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Citi Premier offering increased 65,000-point bonus in branch, possibly online as well

Ethan Steinberg
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Ethan Steinberg has been a frequent flier for as long as he can remember. He went from studying abroad in Paris to moving to Shanghai after graduating college, where he covered all things travel in the Asia-Pacific region for TPG.
June 27, 2020
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3 min read
Citi Premier offering increased 65,000-point bonus in branch, possibly online as well
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If you live near a Citi branch, you might be able to score an elevated sign-up bonus on the Citi Premier® Card.

As reported by Doctor of Credit, you could earn 65,000 Citi ThankYou points after you spend $4,000 on the Citi Premier within the first three months of account opening. Meanwhile, if you're a Citigold banking client you may be able to receive a 70,000-point offer on the card. The catch? Applicants have to sign up in branch in order to qualify.

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This is only a 5,000-point difference from the 60,000-point bonus (with the same minimum spending requirement) the card is currently offering online. TPG values Citi ThankYou points at 1.7 cents each, so the extra points are worth an additional $85. If you've been considering the card and have a branch nearby, it makes sense to apply there rather than go through the online process. But those who would have to make a drive to another city may not find the elevated bonus worth it.

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If you decide to apply for the Citi Premier online, you may be able to match to the higher bonus by sending Citi a secure message after your application has been approved, explaining that you saw a higher bonus in branch and specifically requesting they match you to the 65,000-point offer (or 70,000 points if you're a Citigold client). This is very much a "your mileage may vary" type of situation, but Citi has been known to match new applicants to higher bonuses in the past, and I personally have had success getting matched to higher offers when applying for Citi AAdvantage cards. Still, if you live near a Citi branch, applying in branch is a much safer way to guarantee you get the higher bonus offer.

The Citi Premier is Citi's mid-tier travel rewards credit card and has a $95 annual fee (not waived the first year). It offers 3 points per dollar on airfare, hotels, gas stations and supermarkets, 2x on entertainment and 1x on everything else. The card is in the midst of a slightly convoluted change in bonus categories, so make sure to double-check this post to see what your earning rates will be based on when you applied.

While you can redeem Citi ThankYou points for gift cards, statement credits or travel through the bank's portal, you'll typically get the maximum value from Citi ThankYou points when you transfer them to partners like Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and Avianca.

Related: Citi Premier credit card review

Keep in mind you won't be eligible for the bonus if you've received a new cardmember bonus for a Citi Rewards+® Card, Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card, Citi ThankYou® Premier/ Citi Premier® Card or Citi Prestige® Card, or if you have closed any of these accounts, in the past 24 months.

The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

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.