Citi^® Credit Cards - ThankYou^® Rewards Guide

If a credit card offers you cash back, it's usually pretty straightforward. When you get 5% cash back on groceries or 3% on gas, it's easy to do the math and see what you will earn on your purchases in these categories.

Citi, however, has its own credit card reward system - ThankYou^® Points. Don't let the Citi ThankYou Point system confuse you though. Just remember that one ThankYou Point equals one penny when you redeem them for gift cards. And don't confuse that with the one point earned for every dollar spent.

Here is your definitive guide to Citi ThankYou Rewards. First, we'll give you an overview of how to earn and redeem points. Then we'll look at popular Citi credit cards that offer ThankYou Rewards and outline how each one works.

Which Citi ThankYou^® Card will you choose?

Everyone, including students and businesses, appreciates a heartfelt thank-you. These credit cards below will earn you ThankYou points on all purchases:

- Citi Premier^® Card: this card rewards for purchases at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel, hotels and more.

- Citi Rewards+^® Card: an ideal choice for small everyday purchases thanks to the round-up feature, including for purchases at supermarkets and gas stations.

- Citi Custom Cash^® Card: a cash back credit card that will give you maximum cash back on your top spending category each billing cycle and a standard 1% back on all other purchases.

- Citi Double Cash^® Card: a no-annual-fee, cash back credit card that allows you to convert rewards into Citi ThankYou points.

- AT&T Access Credit Card From Citi (expired offer): a co-branded credit card to earn rewards on purchases from AT&T and at eligible retail and travel websites.

- AT&T Points Plus^® Card from Citi: a co-branded credit card to earn rewards on everyday purchases and to get credits on qualifying AT&T wireless bill after eligible spend.

Also, cardholders of the Citi ThankYou^® Preferred (expired offer) and Citi Prestige^® (expired offer) can earn ThankYou rewards on all purchases.

What do I earn and how much is it worth?

Citi offers an incentive program that rewards customers with points: Citi ThankYou^® Rewards. This program allows you to earn points for every dollar spent and redeem them for different rewards.

The rules of the program are quite simple: one dollar spent, one ThankYou point earned. Got it? However, there are Citi credit cards that will give you more than one point per dollar spent - up to 5x points in eligible categories. You may also be eligible for bonus points as a part of a promotion or a welcome offer that comes with a Citi card.

How can I earn ThankYou^® Points?

All you need is a participating Citi credit card, and you'll automatically become a ThankYou member. You will earn points on purchases when you shop online or in stores using your Citi ThankYou credit card. All ThankYou cards will allow you to earn the basic 1 point per dollar on all purchases. Plus, based on the ThankYou card you have, you will be able to earn 2x, 3x or even 5x points on select purchases.

A little short on ThankYou Citi Points? You can buy them on the Citi ThankYou website. You can purchase ThankYou points in increments of 1,000 points for $25 charged to any eligible credit or debit card (it doesn't have to be a Citi card).

What can I redeem ThankYou^® Points for?

ThankYou points can be redeemed for many different ThankYou Citi Rewards - here are the main categories:

- Travel: there is a Citi ThankYou Rewards site where you can use ThankYou points to book travel or get travel certificates. Travel rewards include airline tickets, hotel stays, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages and destination activities.

- Points Transfer: frequent travelers will like this option as it allows them to easily transfer their ThankYou points to participating loyalty programs including airlines and hotels. Most transfers are at the 1:1 rate.

- Gift Cards: Redeem points for gift cards to hundreds of merchants, including Barnes & Noble, Gap, Kohl's, Lowe's, Zappos, and many more. Gift cards are delivered electronically or by mail.

- Merchandise: there are thousands of products available in this category. Plus, you can shop with points at Amazon.com, on PayPal, at Shel, bp/Amoco, or for statement credits.

- Cash Redemption: this can be a statement credit, direct deposit or check. The minimum redemption amount for checks is $5. There are also options to pay off student loans, your mortgage, or even make a donation to charity.

What's the best value for my ThankYou^® Points?

The best way to redeem Citi ThankYou points is for travel rewards. Frequent travelers, who are familiar with miles transfers and know how to use them to their advantage, will benefit most from points transfer. Most transfers of Citi ThankYou points to partner programs are at the 1:1 rate and you're most likely to get the biggest bang for your buck when you transfer ThankYou points.

When you redeem for travel through the Citi ThankYou Travel Center, one ThankYou point is worth 1 cent toward airfare. You can book nearly any seat on any flight through the ThankYou Travel Center. Plus, you will earn redeemable and elite-qualifying miles if you are a member of that airlines frequent flyer program.

Point redemptions for gift cards are the easiest ones. A $50 gift card to Airbnb, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Zappos, or any other participating retailer costs 5,000 points - a one-cent-per-point exchange. Although cash might seem like the best ThankYou reward, you won't get as much value from turning your ThankYou points into cash. Currently, when you choose to redeem for cash, 1 point will be worth less than 1 cent. You can also shop with points or pay with points through the Thank You point center, but gift cards offer better value.

Citi ThankYou^® Rewards Credit Cards

Ready to sign up for a credit card that offers ThankYou points? Here's the lowdown on four options:

Bottom line

Citi offers a good selection of ThankYou credit cards with various terms. There are no annual fee options and even cards with cash back rewards where cash back can be converted into ThankYou points. Just keep in mind that all Citi ThankYou cards require good or excellent credit. If you've got it, one of these Citi ThankYou cards may be right for you. However, if you are a frequent traveler and love the opportunities of points transfer, we would recommend the Citi Premier^® Card as it provides the maximum value from points transfers.