Citi Double Cash Card Review: Great No Annual Fee Cash Back Card

The Citi Double Cash® Card is an incredible no annual fee credit card. The card offers 1x ThankYou points when you make a purchase, and 1x ThankYou points when you pay for that purchase, making it one of the best cards for everyday spending. The card also offers amazing flexibility, since rewards can earn you cash back, or you can even potentially earn airline miles or hotel points at an advantageous rate. I’ve had the Citi Double Cash for years, and it’s one I’ve used for everyday purchases that don’t fall into another bonus category. In this post, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know. I’ll cover everything from the welcome offer and rewards structure, to how you can transfer and combine your points for maximum value. Link: Learn more about the Citi Double Cash® Card Citi Double Cash summary & key detailsCiti Double Cash Card bonus & eligibilityWelcome bonus of 20,000 ThankYou pointsCard eligibility & application rulesProduct change and downgrade optionCiti Double Cash feesNo annual feeForeign transaction feeCiti Double Cash rewards earning structureCiti Double Cash Card redemptionsOption 1: Cash back at one cent per pointOption 2: Transfer points to airline and hotel partnersTransfer ratios: With vs. without a premium cardHow to transfer and combine your Citi Double Cash pointsTransferring points to travel partnersCombining points between accountsThe best card combo: Citi Double Cash + Citi Strata PremierMy recommended Citi card strategyHow I use the Citi Double CashCiti Double Cash perksIntro APR offerOther Citi benefitsIs the Citi Double Cash Card worth it?Citi Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited comparisonCiti Double Cash vs. Capital One VentureOne comparisonCiti Double Cash vs. Citi Strata Card comparisonCiti Double Cash Card FAQsBottom line Citi Double Cash summary & key details Before diving into the full Citi Double Cash Card review, here’s an overview of the card and its key features: Annual fee: $0 Welcome offer: $200 cash back after spending $1,500 in the first six months of account opening Cash back earning rate: Unlimited 2% cash back on purchases (1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay), plus 5% on select travel booked through the Citi Travel Portal; while it’s a cash back card, the rewards you earn are actually Citi ThankYou points that you can redeem with transfer partners, though there’s a catch with the transfer ratio, which I’ll get into later Foreign transaction fees: 3% Best for: Those who want a single cash back card with a solid flat earning rate and no annual fee, and consumers who already have other Citi cards in their wallets Here are the pros and the cons of the Citi Double Cash Card in my view: Citi Double Cash prosCiti Double Cash consNo annual feeCharges a foreign transaction feeMakes for a good single card if you only care about cash backTransfer ratios to partners are sub-par unless you also have a more premium Citi cardPairs well with other Citi cardsOther cash back cards earn more rewards on certain spending categories Citi Double Cash Card bonus & eligibility The Citi Double Cash Card is a great option whether you apply directly or pick it up through a product change from another Citi card. Let’s start with the welcome bonus and how to qualify. Welcome bonus of 20,000 ThankYou points The Citi Double Cash Card currently offers a welcome bonus of 20,000 ThankYou points after spending $1,500 within the first six months. That’s a pretty reasonable spending requirement, especially with a full six months to hit it. Those 20,000 points can be redeemed for $200 cash back, or transferred to airline and hotel partners at a reduced ratio. But if you have this card alongside one that earns premium ThankYou points, like the Citi Strata Premier® Card (learn more) or Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (learn more), those points transfer at a 1:1 ratio to most airline and hotel partners. I personally value ThankYou points at 1.7 cents each, which puts the bonus closer to $340 in value. This card is really about the long term value, not the flashiest welcome bonus. For context, the card didn’t even have a bonus in the past. Redeem Citi ThankYou points for Finnair business class Card eligibility & application rules The welcome bonus on the Citi Double Cash Card isn’t available if you’ve received a bonus on this exact card in the past 48 months. Beyond that, your eligibility is unrelated to any other Citi card you might have. So you can absolutely pick this up even if you already hold the Citi Strata Premier Card, Citi Strata Elite Card, or Citi Strata Card. The main Citi application rules to keep in mind: you can typically only be approved for one Citi card every eight days, and at most two Citi cards