Earn 60,000 ThankYou Points With The Citi Premier Card
Table of Contents
Signup bonus:
You can signup for the Citi Premier Card and earn 60K Citi ThankYou points for opening this card and spending $4,000 in 3 months. Those points are worth a minimum of $600 of gift cards, but they can be worth much more as shown below. You could use 60K points to fly nonstop round-trip to Israel or get 4 round-trip tickets to Hawaii!
Annual fee:
There is a $95 annual fee, though the points and benefits are worth far more than that.
Previous cardholders:
You can receive the bonus on this card if you haven’t received a bonus or closed the Citi ThankYou Preferred, ThankYou Premier, or Citi Prestige card in the past 24 months.
You can get the bonus if you currently have those cards.
Non-expiring points:
Your Citi ThankYou points will not expire for as long as you remain a cardholder.
Card earnings:
- Earn 3 points per dollar on airfare. This includes all airfare as well as charges from travel agencies.
- Earn 3 points per dollar on hotels. This includes all hotels as well as charges from travel agencies.
- Earn 3 points per dollar on gas stations.
- Earn 3 points per dollar on supermarkets.
- Earn 3 points per dollar on dining. Dining includes coffee shops, cafes, bar, lounges, and restaurants.
- Earn 1 point per dollar elsewhere.
- There are no foreign transaction fees.
Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- Once per calendar year, you can get $100 off of a $500+ hotel stay booked via Citi.
- Reservations can be made in the primary cardmember’s or authorized users’ names.
- If you cancel a booking made with $100 you can take advantage of it again in the same calendar year.
Virtual card numbers
While Citi co-branded cards like their AA cards no longer offer virtual card numbers, their ThankYou cards like Rewards+ still do.
With a virtual card number you can set a dollar limit and/or expiration date to generate a one-time use credit card number so that you don’t keep getting charged for subscriptions or have your real card number stolen, among myriad other potential uses.
Citi Bifecta/Trifecta:
Citi has 2 excellent no annual fee cards that pair perfectly with a Premier card. Either paired with the Premier card will make for a great Bifecta, and having both with a Premier card will make for a terrific trifecta:
With the Citi Double Cash Card you earn 2% cash back everywhere, which can be converted into 2 ThankYou points. Combine a Double Cash card with a Premier card and you’ll earn 2 points per dollar everywhere with no cap, plus 3 points on dollar on gas, dining, groceries, airfare, hotels, and travel agents! You will also get 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months.
The Citi Rewards+ Card automatically rounds up rewards earned on every purchase to the nearest 10 points, meaning you will earn 10 points on a $0.50 Amazon balance reload, which is equal to earning 20 points per dollar spent! You will also get 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
Having a Citi Rewards+ Card also gets you a 10% points rebate when you redeem points, up to a 10K points rebate per year. While the Rewards+ card doesn’t transfer points into most airline miles, if you have a Citi Premier card and a Rewards+ card you’ll even get a 10% rebate on mileage transfers!
Citi allows applications for 1 card every 8 days and 2 cards every 2 months.
You can freely convert between all 3 of these card products, as well as to most other Citi cards!
Gift cards:
You can redeem points for gift cards to dozens of stores at 1 cent each. 60,000 points would be enough for $600 in gift cards for stores like Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, LLBean, Staples, Target, TJMaxx, and more.
If you also have a Citi Rewards+ Card you’ll earn a 10% rebate on up to 100K redeemed and transferred ThankYou points.
Mileage transfers:
Citi mileage transfer partners now include:
-
- Aeromexico (Skyteam): 1K:1K
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue (Skyteam): 1K:1K
- Avianca Lifemiles (Star Alliance): 1K:1K
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (OneWorld): 1K:1K
- Emirates: 1K:1K
- Etihad: 1K:1K
- EVA (Star Alliance): 1K:1K
- Garuda Indonesia (Skyteam): 1K:1K
- JetPrivilege: 1K:1K
- JetBlue: 1K:1K
- Malaysia (OneWorld): 1K:1K
- Qantas (OneWorld): 1K:1K
- Qatar (OneWorld): 1K:1K
- Singapore (Star Alliance): 1K:1K
- Thai (Star Alliance): 1K:1K
- Turkish (Star Alliance): 1K:1K
- Virgin Atlantic: 1K:1K
Don’t want to transfer miles? You can also redeem for any paid travel at a value of 1 cent per point.
