Difference between revisions of "Citi double cash card"
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'''A standalone Citi Double Cash card is a decent no-annual-fee 2% cashback card, but we generally recommend some other options that have better purchase protections and/or don't charge a foreign transaction fees.''' | '''A standalone Citi Double Cash card is a decent no-annual-fee 2% cashback card, but we generally recommend some other options that have better purchase protections and/or don't charge a foreign transaction fees.''' | ||
| − | '''But when combined with a Citi Premier | + | '''But when combined with a Citi Premier Card (or discontinued Citi Prestige Card), the Citi Double Cash can be the best available general-purpose reward card. Either of these other cards allow you to convert the cash you earn with the DoubleCash card into airline miles with a dozen different frequent flyer programs at a rate of 1 mile for 1 cent. This turns the Double Cash Card into a card that essentially earns 2 flexible airline miles per dollar. If you are comfortable redeeming points for frequent flyer tickets and aren't willing and able to get a business credit card, this is the most valuable reward rate you can earn on your everyday spending.''' |
{{TOC|All}} | {{TOC|All}} | ||
*[[#Converting to ThankYou points|Converting to ThankYou points]] | *[[#Converting to ThankYou points|Converting to ThankYou points]] | ||
*[[#Using the Card for your Everyday Spending|Using for your Everyday Spending]] | *[[#Using the Card for your Everyday Spending|Using for your Everyday Spending]] | ||
| − | *[[# | + | *[[#Notable Benefits|Notable Benefits]] |
*[[#Getting Rid of the Card|Getting Rid of the Card]] | *[[#Getting Rid of the Card|Getting Rid of the Card]] | ||
{{/TOC}} | {{/TOC}} | ||
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'''Points from your Double Cash card can be converted into Citibank ThankYou points'''. | '''Points from your Double Cash card can be converted into Citibank ThankYou points'''. | ||
| − | If you also have a Citi Prestige | + | If you also have a Citi Premier Card (or discontinued Citi Prestige Card), you will be able to transfer these points to one of more than a dozen different frequent flyer programs to use for award tickets. In many cases, using your points for frequent flyer tickets will provide more value than the normal rate of 1 cent per point. With particularly good redemptions, you can get values of 2, 3, or even 4 cents per point. |
For example, you can convert $250 of rewards into 25,000 Air France miles to purchase Delta tickets, into 25,000 Cathay Pacific miles to purchase American Airlines tickets, or into 25,000 Singapore Airlines miles to purchase United tickets. As an extreme example, $250 worth of Double Cash points can be converted into 25,000 Turkish Airlines miles, which can then be used for a round-trip United ticket to Hawaii in first class. | For example, you can convert $250 of rewards into 25,000 Air France miles to purchase Delta tickets, into 25,000 Cathay Pacific miles to purchase American Airlines tickets, or into 25,000 Singapore Airlines miles to purchase United tickets. As an extreme example, $250 worth of Double Cash points can be converted into 25,000 Turkish Airlines miles, which can then be used for a round-trip United ticket to Hawaii in first class. | ||
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If you have a Citi Rewards+ card, you will receive a 10% rebate on the first 100,000 ThankYou points you redeem each year, giving you a boost to the value of your points regardless of whether you convert your ThankYou points to frequent flyer miles or just cash them out. | If you have a Citi Rewards+ card, you will receive a 10% rebate on the first 100,000 ThankYou points you redeem each year, giving you a boost to the value of your points regardless of whether you convert your ThankYou points to frequent flyer miles or just cash them out. | ||
| − | If you don't have a Citi Prestige | + | If you don't have a Citi Premier or Prestige, you can still use your ThankYou points to purchase JetBlue tickets, often giving you a little extra value for most JetBlue flights. Otherwise, there isn't much reason to convert your points to ThankYou points. You might as well redeem them directly. |
=== Using the Card for your Everyday Spending === | === Using the Card for your Everyday Spending === | ||
<ul class="bulletlist"> | <ul class="bulletlist"> | ||
