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Citi has launched a new spending offer for Custom Cash cardholders, giving 5x points on all hotels, attractions and car rentals booked through the Citi Travel portal powered by Booking.com.
The Deal
- Earn an unlimited additional 4 ThankYou Points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through Citi Travel with Booking.com when paying with a Citi Custom Cash card.
Key Terms
- Expires June 30, 2025.
Quick Thoughts
Citi Travel allows you to book all kinds of travel through the portal. That includes flights, but be aware that flights aren’t eligible for this spending offer – only hotels, car rentals and attractions.
This bonus points promo will stack with the bonus points available as standard on the Custom Cash card. As a reminder, this card offers 5x points on up to $500 spend each billing period in your top eligible spending category. One of those eligible categories is select travel which includes hotel bookings, while another is select transit which includes car rentals. That means that if one of those is your top spending category, you can earn 9x ThankYou points on up to $500 spend. That’s made up of 1x base point, 4x from the Custom Cash card’s normal bonus earnings and 4x from this new spending offer.
If your top spending category is a different one such as, say, groceries, you’ll earn 5x on up to $500 spend in that category each billing period, but will still earn 5x points on eligible Citi Travel bookings.
Despite this earning opportunity, it might not be your best option. That’s because hotel bookings through the Citi Travel portal won’t be eligible for earning hotel points, receiving status benefits, earning elite night credits, etc. Many people would therefore be better off booking their stays directly with the hotel chain to earn points in that program, not to mention cashback through a shopping portal, while still earnings 5x on up to $500 spend each billing period by paying with the Custom Cash card.
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I previously booked Hyatt for two nights using Hyatt website, but found out same hotel for same date 80$ cheaper and will be getting 9x thank you points . What do you think of this deal? Is it worth it or do you think Hyatt point will be still better? Please let me know.
It would depend on how you value Hyatt points versus Citi ThankYou points, but I imagine rebooking for $80 less will be the better option as I doubt the value of the Hyatt points you’d earn would exceed the $80 + 9x ThankYou points.
However, if you book via Citi Travel, you won’t earn elite night credits with Hyatt, won’t get status benefits (if you have status), etc.
Also, has the price on Hyatt’s website gone down? If it has, you could always rebook it there. Be sure to check the cancellation policy of your existing booking too in case it’s non-refundable.
Good point. Unfortunately Hyatt price didn’t go down. I have explorist status with Hyatt . Luckily my Hyatt booking allows free cancellation until 6 pm on day of arrival ( at London ) . However with Citi free cancellation was only until 2 days before arrival. Do you aware of Hyatt matching price with Citi travel portal?
I wouldn’t have thought so as Citi Travel probably won’t count as a publicly available rate. If you can find that same rate on Hotels.com, Booking.com, etc., you could try submitting a Best Rate Guarantee claim provided everything else was the same.
Hyatt surprised us with upgraded our room to club king room and access to club lounge with free breakfast even though I booked via Citi portal . Obviously I didn’t earn any elite night credits but i will take this
Just a reminder that you can usually get around 8% cash back using Topcashback for Booking.com/Agoda, plus use their coupons etc for better discounts. Booking and Agoda sometimes code as a travel agent giving 3-5x on some cards. I have no data if Booking.com by Citi has better prices than the actual Booking.com, but I know what my guess would be.
Citi Premier also offers 10x on the travel portal through 6/30. Definitely wouldn’t waste my valuable 5x category from the CCC when I can do the same thing with my Premier.