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The Guide to Citi Credit Card Travel Insurance

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Table of Contents

Do Citi cards have travel insurance?

Car rental insurance, costco anywhere visa® card by citi travel insurance benefits, citi® / aadvantage® executive world elite mastercard® travel insurance coverage, does citibank offer travel insurance.

Citi credit cards provide a host of benefits, including some generous points and miles earning opportunities (depending on the card you have).

But, when it comes to travel insurance, let’s just say it’s not necessarily Citi cards' strong suit.

Still, there are Citibank travel insurance benefits you should know about to ensure you use the right card when paying for your next trip. Here are the primary benefits associated with Citi card travel insurance.

Only two Citi cards have travel insurance, and each one has a different set of benefits: The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi and the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® .

on Citibank's application

Both cards provide rental car insurance.

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi also offers roadside assistance, worldwide travel accident insurance and a 24/7 concierge for travel and emergency assistance. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® , on the other hand, offers baggage protection, trip cancellation/interruption insurance and trip delay protections.

» Learn more: Best Citi credit cards right now

If you use either of the two Citi credit cards listed above to pay for a car rental, Citi travel insurance will protect any damages to a rental car up to $50,000.

This amount will cover the cost of repairs or the cash value of the car, whichever is lower. It applies anywhere you rent a car — there are no geographic limitations — as long as the rental period is no longer than 31 days. Citibank travel insurance covers accidental damage, theft, vandalism or a natural disaster, and any necessary towing costs.

Citi's rental car insurance is secondary when renting a car within the U.S., but if you're renting outside of the country, it switches to primary coverage.

With secondary insurance, you need to rely on any other insurance coverage you have before Citi’s car rental insurance kicks in. Primary insurance, alternatively, will be the first line of coverage you have.

Coverage wouldn't apply if you rent the car to someone else or operate a rental car as a rideshare vehicle. It also only covers the car, not any personal injuries that might result from an accident.

There are several types of vehicles that are excluded from coverage. These include:

Trucks, pickup trucks, trailers, full-size vans on a truck chassis or recreational vehicles like campers and off-road vehicles.

Motorcycles or motorized bikes.

Commercial vehicles or cargo vans.

Any vehicle with fewer than four wheels.

Antique vehicles older than 20 years or that have not been made in the past decade.

Limousines.

Sport-utility trucks or open, flat-bed trucks.

Any vehicle that retails for over $50,000.

» Learn more: Rental car insurance explained

Roadside assistance

When driving in the U.S., roadside assistance is available for Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi cardholders by calling 866-918-4670.

Roadside assistance is valuable in the event of an accident, loss of fuel or other vehicle malfunction. Keep in mind that you would still have to pay for the assistance (like a tow truck, for example), but this benefit makes it easy to reach someone with one phone call.

Citi card provides access to similar assistance as a membership program like AAA . The difference is that AAA’s annual fee covers roadside assistance fees while Citi's coverage doesn't; it solely provides access to someone who can help you for a reduced rate.

Several credit cards provide some type of roadside assistance and are worth considering before paying the annual fee for AAA.

Worldwide travel accident insurance

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi includes accident insurance, which covers the cardholder or family members if they are injured or killed when traveling on a common carrier (any vehicle that is licensed to carry passengers like a bus, plane, cruise ship or train).

You will need to have used the Citi card to cover the entire cost of the travel on that common carrier for the benefit to apply. The maximum coverage is $250,000.

» Learn more: How does travel insurance work?

Travel and emergency assistance

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi card provides access to a 24/7 concierge to help you with a disruption to your trip. This can include medical assistance, referrals to a doctor or legal help. It can also help if you need to adjust travel plans.

Just remember, you’ll be responsible for paying for any services used, but the call is toll-free.

Baggage protection

Only available for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® , this luggage protection provides coverage if your checked bag is stolen, lost or damaged.

The insurance covers as much as $3,000 per person ($2,000 for New York residents), but only kicks in if you use the card or American AAdvantage miles to pay for the trip.

» Learn more: The guide to baggage insurance

Trip cancellation and interruption insurance

If a covered traveler has a medical emergency or dies, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® coverage can provide reimbursement for up to $5,000 in eligible nonrefundable expenses.

You would need to use the card or American AAdvantage miles to pay for the trip.

Trip delay protection

Another benefit that’s reserved only for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® is trip delay protection . This coverage kicks in if your trip is delayed by at least six hours, and offers reimbursement for expenses incurred during the delay, up to $500 per trip.

This would include reasonable purchases like hotel stays, rental cars and meals.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Citibank travel insurance is available, but limited. It is only offered on two cards and isn't as comprehensive as other credit cards with travel insurance .

Both cards include rental car coverage, but beyond this, each has its own set of benefits. Depending on which one you hold, it may include coverage like trip delay protection or roadside assistance.

People hold Citi cards for many reasons, including the ability to earn transferable Citi ThankYou Points . But, the travel insurance benefits are somewhat limited. If you have a Citi card, review the travel insurance perks before you take off to understand your coverage.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,125 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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• Citi Thankyou Premier Card

23 Valuable Benefits of the Citi Premier Card [For Travelers]

Christine Krzyszton

Senior Finance Contributor

308 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 98 U.S. States Visited: 45

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

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Table of Contents

Lots of ways to earn thankyou rewards points, share the benefits with others, redeeming your thankyou point rewards, recreation and entertainment benefits, world elite mastercard benefits, travel protections and benefits, shopping protections and benefits, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Perhaps you’ve been thinking of applying for a travel rewards credit card but you’re not quite ready to pay the higher annual fee that can come with premium travel rewards cards.

Although premium travel rewards cards offer a lot of luxury travel perks and other benefits that can negate all or most of the annual fee, there’s still that large fee that has to be paid every year.

If you’re a frequent traveler and want an alternative to a premium travel rewards card, you might consider the Citi Premier ® Card. If most of your spending is on travel, gas, entertainment, and dining, you’re going to find elevated earnings that will make it easy to accumulate rewards quickly. Your points will also be easy to redeem with several flexible options, including travel.

That’s not the end of the benefits that come with the Citi Premier card; however, as there are so many other reasons to consider the card, so here’s a long list of all the benefits of the Citi Premier card.

The Citi Premier card is perfect for the traveler as bonus earning categories include common travel purchases.  Rewards are also valuable as they are earned in the form of ThankYou Points , which have several flexible redemption options.

1. A Generous Welcome Bonus

Earn a welcome bonus worth hundreds of dollars after meeting minimum spending requirements within the first 3 months after card approval.

*The information regarding the Citi Premier card has expired and the card is no longer open to applicants.

The Citi Premier ® Card is an excellent option for anyone looking for an all-around travel rewards credit card. The card helps you earn points fast with great 3x bonus categories such as restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotels. Plus, it offers access to airline and hotel transfer partners, doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, and has a reasonable annual fee!

• 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotel purchases
• Access to Citi transfer partners
• Annual hotel credit
• $95 annual fee
• Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou ® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou ® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
• 60,000 ThankYou ® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
• APR: 21.24% - 29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Citi ThankYou Rewards

2. Earn on Travel Purchases

Points will add up quickly as you earn 3 ThankYou Points per dollar spent on airfare and hotels.

3. Earn When Dining Out

Whether it’s a late-night hamburger, a high-end dining experience, or lunch at an outdoor café, you’ll be earning 3 points for every dollar you spend on dining.

4. Earn on Gas

Do a lot of commuting? Use your Citi Premier card at gas stations and earn 3 points per dollar spent .

5. Earn on Supermarket purchases

If you’re like most people, supermarket purchases make up a significant amount of your yearly expenses. So put those purchases on your Citi Premier card and earn 3 points per dollar spent .

6. Earn on Every Purchase

Every purchase you make with your Citi Premier card earns at least 1 ThankYou Point per dollar spent .

7. No Limit on the Number of ThankYou Points You Can Earn

Unlike some travel rewards cards that limit the amount of spending that earns elevated rewards in bonus categories, the Citi Premier has no such limit.

Bottom Line: Frequent travelers will find the Citi Premier card a good match as every travel purchase, including gas stations, earns 3 ThankYou Points per dollar spent and 2 ThankYou Points per dollar spent on dining and entertainment. 

8. Add an Authorized User to Earn Even More

There is no cost to add an authorized user to your Citi Premier card and their purchases earn ThankYou Points.

9. Share Points between Accounts

There are no fees to transfer ThankYou Points between accounts. Up to 100,000 points can be shared and 100,000 points received in a calendar year. Points expire 90 days after points are received.

One reason ThankYou Points are so valuable is because of their flexibility. They can be transferred to airline loyalty programs, used to purchase travel, redeemed for merchandise, gift cards, or even cash-back.

10. Transfer Points to Airline Loyalty Programs

Transferring points to airline frequent flyer programs can result in great value for your ThankYou Points. Simply log in to your online Citi Premier account, click on Rewards and Benefits, then “more ways to redeem”. ThankYou Points transfer at the rate of 1 point to 1 mile.

Check out some of the best ideas for redeeming your ThankYou Points by transferring to airline partners.

11. Redeem for Travel via the Citi ThankYou Travel Portal

Your ThankYou Points can be worth 25% more when redeemed for flights through the ThankYou Rewards portal and 1 cent when redeemed towards travel.

12. Transfer to Sears Shop Your Way

Transferring your ThankYou Points to Sears Shop Your Way points is a decent option that gives you more than 1 cent in value for your ThankYou Points. A ThankYou Point is worth 12 Shop Your Way points. Since a Shop Your Way point is worth 1/10 of a cent, 1 ThankYou Point will equal 1.2 cents worth of Shop Your Way points.

13. Redeem for Gift Cards

Generally, your ThankYou Points are worth 1 cent per point when redeeming for gift cards, but occasionally there are specials where the value is greater. With the 1 center per point, that means 2,500 ThankYou Points will earn you $25 to one of the many retail partners. For a list of Citi’s current gift card merchants, visit the ThankYou Rewards portal.

14. Redeem for Cash-Back or Shopping

While redeeming your points for cash-back or merchandise is not the best value for your points, at least it’s an option if you need to do it. You’ll receive less than 1 cent per point in value and in many cases just 1/2 cent per point. As of May 2019, there’s a few retailers that were available:

15. Make a Charitable Donation

Redeem your ThankYou Points for a charitable donation to the American Red Cross or Smile Train for a value of 1 cent per point.

Bottom Line: While the value you receive for your ThankYou Points may vary, the flexibility to select the best redemption for your situation has tremendous value.  

