Deep Dive on Citi Credit Cards and ThankYou Points (Best 2-Card Combo)

Deep Dive on Citi Credit Cards and ThankYou Points (Best 2-Card Combo)

Author: Chris Hutchins May 21, 2025 Duration: 57:48
228: A deep dive into Citi’s credit card lineup. I've recently opened up a few Citi cards and am very excited about sharing the best Citi cards, how to maximize ThankYou Points, the best airline and hotel transfer partners, and how Citi’s best two-card combo stacks up against other major issuers. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/citi-credit-cards-thank-you-points Partner Deals Thrive Market: 30% off your first order of organic groceries + a free $60 gift Facet: Personalized Financial Planning + $250 enrollment fee waived Storyworth: Share your family stories in a custom book (+ $10 off) LMNT: Free sample pack of my favorite electrolyte drink mix Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Chris' Best Cards Page Citi Cards Tier List ThankYou® Points Cards Citi Strata Premier℠ Card AT&T Points Plus Card Citi ThankYou® Mastercard® Citi® Double Cash Card Citi Custom Cash Credit Card AAdvantage Cards American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp℠ Card AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Airline Mastercard AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard AAdvantage Business™ World Elite Mastercard® Costco Cards Costco Anywhere Visa® Credit Card Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card Other Citi Cards Shop Your Way Mastercard EVA Air How to book Vacasa Vacation Rentals with Wyndham points CardPointers Pro: 30% off here and 50% off here ATH Podcast Luxury Hotel Upgrade Program Airline/Hotel Transfer Partner Spreadsheet Credit Card Optimizer Tool Membership: Join here Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@allthehacks.com Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (02:10) Quick Intro of the Credit Card Tier List (03:48) Review of Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (06:49) AT&T Points Plus Card and Citi ThankYou® Mastercard® (08:29) 2% Unlimited Cash Back: Citi® Double Cash Card (10:23) Earn 5% Cash Back Using the Citi Custom Cash Credit Card (12:35) The Citi–American Airlines Ecosystem (16:08) American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp℠ Card (17:34) AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Airline Mastercard® Perks (18:51) Lounge Access and Benefits: AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (23:02) Why AAdvantage® Business World Elite Mastercard® Is Chris’ Favorite (29:24) Are the Citi Costco Cards Worth It? (33:12) Shop Your Way Mastercard (38:13) Other Citi Cards Without Any Benefits (39:18) ATH Member Deep Dive Discussions (39:47) Citi Rules (43:36) Citi ThankYou® Points Program (44:31) Citi's Airline Partners (46:31) Hotel Transfer Partners Unique for Citi (49:20) Transfer Bonuses and Limitations (52:17) High-Level Summary of Citi Cards (53:09) Best Two-Card Combos for Each Issuer (57:43) Factors That Make Citi Cards Less Exciting (58:39) Citi Merchant Offers Connect with Chris Newsletter | Membership | X | Instagram | LinkedIn Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever feel like there's a smarter, more efficient way to navigate your finances, your travels, and your daily routines? That's the core question driving All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life. Hosted by Chris Hutchins, this podcast is built on a simple, powerful idea: maximizing value doesn't mean sacrificing enjoyment. Instead, it's about the strategic choices that free up resources-both money and time-for what truly matters. Chris approaches life as a series of systems to be optimized, drawing from his own experience saving millions through meticulous analysis. The conversations here are practical and wide-ranging, moving seamlessly from credit card points strategies and investment philosophies to the less tangible hacks for personal fulfillment. You'll hear from a diverse roster of experts and icons, including Tim Ferriss, Tony Hawk, Codie Sanchez, and Gary Vaynerchuk, who all bring their unique perspectives on building wealth and designing a compelling life. Each episode feels like a focused workshop, offering actionable advice you can use immediately, whether it's planning a luxury vacation for a fraction of the cost or rethinking your approach to career and leisure. This isn't just about frugality; it's about unlocking freedom and excitement through smarter decisions. Tune in for a consistently insightful blend of tactical moves and deeper conversations that challenge the conventional trade-offs between spending, saving, and living well.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life
Podcast Episodes
I Built an AI Assistant That Works While I Sleep [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:24
#265: Chris explores how modern AI tools have eliminated the barriers to building software, why planning matters more than coding skill, how anyone can turn a simple problem into a working app faster and cheaper than eve…
Deep Dive on Bilt Rewards and New Bilt 2.0 Cards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:43
#264: Learn how the Bilt ecosystem works, from earning Bilt Rewards to the new cards, transfer partners, perks, and where the real value is. Whether you’re new or already earning, this is a practical guide to using Bilt…
How to Earn Millions of Points and More Listener Q&A [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:43
#263: Chris breaks down exactly how he’s earned millions of points and miles, and why simplicity matters more than optimization. He covers signup bonuses, spending strategies, credit score impacts, business cards, cash-b…
Goals, Tools, and Mindset Shifts for a Better 2026 with Kevin Rose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:45
#261: Chris and Kevin reflect on 2025’s biggest wins and lessons, then dive into how they're planning 2026. They share their goals, the tools they're using, and why they're designing a year that’s easier, not just more o…
Top 10 Takeaways from 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:24
#260: Chris distills the most powerful lessons from over 50 episodes in 2025 into 10 actionable takeaways that changed how he thinks about money, time, health, relationships, purpose, and more. Link to Full Show Notes: h…
Choosing the Problems Worth Struggling For with Mark Manson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:44
#259: Learn how to pick the challenges in life that actually matter. We break down how to stop optimizing for the wrong things, why values trump goals in decision-making, practical strategies for building real friendship…
My Top 5 Mistakes with Points & Miles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:54
#258: The 5 biggest mistakes Chris has made in his points & miles journey. He dives into the hidden cost of status, the math behind point values, the power of opportunity cost, and why hoarding points quietly destroys va…
End of Year Checklist for Your Taxes, Points and Miles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:17
#257: We break down essential tax and financial decisions to make before year-end. Learn how to maximize deductions, optimize charitable giving, manage investment gains and losses, and take advantage of retirement and ho…