Credit Card Review: Citi Double Cash

by joeheg

I use the Citi Double Cash card as a standard to compare other credit cards against. There’s no annual fee and it earns 2% cash back on all purchases. If you’re not getting this much value from another card, you’re better off using the Double Cash.

While you’re able to earn 3X to 5X points in certain categories with other Citi cards, it’s a good idea to have a card that earns a bonus for everyday spending. That’s why a Citi Double Cash is good to keep in your wallet.

Here’s more about it…

Citi® Double Cash Card

The Citi Double Cash Card is exactly what it claims to be. A card that pays you back 2% on all purchases. Here are the details about the card:

Annual Fee – The Citi Double Cash has no annual fee

Sign-Up Benefits – There is no current sign-up bonus for this card.

Card Benefits – The gimmick with the Double Cash card is the rebate structure. You receive 1% back when you make a purchase and another 1% back when you make the payment. Now, if you’re not making the full payment every month, you really shouldn’t be worried about credit card rewards in the first place and should instead work on paying down your debt first.

a fanned out money in a envelope

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Foreign Transaction Fees – The Citi Double Cash charges a 3% fee on foreign transactions, entirely wiping out the 2% earnings you get with the card. You’d be better off using a card that charges no foreign transaction fees.

Reward Redemption –  You can redeem your cashback from the card as a direct deposit, statement credit or check. For direct deposit or statement credit, there is no minimum amount for redemptions.

If you have a Citi Premier or Citi Prestige, you can transfer the points from the Double Cash to any of Citi’s Thank You travel partners.

Reward Expiration – You need to use your card once every 12 months or your remaining points will expire. That’s not that hard of a limit to keep; just charge something once a year. This is a little different from other cards that let you keep your rewards active as long as you have the card, regardless of card activity.

Final Thoughts

I don’t have a Citi Double Cash card as I can get more than 2% (two points per dollar spent) value from other cards. Combining bonus categories, like 3x points for travel purchases with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, with the ability to transfer points to hotel programs allowed me to book a room at the Hyatt Pinon Pointe in Sedona. For that hotel stay, I earned way more than 2% back.

However, I have several Citi cards and the one hole is for expenses that do not earn any category bonus. The Citi Double Cash would fill that gap.

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary

2 comments

steve March 22, 2023 - 8:30 pm

Telling is the maximum amount that can be earned in a month would help.

Reply
OPR March 27, 2023 - 3:54 am

There is no maximum.

Reply

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