| − | <li>'''2% is the best you can get from a no-annual-fee cashback card that doesn't have any restrictions or caveats'''. All the credit cards that earn higher reward rates either have annual fees or only work for specific subsets of travelers.</li> | + | <li>'''2% back is the best you can get from a no-annual-fee cashback card that doesn't have any restrictions or caveats'''. All the credit cards that earn higher reward rates either have annual fees or only work for specific subsets of travelers.</li> |
| − | <li>''' | + | <li>'''If you are primarily interested in cashback, the Double Cash isn't our favorite no-annual-fee option.'''. We usually recommend the State Department or PayPal Card because they don't charge foreign transaction fees and offer at least some purchase protections. {{Link|purchase protections}}.</li> |
| − | <li>''' | + | <li>'''However, you have the option of converting your Double Cash points into ThankYou points and increasing their value by using them for frequent flyer tickets'''. If you have a Citi Premier Card (or discontinued Citi Prestige Card), you can transfer your ThankYou points to more than two dozen frequent flyer programs and book award tickets on almost 100 airlines. When you do, you will often have the ability to get more than 1 cent in value per point. If you are comfortable with using your points for frequent flyer tickets, the Amex Blue Business Plus Card is only other credit card that earns 2x points that can be converted to frequent flyer miles—but it's a business card. |
| − | <li>''' | + | <li>'''If you wind up having difficulty using your points for frequent flyer tickets, you can always keep them as Double Cash points and cash them out'''. This provides more flexibility than earning Membership Rewards points.</li> |
| − | <li>''' | + | <li>'''The Double Cash Combination is comparable to the Chase Ultimate Rewards Combination'''. Both options provide the upside of using your points for high-value award redemptions while also giving you good ways to simply cash out your points. The Chase combo provides better options for easily using your points. The Double Cash combo provides more frequent flyer miles per dollar. {{Link|General Purpose}}.</li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
| − | === | + | === Notable Benefits === |
| − | + | If your Double Cash card isn't the World Elite version, you can call Citibank and they will probably upgrade it. | |
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<ul class="bulletlist"> | <ul class="bulletlist"> | ||
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=== Getting Rid of the Card === | === Getting Rid of the Card === | ||
| − | If you | + | {{Cancel Cashout}} If you have a card that earns ThankYou points, you could convert your DoubleCash points into ThankYou points instead. |
{{/Main|card}} | {{/Main|card}} | ||
{{/Page|card}} | {{/Page|card}} | ||
Latest revision as of 20:19, 5 July 2021
Citibank Credit Cards
Citibank Webpage
Send comments or suggestions to editor@travelstrategies.com or leave a comment below.
Annual Fee
No annual fee
Typical Signup Offer
None
Signup Bonus ChartBonus Categories
2% All Purchases
3% Foreign Transaction Fee
A standalone Citi Double Cash card is a decent no-annual-fee 2% cashback card, but we generally recommend some other options that have better purchase protections and/or don't charge a foreign transaction fees.
But when combined with a Citi Premier Card (or discontinued Citi Prestige Card), the Citi Double Cash can be the best available general-purpose reward card. Either of these other cards allow you to convert the cash you earn with the DoubleCash card into airline miles with a dozen different frequent flyer programs at a rate of 1 mile for 1 cent. This turns the Double Cash Card into a card that essentially earns 2 flexible airline miles per dollar. If you are comfortable redeeming points for frequent flyer tickets and aren't willing and able to get a business credit card, this is the most valuable reward rate you can earn on your everyday spending.
Jump to
Jump to:
Converting to ThankYou points
Points from your Double Cash card can be converted into Citibank ThankYou points.
If you also have a Citi Premier Card (or discontinued Citi Prestige Card), you will be able to transfer these points to one of more than a dozen different frequent flyer programs to use for award tickets. In many cases, using your points for frequent flyer tickets will provide more value than the normal rate of 1 cent per point. With particularly good redemptions, you can get values of 2, 3, or even 4 cents per point.
