Citi Double Cash Card 20,000 Points Bonus ($200)

Link: Apply now for the Citi Double Cash® Card

The Citi Double Cash Card (review) is probably my favorite no annual fee card. We’ve just seen a welcome bonus rolled out on this card, which is noteworthy, since previously the card didn’t have a bonus. Let’s go over the details of why you may want to consider this card, as there’s a lot to like about this product.

The Citi Double Cash has a welcome bonus

The Citi Double Cash Card has a welcome bonus of 20,000 ThankYou points after spending $1,500 within the first six months. That’s a very reasonable spending requirement, especially since you have six months to complete it.

Those 20,000 ThankYou points can either be redeemed for $200 cash, or can potentially be transferred to Citi ThankYou airline & hotel partners, in conjunction with the Citi Premier^® Card (review).

Citi’s standard credit card application policies apply, the most significant of which is that you can be approved for at most one Citi card every eight days, and two Citi cards every 65 days. This is a rolling limit. Note that eligibility for this bonus is unrelated to eligibility for any other Citi card, so there’s no 24 or 48 month rule to worry about here.

Why you want to get the Citi Double Cash

Plain and simple, the no annual fee Citi Double Cash Card is one of the best credit cards for everyday spending. On the most basic level:

• The card offers 1x ThankYou points when you make a purchase, and 1x ThankYou points when you pay for a purchase, giving you the opportunity to earn up to 2x ThankYou points on purchases
• Each ThankYou point can be redeemed for one cent cash back (toward a statement credit or direct deposit) with no minimum redemption amount

For those of us into miles & points, it gets better than that, though. If you have the Citi Double Cash Card in conjunction with the Citi Premier Card, then points earned on both cards can be transferred to Citi ThankYou airline & hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. That essentially makes the Citi Double Cash a no annual fee card earning 2x transferable points.

Lastly, keep in mind that having more credit cards in the long run can help your credit score. It increases your average age of accounts, and increases your total available credit, which can help lower your credit utilization. You can’t beat holding onto no annual fee cards in the long run that not only help your credit score, but can also offer you value. That should be half of the reason you consider picking up this card.

What’s the best strategy to take with Citi?

I consider the Citi Premier Card and Citi Double Cash Card to be one of the best credit card duos out there. For the low $95 annual fee of the Citi Premier Card you get the following:

• The Citi Premier Card offers 3x points on dining, gas stations, groceries, airfare, and hotels, while the Citi Double Cash Card offers 2x points on all other purchases
• The Citi Premier Card offers a $100 annual hotel credit through the Citi ThankYou Travel Portal, which you can use on a hotel stay of $500 or more (before taxes and fees)
• By having both cards you can transfer all your points to Citi ThankYou partners, ranging from Emirates Skywards, to EVA Air Infinity MileageLands, to Singapore KrisFlyer, to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• The Citi Premier Card is also offering an excellent bonus, making it a great time to pick up the card

So, what would my strategy be?

• If you already have the Citi Premier Card, I’d now apply for the Citi Double Cash Card, since the card finally has a bonus, the card is great for everyday spending, and having credit cards long term is good for your credit score
• If you don’t have either card, I’d consider applying for the Citi Premier Card now for the great bonus, and then picking up the Citi Double Cash Card in eight or more days; this way you’ll have an amazing credit card duo for your spending

Bottom line

The Citi Double Cash Card has a welcome bonus of 20,000 ThankYou points after spending $1,500 within six months, which is pretty exciting, as the card didn’t previously have a bonus. If you’ve been considering this card but haven’t yet applied, the bonus will be ending soon, so now is the time to apply.

This is a fantastic no annual fee card for everyday spending, and an ideal complement to the Citi Premier Card. If you’re not yet in the Citi ThankYou ecosystem, there has never been a better time to get involved. Personally I’d start with the Citi Premier Card, and then apply for the Citi Double Cash Card eight or more days later.

Any OMAAT readers finally considering the Citi Double Cash while it has a welcome bonus?