every 65 days. This is a rolling limit. Product change and downgrade option If you’d rather not use up a new card application, Citi is generally pretty good about product changes. If you’ve had another Citi personal card for at least 12 months, you can call Citi and ask to switch to the Citi Double Cash Card. Just keep in mind that a product change won’t qualify you for the welcome bonus. That’s only for people who apply outright. But if you’d rather save your applications for cards with bigger bonuses and annual fees, this can be a smart move. Fees are of course a major consideration for people when applying for cards, and it’s an area where the Citi Double Cash both delights and disappoints a little. No annual fee The Citi Double Cash has no annual fee for the primary cardmember or for authorized users. It doesn’t get better than that. Holding onto no annual fee cards also helps your credit score in the long run, since it increases your average age of accounts and your total available credit. Foreign transaction fee One thing to be aware of is that the Citi Double Cash does charge a 3% foreign transaction fee. That means using it for purchases in foreign currencies would actually cost you more than you’d earn back. For international spending, a card like the Citi Strata Premier or Citi Strata Elite (which has no foreign transaction fees) is a better fit. Save the Double Cash for your everyday domestic purchases. Citi Double Cash rewards earning structure The Citi Double Cash has a simple rewards structure: 1x ThankYou points when you make a purchase 1x ThankYou points when you pay for that purchase That gives you up to 2x ThankYou points per dollar spent after paying your bill. There are no caps or rotating categories to track, just a flat 2x points on everything. You might see Citi’s marketing refer to this as “1% cash back when you buy, 1% cash back when you pay.” It’s the same thing. The rewards come as ThankYou points, and you decide how to use them. There’s also a 5x points category for hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through the Citi Travel portal, but the 2x on every purchase across the board is the main selling point of this card. This is among the best returns you’ll find on a no annual fee card. Very few cards beat a flat 2% on everything without conditions. The Citi Double Cash has a straightforward rewards structure Citi Double Cash Card redemptions After you earn your 2x ThankYou points on the Citi Double Cash, you’ve got some great options for putting them to use. Option 1: Cash back at one cent per point The simplest option for points earned with the Citi Double Cash is to redeem your points for cash back at one cent each. There’s no minimum redemption amount. You can choose between a statement credit (which posts in two to three days) or a direct deposit to any bank account. You can also use points for Amazon purchases or gift cards, but neither gives you more than one cent per point. So you might as well take the cash. Here’s an interesting twist: the Double Cash actually lets you redeem points at a better cash rate than some of Citi’s premium cards. The Citi Strata Premier and Citi Strata Elite only let you redeem for 0.75 cents per point in cash back, while the Double Cash gets you the full 1.0 cent. Since you can pool your points, you could redeem all your ThankYou points through the Double Cash at that higher rate. Option 2: Transfer points to airline and hotel partners This is where things get really exciting. Citi ThankYou points can be transferred to 20 travel partners, including 15 airlines and 5 hotel programs. To unlock the full value, you’ll want one of Citi’s premium cards alongside the Double Cash (more on that below). Airline partners: Air France-KLM Flying Blue, American AAdvantage, Avianca Lifemiles, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, EVA Air Infinity MileageLands, JAL Mileage Bank, JetBlue TrueBlue, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Hotel partners: ALL Accor, Choice Privileges, Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club, Preferred Hotels & Resorts I Prefer, Wyndham Rewards American AAdvantage and EVA Air are two unique and valuable partners you won’t find with most other points programs. Beyond those, my personal favorites include Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca Lifemiles, Emirates Skywards, Qatar Privilege Club, and Singapore KrisFlyer. The Citi ThankYou program has some unique transfer partners Transfer ratios: With vs. without a premium card If you only have the Citi Double Cash, you can transfer points to most partners, but at a reduced ratio that is generally about 30% less than the premium rates. Below is a comparison of what the ratios look like with Citi Double Cash transfer partners. PartnerDouble Cash OnlyWith