You can also transfer points between any Citi cardholders to transfer points into miles.
Sample mileage uses:
Turkish Airlines:
As I’ve written about before, Turkish Airlines has a ridiculously generous Star Alliance award chart.
And they don’t charge any fuel surcharges for United flights.
Here is the North America version of the chart with one-way award pricing:
| Between the US and: | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| US, including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and USVI | 7.5K | 12.5K | N/A |
| North America | 10K | 15K | N/A |
| Europe | 30K | 45K | 67.5K |
| Middle East | 32K | 47K | 68.5K |
| Central and North Africa | 30K | 49K | 73K |
| Central Asia | 34K | 52.5K | 77K |
| Southern Africa and Far East | 45K | 67.5K | 100K |
| South America and Oceania | 52.5K | 75K | 115K |
As part of the Star Alliance, Turkish can book award travel on airlines like United and Air Canada.
You can open a Turkish Airlines mileage account online (Hint: Your password must be exactly 6 numbers or else it will give an error).
And you can book Star Alliance awards with Turkish miles here (Login and then click this link again). You can’t search for partner awards from their home page. Search for one-way at a time for best results.
For example you can transfer miles to Turkish Airlines to fly from the US to Tel Aviv on United for just 32K points, or 28.8K points in coach after the 10% rebate with a Rewards+ card:
Or 47K points in Polaris business class (42.3K after the 10% rebate with a Rewards+ card):
United award availability is unprecedented, even for next year.
There are lots of other bargains, all of which will be 10% less with a Rewards+ card:
- Fly one-way anywhere in the US, including Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and USVI, for just 7.5K miles in coach or 12.5K in business class on United with no fuel surcharges.
- Fly one-way anywhere to Canada or Mexico for just 10K miles in coach or 15K in business class on United with no fuel surcharges.
- Fly one-way to Europe for 45K in business class on United with no fuel surcharges.
Avianca Lifemiles: Awards on United start at just 6.5K miles and as low as 5.2K miles with frequent 25% transfer bonuses.
Flying Blue: Fly between the US and Israel for 25K miles or pay under 20K miles with promo awards from rotating cities. Fly nonstop on Delta to Israel for 29K miles.
Emirates: Fly in shower class with newly lowered fuel surcharges.
Qantas:
With Qantas miles you can redeem for El Al award tickets without any fuel surcharges! You read more about this option here. Plus there have been transfer bonuses in the past.
- A one-way coach ticket from NYC to Tel Aviv is 37.8K Qantas miles and there are no fuel surcharges.
- A one-way premium economy ticket from NYC to Tel Aviv is 70.8K Qantas miles and there are no fuel surcharges.
- A one-way business class ticket from NYC to Tel Aviv is 90K Qantas miles and there are no fuel surcharges.
JetBlue: Book awards with free cancellations through at least 2/28/21.
Cathay Pacific: Avoid and lower fuel surcharges on partner airlines like AA and BA.
Singapore: Book highly rated premium cabin or suites on Singapore flights that are blocked with partner miles.
Virgin Atlantic: Bargains on ANA First Class suites and on Delta flights.
Will you signup for a Citi Premier Card?
Can you have multiple Citi Premiers? I received the bonus more than 24 months ago and still have the card
Yes.
You can also convert it to another card.
But, you can’t convert it until AFTER signing up for the new one, right? Since downgrading/converting resets the 24-month clock?
Downgrading shouldn’t reset the clock.
Converting to R+ is OK. Converting to DC will reset the clock
Not necessarily.
Any idea how long does the points transfer take from Citi to Turkish?
A day or so.
First time it took me ~ week
Very confused.
Can you get this bonus. And then apply for another card (no AF CARD) And get bonus or need to wait 24 months in between all bonuses rewarded ?
There have been reports of getting the bonus for Premier and Rewards+, though the terms don’t state that.
If you try, let us know.
I got both in less than 24 months
Nice!
If I apply for and get approval for all three cards (if that is even possible), will all three count against Chase 5/24?
Absolutely.
can I cash out the TY points for credit statement at what rate?
Can I apply for the Citi Premier Card and the Citi Rewards+ Card at the same time or I need to wait 14 days?
Citi allows applications for 1 card every 8 days and 2 cards every 2 months.
But won’t he have a problem waiting the 8 days, since you can’t get 2 Thank You bonuses within 24 months? So he would need to pick only one of those 2 cards to open?
Several data points of getting the bonus for both Premier and Rewards+
“Don’t want to transfer miles? You can also redeem for any paid travel at a value of 1 cent per point.”
Are you sure its only value of 1 cent? I checked travel on my card and it is giving me value of 1.25 (ie. $117 or 9,296 points for a random flight)
Existing customers are grandfathered through 4/9/21.
I’m actually not sure if new customers still get that, anyone know?
Hi Daniel,
Is this card churnable?
Thank you for your incredible website and advice!
https://www.dansdeals.com/credit-cards/earn-60000-thankyou-points-citi-premier-card-terrific-citi-trifecta/#Previous_cardholders
Thanks Daniel!!
I seem to have missed that part of the post earlier, sorry.
I converted my citi thank you card less then 24 months ago but received the benefit more then 24 months ago, am I eligible?
Sure, as long as the card number stayed the same when you converted.
What controls for whether the card number will stay the same? Does it depend on which card you convert from/to?
I vaguely remember that if it stays in typ family then it is same number . As opposed to if changing to double cash or wtvr
Thanks again Dan!
if i downgraded from citi premier to the citi preferred a year ago could i still get the bonus or or is it considered closing the card?
Look up one comment.
“And you can book Star Alliance awards with Turkish miles here”
Not showing an option to change class to business – only showing economy
Is business available? Compare it to United.com.
Is it worth it to use TY points to offset AF?
How does this compare to a chase trifecta?
Can a spouse transfer points to the other?
You can transfer to anyone.
Hi Dan,
I and my wife both have the premier card for abt a year I called them abt a week ago when I was in process of booking a trip and I asked if it’s possible to transfer points hey said no, I called multiple times and even tried asking it in different ways both on all questions if it’s possible to transfer/merge etc the answer was no!
How could I do it?
And another question if I wanna downgrade any of the cards which one is better for earning more when I don’t use these to much?
And if I’ll wanna upgrade it again to use in this year the $100 credit will I be able to do it easily?
I’ve already used from both of our cards the new $100 hotel credit last week by the end of the year so the first year paying $95 paid up much more because I also still get the 1.25 points for travel.
You can combine points from your Citi.com account. Or HUCA.
Hi Dan,
Thanks for your response,
How could I do it I tried multiple times please advise or post, thanks.
Also if I wanna convert which card is better for earning points?
And could easily convert back at any time if needed? It does not effect the credit if doing it multiple times?
https://www.thankyou.com/pointsSharingLanding.htm
Thanks a million Dan,
Done did it!
Now I wanna downgrade one card, which card you prefer I should downgrade it to the preferred+ or DC?
I’m not using both of her to much now but where could I earn more points, and wants it piles up then I could again share it to he other premier card.
Hi Dan,
Sorry for bothering again,
What means HUCA?
Does it give 3 × for tolls?
I just received an offer from citi to upgrade my preferred to premier without having to pay the AF for the first year. Would it reduce my chances to get approved for an other premier?
First apply for the Premier to get the 60K.
Do you have a Rewards+ or Double Cash? Probably worth converting to one of those instead.
Have all of those already
I have a Citi TY Premier card with no annual fee. Is this a different card?
If you can’t check turkish for partner mileage flights, where do you check?
citi tri vs chase quad…which one is better?
Hi Dan,
My Citi trifecta is:
AT&T access more card
Citi double cash card
Citi rewards + card
But you can’t transfer points to airlines than. You need Premier/prestige if I remember correctly.
Correct.
i currently have the citi premier card and got the bonus over 3 years ago are you saying that I can get the bonus even though I have this card?
Yes.
Alternatively, you can downgrade it to Rewards+ and get the Premier bonus, plus get a 10% rebate on redemptions.
