ThankYou Authorized User Offer
Citi is sending out a new targeted offer for ThankYou Premier & ThankYou Preferred cardholders giving a 5,000 point bonus for adding an authorized user and meeting a spending requirement. Let’s take a look at the deal and whether or not it is worth doing.
The Offer
Add an authorized user and spend $1,000 or $2,000 in purchases to receive 5,000 bonus ThankYou® Points by 06/30/2016.
Terms
This offer starts upon enrollment and will end on 06/30/16. If you add an authorized user, you must pay us for all charges made or allowed by the authorized user. Authorized users are able to get account information, request statement copies and replacement cards. Before adding him or her to your account you must let the authorized user know that we may report account performance to the credit reporting agencies in the authorized user’s name. You also need the authorized user’s permission to give us any information about him/her that we request and to allow us to share information about him or her. Earnings associated with this program will equal 5,000 bonus ThankYou® Point(s) after you add an authorized user and spend $1,000 on purchases, and may overlap with other special offers in which you are currently enrolled. Purchases exclude balance transfers, cash advances, convenience checks, items returned for credit, fees and interest charges. All purchases must be posted during the promotional period. Earnings associated with this bonus offer are limited to the addition of only one authorized user. ThankYou® Points earned will be posted to the primary cardmembers’ account in 1-2 billing cycles.
Analysis
This offer appears to be targeted since I didn’t receive it, but my wife did. Also, they seem to be sending out different spending requirements. For example, my wife received the offer with a $1,000 spending requirement, but Julian the Devil’s Advocate (and author of Bet You Didn’t Know) along with a reader received the offer with a $2,000 spending requirement.
The ThankYou Premier card earns 1X on all purchases, 2X on dining and entertainment and 3X on gas and travel. Since I can earn 5% back right now on dining and entertainment with Discover, I’ll look at the 1X and 3X categories.
$1,000 Offer
- Non-bonused: 6,000 points for $1K spend or 6X
- Travel or gas: 8,000 points for $1K spend or 8X
$2,000 Offer
- Non-bonused: 7,000 points for $2K spend or 3.5X
- Travel or gas: 11,000 points for $2K spend or 5.5X
You can use the same 1X math for the ThankYou Preferred.
Overall Value
Since the ThankYou Premier unlocks the ability to transfer points to partners and also allows for travel bookings at 1.25 cents each, I would estimate the value of this bonus at $62.50 at least. Since I have the Prestige, my wife normally transfers points to me for booking on American Airlines where we can redeem at 1.6 cents each. That brings up the value to about $80. With the ThankYou Preferred the value may be less depending on whichever other Citi cards you have, but 5,000 points is worth $50 in gift cards at the very least.
Conclusion
It is nice to see Citi sending out targeted offers, considering their recent changes including the tightening of their bonus rules and removal of bonuses on a couple of cards. Did you receive this offer? Which version did you get? Let us know in the comments!
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Can anyone tell me the Subject Line or the Email address where the offer comes from. I looked all over my inbox and I dont see anything and I logged in and I still dont see anything. I guess I can call in too.
“Inside: An easy way to earn ThankYou® Points faster!”
Thank you brotha! Man… checked and not targeted… aw… I need to get a wife too so I can apply for more CC.. jealous…
I got one for AA 1k spend for 5,000 miles
Nothing for me, but wife has gotten 2 offers in2 days. On Sunday, 10,000 bonus for $3,000 spend by July 15, and 2,500 bonus for AU and $1,000 spend. Details say offers may overlap, so add AU and spend $3,000 = 12,500 bonus points – not bad.
Jealous!
I got a similar offer today on my Citi AA Platinum card – 2k spend for 5k AA miles.
I got it for the Premier but for 2500 TYP after spending $1000 in purchases
I got 5000 TYP for $1k.. wife got 5000 AA for $2000..
I was wondering if this will combine with 5X at home improvement up to 2500 TYP from past month… ill find out…
The terms say offers should combine, but it doesn’t hurt to confirm with Citi.
I got the targeted email for my TY Premier card. Spend $2000 for 5000 points by 6/30.
Just got this same offer for my Citi AAdvantage Card. 5k miles for $2,000 spend after adding an AU.
It’s $50 for me to add an AU? Still worth it? Will an AU count for 5/24 purposes for that person?
Where is it asking you to pay $50? Yes, in some cases Chase is counting authorized user accounts into their calculation.
If you add an authorized user this will only affect the authorized user with the 5/24 not the primary cardholder, right?
When I click the button to add the AU – it’s on the application page:
Adding an Authorized User
There is an $50.00 annual fee for each Authorized User you add to your credit card account.
*By checking this box I understand I will be charged $50.00 annual fee for any Authorized User I add to my credit card account.
Nevermind – I was defaulted to my Citi Prestige account (which is $50 per AU). No charge for CIti TY Aus.
I was worried about this too. But they did NOT ask for SSN on the form to add an AU. Not sure how they’d tie that to credit?
Credit actually isn’t tied to your social security number completely. They can match accounts via address, name and other factors. Generally AU accounts find their way onto your credit even without a SS#.
Wife got 2500 TYP for $1K spend.
that’s what I got too~
Yup, same offer here. I’ll do it.
Another promo that isn’t for Prestige cardholders. Thanks Citi.
Got the offer too. I was ready to pull the trigger until I noticed it is $50 add’l to add an AU. Still a good deal?
I got it on a Thank You Preferred, not Premier, card with $2000 spend to get the 5000 extra TY pts
I’ll have Hubby check his email
Thanks Dee. I don’t know how I missed that it was the Preferred too in the email. Great deal and thanks for sending it over!