16. Citi Concierge

With the Citi Premier card, you’ll have access to an expert 24/7 with the Citi ® Concierge dedicated phone line.  Get help with travel, shopping, entertainment, and dining out. The concierge staff can help with concert tickets, dinner reservations, or planning out that dream vacation with a simple phone call.

17. Citi Entertainment℠

Receive special access to events, exclusive invitations, dining perks, ticket pre-sale privileges, preferred pricing, and more.

Some of the benefits covered below are actually World Elite Mastercard benefits that come complimentary with the Citi Premier card. The list of World Elite Mastercard benefits is lengthy, but here are some of the most notable:

18. Luxury Hotel and Resorts Benefits

Receive upgraded rooms, hotel amenities, credits to use during your stay, late checkout, complimentary breakfast, and more at over 2,000 luxury properties worldwide .

19. World Elite Air Program

Receive up to 25% discount on premium flights with several airlines .

20. Priceless Mastercard Golf Experiences

Receive special access to courses, even private courses, worldwide and be treated like a member. Enjoy select tee times, use of member facilities, discounted pricing, and more.

You’ll find information on these and additional World Elite Mastercard benefits here plus you’ll want to check out the best Mastercards for points and rewards .

21. No Foreign Transaction Fees

Take your card along when you travel as foreign purchases will not incur foreign transaction fees.

22. Purchase Protection

Simply purchase an eligible item with your Citi Premier card and if the item should be damaged or stolen within 90 days of the purchase or delivery date, you could receive up to $10,000 per incident. There is a maximum limit of $50,000 per calendar year.

23. Extended Warranty

Why items seem to break down just after the manufacturer’s warranty expires is still a universal mystery. This benefit extends the manufacturer’s warranty on eligible items for 24 months. The benefit is valid on items with a manufacturer’s warranty of 5 years or less. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per item.

The Citi Premier card with its lower annual fee, waived the first year, is a good alternative to the high-end travel rewards cards. You’re not getting that complimentary lounge access or hotel elite status but you’re not paying that higher annual fee, either.

The card delivers a nice combination of bonus rewards earning opportunities for purchases travelers make most and plenty of flexible options to redeem those points for good value.

Keep in mind that Citi does not provide the travel protections and benefits that other travel rewards card may offer .

With that said, when it comes to earning and redeeming points, the Citi Premier is a good choice.

The information regarding the Citi Premier ® Card has expired and the card is no longer open to applicants.

Frequently Asked Questions

If the citi premier card worth it.

Yes. If you’re spending money on travel and want a card that will earn on those purchases plus offer plenty of flexible redemption options, the Citi Premier card is worth it.

The annual fee is waived the first year on the card so you can try the card out for a year to see if it is a fit.

With a nice welcome bonus after meeting a minimum spending requirement in the first 3 months after card approval, and elevated earnings on travel, entertainment and dining purchases, you’ll earn hundreds of dollars worth of travel in just the first year.

How do ThankYou Points work?

ThankYou Points are earned on purchases made with your Citi Premier card.

Every purchase you make with your card will earn at least 1 ThankYou Point per dollar spent. However, certain categories of purchases earn multiple ThankYou Points per dollar spent.

With the Citi Premier card, you’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent on all airfare and hotel purchases, gas stations, dining, and supermarket purchases.

The points you earn are deposited into your ThankYou account after each statement period. You can sign in to your Citi Premier account online and access your ThankYou account when you’re ready to redeem your points.

You can redeem your points for travel, gift cards, pay your mortgage, get cash back, and more.

Can I transfer ThankYou Points to airlines?

Yes, ThankYou Points are transferable to 15 airline partners and it’s an easy transaction.

Just log in to your Citi Premier account online and select Rewards and Benefits, then ThankYou Rewards. You’ll then see a list of all the available redemption options, and there are many.

Under the Travel tab, you’ll see the Transfer option. Select the transfer option and you’ll see a list of airlines.

Prior to transferring your ThankYou Points, you’ll need to have a frequent flyer account established with the airline you’re transferring to so make sure you’ve set one up in advance and have the account number handy.

Many transfers happen nearly instantly, others can take 1-2 days.

How much are ThankYou Points worth?

ThankYou Points vary in value depending on the redemption option but generally you’ll find their worth to be between 1/2 cent per point and 5 to 6 cents per point.

For example, if you redeem your ThankYou Points for a statement credit, you’ll receive just 1/2 cent per ThankYou Point.

If you transfer your ThankYou Points to airline partners, it is possible to receive 5 to 6 cents per point when redeeming for award flights.

A redemption that yields less than 1 cent per ThankYou Point is not good value.

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About Christine Krzyszton

Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.

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UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

Citi Premier® Card review

Written by: Kelly Dilworth , Holly Johnson

Edited by: Brendan Dyer

Reviewed by: Nouri Zarrugh

In a Nutshell:

The Citi Premier card offers a generous travel rewards program and its broad category coverage make it a terrific standalone rewards card for everyday spending.

See Rates and Fees

The Citi Premier Card is no longer available.

Other Notable Features: No foreign transaction fee, free concierge service, Annual Hotel Savings Benefit, extended warranty, EMV chip

The Citi Premier Card is similar to other flexible rewards travel credit cards that let you redeem points for gift cards, merchandise, travel through an issuer’s portal or transfers to other loyalty programs. However, this card truly stands out due to its excellent rewards rate (3 points per dollar) in popular everyday categories like restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, as well as on air travel and hotels.

New cardholders are also eligible for a bonus offer of 60,000 points (worth $600 in gift cards) after spending $4,000 within three months of account opening. Meanwhile, perks like a $100 annual hotel benefit and no foreign transaction fees add even more value for cardholders who travel often.

Why you might want the Citi Premier® Card

Overall, the ease of earning points and the flexibility of its rewards program makes the Citi Premier® Card a smart choice for almost anyone. Here are some of the main reasons consumers sign up for this card.

Earn 3X points in everyday spending and travel categories

When you sign up for the Citi Premier® Card, you can earn 3 points per dollar spent in popular categories without any limitations. Categories that qualify for this rate include restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels. Even if you don’t travel very often, the everyday spending categories this card offers (for example, dining, gas and groceries) are easy to maximize. Also note that you’ll earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases made with your card.

As with any rewards cards that features category-specific earning rates, the amount of rewards you can expect to earn in a year depends on how much you spend as well as in which categories you spend; but for the right cardholder, the Citi Premier could prove quite valuable. Consider the following example:

According to the United States Department of Agriculture , the average family of four with two kids ages 12 to 13 spends $14,272.80 per year on a moderate food plan. Meanwhile, the average family spent $1,568 on gas within a year in 2020, according to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics . Now imagine this family spends $4,800 per year ($400 per month) on dining out, including takeout and delivery. When you add up these figures, the average family spends $20,640.80 in categories that earn 3 points per $1, which would yield 61,922 points. If you used those points for cash back or travel at a rate of 1 cent per point, that’s a whopping $619 in value.

On top of that, you would earn 3 points per $1 spent in travel categories (air travel and hotels) and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

Generous bonus offer

The Citi Premier Card also gives new cardholders the chance to earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. While that’s down from the card’s previous bonus offer of 80,000 points with the same spending requirement and timeframe, it’s still a generous offer that’s worth $600 when you redeem for travel or gift cards at thankyou.com (or potentially even more with the right transfer partner). For a limited time through June 30, 2024, you can also earn a total of 10 points per dollar on hotel, rental car, and attractions booked via the Citi Travel portal.

That said, other cards at this price level can offer even more bonus value. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card recently updated its welcome offer to 75,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in your first three months, worth over $900 when you redeem points for travel with Chase Travel. That could make it a better option if you’re looking for a sizable welcome offer to fund an upcoming trip.

Flexible rewards program

One of the biggest benefits of this card is its rewards program, which is known as Citi ThankYou rewards . There is a lot of flexibility in how you can redeem your points, and that’s true whether you’re a frequent traveler or you prefer to stick with the simplicity of cash back.

When it comes to redeeming your points, you can use them for gift cards, merchandise through shopping partners, statement credits, a direct deposit, a check in the mail, charitable contributions or even payments toward a student loan or a mortgage.

You can also redeem your rewards for airfare, hotels, cruises, rental cars and more through the Citi travel portal, which works similarly to Travelocity or Expedia.

Lastly, you can transfer your points to Citi airline partners, which include:

• Etihad Guest
• Flying Blue (Air France and KLM)
• Malaysia Airlines
• Qatar Airways
• Singapore Airlines
• Thai Royal Orchid Plus
• Turkish Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

$100 annual hotel savings benefit

The Citi Premier Card also comes with a $100 hotel savings benefit that can make up for the card’s $95 annual fee. You can use this perk by booking a prepaid hotel stay of $500 or more through ThankYou.com or by calling 1-800-THANKYOU.

Why you might want a different card

The Citi Premier Card is popular for a reason, yet there are some important downsides you should know about before you apply. Consider the main disadvantages we outline below and how they could apply in your situation.

You might want different transfer partners

While it’s nice the Citi Premier Card lets you transfer your points to airline partners, you should make sure you can use the options availalble. While Citi travel partners are better than nothing, they don’t currently include any major domestic airlines (though the issuer recently had a temporary partnership with American Airlines that expired in November).

Also note that, by comparison, two other flexible rewards programs –  Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards – have a handful of hotel loyalty programs to choose from among their transfer options. This places the Citi Premier card in a competitive landscape where the benefit of travel partners, while nice, is situational based on how you plan your travel.

Limited perks

The Citi Premier Card falls short of several competing travel cards when it comes to perks, with one notable example being its lack of travel insurance benefits. By contrast, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card comes with similar rewards redemption options, yet cardholders also get trip cancellation and interruption coverage, primary auto rental coverage, baggage delay insurance, trip delay coverage, travel and emergency assistance services and other perks.

If travel insurance is a perk you want, the Citi Premier Card is definitely not your ideal card. One of the few other notable perks included on this card is Citi Entertainment access, which, for many cardholders, is nothing to get too excited about.

How does the Citi Premier Card compare to other rewards credit cards?

Before you sign up for the Citi Premier Card, you should take the time to see how it stacks up to similar credit cards with flexible rewards programs. The chart below compares three travel credit cards that offer similar features.

Citi Premier Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

When you start comparing the Citi Premier and Sapphire Preferred cards , you’ll notice that they are somewhat similar. However, the Chase Sapphire Preferred can be a better option if you like Chase’s rewards portal and its airline and hotel partners better, or if you want some travel insurance protections as a cardholder. Also keep in mind that you’ll earn a 25% boosted point redemption rate for travel redemptions made with the Chase Travel℠ portal.

