Personal Finance Credit Cards
Written by Tessa Campbell
- How to earn points
- How to use points
- Benefits and features
- Fees and costs
- Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
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The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: AT&T Points Plus® Card, Citi Custom Cash℠ Card, Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, Citi Rewards+® Card, Citi®Double Cash Card, Citi Prestige® Card. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
Citi's newest credit card, the AT&T Points Plus® Card , is a decent option for folks who spend a lot on gas and grocery store purchases. But there are plenty of better, higher-earning rewards cards on the market worth considering first.
AT&T Points Plus® Card
Insider’s Rating
3.2/5
Perks
Earn 3X ThankYou Points for every $1 spent at gas stations. Earn 2X ThankYou Points for every $1 spent at grocery stores (including grocery delivery services). Earn 1X ThankYou Point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
21.24% - 29.24% Variable
Intro Offer
$100 statement credit after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
Earn a $100 statement credit
Recommended Credit
N/A
Pros
- Up to $240 in statement credits per year toward AT&T charges
- No annual fee
- Decent rewards rate on gas and groceries
Cons
- Foreign transaction fees
- Statement credits require paying your AT&T bill with the card and meeting a high monthly spending threshold
- Few extra benefits
Citi AT&T Points Plus credit card overview
Citi recently launched the brand-new AT&T Points Plus Cardwith a $0 annual fee, and it easily falls behind its flashier and more lucrative card competitors, including other Citi rewards credit cards. Despite its decent reward rates on everyday spending categories and modest welcome bonus, the AT&T Points Plus Card doesn't have much more to offer (unless you're an AT&T wireless customer).
Cardholders can earn$100 statement credit after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, which is better than no bonus but certainly not the highest offer around. Other no-annual-fee cards (such as the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card or the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card) offer more substantial welcome bonuses.
The Citi Custom Cash Card, for example, earns new cardholders $200 cash back, fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. And the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first three months from account opening.
The AT&T Points Plus Card is best fit for folks who spend a lot on gas, as the card earns 3x ThankYou points on gas station purchases. It also earns 2x ThankYou points at grocery stores (including delivery), and 1x on everything else.
Otherwise, what makes the AT&T Points Plus Card unique is that it allows cardholders to earn up to $240 in annual statement credits after spending at least $500 in purchases each billing cycle (for a $10 monthly credit), or $1,000 in purchases (for a $20 monthly credit) — as long as they have the card set as their autopayment method on their AT&T wireless bill. That's a decent offer for AT&T customers who already spend that much on gas and groceries.
But keep in mind that in order to earn the maximum number of credits each year ($240), you'd need to spend $12,000 annually. That's a big chunk of change!And if you're already spending that much money on gas and grocery purchases each year, you should consider a different rewards card with higher rewards rates in those spending categories. That way you'll get more bang for your buck.
The AT&T Points Plus Card could potentially be more appealing to folks who own otherCiti ThankYou point earning cards (such as the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card , Citi Rewards+® Card , or the Citi®Double Cash Card ) as you can pool all your points into one ThankYou account.
Another Citi card worth looking into is the Citi Custom Cash Cardwhich earns 5x points in a category of your choosing (including gas station or restaurant purchases) up to $500 each billing cycle. This is particularly a great card for folks whose expenses often fluctuate in different spending categories.
Another no-annual-fee card to consider if gas isn't one of your highest spending categories is the Chase Freedom Unlimited® as it earns 5x on travel (purchased through Chase Travel℠), 3x on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5x on everything else.
How to earn points with AT&T Points Plus credit card
The AT&T Points Plus Card offers decent reward rates in everyday spending categories, including:
- 3x points at gas stations
- 2x points at grocery stores (including grocery delivery services)
- 1x point on everything else, including AT&T purchases
How to use points with AT&T Points Plus Card
The AT&T Points Plus Cardearns Citi ThankYou points, but the actual value of your points will depend on how you redeem them. You'll get 1 cent per point when you redeem for cash, statement credits, checks, and gift cards. Or, you can also redeem for travel through Citi's ThankYou portal at a fixed rate of 1 cent per point.
You won't get access to Citi's full range of travel partners (which often gets you higher value) unless you have either the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card or the Citi Prestige® Card (no longer available to new applicants). But the AT&T Points Plus Card does allow its cardholders to transfer to a few select partners (JetBlue, Choice, and Wyndham) at a slightly poorer transfer ratio.
Otherwise, if you want to redeem your ThankYou points at their highest value, you'll have to transfer your points from your AT&T Points Plus Cardto either the Premier or Prestige Card first, in order to access all 14 airline and two hotel partners.
AT&T Points Plus benefits and features
Earn up to $240 in annual statement credits
You can earn a $20 statement credit each month after spending $1,000 or more in a billing cycle when you use your AT&T Points Plus Card as your autopayment method on your AT&T wireless bill (or a $10 statement credit after spending at least $500 on purchases in a billing cycle). This way, you can earn a max of $240 in statement credit per year, but you'd have to spend at least $12,000.