Premium CardAir France-KLM Flying Blue1,000:7001,000:1,000American AAdvantage1,000:7001,000:1,000Avianca LifeMiles1,000:7001,000:1,000Cathay Pacific Asia Miles1,000:7001,000:1,000Choice Privileges1,000:1,0501,000:1,500Emirates Skywards1,000:5601,000:800Etihad Guest1,000:7001,000:1,000EVA Air Infinity MileageLands1,000:7001,000:1,000JAL Mileage Bank1,000:7001,000:1,000JetBlue TrueBlue1,000:7001,000:1,000Qantas Frequent Flyer1,000:7001,000:1,000Qatar Airways Privilege Club1,000:7001,000:1,000Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer1,000:7001,000:1,000Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus1,000:7001,000:1,000Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles1,000:7001,000:1,000Virgin Atlantic Flying Club1,000:7001,000:1,000Wyndham Rewards1,000:7001,000:1,000ALL Accor1,000:3501,000:500Leading Hotels of the World1,000:1401,000:200Preferred Hotels & Resorts1,000:1,4001,000:2,000 The key takeaway? It’s about the most premium card you have when you redeem, not when you earn. You can start earning points on the Double Cash right now. If you pick up a premium card later, all your existing points can be transferred at the better ratios. How to transfer and combine your Citi Double Cash points Let me walk you through the mechanics of actually using your ThankYou points, including those earned with the Citi Double Cash. Transferring points to travel partners The process is simple. Log into your Citi ThankYou account (make sure you’re logged in under a card that gives you full partner access, like the Citi Strata Premier or Citi Strata Elite). Then: Click “More Ways to Redeem,” then “Points Transfer” Select the partner you want to transfer to and click “Continue” Use the slider to choose how many points to transfer (in increments of 1,000) Enter your loyalty program number and confirm Most transfers are instant, though some can take up to two days. One rule to know: you can only transfer to a partner loyalty account that’s in the primary cardmember’s name. Transfer Citi ThankYou points to American AAdvantage Combining points between accounts If you have multiple Citi ThankYou cards, you can easily combine your points online. This is important because you’ll want your points sitting with your most premium card for the best transfer ratios. To combine, log into your Citi account, hover over the dropdown with your name and ThankYou balance, then go to “My Citi Accounts” and click “Combine My Accounts.” From there, you can link any ThankYou accounts under your login. One important warning: if you close a Citi ThankYou card, the points on that account expire after just 60 days, even if you have another ThankYou card open. This is more restrictive than what you’ll find with Amex, Capital One, or Chase. So always transfer or combine your points before closing a card. The best card combo: Citi Double Cash + Citi Strata Premier If you’re looking for the best value with low fees, it’s tough to beat pairing the Citi Double Cash with the Citi Strata Premier. I’d call it one of the best card duos out there. Here’s why: Earn 2-3x points on everything: The Strata Premier offers 3x points on dining, gas, EV charging, groceries, airfare, and hotels, while Double Cash covers everything else at 2x, and that means you’re earning at least 2x on every single purchase Unlock the full transfer partner lineup: Having the Strata Premier gets you access to all 20 transfer partners at the best ratios, including American AAdvantage Flexible redemptions: You can redeem all your pooled points for one cent each cash back (through the Double Cash), or transfer them to partners at the premium ratio (through the Strata Premier), which gives you the best of both worlds Low cost: The Strata Premier has a $95 annual fee, plus a $100 annual hotel credit that can cover it, while the Double Cash is free, so you’re paying under $100 total for an industry-leading setup Great welcome bonus: The Strata Premier offers a strong bonus to jumpstart your points earnings Alternatively, if you value premium perks like lounge access, the $595 annual fee Citi Strata Elite is another great complement to the Double Cash. The credits and benefits can go a long way toward offsetting the annual fee. My recommended Citi card strategy If you already have the Strata Premier: Apply for the Double Cash now, as the welcome bonus, everyday earning power, and long term credit score benefits make it a no-brainer If you don’t have either card: Start with the Strata Premier for the bigger bonus, then pick up the Double Cash eight or more days later, and you’ll have an amazing rewards setup ready to go How I use the Citi Double Cash I use the Citi Double Cash as one of my main cards for personal spending within the US, whenever there’s no bonus category in play. It’s also great for things like paying income