Citi Prestige Card Review | NextAdvisor with TIME

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Earn 5 points per $1 on Air travel. Earn 5 points per $1 on Restaurants. Earn 3 points per $1 on Hotels. Earn 3 points per $1 on Cruise Lines. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.

• Intro bonus: 50,000 points
• Annual fee: $495
• Regular APR: 16.99% – 23.99% variable APR based on your creditworthiness*
• Recommended credit score: 740-850 (Excellent)

The Citi Prestige Card charges a hefty $495 annual fee, but its high-earning rewards categories and valuable annual benefits can help you quickly offset the cost year after year — if you already spend big on travel. Even if you’re not traveling right now, 5x points on dining, combined with a $250 travel credit extended to supermarket and restaurant purchases for 2021 can help you save money today toward a future trip.

At a Glance

• 50,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 within three months of account opening
• 5x points on dining and air travel
• 3x points on hotels and cruises
• 1x points on other purchases
• $250 annual travel credit (also applies to supermarket and restaurant purchases through December 2021)
• Up to $100 toward Global Entry or TSA Precheck membership every five years
• 4th night free annual hotel benefit
• $495 annual fee 

Pros

• High rewards rate for travel purchases

• 50,000-point welcome bonus

• Flexible rewards redemptions, including transfer option to Citi ThankYou airline partners

• No foreign transaction fees

Cons

• High variable APR

• $495 annual fee

• Twice-per-year cap on 4th night free hotel benefit

• No travel protections or assistance services

Additional Card Details

Citi Prestige offers an array of travel perks to help you recoup the annual fee cost. 

You’ll qualify for a $250 annual travel credit automatically applied to eligible travel purchases charged to your card. This credit is also good for supermarket and restaurant purchases through December 2021.

You’ll also receive up to $100 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership, both of which can make flying a much more comfortable experience. And when you book at least four consecutive hotel nights through ThankYou.com you’ll get the fourth night free, though this benefit is only available to cardholders up to two times per calendar year. 

However, Citi eliminated most travel protections from the Citi Prestige a few years ago, so you cannot get the auto rental insurance, trip cancellation or delay protections, or roadside dispatch and other emergency assistance services that many other premium travel cards in this price range offer.

Pro Tip

If you also bank with Citi, you can gain extra value with this card’s banking benefit. Every year you carry the Citi Prestige Card and pay the annual fee, you can qualify for a $145 statement credit to your qualifying Citigold account.

Should You Get this Card?

If you budget a healthy portion of your spending plan each month toward travel, Citi Prestige can make a valuable addition to your wallet: 5x rewards on dining and air travel and 3x on hotels and cruises will rack up points quickly — as long as you would have spent heavily across these categories anyway, not just to earn rewards. And the added annual benefits maximize value even further.

But if you only travel occasionally — even outside the pandemic and limited travel of the past year — or you won’t use all the annual benefits Citi Prestige offers, you’ll likely find more value from a less costly rewards credit card. Citi Prestige is best for people who spend a lot on travel and want to redeem rewards on that spending for even more travel, while enjoying some premium perks along the way.

How to Use the Citi Prestige Card

Begin maximizing your Citi Prestige Card by scoring the initial 50,000-point sign-up bonus after spending at least $4,000 within three months of account opening. That’s worth $500 toward most redemptions.

Also make sure you use your card for all travel spending in bonus categories. Even if you’re not traveling right now, you can score 5x bonus points at restaurants and put your annual $250 credit toward your supermarket and restaurant spending. 

Just make sure you only charge what you can afford to pay off, and that you never carry a balance on this card. Citi Prestige is excellent for earning rewards, but the 16.99%-23.99% variable APR can make carrying a balance very costly over time.

When you’re ready to redeem, explore all your redemption options to ensure you’re getting the best value. Citi Prestige offers a range of redemption options for your Citi ThankYou Points, including travel bookings for airfare, hotels, cruises, car rentals and more directly through the Citi ThankYou Travel Center. Other redemption options include:

• Shop with points at retailers like Best Buy and Amazon.com
• Gift cards
• Statement credits
• Payments toward a student loan or a mortgage
• Cash back
• Charitable contributions

Depending on your travel plans and timing, you may be able to take your points even further by transferring to an airline partner. Citi Prestige points earn a standard transfer ratio of 1,000 points: 1,000 airline miles. Citi’s transfer partners include:

• Aeromexico
• Asia Miles
• Avianca
• Emirates
• Etihad Guest
• EVA Air
• Air France / Flying Blue
• InterMiles
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Malaysia Airlines
• Qantas
• Qatar Airways
• Singapore Airlines
• Thai Royal Orchid Plus
• Turkish Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

Citi Prestige Card Compared to Other Cards

Citi Prestige® Credit Card

• Intro bonus:
• Annual fee:
• Regular APR:
• Recommended credit:
• Learn moreexterna link icon at our partner’s secure site

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Intro bonus:
• Annual fee:
• Regular APR:
• Recommended credit:
• Learn moreexterna link icon at our partner’s secure site

The Platinum Card® from American Express

• Intro bonus:
• Annual fee:
• Regular APR:
• Recommended credit:
• Learn moreexterna link icon at our partner’s secure site

Bottom Line

EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE

As with all of our credit card reviews, our analysis is not influenced by any partnerships or advertising relationships.

The Citi Prestige Card is a good choice for frequent travelers, and its spread of perks and benefits can go far in reducing the $495 annual fee. Plus, you can redeem your rewards for travel, cash back and more, including transfers to airline partners.

But before applying, you should compare other travel credit cards with much lower fees, as well as other premium travel cards with benefits that may better suit your travel preferences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Citi Prestige Card worth it?

If you can use the $250 annual travel credit, airport lounge access and other perks this card offers, you can easily offset the $495 annual fee, especially if you already spend a lot in Citi Prestige’s high-earning travel rewards categories. But if your spending or travel preferences don’t align with this card’s benefits, there are plenty of other travel cards available that might be a better option for you.

What credit score do you need for the Citi Prestige?

You’ll need excellent credit (at least a 740 credit score) for the best chances of approval when you apply for the Citi Prestige Card.