Do Citi Prestige and ThankYou Premier Make a Good Combo?
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
TPG reader James sent me a message on Facebook to ask about maximizing credit card bonus categories:
"Do you think the Citi Prestige and Thank You Premier cards pair well with each other due to the different bonus categories, or is there enough overlap that I should just get one?"
In January, we wrote about how you can use a trio of Chase cards in tandem to take advantage of their respective bonus categories. This "Chase Trifecta" (which could soon be expanded to include the new Freedom Unlimited Card) is a great way to maximize a wide variety of purchases if your goal is to earn Ultimate Rewards points. James is thinking about using a similar strategy to earn Citi ThankYou points, and wants to know whether combining cards in that program will offer a good return.
The Citi Prestige Card earns a solid 3 points per dollar on air travel and hotels, as well as 2 points per dollar on dining out and entertainment. Meanwhile, the Citi Premier® Card, earns 3 points per dollar on a broader range of travel expenses that also includes car rentals, taxis, parking and even gas, plus the same 2 points per dollar on dining and entertainment. The bonus categories on these two cards overlap much more than those on the Chase cards discussed above, but I think you could justify having both depending on your spending habits.
For starters, both cards come with strong sign-up bonuses: The Prestige card offers 50,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months, while the Premier card earns 30,000 points when you spend $3,000 in the first three months (though you may be targeted for a higher 50,000-point offer that requires spending $3,500). Based on my most recent monthly valuations, the Prestige bonus is worth $800 while the ThankYou Premier's is worth $640, so there's a strong incentive to apply. The Premier card waives its $95 annual fee for the first year, and while the more premium Prestige card has a $450 fee that isn't waived, it comes with a lucrative suite of benefits that can easily outweigh the cost.
Plenty of cards offer competitive rewards for spending on gas, airfare and/or hotels, but the uncapped 3x bonus on ThankYou Premier is probably the best all-around return on miscellaneous travel purchases. If you spend a lot on things like Uber/Lyft, public transportation, tolls or other qualifying expenses, you might benefit from having both cards despite the similarities.
One other consideration is how invested you want to be in ThankYou Rewards. Citi has made improvements to the program over the past few years, but I recommend diversifying your points and miles even among the different types of transferable rewards.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on travel, and has an equally comprehensive list of qualifying purchases. The overall return is a bit lower, but you'll get access to different airline and hotel partners, as well as benefits like primary car rental insurance, so it's another good option to pair with Citi Prestige.
I suggest you look over your past travel purchases, particularly the ones that qualify for a bonus on the ThankYou Premier or Sapphire Preferred, but not on Citi Prestige. Once you know how much you spend, you can decide whether it makes sense to pay an annual fee for a card that rewards you for those items.
If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.