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It's safe to say that most people aren't spending money the same way they were last year. Recognizing this, credit card issuers have implemented an unprecedented number of benefit changes and card updates over the past few months. We have compiled all of these in our comprehensive guide.
With the intention of realigning card benefits to its customer's “evolving needs and spending habits”, Citi has announced the addition of a few new bonus categories to the two top cards in its ThankYou Point® earning portfolio—the and the Citi Prestige® Card.
Citi Premier℠ Card
In addition to the myriad of other benefits offered by the , Citi is adding two new bonus categories for cardmembers with an account open as of May 22. Starting June 2, 2020, cardholders will earn the following category bonuses:
- 3 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on supermarket purchases
- 3 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on restaurant purchases, including takeout and curbside pickup
If these categories sound familiar, there's a reason for that. In early April 2020, we wrote about major updates coming to the . At the time, these changes were scheduled to go into effect on August 23, 2020. While most of the card updates we've detailed over the past few weeks are temporary, these are permanent changes to the .
Citi Prestige® Card
This promo has ended.
Recognizing that people are spending a lot more online, Citi has added “Online Purchases” as a temporary bonus category for the Prestige Card. Now through August 31, 2020, current cardholders will earn 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on all online purchases up to 7,500 points ($1,500 in spending). Only accounts open as of May 22, 2020 are eligible for this bonus. Citi lists the following as qualifying purchases:
- Retailer website orders
- Online grocery orders
- Online drugstore orders
Remember that you can see how a merchant codes by checking AwardWallet's Merchant Category Lookup Tool.
With its $495 annual fee and largely travel-centric benefits, the Prestige Card is a particularly hard sell right now for customers stuck at home. Citi had previously responded to the coronavirus crisis by allowing purchases at restaurants and supermarkets to qualify for the $250 travel credit between May 1 and December 31, 2020. (Update: This has now been extended through December 31, 2021)
Bottom Line
Even after seeing so many benefit updates and new perks over the past few weeks, it's still exciting to see credit card issuers pivoting to provide more value to customers.
In my recent guide to current grocery bonuses, I listed my baseline valuation of ThankYou® Points as 1.7¢ each. This means that the now earns a 5.1% return at supermarkets and restaurants—with no cap on your earnings. This is a fantastic return for a card that only charges a $95 annual fee.
In regards to the Prestige Card, bonusing online spend is an innovative idea that we haven't seen a lot of yet—which is especially surprising considering the current value of the category. At my baseline valuation of 1.7¢ per ThankYou® Point, earning 5X translates into a stellar 8.5% return. That's an excellent return on the first $1,500 worth of spending.
Are these new Citi bonus categories valuable to you?
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