Citi Rewards+ Card
For better and worse, Citi is probably the wackiest card issuer out of the big three heavyweights. Amex can be more lucrative, while we can also do big, boring things with Chase. But I end up thinking “huh?” more often with Citi than those other two. That said, Citi pleasantly surprises every now and then. And so it is with the Citi Rewards+ card. Recently, DoC flagged r/creditcards rumblings about Citi possibly removing the card for new applications, potentially in the next few days. But it’s still available as of this writing. Here’s why you should consider picking up the Citi Rewards+ now.
10% Points Back
The Citi Rewards+ comes with this simple feature which provides 10% of redeemed points back annually, up to 10k points per year. In addition to the welcome offer (more on that below), Citi cardholders can incorporate this into their earning rates for the first 100k they collect on everyday spend each year.
Round Up
Even more interesting – or at least entertaining, in my opinion – is the Citi Rewards+ card rounds each transaction up to the next 10 points. This makes the Rewards+ the go-to card for small transactions, basically making the card a 10x earner for sub-$1 purchases. I had way too much fun pursuing high earn rates back in 2020 with my first experiment. But the Citi Rewards+ was a mainstay for small purchases even after I laid off that dorky play.
Respectable Bonus Categories, Plus a Newer Angle
The Citi Rewards+ features nice 2x bonus categories of grocery stores and gas stations, a bit more generous when one considers the card comes with no annual fee. And right now through the end of the year, the card earns 5x on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked via cititravel.com.
Citi Rewards+ Card Signup Bonus
Currently, Citi provides a 20k signup bonus after a new Rewards+ cardholder spends $1.5k within three months. That’s not remarkable but definitely welcome for anyone with an interest in picking up the card, anyway, to leverage the Points Back and Round Up features.
A Complementary Card
Established Citi cardholders will benefit most from the Rewards+ (if they don’t have it already). That’s because they can immediately leverage the points back feature on their existing ThankYou point balances for an additional 10k points on redemptions. Also, they can incorporate that extra 10% of earning across their portfolio of ThankYou point earning cards, whether it’s to leverage the rest of their 2025 Points Back allotment or stocking up for a 2026 redemption. This gets even more interesting when Citi cardholders take into account the generous bonus categories of the Strata Premier (3.3x), Custom Cash (5.5x), or even Double Cash (2.2x).
Citi Rewards+ Card – Conclusion
If Citi’s truly looking to sunset the Rewards+, I’m not surprised. The card’s benefits were probably too niche from the get-go to gain any significant customer base. But for the right audience, including me, the Rewards+ has brought greater value and intrigue to Citi ThankYou points. Indeed, the Rewards+ may be my favorite novelty card in recent memory.
Keep in mind Citi’s 48-month rule applies to the Rewards+, as well. But remember that Citi has a relatively generous product change policy, where I’ve historically been able to jump card families, including from cobranded cards to ThankYou point-earning ones. If you aren’t eligible for a welcome offer, product changing a dusty Citi card may be the best move. Also consider that Citi may automatically product change Citi Rewards+ cardholders in the future.
What have you enjoyed most about the Citi Rewards+ card?
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