Plus, the Sapphire Preferred is currently offering a bonus of: 75,000 points when you spend $4,000 in your first three months. Considering the 1.25-cent-per-point value you can get when you redeem for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal, that beats out the Citi Premier card’s 60,000-point offer ($937.50 when redeemed for travel with Chase versus $600 in value with the Citi card).

Citi Premier Card vs. American Express Gold Card

The American Express Gold Card offers a similar intro offer as the Citi Premier® Card, although this card offers a very generous rate of 4 points per $1 spent in popular spending categories that include dining and U.S. supermarkets, as well as 3 points per $1 on airfare.

Make sure you understand the American Express Membership Rewards program, including Amex transfer partners, before you apply for this card. Also be aware that, in exchange for this card’s benefits, you’ll owe a $250 annual fee which is substantial compared to the Citi Premier Card. However, the American Express Gold Card comes with some great perks that easily offset that annual fee.

Citi Premier Card vs. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Finally, you may also want to check out the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . This card keeps things simple by offering a flat 2X miles for each dollar you spend, and you can redeem rewards for Amazon or PayPal purchases, travel purchases charged to your card or transfers to Capital One airline and hotel partners.

In exchange for its $95 annual fee, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card comes with a $100 credit toward Global Entry or TSA Precheck membership every four years. Although that perk is nice, the rewards rate on this card is a little underwhelming compared to the Citi Premier Card. In place of a flat 2 points per dollar on every purchase, strategizing your spending with a card that has a higher rate will earn you more in rewards.

How to use the Citi Premier Card:

• Use it for all your purchases and bills, and especially in the 3 points per $1 on everyday spending categories like dining out , gas and groceries .
• Spend $4,000 on purchases within three months of account opening to earn the card’s sign-up bonus.
• Use the card abroad without paying any foreign transaction fees.
• Book a $500 or more hotel stay through ThankYou.com to take advantage of the $100 annual hotel benefit.

Is the Citi Premier Card right for you?

When you look at everything the Citi Premier Card has to offer, it’s easy to see why you would consider signing up. The sign-up bonus is generous and the bonus categories can work for almost anyone. Plus, this card offers a flexible rewards program and the annual fee is only $95.

Then again, there are some areas where the Citi Premier Card really falls short, such as in the negligible cardholder benefits it offers. If you want one rewards credit card only and need it to come with a few perks, you may want to consider a different card that provides you with a few more convenient offerings. Although perks may not seem like much, they certainly add up when you’re tasked with offsetting an annual fee.

All reviews are prepared by CreditCards.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the bank’s website for the most current information.

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CreditCards.com is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. The offers that appear on this site are from companies from which CreditCards.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and the likelihood of applicants' credit approval also impact how and where products appear on this site. CreditCards.com does not include the entire universe of available financial or credit offers. CCDC has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.

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Credit Cards

Is the Citi Premier worth the annual fee?

Allie Johnson

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Robin Saks Frankel

Updated 8:13 a.m. UTC March 28, 2024

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Citi is a Blueprint partner.

If you’re looking for a versatile card that can help you earn bonus points on a variety of popular everyday spending categories, the Citi Premier® Card * The information for the Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is a top contender.

It’s not often you come across a credit card that offers such high bonus earning potential in so many everyday spending categories.

Cardholders can earn 3 ThankYou® points per $1 at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Plus, through June 30, 2024, earn 10 ThankYou points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel portal. 

The card provides excellent earning rates on a wide range of categories, but is the $95 annual fee justified? Let’s take a look at the Citi Premier Card’s card’s pros and cons to find out.

• Moderate $95 annual fee.
• High earning rates on common spending categories: restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations, as well as on air travel and hotels.
• Cardholders can access Citi’s 14 airline and 4 hotel loyalty transfer partners.

Citi Premier Card benefits

• Generous welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. 
• High rewards earning rate for common everyday expenses and travel. Earn 3 ThankYou® points per $1 at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Plus, through June 30, 2024, earn 10 ThankYou points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel portal.
• Flexible rewards: Earnings on the card are issued as Citi ThankYou® Points , which can be transferred to 18 travel loyalty partners.
• Annual hotel savings: Cardholders can get $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booking through Citi’s Travel portal, once per calendar year.

Citi Premier Card drawbacks

• Annual fee. There’s a $95 annual fee, which may be unpalatable for some.
• No travel coverage. Although it’s a travel card, it lacks benefits such as car rental, trip cancellation/delay or lost baggage insurance. 
• No consumer protections. The card doesn’t offer any purchase or extended warranty protection.
• Lacks domestic transfer partners. Citi’s list of loyalty partners leaves out most major U.S. airlines and hotel chains.

The Citi Premier Card may be worth it if:

You want to rack up lots of points.

If you want to earn a lot of points to redeem for travel, the Citi Premier Card is a great option. It has a generous rewards earning rate on travel purchases and on several popular everyday spending categories. You can maximize the value of your points by transferring them to Citi airline or hotel loyalty partners — which include Flying Blue, Emirates Skywards and Choice Privileges®.

You plan to use transfer partners for outsized value

Citi Premier cardholders can transfer points to most ThankYou travel partners at a 1:1 ratio, though Choice Privileges offers a 1:2 rate and a few other hotel programs offer lower rates. In general, using these transfer partners allows you to squeeze more value out of your hard-earned points, especially if you take the time to hunt down high-value redemptions.

You have other Citi rewards cards

The Citi Premier Card stands out as one of Citi’s top-tier cards. One special feature of the card is that, when used alongside other Citi cards such as the Citi Double Cash® Card or the Citi Custom Cash® Card , you can pool your ThankYou points into a single account for simple transfers to any Citi ThankYou travel partners.

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Citi Custom Cash® Card

Welcome bonus.

Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

Regular APR

Credit score.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

Editor’s take

• No annual fees.
• Easy-to-redeem cash-back rewards.
• Introductory APR period.
• Charges foreign transaction fees.
• There’s a balance transfer fee.
• Limited cash-back reward categories.

Card details

• Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.
• No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
• No Annual Fee
• Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash® Card account per person.

You plan to spend $500 on a hotel stay 

Once per calendar year, the Citi Premier Card offers $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through thankyou.com. This annual hotel savings benefit is equivalent to saving up to 20% on a hotel stay. While you must book through Citi’s travel portal, this perk can more than offset the card’s $95 annual fee.

How do you book travel through Citi? Here’s our complete guide to using the Citi ThankYou Travel portal

The Citi Premier Card may not be worth it if:

You dislike annual fees.

The truth is that some of the most generous credit cards on the market charge an annual fee, sometimes a hefty one. These fees help the issuer counterbalance the valuable rewards it offers. However, if you’re averse to annual fees, this card may not be for you. In that case, there are plenty of no-annual-fee cards that offer generous perks.

You want travel benefits and protections from your card

The Citi Premier Card lacks significant shopping protections, travel insurance or additional perks when compared to other top rewards cards. If you favor a card that offers the kind of travel protections and purchase benefits that come with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , you’ll receive more value for your annual fee from Chase’s popular travel rewards card, which offers a whole suite of protections, including: auto rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption/delay coverage, travel accident insurance and lost luggage reimbursement.

What makes the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card so great for travel? Here are 11 travel-related benefits you should know

You’re not a fan of Citi’s ThankYou transfer partners

While cardholders can transfer points to 14 airlines and 4 hotel transfer partners, this may not help you if you don’t book flights or stay at hotels in Citi’s transfer partner lineup. This includes an impressive array of international air carriers, including KLM’s Flying Blue and Etihad Guest, but lacks major domestic airlines and hotel chains. While you can always redeem points for travel through the Citi Travel portal at 1 cent per point, transferring to travel partners likely will offer the best value. But if the transfer partners don’t align with how you prefer to travel, it’s a moot point.

Final verdict

In general, the Citi Premier Card is a high earner of travel rewards; Earning 3 ThankYou® points per $1 at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Plus, through June 30, 2024, earn 10 ThankYou points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel portal.

The card’s $95 annual fee may not be for everyone, but the generous welcome offer can easily mitigate the cost, at least in the first year of card ownership. Those who spend a lot at restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations may find the card a lucrative choice despite the annual fee.

However, those seeking additional benefits, such as travel insurance or purchase protection, from any travel card with an annual fee, may find the Citi Premier Card is not worth the investment.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Although Citi does not set a minimum credit score for applicants, you typically need a good or excellent credit score to qualify for the Citi Premier Card. Accordingly, candidates with FICO Scores of 670* or higher may have a better chance of being approved.

It depends on who you ask. For people who spend a lot of money at restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations, as well as on air travel and hotels, the Citi Premier Card earns elevated rewards in those categories and is well worth the $95 annual fee. If you don’t spend much on these types of purchases, you might find the Citi Premier Card is not worth the annual fee.

The Citi Premier Card is widely regarded as a good travel rewards credit card. This card allows you to earn 3 ThankYou® points per $1 at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Plus, through June 30, 2024, earn 10 ThankYou points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel portal. You can redeem points from the Citi Premier Card for travel through Citi Travel or transfer them to 14 airlines and 4 hotel transfer partners, which can deliver more value. Because the card does not charge foreign transaction fees, it is ideal for traveling internationally.

The ThankYou points earned on the Citi Premier Card will not expire as long as your card account is open. Citi’s older rewards cards used to have points that expired after three or five years.

Citi ThankYou points are forfeited 90 days after you cancel a card if you do not have another card that earns ThankYou points linked to your ThankYou Rewards account.

*Blueprint uses credit ranges derived from FICO® Score 8, which is one of many different types of credit scores. If you apply for a credit card, the lender may use a different credit score when considering your application for credit.

*The information for the Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Juan is a freelance editor and writer who specializes in topics such as credit cards, travel, and loyalty programs. You can find his writing on a variety of websites like CNN, Forbes, The Points Guy, and many more. When Juan isn’t busy creating content, he loves going on exciting travel adventures around the world with his wife and three young daughters. You can connect with Juan on Twitter and Instagram as @doubledutydaddy.

Allie is a journalist with a passion for money tips and advice. She's been writing about personal finance since the Great Recession for online publications such as Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MyWalletJoy and ValuePenguin. She's also written personal finance content for Discover, First Horizon Bank, The Hartford, Travelers and Synovus.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

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What You Need to Know About Credit Card Travel Insurance

What does credit card travel insurance cover how does it work and what are some credit cards that offer trip protection start to unravel the complexities in this beginner’s guide..

