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Earn 75,000 ThankYou® Points after spending $6,000 within the first three months of account opening.
Full benefits & perks
- Priority Pass™ lounge membership with access to 1,200+ airport lounges worldwide, including two guests per visit
- Four American Airlines Admirals Club® passes per calendar year that can be used when flying American, each pass includes up to three guests under 18
- Up to $300 annual hotel credit for two-night hotel bookings through Citi Travel℠ — applied like a coupon at checkout, works on any hotel
- Up to $200 annual Splurge Credit for purchases with select partner brands (choose up to two): 1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, Future Personal Training, or Live Nation
- Up to $200 annual Blacklane credit for chauffeured airport transfers
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit
- No foreign transaction fees
My thoughts
This card has taken the top spot in my wallet, and for good reason. I've started using it more often primarily because of the lounge access — it includes two guests with Priority Pass, which means I can bring two of my kids into the lounge instead of just myself. Previously, I used the Venture X for this, but that has changed since they took away guest access. Airport lounges are a game-changer when you're traveling with kids. The $595 annual fee sounds steep, but here's the thing: the $300 hotel credit and $200 Splurge Credit together are worth $500, and both reset every January 1. So if you time it right, you can double-dip those credits in your first year (and even triple-dip if you open in December). I used my hotel credit on a weekend getaway and only paid $61 out of pocket. I used my Splurge Credit at Best Buy to buy Disney and Amazon gift cards. Easy, useful, no hoops. Add in the 75,000 point welcome offer and American Airlines as a new transfer partner and this is a card that earns its fee, especially for the first year.
How to use your points
ThankYou® Points are one of the most underrated flexible point currencies out there. Here are my favorite ways to use them:
- Transfer to Air France/KLM Flying Blue for flights to Europe — learn about Flying Blue
- Transfer to American Airlines — great for 40k round-trips to Europe or 15k one-ways to the Caribbean
- Transfer to Choice Privileges at a 1:1.5 ratio — nearly doubles your points and works great for international hotels — all about Citi ThankYou® Points
- Transfer to Virgin Atlantic for partner award redemptions, like cheap flights to London — learn about Virgin Atlantic
- Book flights, hotels, or rental cars through Citi Travel℠
- Cash out at 1 cent per point — every 10,000 points = $100
This card earned its spot at the top of my wallet, and the double-dippable credits make the annual fee a lot easier to swallow.
- The Priority Pass lounge access with two guests is what sets this card apart from most premium cards
- The $300 hotel credit + $200 Splurge Credit = $500 in value that resets every January 1 — double-dip it in year one
- American Airlines is now a transfer partner, which opens up some really valuable redemption options
- The $595 annual fee is mid-tier for a premium card — and the credits make it very justifiable, especially year one
- This does count toward your 5/24 number, so factor that in before applying
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Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.