Citi Trifecta: Earn 2%-5% on Every Purchase

If you’re looking to take your credit card rewards-earning to the next level, a strategic combination of cards can help you maximize every purchase you make. Citi, sometimes overlooked in favor of other issuers, offers rewards credit cards that can work together to boost your returns.

For a total annual fee of $95, you can carry three Citi cards (sometimes dubbed the "Citi trifecta") that can earn at least 2% — and as much as 5% — on every purchase you make with a card, no matter the category. And for travelers, combining these cards unlocks the ability to transfer rewards to travel partners for outsized returns.

Here’s everything you need to know about this rewarding combination of Citi cards.

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Annual fee: $0.

Rewards: 5% cash back (in the form of ThankYou points) on up to $500 spent in your highest spending category per billing cycle (from a list of eligible options). 1% cash back (as ThankYou points) on all other purchases.

Basics of ThankYou points

Many of Citi’s credit cards — even ones marketed as "cash back" cards, like the Citi Double Cash® Card — earn rewards in the form of Citi ThankYou points. Those points can be redeemed for, yes, cash back, but also travel, gift cards, bill payments and more.

The tricky thing is, though, point values can vary widely depending on which redemption option you choose and, somewhat confusingly, which Citi card you have. But one value you can generally count on is that ThankYou points are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for travel booked through Citi.

Alternately, if you're willing to put in a little more work, you can also transfer ThankYou points to one of Citi's multiple travel partners, potentially for even higher values per point. See the list below for Citi's full list of partners and transfer ratios.

Note that you only get access to American Airlines if you hold one of Citi's more expensive travel cards, the Citi Strata Premier® Card or Citi Strata Elite℠ Card. Those cards also typically offer the most favorable transfer ratios. That's why having one of them is key for the "Citi trifecta" setup.

The ideal Citi trifecta

By strategically using the Citi Strata Premier® Card, Citi Double Cash® Card and Citi Custom Cash® Card, you can supercharge your rewards earnings. Here’s how these three cards could work in perfect concert with each other.

• The Citi Double Cash® Card earns 2% cash back on purchases: 1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay it off. (And remember, those rewards come in the form of ThankYou points.)

• The Citi Strata Premier® Card earns 3x points on four everyday spending categories for many families: supermarkets, restaurants, eligible travel and gas stations. 

• The versatile Citi Custom Cash® Card automatically earns 5% back in one of 10 eligible spending categories each billing cycle up to $500 (and 1% thereafter). As with the Double Cash, you're technically earning points at a rate of up to 5x back.)

Let’s say you spend $500 on groceries in one billing cycle, putting all of those purchases on your Citi Custom Cash® Card. Since grocery stores are a bonus category on that card, you’ll earn 2,500 ThankYou points during that period.

But you also like to dine out to the tune of about $200 a month. By putting every Chick-fil-A run and pizza night on your Citi Strata Premier® Card, you’ll earn 600 ThankYou Points every month.

The rest of your monthly spending totals $3,000, which you charge to your Citi Double Cash® Card. Doing so would earn you another 6,000 ThankYou points (assuming you pay off those purchases, per the card's terms).

In this hypothetical scenario, you’d net 9,100 ThankYou Points in a single month. That could be worth $91 when redeemed for cash back — or even more if you leverage Citi’s transfer partners.

» LEARN: How to make the most of rewards credit cards

Alternate trifecta combinations

With the introduction of additional Strata card from Citi in 2025, more trifecta possibilities opened up. We maintain that the combination mentioned above is likely the ideal three-card strategy for most people; however, there are other options to be aware of.

No-fee option

If annual fees are a dealbreaker, you could substitute the $0-annual-fee Citi Strata℠ Card in place of the $95-annual-fee Citi Strata Premier® Card. Just be aware, though, that this combination won't be as effective. For starters, this combination won't offer access to American Airlines as a transfer partner. Furthermore, transfer ratios are lower with the Citi Strata℠ Card compared with the other Strata cards. For example, when you transfer points to JetBlue from the Citi Strata℠ Card, you get only a 1:0.7 ratio — meaning 1,000 Citi ThankYou points converts to just 700 miles.

Option with more travel perks

Instead of the Citi Strata Premier® Card, you could make the $595-annual-fee Citi Strata Elite℠ Card the key card in your Citi trifecta. It has high rewards, plus a slew of travel benefits. But in terms of transfer partners and transfer ratios, it doesn’t give you any advantages over the much cheaper Citi Strata Premier® Card.

Factors to consider

It takes some work

Using multiple cards to make purchases in different categories is not a "set it and forget it" strategy. To earn the maximum rewards, you’ll have to track what you’re spending on the Citi Custom Cash® Card to make sure you’re earning 5% on as many of your purchases as you can each billing cycle. You’ll have to remember which card to use for what transaction, and it could change frequently depending on your spending patterns.

Transfer-partner limitations

ThankYou points are generally worth 1 cent a piece, but you can often get outsize value of 2, 3, 4 or even more cents per point by transferring those points to one of Citi's travel partners. Occasionally, Citi will offer limited-time transfer bonuses where you can transfer your points for even better than a 1:2 ratio.

But if you want to use your points for hotel stays, Citi may not be your best bet. You do get access to Choice Hotels, Wyndham and others. But it's missing major domestic chains like Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt and IHG.

Opening multiple cards can harm your credit

If you already have a Citi card or two, building out your "trifecta" is an easier feat. But if you’re starting from scratch, you’ll want to go slowly.

Numerous hard pulls on your credit report, especially in a short timespan, could have a negative effect on your credit, albeit a temporary one. Even with good credit scores, multiple requests for new credit cards can be a red flag that can cause denials from issuers.

It takes discipline

Having multiple credit cards, each with its own spending limit, can lead to runaway spending. Therefore, holding a trifecta is only wise if you can pay off all of your credit card balances on time and in full every month. The interest you’ll pay on unpaid balances will quickly outweigh the rewards you’ll earn.

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