For example, you can convert $250 of rewards into 25,000 Air France miles to purchase Delta tickets, into 25,000 Cathay Pacific miles to purchase American Airlines tickets, or into 25,000 Singapore Airlines miles to purchase United tickets. As an extreme example, $250 worth of Double Cash points can be converted into 25,000 Turkish Airlines miles, which can then be used for a round-trip United ticket to Hawaii in first class.
The Citi Prestige and Premier Cards let you earn bonus ThankYou reward cards on restaurants, travel, and other categories, and frequently offer large signup bonuses to quickly boost the number of points in your account.
If you have a Citi Rewards+ card, you will receive a 10% rebate on the first 100,000 ThankYou points you redeem each year, giving you a boost to the value of your points regardless of whether you convert your ThankYou points to frequent flyer miles or just cash them out.
If you don't have a Citi Premier or Prestige, you can still use your ThankYou points to purchase JetBlue tickets, often giving you a little extra value for most JetBlue flights. Otherwise, there isn't much reason to convert your points to ThankYou points. You might as well redeem them directly.
Using the Card for your Everyday Spending
- 2% back is the best you can get from a no-annual-fee cashback card that doesn't have any restrictions or caveats. All the credit cards that earn higher reward rates either have annual fees or only work for specific subsets of travelers.
- If you are primarily interested in cashback, the Double Cash isn't our favorite no-annual-fee option.. We usually recommend the State Department or PayPal Card because they don't charge foreign transaction fees and offer at least some purchase protections. Automatic Protection for the Things You Buy with Your Credit Card.
- However, you have the option of converting your Double Cash points into ThankYou points and increasing their value by using them for frequent flyer tickets. If you have a Citi Premier Card (or discontinued Citi Prestige Card), you can transfer your ThankYou points to more than two dozen frequent flyer programs and book award tickets on almost 100 airlines. When you do, you will often have the ability to get more than 1 cent in value per point. If you are comfortable with using your points for frequent flyer tickets, the Amex Blue Business Plus Card is only other credit card that earns 2x points that can be converted to frequent flyer miles—but it's a business card.
- If you wind up having difficulty using your points for frequent flyer tickets, you can always keep them as Double Cash points and cash them out. This provides more flexibility than earning Membership Rewards points.
- The Double Cash Combination is comparable to the Chase Ultimate Rewards Combination. Both options provide the upside of using your points for high-value award redemptions while also giving you good ways to simply cash out your points. The Chase combo provides better options for easily using your points. The Double Cash combo provides more frequent flyer miles per dollar. Get a Great General Purpose Reward Card and Use It for All of Your Spending.
Notable Benefits
If your Double Cash card isn't the World Elite version, you can call Citibank and they will probably upgrade it.
- Elite car rental status. As with all World Elite MasterCards, you get free National Emerald Club Executive and Sixt Platinum status. Instant Car Rental Elite Status.
- Access to Mastercard's luxury hotel program. Another benefit of high-end MasterCards is access to MasterCard's luxury hotel program. When you use the program to book one of the participating hotels, you'll get a number of valuable benefits, like free breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade, and late checkout.Take Advantage of Luxury Hotel Programs for Valuable Extra Perks.
- Free ShopRunner membership. Like all World Elite MasterCards, your card entitles you to a complimentary ShopRunner membership, which provides free two-day and return shipping from around 150 of the largest online retailers. ShopRunner.
- DoorDash and Hello Fresh discounts. Cardmembers who have a DoorDash membership get $5 off their first two orders each month when paid for by their Mastercard. If you don't have a free membership from Chase, you can get your first three months membership for free through Mastercard. You also get a 5% credit back on each HelloFresh purchase.
- Some additional discounts. If you pay for at least 3 Lyft rides each calendar month with your Mastercard, you'll receive a $5 Lyft credit good for the following month (once you enroll in the Lyft app). You also receive double Fandango points, a 5% reward rebate at Boxed, and $5 off every Postmates order of $25 or more.
Getting Rid of the Card
Make sure to cash out your rewards balance before you cancel your card. If you have a card that earns ThankYou points, you could convert your DoubleCash points into ThankYou points instead.