Maximize the Citi Trifecta: Earn and redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards points with 3 cards
Editor's Note
Citi ThankYou Rewards is one of the most valuable rewards currencies on the market.
The Citi ThankYou Rewards program offers 22 transfer partners, including American Airlines AAdvantage, Singapore KrisFlyer and Wyndham Rewards. Citi ThankYou Rewards points are among the most valuable flexible currencies, with TPG's September 2025 valuations pegging them at 1.9 cents each — nearly on par with American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards.
If you want to supercharge your points earning and maximize your redemptions with the Citi ThankYou Rewards program, you may want to pick up the Citi Trifecta. It refers to a three-card setup of Citi credit cards that opens up strong earning and redeeming potential.
You can use different combinations to build a Citi Trifecta, and your choice will depend on how you travel and redeem your points. Let's dive into the combinations and see which one would be best for your wallet.
What is the Citi Trifecta?
The Citi Trifecta is a card setup containing three cards that earn Citi ThankYou Rewards points.
In general, you'll want your Citi Trifecta to cover three types of spending:
- A card that maximizes everyday spending
- A card that earns in your top spending category
- A card that unlocks the best redemption value for your points
Why should you get the Citi Trifecta?
When you hold three cards to make a Citi Trifecta and spend intentionally with the card that earns the most in any specific category, you'll end up supercharging your Citi ThankYou Rewards points earning, which gets you to aspirational redemptions sooner.
Maximize points earning
When it comes to earning, you'll want to select Citi cards that earn bonus points on your common expenses.
First, the Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees) is the best choice for nonbonused spending, as it earns a fixed 2% cash back on everything (1% as you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay).
Next, the Citi Custom Cash® Card is a great choice for maximizing earnings in your top spending category. This is because it earns 5% back on the first $500 spent within your top eligible spending category.
The information for the Citi Custom Cash has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Finally, the Strata cards feature bonus categories to make the most of your frequent spending, which we'll get into later:
- Citi Strata℠ Card (see rates and fees)
- Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see rates and fees)
- Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees)
Get the most out of your redemptions
With ThankYou Rewards points, you can redeem for statement credits, cash back or gift cards. However, the best way to get closest to TPG's 1.9 cents per point value (per TPG's September 2025 valuations) is to transfer your points to partners.
Citi's ecosystem includes many high-value partners, such as Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Choice Privileges and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
When you transfer points to partners, you have to have a premium Citi ThankYou Rewards card to receive a full 1:1 transfer ratio.
If you hold the Citi Prestige® Card (no longer available to new applicants), the Strata Elite or the Strata Premier, you'll receive 1 point or mile in the program you're transferring to for every 1 ThankYou Rewards point (for most partners).
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.
If you don't hold one of these cards, you'll receive only 0.7 points or miles for every 1 ThankYou Rewards point transferred (for most partners).
This is why we recommend adding the Strata Elite or the Strata Premier to a Citi Trifecta instead of the no-annual-fee Strata; the Strata won't unlock the full 1:1 transfer value.
Related: Best ways to redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards points
Which cards are in a Citi Trifecta?
Here is a breakdown of the cards you can select from to build a Citi Trifecta.
Citi Double Cash Card
Annual fee: $0.
Welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
Key earning rates:
- 5% cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel
- 2% cash back on every purchase (an unlimited 1% cash back as you buy, plus an additional 1% when you pay for those purchases)
The Double Cash is the card to get for everyday purchases. It ensures you'll always receive at least 2% back on all your spending.
To learn more, read our full review of the Double Cash.
Apply here: Citi Double Cash Card
Citi Custom Cash Card
Annual fee: $0.
Welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
Key earning rates: 5% cash back on the first $500 of purchases in your top spending category for that billing cycle, including:
- Drugstores
- Fitness clubs
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores
- Home improvement stores
- Live entertainment
- Restaurants
- Select transit*
- Select travel**
- Select streaming services***
*Select transit is defined as car rentals, ferries, commuter railways, subways, taxis/limousines/car services, passenger railways, bridge and road tolls, parking lots/garages, bus lines, and motor home and recreational vehicle rentals. It also includes merchants that sell electricity for charging an electric vehicle. It excludes bike/scooter rentals, auto clubs and insurance companies.
**Select travel is defined as airlines, hotels, cruise lines and travel agencies.
***Select streaming services are defined as cable, satellite and streaming providers, such as Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Disney+, DirecTV Stream, ESPN+, FuboTV, Max, NBA League Pass, Netflix, Pandora, Paramount+, Showtime, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, SiriusXM, Vudu, YouTube Red, YouTube TV and Tidal.
Plus, you'll earn 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
The Custom Cash is the card to get for the bonus category you most frequently spend on. You can max out a different category each billing cycle, which adds flexibility to your trifecta.
To learn more, read our full review of the Custom Cash.
Citi Strata Premier Card
Annual fee: $95.
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Key earning rates:
- 10 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel
- 3 points per dollar spent on air travel and other hotel purchases and at restaurants, supermarkets, and gas and EV charging stations
The Strata Premier is the card for frequent travelers who can maximize its many bonus categories, such as gas and flights. It's also a great option to earn on dining and groceries.
To learn more, read our full review of the Strata Premier.
Apply here: Citi Strata Premier Card
Citi Strata Elite Card
Annual fee: $595.
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Key earning rates:
- 12 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel
- 6 points per dollar spent on air travel booked through Citi Travel
- 6 points per dollar spent at restaurants, including restaurant delivery services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Eastern time (3 points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases outside of these days and hours)
The Strata Elite is the best option for someone who would use the card's premium perks. This is also the best option for those who want to book through the Citi Travel portal and maximize earning points when dining out on weekend evenings.
To learn more, read our full review of the Strata Elite.
Apply here: Citi Strata Elite Card
Citi Strata Card
Annual fee: $0.
Welcome offer: Earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Earning rates:
- 5 points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel
- 3 points per dollar spent at supermarkets, on select transit purchases and at gas and EV charging stations
- 3 points per dollar spent in an eligible self-select quarterly category (which you can change each quarter), including barbershops, cosmetic stores and hair salons, fitness clubs, live entertainment, pet supply stores and select streaming services
The Strata is the card to choose if you'd maximize the card's bonus categories and pair it with a premium card to unlock the full 1:1 transfer value. But the other cards on this list cover most bonus categories.
To learn more, read our full review of the Strata.
Apply here: Citi Strata Card
Trifecta example
Let's say you choose to build a Trifecta with the Double Cash, the Custom Cash and the Strata Premier.
Here's an example of how you could maximize your monthly spending with these three cards:
| General, nonbonused purchases | Double Cash | $1,000 | 2,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
Groceries | Custom Cash | $500 | 2,500 |
Flights and hotels | Strata Premier | $1,000 | 3,000 |
Total | - | $2,500 | 7,500 |
You could hypothetically transfer those 7,500 points for a short U.S. domestic flight through AAdvantage. Or, you could save up across the year for a total of 90,000 points to then use for a premium hotel or flight redemption.
Related: I'm not sold on the Strata Elite — but the Strata Premier might become my new wallet staple
Bottom line
Citi ThankYou Rewards points are an exceptionally valuable currency, and constructing a Citi Trifecta is an excellent way to earn them at a lucrative rate and redeem them for luxurious redemptions.
Remember, to unlock full value from your transferable ThankYou Rewards points, you'll want to ensure your Citi Trifecta includes the Strata Elite, the Strata Premier or the Prestige. This will give you the best redemption value.
Apply here: Double Cash
Apply here: Strata Premier
Apply here: Strata Elite
Apply here: Strata
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees