The Citi Trifecta is a combination of three high-earning Citi credit cards. Using all three credit cards in tandem for the right purchases is an excellent way to earn Thank You (TY) Points quickly. Fortunately, the Citi Double Cash Card began earning Thank You (TY) points indirectly in September 2019. Citi put it along the ranks of their traditional TY-point earning cards: the Prestige, Premier, and Rewards +.
Furthermore, the Citi Trifecta is a newer alternative to the the Chase Trifecta and the Amex Trifecta. The trifecta consists of three cards that earn Citi TY points (not including the Rewards + Student Card) including one premium card which has access to Citi’s transfer partners. This is important for getting the most value out of TY points.
The focus of this post is the Citi Premier, Rewards +, and Double Cash. This is the best combination of Citi cards for most travelers because of the immense earning opportunities and low combined annual fee. However, some cardholders prefer the Citi Prestige because of its 5x bonus categories and $250 general travel credit.
Citi Premier
Furthermore, the Citi Premier earns 3x TY points on air travel, dining, gas, grocery, and hotel expenses. It also earns one point per dollar on non-bonus spend. This earning structure is the strongest among Citi’s credit cards because of the amount of bonus categories. More people can earn more points with the Premier than any other Citi credit card.
Moreover, Citi is offering a sign-up bonus worth 60,000 points for the Premier. It can be earned by spending $4,000 within the first three months. This is Citi’s largest sign-up bonus.
The Citi Premier is at the core of the Citi Trifecta because of its fantastic earning structure. It comes with a $95 annual fee, which can easily be justified with enough earning. The Premier also offers a $100 annual hotel credit that can be used when booking through Citi’s website.
Citi Rewards +
The Citi Rewards + has a unique earning structure. It earns 2x TY points at grocery stores and gas stations. But Citi also rounds up the amount of points earned to the nearest 10 for all purchases. This is fantastic for small purchases. For example, if you spend $1 at a convenience store, you will receive 10 points.
Furthermore, Citi is offering a sign-up bonus worth 15,000 points. The bonus can be earned after spending just $1,000 within the first three months. The Rewards + also offers a 10% points rebate on all redemptions. This slightly increases the value of TY points earned.
Citi Double Cash
Finally, the Citi Double Cash is the newcomer of the bunch. It earns a flat 2x TY points for all purchases, making it a great “workhorse” card. However, you will not receive the 2x points per dollar all at once. You will receive one point per dollar upon purchase and the second point per dollar upon paying your bill. Citi is not offering a sign-up bonus for the Double Cash.
Final Draw
The Citi Trifecta is a newer alternative to the trifectas from Chase and American Express. However, those who opt for the Citi Trifecta will save hundreds of dollars per year compared to most Chase and American Express trifectas. Altogether, the three Citi cards have a $95 annual fee. That makes it one of the most valuable and least expensive trifectas in the points and miles world. However, the Citi Trifecta does not offer the benefits that the other trifectas offer. This is the trade off for being less expensive. But Citi removed the perks from the three featured credit cards in 2019.
Unfortunately, Citi does not currently offer any business credit cards that earn Thank You points. But they do offer co-branded business cards with American Airlines and Costco. A new core business card would add some variety to their lineup and provide more options for consumers (and business owners) for creating an alternate Citi Trifecta.
