valuable redemption option for your points is to transfer them to travel partners.
Most of Citi's transfer partners are international airlines, which provide value for travelers going abroad.
In most cases, you can transfer your points to airlines at a 1:1 ratio.
Airline partners
Hotel transfer partners
- Aeromexico
- Asia Miles
- Avianca LifeMiles
- Emirates Skywards
- Etihad Guest Miles
- EVA Air
- Flying Blue
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Qatar Privilege Club
- Singapore Airlines
- Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Airline partners
- Aeromexico
- Asia Miles
- Avianca LifeMiles
- Emirates Skywards
- Etihad Guest Miles
- EVA Air
- Flying Blue
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Qatar Privilege Club
- Singapore Airlines
- Thai Royal Orchid Plus
- Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Hotel transfer partners
- Choice Privileges
- Wyndham Rewards
You can also redeem your points in Citi's travel portal, but it offers limited options — and your points may become less valuable. You can book airline flights, hotel stays, car rentals and cruises, as well as other different experiences.
If you don't want to use your Citi ThankYou points for travel, you can redeem them in several other ways because they're flexible. Other redemption options include:
- Statement credits
- Gift cards
- Cash back
- Direct deposit
- Charitable contributions
Citi ThankYou points tend to be with the most when redeemed via transfer partners, since they can be redeemed at a 1:1 ratio.
There are a few other ways you can redeem your ThankYou points at around 1 cent each, including gift cards and charity donations. However, you have the flexibility to redeem points in other ways — even if it is at a lower value.
Usage | Example | Value Per Point | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Back | $50 Cash Back: 10,000 points | 0.5 cents | |
| Gift Cards | $25 Best Buy Gift Card: 2,500 points | 1 cent | |
| Redeem For Flights | $450 fare: 45,000 points | 1 cent | |
| Mortgage/Student Loan Payment | $25 payment: 2,500 points | 1 cent | |
| Charity Donation | $25 donation: 2,500 points | 1 cent | |
| Shopping | $829 Apple iPad Mini: 100,000 points | 0.83 cents | |
| Statement Credit | $10 Statement Credit: 1,000-2,000 points (depending on the card) | 0.5-1 cent | |
| Amazon | $80 purchase: 10,000 points | 0.8 cents |
Who's eligible for the ?
Unlike Chase with its 5/24 rule, Citi doesn’t have any written policies against the number of credit cards you open in a given time frame. Keep in mind that you will need a good to excellent credit score to qualify for the .
You’re only eligible for the sign-up bonus if you haven’t received a sign-up bonus for another Citi ThankYou card (or closed an account for one) in the past 24 months.
How does the compare to other credit cards?
View more cards
vs.
Verdict: A better option if you travel domestically more frequently
The is one of the best travel rewards credit cards, and it also incurs a annual fee. This may be a better option for you than the if you're looking for these features:
- More domestic airline transfer partners, like United MileagePlus and Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
- More hotel transfer partners, including Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt
- More travel insurance and protections
The also offers a 25% bonus in travel redemptions through the Ultimate Rewards® portal, meaning that each point gets bumped up to 1.25 cents.
However, the is better for earning rewards. With the , you’ll earn only . The has better earning potential, with 3X points in many more categories than the .
vs.
Verdict: A better option if you're looking for a simpler rewards structure
Another annual fee travel card worth considering is the . It may be a better choice for you than the if:
- You want a simpler rewards structure
- You don't travel internationally often
The does come with lower potential returns than the . The offers, at best, a 2% rewards rate, as you’ll earn .
For those who don’t want to keep up with multiple bonus categories, you may enjoy the ’s steady rewards rate instead.
The also transfers to a number of travel partners, mostly of which let you transfer miles at a 1:1 transfer ratio; however, unlike American Express or Chase, it lacks a major U.S. airline partner.
vs.
Verdict: Best for frequent diners who will pay a higher annual fee for a higher rewards rate
The is another valuable travel card that offers a high rewards rate on restaurants, but has a high annual fee of . Despite its high annual fee, it may be a better option for you than the if the following applies to you:
- You spend a lot on restaurants and U.S. supermarkets
- You want a larger selection of hotels through The Hotel Collection from American Express
- You order from Uber Eats frequently
The is a solid travel rewards card for frequent travelers who spend a lot on dining. You can
The might be a better fit, however, if gas is also a high spending category for you, as the doesn't offer elevated rewards for gas. You should also stick with the if you plan to travel a lot internationally — the is a Mastercard and is more likely to be accepted than American Express abroad.
For rates and fees of , please click here
Frequently asked questions
Yes. You can see if you're pre-approved for the and other Citi cards through its pre-screening page. Filling out the form alone will not affect your credit score, but applying for a credit card after that will.
The is a Mastercard. In the U.S., Visa and Mastercard have about the same acceptance rate. But internationally, Mastercard is more widely accepted — another reason why the is great to take abroad.
In certain circumstances, you may be able to get the annual fee waived by contacting Citi. An issuer will sometimes waive a fee if you tell them you'll cancel the card otherwise. You can do this with any credit card — although it's never a guarantee your issuer will say yes.
It's not guaranteed, but you can try. Just like you can ask an issue to waive an annual fee, you can ask them to downgrade to another card. However, your only downgrading options might be cash back cards like the and , instead of another travel cards. The is the only travel card that isn't co-branded with American Airlines — so if you don't fly with American Airlines often, your options with Citi are limited.
Yes, the is a metal credit card.
Should you apply for the ?
The offers more travel reward possibilities for those looking beyond well-established travel rewards programs, such as Chase Ultimate Rewards® or American Express Membership Rewards. With a substantial welcome bonus and many ways to earn travel rewards, you can take advantage of Citi’s international airline partners.
Still, one downside to the is that it lacks any travel protections or warranties that other travel rewards cards offer. A good alternative for that is the , a valuable and flexible travel card which also has a annual fee.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
For rates and fees of , please click here
The information related to has been independently collected by ValuePenguin and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.
The information related to , , , , , and has been independently collected by ValuePenguin and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.
These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
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How We Calculate Rewards: ValuePenguin calculates the value of rewards by estimating the dollar value of any points, miles or bonuses earned using the card less any associated annual fees. These estimates here are ValuePenguin's alone, not those of the card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer.
Example of how we calculate the rewards rates: When redeemed for travel through Ultimate Rewards, Chase Sapphire Preferred points are worth $0.0125 each. The card awards 2 points on travel and dining and 1 point on everything else. Therefore, we say the card has a 2.5% rewards rate on dining and travel (2 x $0.0125) and a 1.25% rewards rate on everything else (1 x $0.0125).