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Now is the time to apply for the Citi Double Cash Card.

The Citi Double Cash Card is one of my favorites. I have never seen a card offer a publicly available welcome bonus, but this is a great time to get the card. I wanted to remind people that this bonus was first introduced a few weeks ago, but it is still unknown how long this offer will last.

The Citi Double Cash finally has a welcome bonus

Within the first six months, the Citi Double Cash Card will give you 20,000 ThankYou points. It is reasonable since you have six months to complete it. The end date hasn't been published but the offer is being marketed as a limited time one.

You can redeem 20,000 ThankYou points for $200 cash or transfer them to the Citi ThankYou airline and hotel partners with the Citi premier card.

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 not a fixed amount. Eligibility for this bonus is unrelated to eligibility for any other Citi card so there is no 24 or 48 month rule to worry about here.

Redeem Citi Double Cash rewards for great travel experiences

Why you want to get the Citi Double Cash

One of the best credit cards for everyday spending is the Citi Double Cash Card. It's 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

It gets better for those who are into miles and points. Points earned on the Citi Double Cash Card can be transferred to the Citi ThankYou airline and hotel partners at a 2:1 ratio. The Citi Double Cash is a no annual fee credit card.

Your credit score can be helped by having more credit cards in the future. It can help lower your credit utilization by increasing your average age of accounts. If you hold onto your no annual fee cards, you can offer yourself value and help your credit score. That should be one of the reasons to pick up this card.

Redeem Citi ThankYou points for travel in Qatar Airways Qsuites

What’s the best strategy to take with Citi?

The Citi Double Cash Card is one of the best credit card partnerships out there. The Citi premier card has a low annual fee.

  • 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 Singapore KrisFlyer, to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
  • The Citi Premier Card is also offering a best-ever welcome bonus of 80,000 ThankYou points after spending $4,000 within the first three months, making it a great time to pick up the card

What would my plan 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 amazing 80,000 ThankYou points you can earn, and then picking up the Citi Double Cash Card in eight or more days; you’ll have an amazing credit card duo for your spending, plus 100,000 ThankYou points between the two bonuses
Citi ThankYou points can unlock some great travel experiences

Bottom line

The Citi Double Cash Card has a welcome bonus of 20,000 ThankYou points, which is pretty exciting, as I don't recall the card ever having a public bonus. The no annual fee card is an ideal complement to the premier card.

It is a great time to get involved in the ThankYou program. I would apply for the Citi Double Cash Card eight or more days after I get the Citi premier card.

The Citi Double Cash has a welcome bonus now that it has been used.

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