With one simple but potent travel promotion, the Citi Premier® Card has become the best travel credit card for domestic travelers. Its utility for U.S. travel is particularly desirable when consideringpremier the unremitting seesaw of international travel restrictions caused by the delta variant and surging COVID-19 cases. With new entry requirements ambushing travelers at every turn, many vacationers are opting to remain stateside for a while longer.
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So what’s the promotion? Through Nov. 13, 2021, you can transfer Citi ThankYou points to American Airlines at a 1:1 ratio. That’s something no other rewards currency can do.
If you’re interested in traveling within the U.S., the Citi Premier is likely the best card for your goals. It even comes with an all-time high 80,000-ThankYou point bonus after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Whether you’re flying to grandma’s house for Thanksgiving or taking a road trip with your friends, this card is a no-brainer. And when international travel becomes less complicated, its rewards are great for that, too.
Annual hotel credit
The Citi Premier comes with a $100 annual hotel credit each calendar year for single-stay hotel bookings of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) made through the Citi ThankYou travel portal. While this may not move the needle much, it’s an easy way to offset the card’s $95 annual fee each year.
Redeem points for hotels, rental cars and more (not recommended)
While the best way to redeem Citi ThankYou points is by transferring them to airline partners (as you’ll see below), you can also use them for hotels, rental cars, gift cards, etc., through the Citi ThankYou travel portal. Points are worth 1 cent each when redeeming for travel.
If you prefer road trips to air travel, you may get the most use from your points by redeeming them at 1 cent each for:
- Rental cars
- Hotel stays
- Airbnb gift cards (often roomier than hotels)
- Restaurant gift cards for food along your journey
Again, this is far from the best value you can receive from your points — but don’t let that stop you from redeeming them in the way that best fits your travel style.
