Summary
Not only can new cardholders earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening, but they can also maximize everyday rewards with the card’s new bonus categories.
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If you’re looking for a travel rewards card that offers a lot of value in the first year and beyond, the Citi Premier® Card is a great way to go.In addition to its recently-added bonus categories that earn you 3 points per dollar on a variety of everyday expenses like supermarket purchases in addition to select travel expenses, the Premier card is currently offering an impressive sign-up bonus: 60,000 points for spending $4,000 in the first three months of card ownership.
Not only will the card’s ongoing rewards categories offer solid long-term value, but thanks to the card’s 25% bonus for redemptions made through its travel portal (available through April 10, 2021), you should also be able stretch the sign-up bonus a long way.
Here we take a look at how much this card’s bonus is worth and what you stand to earn in the first year when you combine it with rewards earned via card spend.
See related: Cash back vs. points
Citi Premier card sign-up bonus value: At a glance
Along with its 60,000-point bonus, the Citi Premier card allows cardholders to earn rewards on a wide array of purchases, ranging from air fare and hotels to gas, dining and supermarket spending. Citi ThankYou points also come with a 25% higher redemption value on travel.
These benefits come with a price tag, though: cardholders will be charged an annual fee of $95. However, the card’s yearly value should more than make up for its annual fee each year.
![]() Citi Premier card | |
Rewards rate |
|
Sign-up bonus | 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months |
Annual fee | $95 |
Card perks |
|
Estimated earnings in first year ($15,900 spend) | $848 |
Recent changes to the Citi Premier card
As you can see from the table below, the card has a history of toggling between a 30,000-point and 60,000-point sign-up bonus. The card has even offered no sign-up bonus in the past.
Citi Premier card recent changes
Change date | Sign-up bonus |
Jun. 13, 2019 | 60,000 ThankYou® points if you spend $4,000 in first 3 months |
Oct. 23, 2018 | 50,000 ThankYou® points if you spend $4,000 in first 3 months |
Aug. 1, 2018 | 60,000 ThankYou® points if you spend $4,000 in first 3 months |
Feb. 28, 2018 | 50,000 ThankYou® points if you spend $4,000 in first 3 months |
Jan. 25, 2018 | 30,000 ThankYou® points if you spend $3,000 in first 3 months |
Sept. 27, 2017 | No sign-up bonus |
July 18, 2017 | 50,000 ThankYou® points if you spend $4,000 in first 3 months |
Jan. 24, 2017 | 30,000 ThankYou® points if you spend $3,000 in first 3 months |
Keep in mind that the increased sign-up bonuses also come with higher spend requirements. To receive the 50,000-point or 60,000-point bonuses, cardholders must spend $4,000 in the first three months, compared to $3,000 for the 30,000-point bonus.
Who is eligible for the sign-up bonus?
The Citi Premier sign-up bonus is only available to new cardholders who have not had a Citi Rewards+®, Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi ThankYou® Premier/Citi Premier® or Citi Prestige® card opened or closed in the past 24 months.
Of course, you must meet certain credit requirements to be approved for the Premier card. To determine your creditworthiness, Citi will consider several factors, including, but not limited to, your annual salary and wages and any debt you may have.
Best ways to spend 60,000 ThankYou points
In general, travel redemptions are the best use of Citi ThankYou points, and – if you want to squeeze the most value out of your points – redeeming them for airfare through the Citi ThankYou portal is your best bet. Through April 10, 2021, Citi Premier card members get a 25% boost on their points when they redeem them this way, so 60,000 bonus points can get you $750 worth of airfare.
Citi gives you plenty of other choices for redeeming ThankYou points – including gift cards, merchandise and cash back – but most of these are a poor value, worth less than 1 cent per point.
Citi Premier card redemption options
Redemption option | Point value | Value of 60,000-point sign-up bonus |
Citi ThankYou portal airfare (25% point bonus) | 1.25 cents | $750 |
Other Citi ThankYou portal travel rewards (hotels, rental cars, cruises, vacations, activities) | 1 cent | $600 |
Gift cards | 1 cent | $600 |
Merchandise | 0.8 cent | $480 |
Shopping partners (Amazon, Expedia, Live Nation, 1-800Flowers, Best Buy, Wonder) | 0.8 cent | $480 |
Select and credit | 0.75 cent | $450 |
Cash back (statement credit or check) | 0.5 cent | $300 |
Student loan or mortgage payment | 1 cent | $600 |
Charity donation | 1 cent | $600 |
Citi also has several airline partners that you can transfer points to at a 1:1 ratio (with the exception of JetBlue). It’s possible to stretch your points further with a point transfer, since you can look for values within each airline partner’s redemption chart. Unfortunately, the options are slightly limited, consisting mostly of small overseas airlines:
Citi Premier card transfer options
Airline | Transfer ratio | Point value (including transfer ratio) | Value of 60,000-point sign-up bonus |
Singapore Airlines | 1:1 | 2.17 cents | $1,302 |
Avianca | 1:1 | 1.5 cents | $900 |
Turkish Airlines | 1:1 | 1 cent | $600 |
Asia Miles | 1:1 | 1 cent | $600 |
Etihad Guest | 1:1 | 1 cent | $600 |
Eva Air | 1:1 | 1 cent | $600 |
Air France/KLM | 1:1 | 1 cent | $600 |
Garuda Indonesia | 1:1 | 1 cent | $600 |
Jet Airways | 1:1 | 1 cent | $600 |
Malaysia Airlines | 1:1 | 1 cent | $600 |
Qantas | 1:1 | 1 cent | $600 |
Qatar | 1:1 | 1 cent | $600 |
Thai Airways | 1:1 | 1 cent | $600 |
Virgin Atlantic | 1:1 | 0.8 cent | $480 |
JetBlue | 2:1 | 0.74 cent | $444 |
Should you apply for the Citi Premier card now?
The bonus on the Citi Premier card is currently at its highest throughout the card’s history, so now is a great time to apply if you want to secure a lot of ThankYou points. The card’s recently-added bonus categories should also offer impressive long-term value, even with the annual fee and the coming expiration of the card’s 25% point value bonus on Citi travel portal redemptions.
See related: American Express Platinum card offers 125,000 bonus points through CardMatch
The editorial content below is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. However, we do receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Learn more about our advertising policy
Editorial Disclaimer
The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. It has not been provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.