Best Cards For Earning Citi ThankYou Points: Two Hub Cards & Two Boosters

Citi ThankYou is one of the major transferable points currencies, and the program has become more interesting in recent times, thanks to the introduction of new cards, plus the addition of American AAdvantage as a transfer partner. There are lots of great ways to redeem Citi ThankYou points beyond American AAdvantage, though. The program also partners with Air France-KLM Flying Blue, EVA Air Infinity MileageLands, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, and many more. In this post, I’d like to take a look at the best cards for maximizing your Citi ThankYou points earning potential. While there are several cards earning ThankYou points, I recommend having one of two “hub” cards, which allow you to then redeem all your points at the highest rate possible, and then there are two more cards that act as good “boosters,” to maximize your points. Let me add one major caveat upfront — there are currently no business cards earning Citi ThankYou points, so this is only useful if you’re looking for a personal card. More broadly, if you’re looking to earn travel rewards for your credit card spending, it’s always smart to use a card that earns transferable points currencies. That’s because these programs give you the flexibility to transfer points to many partners, so you’re not invested in any single airline or hotel loyalty program. Link: Learn more about the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card, Citi Strata Premier® Card, or Citi Double Cash® Card The two Citi ThankYou “hub” cardsCiti Strata Elite℠ CardCiti Strata Premier® CardThe two Citi ThankYou “booster” cardsCiti Double Cash® CardCiti Strata℠ CardBest strategy for maximizing Citi ThankYou pointsCiti ThankYou credit card FAQsBottom line While Citi has several valuable cards that can potentially earn you ThankYou points, the reality is that you’ll want to have one of two cards in order to be able to transfer all your points to airline and hotel partners at the best possible rate. I should also mention that the Citi Prestige is also a potential booster card, but is no longer open to new applicants. That being said, some existing cardmembers may still find value with that. Citi Strata Elite℠ Card Here are the basics of the Citi Strata Elite Card: Annual fee: $595 Bonus categories: 12x points on hotels, rental cars, and attractions, booked through the Citi Travel portal, 6x points on flights booked through the Citi Travel portal, 6x points on dining on Citi Nights (Fridays and Saturdays from 6PM until 6AM ET), 3x points on dining, and 1.5x points everywhere else Best for: Those who want to take advantage of premium cards, like lounge access, credits, and more The Citi Strata Elite Card is Citi’s lucrative premium card that was launched in 2025. While the card has a steep annual fee, it offers valuable credits and benefits that can help offset that, including up to $300 in annual hotel credits, up to $200 in annual Splurge Credits (which can be used for American flights), up to $200 in annual Blacklane credits, up to four annual Admirals Club passes, a Priority Pass membership, and more. The card is particularly lucrative the first year. The Citi Strata Elite has a welcome bonus of 75,000 ThankYou points after spending $6,000 within the first three months. There’s lots of merit to picking up this card, especially if you’re an American flyer. Read a full review of the Citi Strata Elite Card, apply for the Citi Strata Elite Card. Earn 3-6x points on dining with the Citi Strata Elite Citi Strata Premier® Card Here are the basics of the Citi Strata Premier Card: Annual fee: $95 Bonus categories: 10x points on hotels, rental cars, and attractions, booked through the Citi Travel portal, 3x points on dining, 3x points at supermarkets, 3x points on gas stations and EV charging, 3x points on other hotel purchases, 3x points on airfare, and 1x points everywhere else Best for: Those who want to earn as many points as possible while paying a low annual fee and unlocking the full value of Citi ThankYou The Citi Strata Premier Card is an incredibly lucrative card for maximizing Citi ThankYou points. The card has fantastic bonus categories, no foreign transaction fees, a $100 annual hotel credit when booked with Citi Travel®, and more. The Citi Strata Premier offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 ThankYou points after spending $4,000 within the first three months. I’d argue this is the most well rounded mid-range credit card out there. Read a full review of the Citi Strata Premier Card, apply for the Citi Strata Premier Card. Earn 3x points on supermarkets with the Citi Strata Premier The two Citi ThankYou “booster” cards There are two Citi credit cards that act as excellent complements to the Citi Strata Elite Card or Citi Strata Premier Card. What’s fantastic is that these cards both don’t have an annual fee, so you can maximize your rewards without paying extra (and that says nothing of the fact that having no annual fee cards long term can be good for your credit score). While they offer points that can independently be transferred to select travel partners, you get a better transfer ratio if you have them in conjunction with one of the above cards. Fortunately the process of combining the points is quite easy. Let me mention that the below cards have 3% foreign transaction fees, so I wouldn’t recommend using them for purchases in foreign currency. I should also mention that the Citi Custom Cash is also a potential booster card, but is no longer open to new applicants. That being said, some existing cardmembers may still find value with that. Citi Double Cash® Card Here are the basics of the Citi Double Cash Card: Annual fee: $0 Bonus categories: 2x points on all purchases (1x points when you make a purchase, and 1x points when you pay for that purchase) Best for: Those who spend a lot in non-bonused categories within the United States The Citi Double Cash Card is an unrivaled no annual fee product for non-bonused, everyday spending. The card offers 1x ThankYou points when you make a purchase, and 1x ThankYou points when you pay for that purchase. These rewards can either be combined with Citi ThankYou points earned on other cards, or can be redeemed for cash back at the rate of one cent per point. This is one of the most compelling cards for everyday spending. The Citi Double Cash offers a welcome bonus of 20,000 ThankYou points after spending $1,500 within the first six months. Read a full review of the Citi Double Cash Card, apply for the Citi Double Cash Card. Rack