A Dynamic Duo: Why the Citi Double Cash and Citi Premier Cards Make Such a Powerful Combination

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The Citi Double Cash^® Card and Citi Premier^®, from our partner Citi, are two very different credit cards aimed at different consumers. The Citi Double Cash Card earns a flat cash-back rate with no annual fee, while the Citi Premier is a great card for those who want to earn generous rewards on everyday purchases.

Many people looking for a generous rewards card wouldn’t think to consider the Citi Double Cash, and some cash-back consumers would skip the Citi Premier. Yet, these two cards paired together make a great combination to help you earn more points on everyday expenses. Here’s why you should consider having both cards in your wallet.

Citi Double Cash® Card + Citi Premier® Card Combo

Credit Card	Intro Bonus	Annual Fee	Rewards Rate	Learn More
Citi Double Cash® Card Apply Now Rates & Fees	$200Cash Bonus More Info 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	2%Cashback More Info Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.	Apply Now Rates & Fees
Citi Premier® Card Apply Now Rates & Fees	60,000Citi ThankYou Points More Info Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou Points after making $4,000 worth of purchases during the first three months of account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,080 (60,000 Citi ThankYou Points * 0.018 base)	$95	1X-10XPoints More Info 10X total ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024. 3X -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels 3X -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets 1X -- Earn 1 Point on All Other Purchases	Apply Now Rates & Fees

Overview of the Citi Double Cash

The Citi Double Cash is an uncomplicated rewards card with no annual fee. The card earns 1% cash back when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay it off. As long as you pay your card in full every month, you’ll earn 2% cash back. Plus, for a limited time customers earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.

New customers can earn a $200 sign-up bonus after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months from account opening. This bonus is fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou^® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

The card also offers a 0% intro APR offer for 18 months on balance transfers, then a regular APR of 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) based on creditworthiness thereafter. Granted, you’ll need to pay a 3% balance transfer fee, but it might be worthwhile. If you’re looking for a 0% balance transfer offer, 18 months is a pretty generous timeframe. The Citi Double Cash Card carries a 3% foreign transaction fee, making this a suboptimal card for travel abroad. 

Overview of the Citi Premier

The Citi Premier is a great card if you want a generous welcome bonus and earning structure. It currently has an elevated welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 within three months of account opening. It also earns 3 points per dollar in common spending categories:

• 3x points on air travel and hotels
• 3x points at gas stations
• 3x points at restaurants
• 3x points at supermarkets
• 1x point on all other purchases

Gas and grocery spending are big expenses for most people, so being able to earn 3x points is a big deal. As a comparison, the American Express^® Gold Card earns 4x points in these categories but caps the grocery bonus to $25,000 per year. The Citi Premier has no limit on the number of points you can earn. Plus, the card’s $95 annual fee is much lower than the Amex® Gold’s $250. Bottom line: The Citi Premier Card offers terrific value for a mid-tier card.

Aside from category bonuses, cardmembers also enjoy no foreign transaction fees on purchases made abroad and an annual $100 discount on hotel bookings of $500 or higher made through Citi ThankYou Travel.

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Why You Should Combine the Citi Double Cash and Citi Premier Cards

As you can see, both cards have positive attributes that make them worthy contenders. So why do you need both? Here’s a look at how having both a Citi Double Cash and Premier Card can be beneficial:

• You can maximize earnings on your spending: You’ll earn generous category bonuses where it counts and at least 2x ThankYou points on all other spending. This is massively useful because you’re doubling your earn rate outside of those four spending categories. 
• Cash-back rewards become more valuable: Pairing these cards increases the value of your rewards and gives you more options to redeem them. Slickdeals values ThankYou points at 1.8 cents each. Say you spend $10,000 with the Citi Double Cash Card. You’d earn $200 cash back or you can convert that to 20,000 points. Those 20,000 points would be worth $360, which is more than the value of your initial cash back rewards. 
• You only pay one annual fee: Many card pairings get you a similar earning structure, but few are as cheap as this combo. The Citi Premier’s $95 annual fee is reasonable when you factor in the 3x category bonuses. Using the $100 hotel discount offsets the card’s $95 annual fee entirely. There are plenty of 2% cash-back cards with no annual fee, but being able to convert cash back into valuable ThankYou points is a compelling reason to pair these cards.

What to Know Before You Apply for a Citi Card

If you’re excited about the Citi Double Cash and Citi Premier combo, you’ll want to read up on Citi’s application rules before applying. While Citi is more lax than some banks, it has several rules that could impact whether you’re approved for a new card:

• Citi won’t approve you for a Premier Card if you’ve had (and closed) the card in the past 24 months. This rule extends to other Thank You-earning cards, including the Citi Rewards+, Citi ThankYou Preferred and Citi ThankYou Prestige. 
• The issuer also limits card approvals to one every eight days and two within 65 days. So if you’ve recently applied for another Citi card, you may not be eligible for a new Premier or Double Cash Card. Time your applications correctly, so you don’t miss out on approval.

Bottom Line

Suppose you have a Citi Double Cash card in your wallet. The Citi Premier can expand your rewards potential and offers money-saving travel perks at a very reasonable annual fee. You can convert your cash back to points for valuable travel redemptions, like first-class flights and luxury hotels. Best of all, you can keep earning points abroad without incurring a foreign transaction fee and enjoy perks reserved for World Elite Mastercard^® cards. 

And if you have a Citi Premier card, adding a Double Cash card to your repertoire enhances an already terrific card. You’ll earn 2x points outside of an already impressive bonus category line-up at no additional fee. Either way, this killer combo will supercharge your point-earning potential.

Compare Citi Credit Cards

Credit Card	Intro Bonus	Annual Fee	Rewards Rate	Learn More
Citi Double Cash® Card Apply Now Rates & Fees	$200Cash Bonus More Info 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	2%Cashback More Info Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.	Apply Now Rates & Fees
Citi Premier® Card Apply Now Rates & Fees	60,000Citi ThankYou Points More Info Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou Points after making $4,000 worth of purchases during the first three months of account opening. Dollar Equivalent: $1,080 (60,000 Citi ThankYou Points * 0.018 base)	$95	1X-10XPoints More Info 10X total ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024. 3X -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels 3X -- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets 1X -- Earn 1 Point on All Other Purchases	Apply Now Rates & Fees
Citi Custom Cash® Card Apply Now Rates & Fees	$200Cash Bonus More Info 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.	$0	1% - 5%Cashback More Info 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.	Apply Now Rates & Fees
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi Apply Now Rates & Fees	$0Cash Bonus	$0 More info Active Costco membership required	1% - 4%Cashback More Info Earn 4% cash back on up to $7,000 in annual gas and EV charging purchases (and then 1% after), 3% back on restaurant and travel purchases, 2% back at Costco and Costco.com and 1% everywhere else.	Apply Now Rates & Fees