The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Advertiser disclosure
The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
How to earn 5x points on dining, airfare and more with the Citi Prestige Card
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
November 5, 2020 • 7 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
Related stories
Quick summary
A premium travel rewards card has lost several key benefits, including travel protections and changes to its hotel stay perks, making it less appealing for some travelers.
Despite these reductions, the card still offers high earning rates at select merchants such as restaurants, air travel providers and travel agencies, with additional limited-time categories available through the end of 2020.
TPG's valuations peg the associated points at 1.7 cents each as of June 2024, translating to a significant return in certain categories.
Cardholders must weigh the value of these earning opportunities against the higher cost and reduced benefits.
What to consider
The limited-time earning category for online, cable and streaming purchases is capped and only available through December 31, 2020.
Booking hotels or cruises through travel agencies may yield higher rewards but could forfeit elite status benefits.
Calculations for offsetting the card's cost depend on how points are redeemed, with different values for transfers to airline partners versus portal bookings.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of which merchants qualify for higher earning rates and how to maximize value based on your travel and spending patterns.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
But, there are still some compelling aspects to the Citi Prestige Card. One of the most exciting benefits is 5x earning on select purchases. After all, TPG's valuations peg the value of Citi ThankYou Rewards points at 1.7 cents each. 5x earnings equate to an 8.5% return, so today I'll consider what types of Citi Prestige purchases earn 5x Citi ThankYou Rewards points.
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Earn 5x points with the Citi Prestige on dining. (Photo by Oscar Wong/Getty Images)
The Citi Prestige Card advertises 5x earning rates at restaurants and on air travel. But, if you read the fine print, you'll see that you can also earn 5x points with travel agencies.
To determine exactly how Citi defines the 5x categories for the Citi Prestige Card, I checked out Citi ThankYou's help section for earning points. Here's what I found:
Travel agencies are merchants that provide travel information and booking services, including travel aggregators and tour operators.
Restaurants include cafes, bars, lounges, nightclubs, taverns, fast food restaurants and other merchants that primarily prepare food and drinks for immediate consumption. However, some merchants that sell food and drink but are located within larger establishments may not be included in the restaurant category.
And, through Dec. 31, 2020, the Citi Prestige offers a limited-time 5x category. Specifically, you'll earn 5x points on select online, cable and streaming purchases through the end of 2020. However, you can only earn up to 7,500 Citi ThankYou Rewards points through this limited-time 5x category. So, you'll only earn 5x points on up to $1,500 of online, cable and streaming purchases before the end of the year.
How you book your room at The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa determines how many points you'll earn on the Citi Prestige. (Photo by Katie Genter/The Points Guy)
While I was reading the Citi ThankYou help section for earning points, I also found the following definitions for the Citi Prestige's 3x earning categories:
Hotels are businesses that provide sleeping or meeting room accommodations. Goods and services that appear on a hotel bill and purchases from restaurants located in hotels are often categorized as hotel purchases.
Cruise lines are businesses that provide cruise line travel.
So, if you pay for a hotel room or cruise directly with the hotel or cruise line, you'll earn 3x points. But, if you pay for a hotel room or cruise through a travel agent, you'll earn 5x points. Of course, booking through a travel agent may mean that you forfeit elite earnings and benefits. So, for some trips, it may not be worth the additional points.
Can you justify paying the Citi Prestige's annual fee based on your spending? (Photo by Eric Helgas/The Points Guy)
The Citi Prestige Card provides a $250 travel credit each calendar year, so your effective annual fee drops from $495 to $245, assuming you'll spend at least $250 on travel each year. And, through the end of 2020, supermarket and restaurant purchases also count towards the $250 travel credit.
Qualifying Citigold account holders are also eligible for a $145 statement credit each year that can bring their effective annual fee down to $100. However, for the purposes of this article, let's assume you aren't an eligible Citigold account holder.
To offset the effective $245 annual fee, let's consider how much you'd need to spend in categories that earn 5x points. Of course, this depends on how you plan to use your points. If you plan to transfer your points to airline partners for award flights, we can use TPG's valuation of Citi ThankYou points at 1.7 cents each. At this valuation, you'd need to spend $2,883 per year or about $240 per month in categories that earn 5x points to earn $245 worth of Citi ThankYou points each year.
And, if you plan to redeem your points toward travel booked through the Citi ThankYou portal, your points will be worth one cent each. At this valuation, you'd need to spend $4,900 per year or about $409 per month in categories that earn 5x points to earn $245 worth of Citi ThankYou points.
However, these calculations assume that you wouldn't be earning any points or cash back on the 5x bonus categories if you didn't have the Citi Prestige Card. This isn't a fair assumption for most cardholders though. So, consider what card you'd be using if you didn't use the Citi Prestige Card when doing your calculations.
The Citi Prestige Card's 5x earning categories are broader than just air travel and restaurants, which may be news to some cardholders. But, with most of the Citi Prestige's benefits devalued, some cardholders may struggle to justify keeping this $495 annual fee card even with its 5x earning. However, if you are a high spender or can get significant value out of the fourth-night free benefit -- which isn't a given, but is possible at mid-tier and luxury hotels -- it may make sense to keep the Citi Prestige in your wallet.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