taxes for a processing fee under 2%, where I’m basically racking up AAdvantage miles for under one cent each. With the ability to transfer points to American AAdvantage, racking up miles at 2x per dollar on everyday spending is pretty incredible. For domestic purchases that don’t fall into a bonus category, this card is hard to beat. Citi Double Cash perks As a no annual fee cash back card, the Citi Double Cash Card doesn’t have an extensive list of extra benefits. There are a few things that stand out, though. Intro APR offer The Citi Double Cash offers 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.49% - 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. That’s a generous timeframe if you need to transfer over a balance from another card and get some breathing room to pay it off. There is a balance transfer fee, and the intro APR doesn’t apply to purchases made on the card. Other Citi benefits The rest of the card’s benefits are available across most Citi cards in general, including: Access to the Citi Entertainment program, with presale tickets and exclusive experiences to a variety of live events Citi Merchant Offers that you can add to your card to get money back on purchases with certain merchants Extended warranty Is the Citi Double Cash Card worth it? In short: absolutely. Here’s what makes the Citi Double Cash Card stand out: No annual fee — zero cost to hold forever 2x ThankYou points on all spending — no caps, no rotating categories Choose how to redeem — cash back at two cents per dollar, or two transferable points per dollar with even more upside Helps your credit score — more available credit and a longer account history Earning 2x transferable points per dollar with no caps and no annual fee is excellent. And with American AAdvantage in the ThankYou ecosystem, this is essentially a card that earns 2x AAdvantage miles per dollar spent (with the right card combo). That’s the first time we’ve seen that kind of earning rate with one of the “big three” US airlines. The flexibility here is what really makes it special. You don’t have to decide between cash back and travel rewards upfront. Earn your points, and decide later. I’ll run through a few other options that you might be considering alongside the Citi Double Cash so you can see how they stack up. The Citi Double Cash is a well-rounded product Citi Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited comparison If you’re looking for a no annual fee cash back card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (learn more) is another top option to consider. It has a slightly different earning structure than the Citi Double Cash’s flat-rate rewards, though: 1.5% cash back on all non-bonus category purchases 3% back on dining at restaurants 3% back on drugstore purchases 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel If you spend a lot on dining and drugstore purchases, the Freedom Unlimited has an edge over the Citi Double Cash. If you have other Chase cards, too, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Ink Business Preferred, earning 1.5% or more on every purchase with the Freedom Unlimited becomes a minimum of 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points on all spending. But while you can move points from the Citi Double Cash over to transfer partners without requiring another card, this isn’t possible with the Freedom Unlimited. You’ll need to have a Chase card with an annual fee to get the most value out of your points. Citi Double Cash vs. Capital One VentureOne comparison If you’re looking for a no annual fee card, I think it’s also worth briefly mentioning the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (learn more). The card offers a minimum of 1.25x miles per dollar spent, which is on the surface lower than what you’ll get on the Citi Double Cash. However, there are potentially a couple of advantages: The Capital One VentureOne has no foreign transaction fees, so it’s a great card to use abroad The Capital One VentureOne earns miles that can be transferred to airline and hotel partners at the best possible ratio, with no need to have another card to unlock the best transfer rate Still, the 1.25x miles earning isn’t terribly competitive with what you’ll find on the Citi Double Cash, so the latter would still be my preference, unless international purchases are important to you. Citi Double Cash vs. Citi Strata Card comparison For those who want to stay with Citi, the Citi Strata℠ Card (learn more) is the other main no annual fee option that earns ThankYou points. The Citi Strata Card earns up to 5x points: 3x points on supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations and select transit, and a self-select category of your choice, 5x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel, and 1x points on