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Whether your flight was delayed or your trip was derailed by COVID, you could recoup some of your costs with insurance provided by travel credit cards.

Photo by Shutterstock

AFAR partners with CreditCards.com and may receive a commission from card issuers. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Compensation may impact how an offer is presented. Our coverage is independent and objective, and has not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are entirely those of the AFAR editorial team.

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

Travel can be fun and exciting, but many things can go wrong on a trip. There are flight cancellations and delays, lost luggage, and even the dreadful reality of contracting COVID away from home . Investing in travel insurance can alleviate the fear of such situations. But sometimes protections offered by travel insurance companies are ones that you already get for free from your credit card .

You read correctly. Just by charging travel to your credit card, you may be entitled to coverage that you never knew you had. As with third-party travel insurance—and basically any insurance for that matter—so many terms and conditions apply, there are rules after rules, and COVID reimbursements are a tricky topic.

The subject of credit card travel insurance is very complicated—way too complicated for a single article—yet the basics are worth knowing before booking your next trip.

What is travel protection on a credit card?

Most—but not all—credit cards provide several implicit travel insurances as benefits for being a cardholder. These insurances usually kick in when charging travel to the credit card or using points for travel through a credit card’s loyalty program. Said travel insurances are collectively referred to as travel protections in credit card literature. Typically, when searching for the travel coverages your credit card provides, you will find them lumped under a banner or heading labeled “Travel Protections.”

What does your credit card travel insurance cover?

Some of the best travel credit cards provide travel insurance as part of their regular benefits. Some do not. Depending on the credit card, you may be entitled to some compensation under the following insurances:

• Emergency Evacuation & Transportation: If you become ill on your trip and require medical evacuation and treatment
• Trip Interruption and Cancellation: If you need to cancel or cut short your trip due to specific unforeseen circumstances
• Emergency Medical and Dental Benefit: If you require emergency medical or dental services during a covered trip
• Trip Accident Insurance: If you are severely injured, maimed, or–eek–die on your trip
• Trip Delay: If your common carrier is delayed more than a specified number of hours
• Delayed Baggage: If your bags arrive late, beyond a specified number of hours
• Lost Baggage: If your bags are deemed lost for good
• Rental Car Insurance: If you rent a car more than a specified number of miles away from your domicile and experience theft or damage to the rental car that you did not cause

Again, it’s important to note that not all cards with travel insurance include all these coverages. Each is different. Moreover, if you buy third-party travel insurance , it may or may not include specific protections (and covered reasons) that you don’t already get with your credit card.

What credit cards come with travel insurance?

Remember those pamphlets that arrived in the mail when you received your credit card, the ones you threw in the recycling bin? Likely within that paperwork was a handy “Guide to Benefits” that detailed the travel insurances of your credit card. Thankfully, most of this information can still be retrieved online when logging into your credit card account or even doing a simple Google search.

In the most general sense, every credit card is unique in its benefits—and that includes travel insurances. Some cards like the Citi Premier® Card , which ranks best in class for extended warranty protection on shopping purchases and is great for earning points on travel, comes with zero travel protections. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Chase Sapphire Reserve® has the most comprehensive suite of travel protections, ranging from Medevac insurance to rental car insurance as primary coverage.

Below is a chart of six popular travel credit cards and the insurances they do and do not provide.

Within each box of this chart lies more layers of complexity. Often, you are entitled to itemized coverages only under specific circumstances known as “covered reasons.” Moreover, several cards may offer the same protection, say “Trip Delay Protection,” but each may define a delay differently (i.e., 6 hours vs. 12 hours) and then may cap reimbursements at different amounts. Similarly, while some rental car insurance policies like the Chase Sapphire Reserve offer primary coverage, others offer only secondary coverage (meaning, you’d need to go through your own regular car insurance first). On top of that, travel to specific countries may be excluded under some policies.

All this to say, read the fine print!

Where does COVID related coverage fit into credit card travel insurance?

To start, your credit card travel insurance is not an umbrella policy for COVID-related expenses. But you can find some COVID coverage within the Trip Cancellation & Interruption policies of select cards.

In the most general sense, if you decide to cancel your trip because of COVID (or civil unrest—another big topic nowadays), you will not be covered. Even the most generous of travel insurance-promoting credit cards, Chase Sapphire Reserve, states in its Guide to Benefits that “your disinclination to travel due to an epidemic or pandemic” is not covered by its Trip Cancellation & Interruption policies.

However, should you get sick while traveling, some coverage may kick in. Again, this will require reading through the fine print of your specific credit card’s Guide to Benefits. Within the Trip Cancellation & Interruption policies of Chase Sapphire Reserve, it states, “quarantine of you or your travel companion imposed by a physician or by a competent governmental authority having jurisdiction, due to health reasons,” is a covered event while the guide for The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees ) states, “quarantine imposed by a physician for health reasons” is also a covered event. What may be covered (if and when documented properly) is any prepaid trip expense charged to the credit card that you are unable to fulfill due to your illness. That means things like changing your flight home or a refund for the part of your trip/hotel stay missed after testing positive and having to quarantine. That said, neither card will pay for your expenses to stay in a hotel to recover from COVID.

Credit card travel insurance is complicated, and policies differ by card. However, it’s worth deciphering your card’s coverages to know exactly what you’re entitled to as a cardholder before booking your next trip–and to avoid redundant third-party travel insurance.

While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they are subject to change at any time, and may have changed or may no longer be available.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Citi Premier: Which mid-tier travel card is better?

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

As much as we love premium credit cards , you may find that you can't maximize their benefits or want to keep your annual fee costs low. If so, a mid-tier travel card is perfect for you.

Today, we're looking at two popular mid-tier travel rewards cards: the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees). Both come with valuable welcome bonuses, solid earning structures and extensive redemption options for a reasonable $95 annual fee.

Which is better for your wallet? This guide will help you make that decision.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Citi Premier comparison

Let's start with a side-by-side comparison of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Citi Premier:

As you can see, both cards offer a similar rewards structure and comparable benefits — meaning they're geared toward the same type of traveler. But there are a few differences to consider before applying for one over the other. Let's dig into the details of both of these great mid-tier travel cards.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Citi Premier welcome bonus

While the sign-up bonus certainly isn't the only factor you should consider when choosing a credit card, it is important. And both cards offer sign-up bonuses with extraordinary value, especially given their low annual fees.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is currently offering 75,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. TPG values Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents each, making the Sapphire Preferred's sign-up bonus worth $1,538. After subtracting the $95 annual fee, you'll walk away with a net value of $1,443 in the first year.

The Citi Premier, meanwhile, is currently offering a similar welcome bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. However, TPG values Citi ThankYou points at a slightly lower 1.8 cents each, making this bonus worth just $1,080. After accounting for the $95 annual fee, this card's net first-year value is $985.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred. The higher valuation of Chase Ultimate Rewards gives it the edge.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Citi Premier benefits

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred , you'll get these benefits:

• 25% redemption bonus when you book travel through the Chase Travel portal
• $50 Annual Ultimate Rewards hotel credit
• 10% anniversary points boost
• 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ and up to $15 in quarterly Instacart statement credits through July
• Complimentary DashPass membership for at least one year when you activate by Dec. 31
• Auto rental collision damage waiver
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
• Baggage delay protection
• Trip delay insurance
• Purchase protection

The Chase Sapphire Preferred's statement credits and anniversary points boost are great perks with serious value, but the card's travel protections really make it shine. Knowing you're covered if something goes wrong on your trip will give you peace of mind in addition to potential monetary value, and it's unusual to see this type of coverage on a mid-tier card.

If you opt for the Citi Premier, you'll get these benefits:

• $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more booked through thankyou.com, available annually
• Extended warranty protection
• Damage and theft protection
• World Elite Mastercard benefits
• Access to Citi Entertainment

While the list isn't as extensive as the Chase Sapphire Preferred's, the Citi Premier has some solid benefits. You'll get a hotel credit worth double that on the Chase Sapphire Preferred, as well as World Elite Mastercard perks like cellphone protection and discounts on DoorDash and HelloFresh. And in today's world of concert pre-sale tickets, having access to Citi Entertainment can help ensure you'll get to your dream concert .

Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred. Its statement credits and travel protections give it a more robust benefits list than the Citi Premier.

Earning points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Citi Premier

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred , you'll earn 5 points per dollar on travel booked through the Chase travel portal and 3 points per dollar on dining , select streaming services , online grocery purchases and Lyft (through March 2025). You'll also earn 2 points per dollar on travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

With the Citi Premier, you'll earn 10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through the Citi Travel portal (through June), 3 points per dollar on travel, dining, supermarket and gas station purchases, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

While both cards earn bonus points on dining and travel purchases, the Citi Premier also earns bonus points on supermarket and gas station purchases, meaning you'll likely be able to rack up points more quickly with it than with the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Winner: Citi Premier. Its wider range of bonus-earning categories gives you more earning opportunities.

Redeeming points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Citi Premier

The Chase Sapphire Preferred gives you the option to redeem your points for travel by transferring them to any of Chase's 14 airline and hotel partners or by booking through the Chase travel portal at a rate of 1.25 cents per point.

You also have the option to redeem your points for gift cards or use Chase's Pay Yourself Back feature to redeem them for cash back However, your most valuable redemption option is to transfer your points to Chase's partners, which we'll review in the next section.

With the Citi Premier, you can redeem your points for travel by transferring them to any of Citi's 17 hotel and airline partners or book through the ThankYou travel portal at a rate of 1 cent per point. Additionally, you can redeem them for gift cards or a statement credit for a value of 1 cent per point.

You can also use Citi's Shop with Points option and use your points to pay directly at checkout at merchants like Amazon , Walmart and gas stations. However, you'll get less than one cent per point going this route, so you're better off using your points as a statement credit to cover your purchases after you've made them. Still, if you want to get the full 1.8 cents from each point that we do, transferring your points to travel partners is your best option.

Winner: Tie. Both cards allow you to transfer your rewards to travel partners, book through their travel portal or redeem your points for cash back and gift cards.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Citi ThankYou points for maximum value

Transferring points with the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Citi Premier

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred , you'll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points that you can transfer at a 1:1 ratio to 14 airline and hotel partners, including Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer , United MileagePlus , Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and World of Hyatt .

You can get incredible value from options like transferring your points to Iberia Plus and booking Miami to Madrid for as low as 21,250 points each way or transferring your points to United MileagePlus and taking advantage of its Excursionist Perk .

