Citi Custom Cash Card Review 2025: A "Secret Weapon" for Everyday Rewards?

A. The 5% Cash Back That Follows Your Spending

The coolest thing about the Citi Custom Cash Card is how it handles rewards. You don't have to sign up for special categories each quarter. Instead, the card automatically figures out where you spent the most in an eligible category that billing cycle and gives you 5% cash back on those purchases. This 5% is good for the first $500 you spend in that top category each billing cycle. After you hit $500, or for any other spending, you get a solid 1% cash back on everything else. That $500 cap means you can get up to $25 back at the 5% rate each month.

Here are the 2025 categories where you can snag that 5%:

• Restaurants
• Gas Stations
• Grocery Stores
• Select Travel (airlines, hotels, cruise lines, travel agencies)
• Select Transit (includes rental cars, commuter trains, taxis, tolls, EV charging, but not bike/scooter rentals)
• Select Streaming Services (like Netflix, Spotify, Disney+)
• Drugstores
• Home Improvement Stores
• Fitness Clubs
• Live Entertainment

These categories cover a lot of ground, especially things like gas, travel, and transit, which are big for US travelers.

Table 1: 2025 Citi Custom Cash 5% Eligible Spending Categories

B. Welcome Bonus and That Sweet $0 Annual Fee

New folks signing up in 2025 can usually grab a welcome bonus: $200 cash back after spending $1,500 in the first 6 months. This comes as 20,000 ThankYou Points, which you can trade for $200. Just a heads-up: you can't get this bonus if you've had one for this card in the last 48 months or if you switched another Citi card (that had a bonus) to this one recently. Citi also only lets you have one Custom Cash card per person.

One of the best parts? A $0 annual fee. This means every reward dollar you earn (after the welcome bonus spend) is pure gain, making it a great long-term card.

C. 0% Intro APR: A Little Breathing Room

Often, the Citi Custom Cash Card offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on new purchases and balance transfers (from when you open the account). For balance transfers, you need to make them within 4 months of opening your card to get the deal. This 15-month interest-free window can be a big help for paying off a large purchase, like a US vacation, or tackling some existing debt.

After the intro period, the regular variable APR kicks in (recently 18.24% - 28.24%). If you do a balance transfer, there's a fee: $5 or 5% of the transfer amount, whichever is more. Keep that fee in mind, as it can eat into your interest savings.

D. A Catch for International Travelers: Foreign Transaction Fees

While the $0 annual fee is great, if you travel outside the US, watch out: the Citi Custom Cash Card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee. This can wipe out your rewards on international purchases. If you stick to domestic travel, no worries. But for trips abroad, this isn't your card.

A. Earning and Using Your Points

The rewards you earn come as Citi ThankYou Points. For cash back, 1 point usually equals 1 cent. So, 5% back means 5 points per dollar (up to that $500 monthly cap), and 1% back is 1 point per dollar everywhere else.

Redeeming is pretty easy:

• Direct deposit to your bank (no minimum).
• Statement credit (no minimum).
• Check by mail (usually $5 or 500 points minimum).
• Gift cards.
• Travel through the Citi ThankYou portal.
• "Shop with Points" at Amazon.com and other sites.

B. The Real Travel Power: Pairing Your Card

Here’s where the "secret weapon" idea really comes into play for travelers. On its own, the ThankYou Points from the Custom Cash are pretty basic – you generally can't transfer them directly to airlines or hotels.

But, if you also have a premium Citi ThankYou card (like the Citi Strata Premier Card), you can pool your points. Once pooled, those points can be transferred to Citi's airline and hotel partners, often at a 1:1 ratio. This can make your points way more valuable than just 1 cent each. Think about it: 5% cash back becomes 5 airline miles or a good chunk of hotel points per dollar in your top category. You can also share up to 100,000 points a year with another ThankYou member, but those shared points expire in 90 days, so use them fast.

Some good airline partners include Air France KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, and JetBlue. For hotels, Choice Privileges (often 1 ThankYou Point to 2 Choice points with a premium card) and Wyndham Rewards can be great deals, especially for US travel. This transfer ability is what can turn this simple cash-back card into a travel rewards powerhouse.

A. Citi Travel Portal Bonus

Through June 30, 2026, you can get an extra 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through the Citi Travel portal.

• If "Select Travel" is your 5% category for the month and you book through the portal, you could get 5% (up to the $500 cap) plus the extra 4%, for a total of 9% back!
• If your 5% category is something else (like groceries), portal bookings will get 1% plus the 4% portal bonus, for a total of 5% back. This is a fantastic, though temporary, perk that can make this card a winner for certain travel bookings.

B. World Elite Mastercard Benefits

Being a World Elite Mastercard, the Custom Cash comes with some nice extras:

• Citi Concierge: 24/7 help with travel, dining, etc.
• ShopRunner Membership: Free 2-day shipping at many online stores.
• Lyft Credit: Potentially a $5 Lyft credit each month if you take three rides (this offer was noted to expire Sept. 30, 2025).
• Hotel Guarantees: Like a Lowest Hotel Rate Guarantee.
• Mastercard ID Theft Protection: Monitoring and alerts (enrollment needed).

For things like trip insurance or extended warranty, Citi cards often include Damage & Theft Purchase Protection (covering new items against damage/theft for 90 days, up to $1,000 per incident) and an Extended Warranty (adding up to 24 months to manufacturer warranties). But, it's super important to check your specific card's Guide to Protection Benefits or call Citi to confirm exactly what coverage you have.

C. Standard Citi Perks

You also get standard Citi benefits:

• $0 Liability on Unauthorized Charges.
• Free FICO Score access.
• Citi Entertainment: Presale tickets and exclusive experiences.
• Travel Notice feature.

A. Great for Domestic Trips and Everyday US Life

This card really shines for travel and spending within the US:

• $0 Annual Fee: Pure savings.
• Flexible 5% Rewards: Categories like Gas, Select Travel, Select Transit, and Restaurants are perfect for domestic trips.
• Citi Travel Portal Bonus: That extra 4% (making it 5% or even 9% back) on portal bookings for hotels, cars, and attractions is a big win until June 30, 2026.
• 0% Intro APR on Purchases: Helpful for financing big domestic trips interest-free for 15 months.
• ThankYou Points Power (When Paired): If you have a premium Citi card, this becomes a great way to earn points for domestic flights and hotels.

B. Not Your Go-To for International Travel or Big Spenders

• Foreign Transaction Fee: That 3% fee makes it a bad choice for spending abroad.
• $500 Monthly Cap on 5%: If you spend way more than $500 a month in one category, you only get 5% on the first $500. After that, it's 1%.
• "Basic" Points Alone: Without a premium Citi card, your ThankYou points are mostly just for cash back or portal bookings, not high-value travel transfers.