May 16, 2025: We’ve reworked this page to make it simpler. Here are the best Citi ThankYou Points new cardmember welcome offers currently available.
Best Citi ThankYou Points welcome offers
 Citi Custom Cash® Card Annual fee: $0 | Sign-up bonus: Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. Learn how to apply. Earns 5% cash back (as ThankYou Points) on the first $500 you spend in the eligible category where you spend the most each statement cycle. |
 Citi Double Cash® Card Annual fee: $0 | Sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply. Offers a total of 2% cash back—1% when you spend and 1% when you pay. Cash back is awarded as ThankYou Points. |
 Citi Strata Premier℠ Card Annual fee: annual_fees | Sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply. Earns 3x rewards in useful categories, plus enables point transfers to Citi’s airline and hotel partner programs at the best rates. |
Are you eligible to earn these sign-up bonuses?
Citi restricts the ability to receive a new cardmember welcome bonus on its ThankYou® Points cards to one bonus every 48 months. Keep in mind that the terms refer to when you received the bonus, rather than when you earned the bonus or opened the account. Here are the rules:
You are not eligible to receive a new cardmember bonus on a specific card product if any of the following are true:
- You’ve received a new account bonus for the same card product in the past 48 months.
- You’ve received a new account bonus for a different card product that you then converted to the card product you’re applying for in the past 48 months.
So, for example, if you received a new cardmember bonus on a Citi Double Cash last year, and then converted that to a Citi Custom Cash card, you wouldn’t be able to receive a bonus on either the Double Cash or the Custom Cash.
These were the rules at the time we last updated this post, but sometimes issuers change the rules for specific offers. In every case, it’s a good chance to read the terms and conditions on Citi’s website before you apply, especially if you’ve received a bonus in the last 48 months.
Best ways to use Citi ThankYou Points
You’ll have access to the best way to use ThankYou Points if you hold the Citi Strata Premier card. That’s because the Strata Premier opens up the best way to use ThankYou Points: Transfers to all of Citi’s airline and hotel partners at the best rates. And if you combine your ThankYou Rewards accounts, you can earn a single pool of points that you can use with this lucrative redemption option.
Outside of point transfers, you’ll want to redeem your points for cash back. You’ll get 1 cent per point of value for your points and currently Citi doesn’t give you any ways to get more than this outside of transfers to partners.
While Citi sometimes puts gift cards on sale with ThankYou Points, the brands that go on sale typically offer discounts elsewhere. Check Costco, Sam’s Club, or other major retailers and gift card sides—there’s a good chance you’ll find an even better discount on gift cards elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for more than one Citi credit card at a time?
Citi limits approvals to one personal card every eight days, and two cards every rolling 60 days. You can apply for a business card and a personal card at the same time and get approved, but you won’t be approved for two business cards or two personal cards on the same day. We have more on this in our article about the things you need to know when applying for Citi cards.
Does the Citi Double Cash® Card earn cash back or ThankYou® Points?
The Citi Double Cash® Card is marketed as a cash back card, but behind the scenes, it earns ThankYou Points. If you hold the Citi Double Cash, you can redeem your points for one cent each. If you also hold a Citi Premier card, you can transfer your points to travel partners.
Can ThankYou Points be redeemed for once cent per point?
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, Citi® Double Cash Card, and Citi Custom Cash℠ Card allow you to redeem your points for one cent of cash back each. The Citi Rewards+® Card only allows you to redeem points for one cent each toward gift card redemptions, unless you hold one of the other cards.
What happens to my points when I close a card?
When you close a card that earns Citi ThankYou® Points, you’ll need to redeem all of the points associated with that account or lose them within 90 days. Keep in mind that, if you have a combined ThankYou Points account, it is nearly impossible to tell which card is associated with the points you’re redeeming—you’ll likely need to redeem your entire ThankYou Points balance to avoid losing any points.
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