With the Citi Premier, you'll earn Citi ThankYou points to transfer to 18 airline and hotel partners, including JetBlue TrueBlue , Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles and Choice Privileges .

You can get great value from your points by transferring them to airlines that allow you to book flights on its partner airlines, like transferring your points to Avianca LifeMiles and using them to book a domestic short-haul flight on United or a first-class flight to Europe on Lufthansa.

Winner: Tie. Both cards allow you to transfer your points to valuable transfer partners.

Should I get the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Citi Premier?

Both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Citi Premier offer valuable welcome bonuses and solid earning rates on travel and dining purchases for the same $95 annual fee. Ultimately, which card is best for you will come down to which card's transfer partners you use the most.

For instance, I frequently fly Southwest Airlines and stay at Hyatt properties, so I prefer earning Chase Ultimate Rewards and transferring my points to these programs.

TPG senior points and miles reporter Katie Genter , on the other hand, loves earning ThankYou points for the options they give her to transfer her points to partners she uses the most, which include Avianca LIfeMiles and Choice Privileges.

And, of course, for maximum versatility, you may decide you want to get both cards . If you go this route, make sure you'll be able to earn the valuable welcome bonuses on both.

Bottom line

The Citi Premier and Chase Sapphire Preferred are two leaders when it comes to affordable, mid-level cards that earn valuable transferable points . Each card wins in different categories in our analysis, so the best card for you will depend on which benefits and redemption options you value most. No matter which way you go, you can feel great knowing you're adding a fantastic mid-tier card to your wallet.

For more details, check out our full review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and our full review of the Citi Premier.

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred

Apply here: Citi Premier

For rates and fees of the Citi Premier Card, click here.

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MoneyGeek’s Take

Citi premier® card review.

The Citi Premier® Card is ideal for frequent international travelers who spend a lot at supermarkets, gas stations, restaurants, airlines and hotels. It also comes with a generous welcome bonus, making it an attractive travel rewards card.

Updated: March 20, 2024

Advertising & Editorial Disclosure

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MoneyGeek partners with leading industry experts and advertisers to help you get to your financial happy place. Our content is accurate when posted but offers may change over time. We may receive compensation for partner advertisements, but our editorial team independently reviews and ranks products. Learn more about our editorial policies .

About Doug Milnes, CFA

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.

• Consumer Finance Protection Bureau . " Credit card agreement database ." Accessed September 10, 2021 .
• J.D. Power . " 2021 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study ." Accessed September 10, 2021 .

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Find the best credit card for you

The citi premier has a $95 annual fee: is it worth it, the citi premier has a $95 annual fee but is it worth it select highlights the travel credit card..

Citi is an advertising partner

The Citi Premier® Card is a solid rewards credit card that comes with a variety of benefits aimed at travelers. It earns bonus points on a broad array of popular spending categories, has no foreign transaction fees, comes with a yearly hotel credit and more. But, the card does come with a $95 annual fee.

While you can offset the annual fee by using all of the perks, it's important to evaluate if the card is right for your needs and spending habits.

Below,  Select  breaks down the Citi Premier's rewards, benefits and fees to help you decide if it's the right card for you.

Is the Citi Premier worth it?

Citi premier® card.

3X points per $1 spent at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and on hotels and air travel, 1X points on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.

Regular APR

21.24% - 29.24% variable

Balance transfer fee

5% of each balance transfer, $5 minimum

Foreign transaction fee

Credit needed.

Good/Excellent

Terms apply.

The Citi Premier is discontinued and no longer available for new applicants.

• Unlimited 3 points per $1 spent at gas stations
• No foreign transaction fees
• $95 annual fee
• No special financing offers

The Citi Premier is a great card for travelers who want to earn transferable points, but don't need luxury perks like airport lounge access or travel insurance . The card also has no foreign transaction fees making it useful when traveling outside the U.S.

In the first year of card membership, you can quickly earn over $900 in value from the welcome offer and annual hotel benefit alone.

The Citi Premier's welcome bonus is currently 60,000 Citi ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of card membership. And if you complete the minimum spending threshold, you'll have at least 64,000 points — worth a minimum of $640. You can get even more value from your points when you transfer the points to one of Citi's several travel partners.

Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024. And with the card earning 3X points for every dollar spent at restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, air travel and hotels — you can earn lots of Citi ThankYou points quickly. These points are valuable because they can be redeemed either through the Citi ThankYou travel portal or with 15 different hotel and airline loyalty programs. But if you want a simple redemption option, you can easily redeem for gift cards at major brands, or use them to shop on Amazon or BestBuy.com.

Here's a list of the Citi Premier's benefits:

By using these perks you can quickly make the card worthy of a spot in your wallet. However, after the first year, the $95 annual fee becomes harder to justify. But if you're spending in the bonus categories often, the amount of points you earn may be worth the fee.

Additionally, if you have the Citi Double Cash® Card , you can convert the 2% cash back (1% when you buy and 1% as you pay; see rates and fees ) you earn into Citi ThankYou points — essentially giving you 2X points for every dollar spent on all eligible purchases. This combo can make for a great credit card strategy .

The value of the hotel benefit can also quickly make up for the card's entire annual fee, plus $5. All you need to do is book a $500 or more hotel stay (before taxes and fees) through the Citi travel portal, and you'll receive $100 off. You can use this benefit once per calendar year.

However, there are alternatives listed below that could be a better fit for you.

What to know if you're considering the Citi Premier

Before applying for the Citi Premier® Card , there are a few things to consider.

First, be sure to map out your next few months of expenses in order to earn the welcome bonus of 60,000 Citi ThankYou points . It's never a good idea to overspend to earn credit card rewards , but by preplanning, you can avoid that.

Next, consider if Citi's transfer partners are valuable to you. When you earn Citi points , you can redeem them through the Citi travel portal, or you can transfer them to any of the following airline or hotel loyalty programs:

• Cathay Pacific
• Choice Hotels
• Air France/KLM
• Malaysia Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• Thai Airways
• Virgin Atlantic
• Wyndham Hotels

While the majority of these partners are international airlines, keep in mind that many of them are part of airline alliances — which means you can book airlines within the U.S. For example, you can transfer your points to AeroMexico and redeem them for flights on Delta Air Lines, or transfer to Singapore Airlines and book flights on United Airlines.

When you redeem rewards through the Citi travel portal or for cash back, ThankYou points are worth a flat one cent per point. However, when you transfer them to partners, the value of points can be much higher. For example, a one-way flight from the mainland U.S. to Hawaii that is $300 would cost 30,000 points in Citi's travel portal. However, if you transfer your points to Turkish Airlines (which is partners with United) you could book that same seat for as little as 7,500 points. So when booking a flight, it always pays to compare the credit card's travel portal to the airline loyalty program to see which one is more effective.

Alternatives to the Citi Premier

If the Citi Premier isn't the perfect fit for you, there are other travel credit cards with annual fees under $100 worth considering.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

21.49% - 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

Excellent/Good

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review .

• Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel via Chase Travel℠
• Transfer points to leading frequent travel programs at a 1:1 rate, including: IHG® Rewards Club, Marriott Bonvoy™ and World of Hyatt®
• Travel protections include: auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance and trip delay reimbursement
• No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
• No introductory 0% APR

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is known as one of the best travel credit cards on the market. The card comes with a valuable 75,000 Ultimate Rewards® points bonus after cardholders spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. In addition, the card has travel insurance , partner benefits with DoorDash , Lyft and Peloton, rental car insurance , broad spending categories and several domestic transfer partners like United and Southwest. The card has a $95 annual fee , equal to the Citi Premier.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

5 Miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 2X miles per dollar on every other purchase

Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

N/A for purchases and balance transfers

19.99% - 29.99% variable

$0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you

See rates and fees , terms apply.

• 5 miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit up to $100 every 4 years
• No introductory APR
• There’s a $95 annual fee

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees ) also has a $95 annual fee, and a very simple offer to cardholders. When you spend on the card, you'll earn 2X miles for every dollar spent on all eligible purchases. Plus, you can earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. You will also receive a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee waiver , Capital One lounge access, the ability to use the Capital One Travel portal and transfer points to airline and hotel partners like Air Canada, British Airways and Emirates.

Bottom line

The Citi Premier® Card is a great credit card for someone who wants to earn points useful for both international and domestic travel . Additionally, if you regularly make purchases in the bonus spending categories of the card such as groceries , restaurants , gas stations , it may be a valuable card to keep in your wallet.

Overall, the Citi Premier is worth the annual fee if you can use the benefits. But if you're looking for a few more features to use during your travels you may want to consider one of the alternatives mentioned above.

But before you apply for the card, be sure you'll be able to earn the welcome bonus and also budget for the annual fee.

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Best Travel Credit Cards for Beginners of May 2024

5 best beginner travel credit cards in 2024, best overall: chase sapphire preferred® card.

Why we chose it: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a great starter travel card with elevated rewards on travel and dining, lots of options for redeeming your points and a suite of useful travel protections—all wrapped up in a $95 annual fee. Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review .

• Competitive rewards rates on travel and dining
• Many rewards redemption options, transfer partners and Chase Travel portal bookings
• Offers most of the basic travel protections you’ll need
• No Priority Pass lounge access
• Has an annual fee
• Subject to Chase’s unofficial 5/24 rule—you likely won’t be approved if you’ve opened more than five credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months

Best for Simplicity: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Capital one venture rewards credit card.

After spending $4,000 in first 3 months from account opening

Why we chose it: Earning 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2X miles on everything else, the $95-annual-fee Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has no complicated rewards structures to keep track of. You can transfer your miles to travel partners or redeem them for statement credit against travel purchases. Read our Capital One Venture Card review .

• 2X flat rewards rate offers simplicity
• Good selection of transfer partners
• Current welcome bonus is competitive
• No bonus rewards categories besides Capital One Travel bookings
• Non-travel reward redemptions offer significantly less value
• Travel protections are less robust than the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Best for Premium Perks: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Capital one venture x rewards credit card.

Why we chose it: If you want Priority Pass lounge access and other premium travel perks, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the most affordable ways to get it. The value from a $300 annual credit for travel booked through the Capital One Travel portal brings the $395 annual fee down to effectively $95—the same price as a mid-tier travel card—if you can fully use the credit. Read our Capital One Venture X card review .

• Priority Pass and Capital One lounge access
• Generous travel credits
• 10,000-mile anniversary bonus
• Annual travel credit limited to bookings made through the Capital One Travel portal
• $395 annual fee

Best for Travel Rewards on Everyday Spending: Citi Premier Card

Citi premier® card.

After spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com

Why we chose it: The $95-annual-fee Citi Premier® Card offers elevated rewards on everyday spending categories like groceries and gas, allowing you to rack up points from your regular spending and then transfer them to Citi’s hotel and airline partners. Read our Citi Premier Card review .

• Bonus rewards for restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels
• Can transfer points to travel partners
• Annual hotel savings benefit
• No travel protections
• $100 hotel savings benefit requires booking through Citi’s travel portal
• Few travel benefits

Best for Business Owners: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Why we chose it: The Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, which operates within the same ecosystem as the consumer-facing Chase Sapphire Preferred, is Chase’s main business travel card. For a $95 annual fee, you’ll get a large welcome bonus, travel protections and good rewards rates on several business-related bonus categories. Read our Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card review .

• High welcome bonus
• Various travel and purchase protections
• 25% redemption bonus on travel booked through Chase Travel
• Must have a business to qualify
• High spending threshold to earn welcome bonus
• Rewards are lackluster if your business’s main expenses fall outside of the bonus categories

A Closer Look at the Best Starter Travel Credit Cards

Best overall: chase sapphire preferred card.

Why we love this card: For a modest annual fee, the Sapphire Preferred offers all the basics you’d want in a travel card. From good rewards rates on travel and dining to robust travel protections to a lineup of valuable hotel and airline transfer partners, the Sapphire Preferred has it all. You’ll also get a 25% redemption bonus when redeeming your points through the Chase Travel, meaning each point is worth 1.25 cents. And, you can pool points from multiple Ultimate Rewards-earning cards in one account—so if you have a cash-back card like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ , you can transfer your points to the Chase Sapphire Preferred to access the transfer partners.

Who should have this in their wallet: Most travelers will benefit from this card, but especially travel card beginners. The wide range of redemption options, including both travel and non-travel options, make it easy to spend your points even if you’re not ready to dive into the complicated world of transfer partners.

Other cards to consider: If you’re looking for more premium benefits (like airport lounge access) but want to stay within the Chase ecosystem, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve® . If you want a similar mid-tier travel card in a different rewards system with different transfer partners, the Capital One Venture Rewards Card is a good choice.

Why we love this card: The Capital One Venture is the closest alternative to the Chase Sapphire Preferred for anyone who wants a mid-tier travel card. Its 2X flat rewards rate on all purchases outside of hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (which earn 5X miles) is simple to keep track of. The Venture’s travel protections are slightly less robust than the Sapphire Preferred’s, but still enough to meet most needs. It also currently offers one of the highest welcome offers compared to other mid-tier travel cards.

Who should have this in their wallet: This card is perfect for anyone who wants a mid-tier travel card with flat-rate rewards or is looking for one of the biggest welcome bonuses on a sub-$100-annual-fee card.

Other cards to consider: Those who want a tiered rewards system may prefer either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Citi Premier, while those looking for premium perks and lounge access will be better off with the Venture X.

Why we love this card: The Capital One Venture X is one of the most economical ways to get perks like airport lounge access and fee credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. The card’s $395 annual fee is significantly lower than two of the most popular premium travel cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve with a $550 annual fee and The Platinum Card® from American Express at a $695 annual fee ( see rates and fees ). A $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through the Capital One Travel portal, as well as 10,000 bonus miles each anniversary, reduce the effective cost further. See how the Venture X stacks up against The Platinum Card .

Who should have this in their wallet: If you want Priority Pass and Capital One lounge access for the lowest annual fee, this card is the best way to get it. It’s also a good choice for anyone who wants an upgraded version of the regular Venture card, with better travel protections and more perks.

Other cards to consider: The Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card from American Express also offer lounge access for higher annual fees. But each of these cards offer additional benefits that the Venture X doesn’t and have different rewards systems with different transfer partners. Check out our guide on the Venute X vs. Sapphire Reserve .

Why we love this card: There aren’t many travel cards that earn elevated rewards on everyday spending categories like groceries or gas, and cash-back cards that earn bonus points in those categories typically don’t have access to airline and hotel transfer partners. The $95-annual-fee Citi Premier offers the best of both worlds with its 3X points on airlines, hotels, gas stations, restaurants and supermarkets paired with a good selection of transfer partners.

Who should have this in their wallet: This card is great for anyone looking to rack up points with everyday spending and transfer them to Citi’s hotel and airline partners.

Other cards to consider: The Citi Premier’s lack of travel protections means you’ll likely want another travel card in your wallet, even if you primarily earn and spend points with the Premier. The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture X are both great ways to meet your travel insurance needs.

Best for Business Owners: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Why we love this card: Business owners looking for travel rewards will find a lot of value in the Chase Ink Business Preferred. For a $95 annual fee, you can earn a 100,000-point welcome bonus (after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening), travel protections and elevated rewards on common business spending categories. These include: shipping; advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines; internet, cable and phone services; and travel. You can redeem your points for cash back, partner transfers and more. You’ll also get a 25% bonus when redeeming for travel through Chase Travel.

Who should have this in their wallet: Business owners who spend a lot in the card’s bonus categories and can meet the spending threshold for the impressive welcome bonus will find a lot of value in this card.

Other cards to consider: The Capital One Spark Miles for Business ($0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 after) and Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business (no annual fee) offer flat-rate rewards in a different ecosystem for a similar or lower price.

What Is a Travel Credit Card and How Do They Work?

A travel credit card is a credit card with features tailored to people who travel. They typically have higher rewards rates on travel purchases, earn rewards that can be redeemed for free travel through a travel portal or through airline or hotel loyalty programs and come with travel protections and travel-related perks like airport lounge access . They also generally don’t charge foreign transaction fees, making them great for international travel.

Travel credit cards can typically be split into two types: general travel cards and co-branded hotel and airline cards. General travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Capital One Venture earn rewards in their respective issuers’ rewards ecosystems—in this case, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Capital One Miles, respectively.

Your redemption options are set by the issuer and typically include the option to transfer your points to partner hotel and airline loyalty programs. The exact partners available depend on the card, but you’ll usually have quite a few options. The main benefits associated with these cards are typically not tied to any specific hotel or airline.

Co-branded cards are issued by a partnership between a credit card issuer (like Chase or American Express) and a specific hotel or airline (like Hyatt or Delta Air Lines). These cards usually earn rewards directly in the hotel or airline’s own rewards currency—World of Hyatt points for a Hyatt card, Delta SkyMiles for a Delta card, and so on. Their benefits also tend to be tied to the hotel or airline and may include perks like free checked bags or elevated status.

How to Choose the Best Beginner Travel Credit Card for You

To help sort through all the options, here are the most important factors you should look for when choosing a starter travel card:

Many travel credit cards charge an annual fee ranging from just under $100 to upwards of $500. Cards with a higher annual fee tend to offer better rewards or more benefits.

An annual fee can often be worth it if you can use most or all of a card’s benefits. But if you don’t travel a lot or don’t want to commit to an annual fee, start with a no-annual-fee card and upgrade later if you have the need for more or better features.

Rewards Rates

Many travel cards have tiered rewards, offering higher rewards rates on certain spending categories and a lower rate on all other purchases. To maximize your point earnings, choose a card whose award rates align with your normal spending habits.

For example, if you like to eat out a lot, look for a card that offers bonus points on dining . If you don’t want to think too much about maximizing rewards, you might prefer a simple flat-rate rewards card , which earns a flat rate on all purchases regardless of spending category.

Rewards Redemption Options

When it comes to redeeming rewards, not all credit cards are created equal. Some cards only let you redeem your points for cash back, statement credit or purchases through a travel portal. Others let you transfer points to airline and hotel partner loyalty programs, which you can then use to book award flights and award nights directly through the partner. Different cards have different transfer partners, and some have a greater selection than others.

Cash back and travel portals are easier to use, but point transfers typically give you much better value. Ideally, you should look for a card that offers both options. But if not, decide what’s more important to you—the option to quickly and easily liquidate your points for a fixed value, or the option to transfer points for the chance to get great deals on hotels and airfare if you’re willing to do some legwork.

Travel Protections and Benefits

Travel protections—like trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost baggage insurance, or rental car insurance—reimburse you for some costs if things go wrong. Travel benefits—like airport lounge access or credits for a TSA PreCheck membership—upgrade your travel experience.

Most travel cards include some measure of travel protections and benefits, though the extent can vary from card to card. In general, cards with higher annual fees tend to have more or better benefits. When choosing a card, it’s important to consider what benefits you’ll actually use.

General vs. Co-Branded Card

In general, general travel cards provide more flexibility, while co-branded cards provide a quick way to rack up points within a specific loyalty program and benefits specific to a particular airline or hotel chain. Travel card beginners might be better off starting with a general travel card that gives them more options—especially if you’re still figuring out what you want from a travel card—unless you’re already loyal to a particular airline or hotel.

Other Travel Credit Card Alternatives

If you don’t want to open a dedicated travel credit card, here are some other options you should consider.

A Non-Travel Credit Card

At the end of the day, a travel card works just like any other credit card. If you already have a favorite cash back card , you can use it for travel purchases in addition to your everyday spending. For example, the following credit cards charge no annual fee and offer bonus categories that can cover all or some of your travel costs:

Although you might earn fewer rewards on travel purchases and have fewer travel protections, the convenience of using an existing card or the additional rewards in other categories may make it worthwhile.

For example, if your preferred form of travel is a road trip, a cash-back card that earns a lot on gas may be better than a travel card that earns more points on airfare. Just make sure that if you’re traveling internationally, you find a card without foreign transaction fees .

A Debit Card

Even if you have a credit card, you should always keep a debit card on hand for easy cash withdrawal without cash advance fees. But you can also skip credit cards altogether and pay for everything with a debit card when traveling.

This does have some downsides: you’ll generally earn fewer rewards , have fewer travel benefits and have fewer protections in the case of fraud. But for people who either can’t qualify for a credit card or don’t want a credit card for fear of getting into debt, a debit card is a perfectly fine option.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best travel card for beginners.

The best travel card for you depends on your spending habits, how you want to redeem your rewards, the annual fee you’re willing to pay and what travel protections or extra perks you value. But the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a well-rounded option with a modest annual fee that’s a good start for most travelers.

Is It Better to Use a Travel Card or a Debit Card?

When traveling, it’s typically better to use a travel credit card over a debit card—assuming you pay off your balance on time and in full every month so you aren’t charged interest or late fees. Travel credit cards offer rewards, travel protections and can be more secure than a debit card.