up ThankYou points quickly with the Citi Double Cash Citi Strata℠ Card Here are the basics of the Citi Strata Card: Annual fee: $0 Bonus categories: 5x points on hotels, rental cars, and attractions, booked through the Citi Travel portal, 3x points on supermarkets, select transit, gas stations & EV charging, and self-select categories, 2x points on restaurants, and 1x points everywhere else Best for: Those who can take advantage of bonus categories to supplement their ThankYou points earning The Citi Strata Card has phenomenal bonus categories, when you consider that the card has no annual fee, and can complement another card in the portfolio. The self-select categories let you choose from several options, including fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, pet supply stores, cosmetic stores, barber shops, and hair salons. The Citi Strata offers a welcome bonus of 20,000 ThankYou points after spending $1,000 within the first three months. Read a full review of the Citi Strata Card, apply for the Citi Strata Card. Potentially earn 3x points at fitness clubs with the Citi Strata Best strategy for maximizing Citi ThankYou points Often you can really supercharge your points earning potential by picking up credit card duos, and that’s an area where I think Citi’s card portfolio is incredibly competitive. For example, if you pick up the Citi Strata Elite Card or Citi Strata Premier Card, there’s huge merit to them also picking up the Citi Double Cash Card. Why? Because the Citi Double Cash will earn you 2x points per dollar spent (after paying the bill), making it the best of those cards for everyday spending. So that lets you use the bonus categories, while also earning as many points as possible for categories that aren’t eligible for bonus categories. Just keep in mind Citi’s application and approval rules, which restrict you to being approved for at most one Citi card every eight days, and at most two Citi cards every 65 days (on a rolling basis). Each individual Citi Strata product (Citi Strata Elite, Citi Strata Premier, and Citi Strata) follow a “once in a lifetime” rule for eligibility, while the Citi Double Cash follows a 48-month rule for bonus eligibility. Beyond that, there aren’t many consistent restrictions to be aware of. Transfer Citi ThankYou points to American AAdvantage Citi ThankYou credit card FAQs What are the best Citi cards for earning ThankYou points? The best setup with Citi ThankYou is one “hub” card, plus at least one no annual fee “booster” card. The hub cards are the Citi Strata Elite and the Citi Strata Premier. The boosters are the Citi Double Cash and the Citi Strata. A hub card lets you transfer all your points to airline and hotel partners at the best rate. Is the Citi Strata Elite or the Citi Strata Premier better? The Strata Elite is the premium option, and has a $595 annual fee. It earns 12x points on hotels, rental cars, and attractions booked through Citi Travel, and it comes with up to $300 in hotel credits, up to $200 in Splurge Credits, Blacklane credits, Admirals Club passes, and Priority Pass. The Strata Premier is the better value for most people. It has a $95 annual fee and earns 3x points on dining, supermarkets, gas, EV charging, air travel, and other hotel purchases. Pick the Elite if you’ll use the credits and lounge perks, and the Premier if you want strong everyday earning at a lower fee. Is the Citi Double Cash worth it if I already have a Citi Strata? Yes, the Double Cash earns 2x points on all purchases (1x points when you buy, 1x points when you pay), so it’s a strong choice for spending that doesn’t fall into a bonus category. Pair it with a Strata Elite or Strata Premier to use the bonus categories on the hub card, and the Double Cash for everything else. Its points can be combined with the hub card’s points or redeemed for cash back at one cent each. Can I transfer Citi ThankYou points to American AAdvantage? Yes, American AAdvantage is a Citi ThankYou transfer partner, which makes these points appealing to American flyers. To get the best transfer ratio from the Double Cash or Strata, combine those points with a Strata Elite or Strata Premier account. Do any Citi ThankYou cards have foreign transaction fees? Yes, the Citi Double Cash and Citi Strata charge a 3% foreign transaction fee, so they aren’t ideal for purchases in foreign currency. The Strata Premier and Strata Elite have no foreign transaction fees. Are there Citi business cards that earn ThankYou points? No, there are currently no business cards earning Citi ThankYou points, so this strategy applies only to personal cards. The Citi Prestige and Citi Custom Cash can also earn ThankYou points, but neither is open to new applicants. How many Citi cards can I apply for at once? Citi generally limits you to one card approval every eight days, and two card approvals every 65 days. Each Strata card (Elite, Premier, and Strata) is also limited to once per lifetime for bonus eligibility, and the Double Cash follows a 48-month rule for its bonus. Can I earn the welcome bonus on multiple Citi Strata cards? Yes, the welcome bonus on each version of the Citi Strata (Strata Elite, Strata Premier, and Strata) is considered independently, so you can earn the bonus on each card once. Do Citi ThankYou points expire? Citi ThankYou points don’t expire, assuming that your account remains open. However, if you close your account and transfer the points to another card, you only have 60 days to redeem them. The best choice in those situations is to transfer the points to a travel partner, as the points will then follow the rules of that program. Can I use Citi ThankYou points for cash back? While Citi ThankYou points can be used for cash back, it’s typically not the best use of the points. The value you get per point as cash back depends on the exact card you have, and typically ranges from 0.75-1.0 cents per point. Bottom line The Citi ThankYou system has improved nicely over time, especially with the launch of the Citi Strata Elite Card and Citi Strata Card. If you’re into collecting transferable points, and in particular, if you want to earn American AAdvantage miles, these cards should be on your radar. The $595 annual fee Citi Strata Elite Card offers a solid welcome bonus and valuable perks and credits (including lounge access), while the Citi Strata Card has phenomenal bonus categories for a no annual fee card. I also think the Citi Double Cash Card is quite special, for the ability to earn up to 2x points per dollar spent, after paying your bill. Which Citi ThankYou cards do you have for maximizing points?