everything else The self-select category has the following options, and you can change your category once a quarter: fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores, barber shops, and hair salons, or pet supplies Like the Citi Double Cash Card, it charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so you won’t want to use it abroad The Citi Strata Card has some valuable bonus categories, including some you won’t find on other cards. If your spending matches up with the categories, it’s worth a look. The two cards actually complement each other well, since you can earn higher bonus rewards on certain spending with the Strata Card and use the Double Cash to earn 2x on purchases that don’t qualify for a higher multiplier. Citi Double Cash Card FAQs How does the Citi Double Cash Card earn rewards? You earn 1x ThankYou point when you make a purchase and 1x ThankYou point when you pay for that purchase, giving you up to 2x ThankYou points per dollar spent on the Citi Double Cash Card. Points post to your account in two batches. One batch for spending and one for paying your bill. Each point can be redeemed for one cent cash back, or transferred to airline and hotel partners for potentially more value. What happens to my ThankYou points if I close my Citi Double Cash Card? If you close the Citi Double Cash Card, your points on that account will expire after just 60 days, even if you have other ThankYou cards open. This is more restrictive than programs like Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards. Always transfer or combine your points to another ThankYou account before closing the card. Is the Citi Double Cash Card better than other 2% cash back cards? The Double Cash stands out because of its flexibility. Most 2% cash back cards only offer cash back. The Double Cash lets you choose between cash back or transferable points, which can be worth significantly more when redeemed through airline and hotel partners. If you pair it with a premium ThankYou card, you’re looking at a potential value of 1.7 cents per point, far more than the standard two cents per dollar in cash. Can I use the Citi Double Cash Card for international purchases? I wouldn’t recommend using the Citi Double Cash for international purchases. The card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, which wipes out the 2% rewards you’d earn. For spending in foreign currencies, you’re better off using a card with no foreign transaction fees, like the Citi Strata Premier. Save the Double Cash for your domestic, everyday purchases where it really shines. Is the Citi Double Cash Card hard to get? The Citi Double Cash Card isn’t especially hard to get, but you will need a solid credit profile. Citi doesn’t publish an exact credit score requirement for the card, but you’ll typically need a score in the good to excellent range (670 and up) to get approved. Can I transfer Citi Double Cash points to American AAdvantage? You can transfer Citi Double Cash points to American AAdvantage, but you’ll have a lower transfer rate of 1,000:700 unless you also have the Citi Strata Premier Card or Citi Strata Elite Card. If you have one of those cards, you can pool your Double Cash points with your premium card’s points and then transfer everything at the best rate. Is the Citi Double Cash a Mastercard or Visa? The Citi Double Cash is a Mastercard, and has excellent global acceptance (though does have foreign transaction fees, so I recommend using it for US purchases, if possible). What credit score do you need to get approved for the Citi Double Cash? There’s no published credit score that you need to get approved for the Citi Double Cash. Ideally I’d have a score in the “good” to “excellent” range, ideally 700 points or higher. But people with higher credit scores have been rejected, and people with lower credit scores have been approved. Bottom line The Citi Double Cash Card is a no annual fee card that offers unmatched flexibility. Whether you want straightforward cash back or transferable travel rewards, this card delivers 2x ThankYou points on every dollar you spend, after paying the bill. Pair it with the Citi Strata Premier Card and you’ve got one of the best credit card combos in the game. You’ll earn 2-3x points on all your spending, and get access to 20 airline and hotel transfer partners (including American AAdvantage), and all for under $100 in annual fees. If you haven’t looked at this card before, now is a great time. The ThankYou ecosystem has never been stronger, and the Double Cash is right at the heart of it. It’s one of those rare cards that earns its spot in your wallet through sheer everyday value with no gimmicks or hoops, just a really solid return on your spending. If you want to learn more about the Citi Double Cash Card or want to apply, follow this link.