6 Citi Custom Cash Card Benefits You Didn’t Know About
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Written by
Victoria M. Walker
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Edited by
Emily Gadd
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Reviewed by
Jasmin Baron
When I applied for the Citi Custom Cash® Card , I figured I’d use it exclusively at restaurants to take advantage of the card’s bonus earning rate in your top eligible monthly spending category. But a few months in, I noticed this card was punching above its weight. What I thought would be a single-category, set-it-and-forget-it cash-back credit card has actually turned out to be one of the most useful (and rewarding) pieces in my wallet.
Here are six underrated Custom Cash Card benefits I’ve personally taken advantage of.
1. Welcome Bonus for New Members
Some no-annual-fee credit cards come with forgettable introductory offers. However, the Citi Custom Cash Card surprised me with an easy and generous welcome bonus. You’ll earn $200 in cash back as 20,000 Citi ThankYou® points after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of opening your account.
Six months is a generous window. Instead of front-loading my spending or drastically changing my budget, I shifted all of my spending from other cards to my Custom Cash Card. This strategy allowed me to meet the minimum spending requirement in just a few months.
2. Top Spending Categories Offer 5% Cash Back
One of the most lucrative perks of having the Custom Cash Card is the 5% cash back you’ll earn on your top eligible spend category each billing cycle. The card automatically figures out where you spent the most each billing cycle, and gives you 5% back on that category (up to $500 per month, then 1%).
This covers a wide range of categories:
- Restaurants
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores
- Select travel
- Select transit
- Select streaming services
- Drugstores
- Home improvement stores
- Fitness clubs
- Live entertainment
No matter how you’re spending, you’ll earn cash back rewards.
It’s easy to take advantage of the categories and earn rewards for regular spending. For instance, I do most of my grocery shopping at Whole Foods, and I decided to move those purchases to my Custom Cash Card for a few months. This earned me 5% cash back.
The Custom Cash Card has become one of my favorite cards, in large part because I don’t have to activate these cash-back categories.
3. Up to 9% Cash Back on Citi Travel Portal Bookings
When you book hotels, car rentals and attractions through Citi Travel℠, you earn an extra 4% cash back (4 ThankYou points per dollar). If your top spend category that month is travel, this bonus stacks — so you’d earn a total of 9% back on up to $500 spent (5% top category earning plus 4% for eligible Citi Travel spending).
I recently used Citi Travel to book a hotel in Washington, D.C. to see family. I had already maxed out my 5% category that month with restaurant spend, so that travel purchase would’ve just earned the baseline 1%. However, I got an additional 4% by booking through Citi Travel. I was still able to get 5% cash back on the hotel, even though travel wasn’t my top category that month.
If you’re flexible with where you book, Citi’s travel portal is worth checking before you use third-party sites like Expedia, especially when you can stack rewards.
4. Flexible Redemptions
You can redeem Citi ThankYou points earned from your card in a variety of ways, including:
- Statement credit
- Direct deposit
- Check
- Gift cards
- Shop With Points at Amazon
- Citi Travel purchases
While the Custom Cash Card isn’t technically a travel card, having it allowed me to take advantage of some travel perks. That’s because you can use ThankYou.com to redeem points for gift cards with travel merchants, such as Airbnb and Carnival, which start at 2,250 points.
For instance, I booked a one-night stay in Atlanta earlier this year during a busy weekend in the city. There was scant hotel availability, and the ones with space were pricey. I redeemed ThankYou points for $200 worth of Airbnb gift cards, which was akin to getting a free night.
5. Introductory 0% APR
While it’s best to pay your credit card in full each month to avoid interest, sometimes that just doesn’t happen. The Citi Custom Cash Card offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on Purchases and Balance Transfers, then 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable) APR.
I needed to pay off an expensive medical bill. Instead of draining my savings or putting the bill on a high-interest credit card, I was able to pay off my procedure interest-free over a few months. It was like giving myself a small, no-interest loan.
If you’re planning a larger purchase and can’t pay it off all at once, this card gives you real breathing room.
6. $0 Annual Fee
I added the Custom Cash Card to my rotating list of everyday cards. With several cards in my wallet, including some premium travel rewards cards, I pay hefty annual fees. One benefit that made this card enticing was that it didn’t come with an annual fee.
Frequently Asked Questions About Citi Custom Cash Card Benefits
Does the Custom Cash Card have an annual fee?
No, the Custom Cash Card doesn’t have an annual fee.
Does the Custom Cash Card have a 0% APR?
The Custom Cash Card has a 0% intro APR for 15 months on Purchases and Balance Transfers, then 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable), depending on your credit.
How can I redeem Citi ThankYou Points with my Custom Cash Card?
You can redeem your Citi ThankYou points as a statement credit or receive a direct deposit or check. You can also redeem your points for gift cards, at Amazon, on travel and much more.
What categories can I earn 5% cash back on with the Citi Custom Cash Card?
With the Custom Cash Card, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $500 spent in your top spending category each billing cycle (then 1%). Eligible categories are restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment. All other purchases earn 1% back.