Does it make a difference in whether I downgrade/convert existing Premier first or just apply for a second Premier card? (first one >5 years old)
Can it make a difference as far as approval goes?
Which one does citi pull (experian Equifax of TU)
Usually Experian
Isn’t this the same offer that’s been available for some time now? What happened now that it was posted- unless I’m missing something?
“Bonus ThankYou® Points are not available if you received a new cardmember bonus for Citi Rewards+SM, Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi ThankYou® Premier/Citi Premier® or Citi Prestige®, or if you have closed any of these accounts, in the past 24 months.”
If I have a ThankYou Preferred card currently, can I close it immediately after being approved for the Premier or do I need to wait until after I receive the bonus? That is, is the line “closed any of these accounts” applicable to time of application or time or receiving bonus?
Highly reccomend this card. Currently in Hawaii and flew here on 15K Turkish points transferred from Citi. Incredible deal and thanks to Dan and team for explaining all of it.
Having trouble seeing Turkish avail to Hawaii. UA has LAX to OGG availability all throughout april 2021…. however, when I choose those dates on TA’s site, it doesn’t see anything. Does this need to be phoned in?
I only say flights to HNL. Not sure about OGG as it’s a smaller airport. Make sure you follow the directions on where to search for it. It’s somewhere in the “Star Alliance” flights section under “Your Miles Transactions” areas
When I called Citi, I was told that if I received a bonus or closed a card in the last 48 months, I will be able to get the card but I won’t get the bonus. It doesn’t say this anywhere on their website. I received the bonus more than 5 years ago but I closed my card 2.5 years ago. Is what I was told correct that I can’t receive a bonus?
a ? dan, if you can help me understand the xfer of miles to turkish or flying blue, you talk about always searching for one way so if I am traveling with a family of 6 with kids and i am able to book 5 award tickets and let’s say the last one gets stuck or sold out, do you know if i can go back and cancel the first 5 and will my points be refundable any idea or suggestion on that will help thanks a bunch. Or whats the best way to get award tickets for a family of 6 at the cheapest points?
You have 24 hrs to cancel
I totally have the wrong Citi cards. I have the diamond and the Costco. I know I can call and change to other cards but only some. Anyone know which ones? I need at least one card that gets me free luggage on AA.
Thanks for this thorough post Dan. I am not seeing gift cards for Hotels.com or Southwest available using Shop Your Way points. Are these only available occasionally?
Is the Citi ThankYou Preferred available for PC after one year of having the Premier/Prestige?
How do Citi points compare to Chase MR?
Does this card offer cellphone protection insurance?
If yes, is tablets also covered?
when will this offer expire?
Citi closed my Preferred card because of inactivity. I had over 50000 TY points in that account. So I called Citi to reopened the account. Citi told me that the account number will be the same as my old preferred. Did it reset the TY points 24month clock?
Thanks Dan! I signed up 3 days ago however its under review did not even receive any email confirming my interest in the card!
Can I rush the process somehow?
I got approved last week, still haven’t received my card, but just got an email from Citi saying “Congrats on earning your bonus!”. I can’t even log into my account to see what’s going on, since I don’t have the card yet. Any suggestions?
When i add an additional to my CITI Card does it help them for their credit score?
DENIED!!!
I have 760+ cs !!
reason stated I have to many new accounts in the past 12 months 6 and of those 6 only one am I the primary holder! called for reconsideration and was told no reconsideration since i was denied due to Equifax credit report!
Anything to do about this?
Same issue here today. Denied on Premiere. Given 5/24, AMEX popup, etc. I have very few credit card pulls in the last 12 months, but I refinanced my mortgage twice (2 pulls), signed a new car lease (another 2 pulls because both the dealer and Toyota pulled for some reason), and partially guarantee a business credit line for which the bank also pulled my credit. Recon (plus HUCA) said it’s a firm denial that they can’t do anything about based on the credit report even though none of those were really “new credit” or indicative of churning. Oh well…..
As of today can i downgrade the citi credit card to any other credit card?
i tried to convert my Citi premier to a different, no annual fee, credit card, but they are letting me to convert it only to a Costco credit card.