Do Travel Cards Charge Foreign Transaction Fees?

Foreign transaction fees are fees you incur when you use your card abroad or make a payment in a different currency and are typically charged as a percentage of the transaction. Many travel credit cards don’t charge foreign transaction fees, although you should check the rates and fees of your specific card to be sure. If you plan to travel abroad, it’s important to have a card without foreign transaction fees or you could rack up a lot of extra costs.

The post Best Travel Credit Cards for Beginners of May 2024 first appeared on Newsweek Vault .

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Citibank Review 2024

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Citi Premier® Card, Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi, CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

About Citibank

Citi is a national bank with over 650 branches sprinkled around the US, including California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, South Dakota, Virginia, and Washington, DC. You'll also have access to over 65,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide, plus free ATMs all over the world.

Some of Citi's accounts depend on where you live. For example, the high-yield Citi® Accelerate Savings is only available for residents of certain states.

Citi also has a new system called Relationship Tiers. If you maintain a certain account balance, you'll be eligible for Citi Priority, Citigold® Checking Account, or Citigold® Private Client Checking Account, which have more benefits and services. For example, these accounts do not have ATM fees, money order fees, or official check fees.

Citi's customer service is available 24/7 over the phone , and you can chat online from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. The bank also has an easy-to-use mobile app, which has 4.9 out of 5 stars in the Apple store and 4.8 stars in the Google Play store.

Your Citi accounts are FDIC insured  for up to $250,000, or $500,000 for joint accounts.

Is Citi Trustworthy?

The Better Business Bureau gives Citi an F rating because it's received a high volume of customer complaints on the BBB website and it has failed to respond to many customer complaints.

In November 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau claimed Citibank intentionally discriminated against Armenian-American credit card applicants . The CFPB ordered the bank to pay $25.9 million in fees and to applicants who were impacted.

Citi Overall Rating

Citi pros and cons, citi access checking.

• Earn $300 cash bonus by opening an eligible checking account with qualifying direct deposit and completing required activities (offer ends 7/8/24)

$5 monthly service fee

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No opening deposit
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No overdraft fees
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No paper checks
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. $2.50 fee for using out-of-network ATMs
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. BBB gives Citi an F in trustworthiness
• The most basic Citi checking account
• Access to over 650 branches in the US
• No minimum opening deposit
• FDIC insured

Citi Regular Checking

$15 monthly service fee

See Website for Details

• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. $2.50 out-of-network ATM fee
• Over 650 branches

Citi Priority

See website for details

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No out-of-network ATM fees
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Access to Citi expert advisers

Citi® could be a good option if you live in one of the 42 states that offers Citi® Accelerate Savings because it pays a high interest rate. Citi® is also notably featured in our guides for best low credit score mortgage lenders and best credit cards.

• No Citi fees at non-Citi ATMs
• 0.00% Annual Percentage Yield

Citigold® Checking Account

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Refunds any fees charged by out-of-network ATMs
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Access to wealth management team
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. You may qualify for up to $200/year in membership and subscription rebates
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. You must have $200,000 combined in Citi bank accounts, and linked retirement/investment accounts to be a Citigold member
• Within 20 days of opening, deposit $200,000 new-to-Citibank funds
• Maintain a minimum balance of $200,000 for 60 consecutive calendar days

Citigold® Private Client Checking Account

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. NA
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. NA
• Total branches: over 650 locations in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, South Dakota, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
• 65,000+ surcharge-free ATMs

Citi offers two standard checking accounts: Citi Access Checking and Citi Regular Checking . 

If you'd like to get a premium checking account, the bank also offers relationship tiers: Citi Priority , Citigold® Checking Account , and the Citigold® Private Client Checking Account.

To qualify for relationship tiers, you'll need to maintain a high combined average monthly balance across linked bank accounts, retirement accounts, and investment accounts: $30,000 to $199,999.99 for City Priority, $200,00 to $999,999.99 for Citigold, or $1 million or more Citigold Private Client.

Citi® Accelerate Savings

$4.50 monthly service fee

4.45% (vary by location)

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High APY (minimum $0 balance to earn)
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. You may pay a monthly fee, depending on a variety of factors
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Other fees depend on which checking account you link to your savings account
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Not available in certain states

You might like Citi if you live in one of the areas that offers the Citi® Accelerate Savings account, so you can earn a higher savings rate than the national average. The best high-yield savings accounts, however, offer even more competitive savings rates.

• Monthly fee depends on whether you link to a Citi checking account, and which checking account you choose
• You may qualify to have the monthly fee waived, depending on which checking/savings package you have
• No opening deposit
• Compounding interest to maximize your savings
• Not available in CA, CT, MD, NV, NJ, NY, VA, DC, certain parts of FL or IL

See Personal Finance Insider's Citi Accelerate Savings Account Review .

Citi® Savings Access

0.03% to 0.25% (vary by location)

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Higher APY than many brick-and-mortar banks
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Low APY compared to high-yield savings accounts
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. $4.50 monthly fee
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Only available in certain states
• $4.50 monthly service fee waived during the first 3 months of account opening or with a relationship tier, $500 average monthly balance, or with a Citi checking account
• Only available in CA, CT, DC, FL, IL, MD, NJ, NV, NY, SD, VA, and Puerto Rico
• Access to 650 branches

Citi has two types of accounts: Citi Savings and Citi® Accelerate Savings . 

Citi® Accelerate Savings is a high-yield savings account that pays a competitive rate, and it's clearly superior to Citi Savings — but you can only open an account if you're a resident of certain markets. 

Read Personal Finance Insider's Citi Savings Rates Review .

Citi Fixed Rate CD

0.05% to 5.25%

$500 ($100,000 for the top rate)

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Range of CD terms
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Relatively low early withdrawal penalties
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Rates vary depending on term
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. $500 to $2,500 opening deposit, depending on your state of residence
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Must visit a branch to deposit more than $10,000

Citi might be a decent option for a traditional 9-month, 1-year, or 15-month term. It also offers a good no-penalty CD rate. That said, Citi CD rates are overall low compared to the best online banks and credit unions.

• Terms ranging from 3 months to 5 years
• Early withdrawal penalties ranging from 90 to 180 days interest
• Earn 1.10% APY on a 6-month CD; Earn 5.25% APY on a 7-month CD; Earn 4.00% APY on a 9-month; Earn 3.00% to 4.00% APY on a 12-month CD; Earn 2.50% APY on a 15-month CD
• Earn 0.05% APY on other CD terms between 3 months and 11 months; Earn 0.10% APY on the 13 months, 14 months, and 30 months; Earn 2.50% APY on other CD terms between 18 month and 5 years
• $500 opening deposit ($100,000 for the top rate on the 11-month CD)

Citi No Penalty CD

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. $500 minimum opening deposit
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Only term option is 12 months
• May open a 12-month CD term online
• May withdraw your full balance and interest at any time 6 days after opening an account
• Interest compounded daily, deposited monthly

Citi Step Up CD

0.05% to 0.15%

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Low minimum opening deposit
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Get a rate increase every 10 months
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Standard early withdrawal penalties
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Low interest rate
• Earn 0.05% APY during your first 10 months, 0.10% APY for months 11 through 20, and 0.15% APY on months 21 though 30
• For CD terms of 1 year or greater, the early withdrawal penalty is 180 days of simple interest
• Interest compounded daily and deposited monthly

Citi offers three types of CDs: Citi Fixed Rate CDs, Citi Step Up CDs, and Citi No Penalty CDs.

While the bank's abundance of checking and savings account options can be staggering, its CD options are easier to follow. Step Up CDs allow you to earn a higher interest rate at a specified date, while no-penalty CDs do not charge you early withdrawal penalties if you take out money from your account before the term ends.

If you're searching for a competitive interest rate, a 1-year or 18-month Citi Fixed Rate CD might be worth considering.

See Personal Finance Insider's Citi CD review .

Citi Personal Credit Cards

Citi has a variety of credit cards, including travel credit cards, balance transfer credit cards, cash-back credit cards, and credit cards with 0% APR.

Our best Citi credit cards guide highlights the best options depending on what you're looking for. The Citi Premier® Card is our top Citi credit card for 2023. 

• Citi Custom Cash Card Review
• Citi Diamond Preferred Card Review
• Citi Premier Card Review
• Citi Double Cash Card Review
• Citi Simplicity Card Review
• Citi Rewards+ Card Review
• Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi Review
• Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Card Review
• Citi AAdvantage MileUp Card Review
• Citi Advantage Executive Card Review

Citi Business Credit Cards 

If you have a small business, Citi has two types of credit cards. The Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi is exclusively for Costco customers, while the CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® may be worth exploring if you frequently fly with American Airlines.

• Costco Anywhere Visa Business Card by Citi Review
• CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select Mastercard Review

Citi Personal Loans

Citi Personal Loans may be worthwhile if you already bank with the company. To be eligible for a personal loan at Citi, you must earn a yearly income of $10,500 or more, meet Citi's creditworthiness criteria,  and have an eligible Citi bank account that has been open for at least 12 months. 

See Personal Finance Insider's Citi Personal Loans Review . 

Citi Mortgages

Citi offers several types of home loans, including conforming, jumbo, FHA, VA and HomeRun mortgages. The HomeRun mortgage could be a good choice if you're looking for an affordable mortgage option. Through the HomeRun mortgage program, customers may make a down payment as low as 3% with no mortgage insurance requirement.

See Personal Finance Insider's Citi Mortgage Review .

Citi has a variety of home loans and credit cards. It also may be a good option if you'd like to open an online high-yield savings account with a national brand. Citi® Accelerate Savings pays more than the average savings account. That said, it's only available in certain markets.

Yes, Citi bank accounts are FDIC-insured for up to $250,000 per depositor.

Savings and checking accounts do not require a minimum opening deposit. If you'd like to open a certificate of deposit, you'll need at least $500.

We've compared Citi to three other national banks: Bank of America, Chase, and Wells Fargo.

Citi vs. Bank of America

Bank of America is a good choice if you want a larger branch network, because it has locations in 37 U.S. states and Washington, DC. You also might prefer Bank of America for a simpler banking experience, since Citi's package system can be confusing.

But Citi has a much larger free ATM network, including ATMs in other countries.

You'll probably prefer Citi if you're eligible to open the Citi® Accelerate Savings account, because you'll earn a much higher savings rate than you could with Bank of America savings accounts. As for CDs, the best CD rate between the two banks will depend on which term you choose.

Bank of America Review

Citi vs. Chase

Chase is another great option if you want a large branch network within the U.S. It has branches in every state except Alaska and Hawaii.