$0 liability on unauthorized charges
If your card is lost or stolen, you won't be held responsible for any unauthorized purchases or transactions made with that card. But it's crucial that you report your lost or stolen card, or else you might not be eligible to receive this benefit.
Quick lock
To help prevent unauthorized charges on your Citi card, you can easily and instantly lock it in the event your card is lost, stolen, or temporarily misplaced.
Fees and costs
The AT&T Points Plus Card doesn't charge an annual fee. However, it does have a cash advance fee, a late payment fee, a returned payment fee, and a balance transfer fee. It also charges a foreign transaction fee, so it's not a good card for international purchases.
It does not offer cardholders an introductory 0% APR on purchases or balance transfers.
Compare the AT&T Points Plus card
AT&T Points Plus® Card | Chase Freedom Unlimited® | Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card | |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Rewards rate | 3x points at gas stations 2x points at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services 1x point in all other purchases, including AT&T products and services | 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ 3% cash back on dining (includes takeout and eligible delivery services) 3% cash back on drugstore purchases 1.5% cash back on all other purchases | 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans 1 point per dollar on all other purchases |
| Welcome bonus offer | $100 statement credit after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening | additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) | 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first three months from account opening |
| Benefits | Earn up to $240 in AT&T wireless credits $0 liability on unauthorized charges Quick Lock | 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months (then 20.49% - 29.24% Variable APR) Purchase protection Extended warranty protection Auto rental collision damage waiver Travel and emergency assistance services Trip cancellation/interruption insurance Fraud monitoring | 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening (then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR) Cell phone protection Car rental insurance Emergency cash disbursem*nt and card replacement Roadside dispatch Travel and emergency assistance services Visa Signature® Concierge Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection No foreign transaction fees |
| Review | Chase Freedom Unlimited review | Wells Fargo Autograph card review |
Citi AT&T Points Plus card frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is the Citi AT&T Points Plus card worth it?
The AT&T Points Plus Card may be worth it for folks who spend a lot on gas station purchases and that already own other Citi ThankYou point-earning cards (such as the Citi Prestige® Credit Card or Citi Strata Premier℠). Plus, it doesn't charge an annual fee so it doesn't cost you anything to own it.
However, the AT&T Points Plus Card doesn't earn bonus rewards on AT&T purchases, and the reward rates on bonus categories are okay but similar cards offer better rates, larger bonuses, and more benefits. Earning $10 or $20 in additional statement credits every month is nice but you have to be an AT&T wireless customer, and you'd have to spend at least $12,000 in a year to earn the total $240 statement credits.
All that is to say, you'll likely be better off with a different cash-back credit card.
What credit score do you need for the Citi AT&T Points Plus card?
Most folks approved for the AT&T Points Plus Card have at least a good credit score (a FICO score of at least 670).
If you're not there quite yet, you can check out Insider's guides to the best credit cards for average credit or the best credit cards for bad credit.
Does the Citi AT&T Points Plus card come with cell phone insurance?
No, the AT&T Points Plus Cardunfortunately does not come with cell phone insurance. So if you already own a different credit card with cell phone coverage, it may not be in your best interest to use the AT&T Points Plus Card as your autopay method for your wireless payments as you'd then have to pay for cell phone insurance separately. Which, unfortunately, prevents you from earning additional statement credits on your wireless bill.
If you don't own a credit card that offers cell phone insurance, and you already pay for it separately, there's no harm in enrolling the AT&T Points Plus Cardfor autopay.
Investing and Retirement Reporter
Tessa Campbell is an investing and retirement reporter on Business Insider’s personal finance desk. Over two years of personal finance reporting, Tessa has built expertise on a range of financial topics, from the best credit cards to the best retirement savings accounts.ExperienceTessa currently reports on all things investing — deep-diving into complex financial topics, shedding light on lesser-known investment avenues, and uncovering ways readers can work the system to their advantage.As a personal finance expert in her 20s, Tessa is acutely aware of the impacts time and uncertainty have on your investment decisions. While she curates Business Insider’s guide on the best investment apps, she believes that your financial portfolio does not have to be perfect, it just has to exist. A small investment is better than nothing, and the mistakes you make along the way are a necessary part of the learning process.Expertise:Tessa’s expertise includes:
- Credit cards
- Investing apps
- Retirement savings
- Cryptocurrency
- The stock market
- Retail investing
Education:Tessa graduated from Susquehanna University with a creative writing degree and a psychology minor.When she’s not digging into a financial topic, you’ll find Tessa waist-deep in her second cup of coffee. She currently drinks Kitty Town coffee, which blends her love of coffee with her love for her two cats: Keekee and Dumpling. It was a targeted advertisem*nt, and it worked.
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