Chase and Citi are both known for offering several checking accounts. The best fit could come down to what you want out of a checking account and whether you can waive the monthly fee on your preferred account.

For example, if you just want a simple checking account, you might prefer Citi Access Checking over Chase Total Checking®. Both offer strong sign-up bonuses to eligible cusotmers, but Citi's account has a lower monthly fee that is automatically waived for the first three months.

Chase Bank Review

Citi vs. Wells Fargo

Again, you may prefer Wells Fargo if you want a larger branch network throughout the United States. It operates in 36 states and Washington, DC. But keep in mind that Citi has more free ATMs, both in the U.S. and abroad.

The best CD rate could come down to which term length you're looking for. Wells Fargo CD rates are decent, but the bank only offers terms up to one year. Meanwhile, Citi has CD terms up to 10 years.

Wells Fargo Bank Review

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Citi

For our Citi review, we rate bank products and services using our editorial standards .

At Personal Finance Insider, we rate products on a scale from zero to five stars. For bank accounts, we review different features for distinct types of bank accounts. For example, we'll look at early withdrawal penalties and CD variety specifically for CDs. Meanwhile, for checking accounts, we'll factor in the ATM network size and fees, as well as its overdraft protection options.

We'll consider factors like annual fees and sign-up bonuses for credit cards, and term lengths for loans. In general, we also look at customer service and ethics.

• Are banks open today? Here's a list of US bank holidays for 2023
• Best CD rates
• Best High-yield savings accounts
• Four reasons why your debit card might be denied even when you have money

• Main content

Comparing the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey: How does it stack up against other premium travel cards?

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The release of the new Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card in March may seem like a good option with competitive rewards rates, but how does it stack up to some of the best travel credit cards on the market today? And does it deserve a place in your wallet?

In this article, we’ll examine the cards’ welcome offers, rewards, benefits and travel partners to assess their overall value. Let’s see how the Autograph Journey measures up to these four competitors:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Citi Premier® Card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• The Platinum Card® from American Express

Welcome offers

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey SM Card has a competitive welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in the first three months. According to Bankrate’s valuations , Wells Fargo Rewards are worth about 1.0 cents per point, giving the welcome offer a value of $600. After completing the spending requirement, you could have anywhere from 64,000 to 80,000 points, depending on which categories you utilize to meet the spending requirement. That’s a return of 16 percent on the low end to 20 percent on the high end, though you’ll likely fall somewhere in the middle.

How the Autograph Journey stacks up

The welcome offer on the Autograph Journey matches up with the regular offers from the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Citi Premier exactly. All three give the same bonus, for an identical spending requirement and timeframe, with the same annual fee. However, both Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Points are worth more, at about 2.0 cents and 1.6 cents per point, respectively, when transferred to a high-value travel partner. This gives the edge to both, with Chase being the most valuable at $1,200 and Citi at $960.

Looking around, the Capital One Venture X offers more miles for the same amount of spending requirement and timeframe. With this card, you’ll get 75,000 miles, but also pay a higher $395 annual fee. Capital One miles are also more valuable at about 1.7 cents per point, making its welcome offer worth $1,275.

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers the most points of any of these offers — at 80,000 Membership Rewards points — but it also requires the highest spending at $8,000, although you’ll get twice as long to meet that amount (six months). It also has the highest annual fee of these cards at $695. Since Membership Rewards points are valued at about 2.0 cents cents per point, this offer has a value of $1,600.

Our decision: Not as good as the competition

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey offers the lowest overall value of any of these welcome offers, due to the lower value of the Wells Fargo Rewards it earns.

When deciding between these cards, consider:

• Whether you can meet the spending requirement
• What you want the points for
• The return on your spending

Based on these criteria, the best overall value comes from the Venture X since your return on spending will likely be a higher percentage — even though the Amex Platinum offers the most points and the highest value.

Rewards and benefits

Outside of its welcome bonus, the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey comes with excellent earning rates in numerous categories focusing on travel. Specifically, you’ll earn 5X points at hotels, 4X points on airlines and 3X points on other travel and restaurants. All other purchases earn 1X points.

You’ll also get a $50 annual statement credit with a $50 minimum airline purchase — utilizing this credit offsets more than half of the $95 annual fee. Additional benefits include:

• Trip protection coverage
• Auto rental collision coverage
• Emergency/roadside assistance
• Cell phone protection
• My Wells Fargo deals
• Visa Signature benefits

As it is, the card earns solidly enough to function as a standalone card, offering excellent protection and benefits. However, let’s compare this more closely with its competitors to assess its actual value.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred®

Both of these cards come with a $95 fee. For travel purchases, the Autograph Journey gets 5X on hotels, 4X on airfare, and 3X on other travel, while the Sapphire Preferred only earns 2X on travel (but can earn 5X if you go through the Chase Travel portal or use Lyft). Chase points also get a 25 percent boost when booking travel through Chase Travel. While both cards earn 3X on dining, the Sapphire Preferred also earns 3X for streaming and online grocery purchases.

Whereas the Autograph Journey has a $50 air credit, the Sapphire Preferred has a $50 hotel credit instead. You’ll also get a points boost on your account anniversary equal to 10 percent of your spending from the prior year. Chase has more extensive transfer partners, including four of Wells Fargo’s airline partners. There are also more Chase cards available that can combine points with the Sapphire Preferred via the Chase trifecta , giving it an even further advantage.

You might choose the Autograph Journey if your travel spending aligns better with Wells Fargo’s bonus categories. However, for most people, the Sapphire Preferred will be the more flexible option.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. Citi Premier®

These cards also have the same annual fee — and once again, the Autograph Journey earns slightly better on hotel and air purchases. While the Citi Premier has limited-time earnings of 10X on hotel and car rentals through the Citi Travel portal through June 30, 2024, it earns 3X in the following categories:

• Restaurants
• Supermarkets
• Gas stations

By covering a more comprehensive range of everyday expenses, Citi Premier gets the edge for earning rewards.

The Citi Premier also offers an annual $100 hotel credit on a stay of $500 or more when booked through the Citi Travel portal — more than double the Autograph Journey’s air credit. While Citi overlaps on a few of Wells Fargo’s transfer partners, it also offers a more extensive list than Wells Fargo. Citi also has the Citi trifecta that allows you to combine points from multiple cards.

As a result, the Citi Premier generally offers more value overall, unless your spending is primarily travel-focused.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. Capital One Venture X

The Capital One Venture X comes with a higher annual fee than the Autograph Journey, coming in at $395 instead of $95. Still, this higher fee can be easily offset with the card’s $300 annual travel credit on the Capital One travel portal and the 10,000 bonus miles you’ll earn on your account anniversary (worth $100).

The main difference between the two is that the Venture X earns a flat rate of 2X miles on all purchases. If you book through the portal, you’ll get 5X on airfare and 10X on hotels and car rentals. If you book travel directly, the Autograph Journey is likely a better choice, but the Venture X still has the potential for higher returns. Non-bonus spending will do better on the Venture X, for example, but you’ll earn more with dining purchases on the Autograph Journey.

Overall, Capital One miles have a higher value and more transfer partners while overlapping most of Wells Fargo’s partners. You’ll also get more benefits and perks like extensive airport lounge access . Even with the higher annual fee, the Venture X is a clear favorite almost across the board.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express

These two cards approach travel from opposite positions. While the Autograph Journey has a manageable annual fee and earns solid reward rates, the Amex Platinum has one of the highest annual fees out there and mediocre earning rates outside of its 5X rate on airfare and hotels purchased through Amex Travel. Beyond travel purchases, the Autograph Journey is superior for spending.

Where the Amex Platinum shines above the rest is its laundry list of perks and benefits . For as high as the $695 annual fee is, you can still come out ahead if you take advantage of all the credits offered, including:

• $200 annual airline incidental credit with your selected airline
• $200 Uber credit ($15 each month, $35 in December)
• $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit ($50 semi-annually)
• $200 annual credit with Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts
• $240 entertainment credit ($20 monthly)
• $189 annual CLEAR membership credit
• $300 Equinox/SoulCycle annual credit
• Walmart+ reimbursement ($12.95 monthly cost)
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit once every four years
• *Enrollment required for select benefits

Maximizing these credits more than compensates for the card’s annual fee, covering everything from travel and shopping to lifestyle purchases. In addition, you’ll get extensive airport lounge access, excellent travel protections, a superior list of transfer partners and complimentary elite status with Hilton, Marriott and several car rental companies. Here, the overall value offered by the Amex Platinum’s perks and credits far exceed any other card — if you can fully utilize them.

Our decision: Perks fall short but rewards measure up

These comparisons point to a glaring weakness of the Autograph Journey — its perks and benefits. Each main competitor card offers more value in credits, benefits and point value. Even the higher annual fee cards make up for that difference with superior returns in the benefits category. If you’re looking at this card specifically to handle your travel needs, you may want to consider one of the other cards, all of which give better returns.

However, the card holds up well with its reward-earning rates, particularly in the travel and dining categories. The rates for hotels and airfare purchases are strong and don’t require you to shop through a travel portal. This distinction can be helpful, as many hotel chains and airlines will deny your elite benefits when you book through a third party like this. With plenty of bonus categories, the Autograph Journey should be able to cover much of your everyday spending.

Airline and hotel transfer partners

Each card has its own set of airline and hotel transfer partners — multiple cards can cover some programs, while others may be unique to a single card. We’ve compiled a list of all the partners to help you decide which card is best for you. All transfer ratios are 1:1 unless otherwise noted.

Our decision: The Autograph Journey doesn’t measure up

As you can see, the Autograph Journey has the smallest number of transfer partners — each of which is covered by at least two competitors. Further, considering that the Autograph Journey comes with the lowest overall point value, the card’s competitors are likely to be a better choice if you’re looking for a specific transfer partner, given their wider selection and better value.

You could certainly use the Autograph Journey’s welcome offer to supplement the point balance in one of its partners, but in most cases, you shouldn’t use it as the primary method to accrue those points unless you’re spending in its top categories.

The bottom line

While introducing a travel card with transfer partners is a big milestone for Wells Fargo, the Autograph Journey unfortunately doesn’t quite rise to the level of its competition. While the reward rates are decent, the lower value of Wells Fargo points keeps it a step behind the competition. Given that, this card is best suited for people who may already have a solid portfolio of credit cards and are looking for a new program to supplement their points balances. But if you’re looking for your first premium travel card, you’ll likely get more value from one of the other cards in this space.

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