Updated: August 8, 2024
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The Bank of America® Travel Rewards and the Citi Rewards+® Card offer great rewards, 0% introductory offers and no annual fees. The BofA Travel Rewards is better for earning unlimited travel points, with Preferred Rewards® members getting up to 75% more points.
The Citi Rewards+ is excellent for frequent spenders at supermarkets and gas stations, with 2X points in these categories and a unique round-up feature.
You might prefer the BofA Travel Rewards if you want a straightforward rewards card that earns points on every purchase. Suitable for frequent travelers, it has flexible redemption options and no foreign transaction fees. Preferred Rewards members can earn up to 75% more points, making it great for loyal customers.
You might prefer the Citi Rewards+ if you spend often at supermarkets and gas stations. The round-up feature maximizes points on smaller purchases, and the 5X ThankYou Points on travel booked through Citi Travel (until the end of 2025) are valuable. However, be mindful of the $6,000 annual cap on bonus categories.
Comparing APRs, fees, credit requirements, rewards and other features helps you determine the best card. The BofA Travel Rewards is attractive for frequent travelers due to its lack of foreign transaction fees. If you often spend money at supermarkets and gas stations, the Citi Rewards+ is advantageous for its 2X points and round-up feature.
Regular APR: Citi Rewards+
The Citi Rewards+ has a lower regular APR range of 18.74%–28.74% than BofA Travel Rewards' 19.24%–29.24%.
Annual Fee: Tie
The BofA Travel Rewards and the Citi Rewards+ have no annual fee, helping cardholders avoid extra costs.
Introductory 0% APRs: Tie
The BofA Travel Rewards and the Citi Rewards+ offer a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the same period.
Rewards: Citi Rewards+
The Citi Rewards+ offers 2X points at supermarkets and gas stations on the first $6,000 per year and 1X point on all other purchases. Its unique features provide more earning potential, such as rounding up every purchase to the nearest 10 points.
Welcome Offers: BofA Travel Rewards
The BofA Travel Rewards gives 25,000 points after $1,000 spent within three months, while the Citi Rewards+ gives 20,000 points for $1,500 spent in the same period. The BofA Travel Rewards has a higher return on investment, providing more value to new cardholders.
Recommended Credit Score: Tie
Both cards require a good to excellent credit score of 670–850.
Penalties and Fees: BofA Travel Rewards
The BofA Travel Rewards has no foreign transaction fees, whereas the Citi Rewards+ charges a 3% fee on international transactions. Also, the BofA Travel Rewards has a lower late fee cap than the Citi Rewards+.
Issuer Satisfaction: BofA Travel Rewards
Customers report higher satisfaction with Bank of America, the issuer of BofA Travel Rewards, rating it 4.5 compared to Citi’s 4.1.
Other Features and Perks: Tie
The BofA Travel Rewards gives 25% to 75% more points on every purchase to Preferred Rewards® members. The Citi Rewards+ provides 5X points on travel booked through CitiTravel.com until December 31, 2025.
The Citi Rewards+ is better for frequent spenders at supermarkets and gas stations, offering 2X points in these categories and a unique round-up feature on all purchases. The BofA Travel Rewards provides a flat 1.5 points per dollar on all purchases with no categories or caps to track, making it great for varied spending.
Check the table below for a quick comparison of these rewards programs.
Category | BofA Travel Rewards | Citi Rewards+ |
|---|---|---|
Supermarkets | 1.5 points/$1 | 2X points/$1 for the first $6,000 annually/1X point thereafter |
Gas Stations | 1.5 points/$1 | 2X points/$1 for the first $6,000 annually/1X point thereafter |
Travel | 1.5 points/$1 | 5X points/$1 through Citi Travel until 12/31/2025 |
All Other Purchases | 1.5 points/$1 | 1X point/$1 |
Flexibility matters when it comes to using your rewards. The BofA Travel Rewards lets you redeem points for travel, dining or as a statement credit. Points don’t expire as long as your account is active. Cash redemptions have a lower value.
The Citi Rewards+ offers more redemption options, including gift cards and merchandise. Points don’t expire, but you can't transfer points to most travel partners. Like the BofA Travel Rewards, cash redemptions are less valuable.
MoneyGeek evaluates credit cards like the BofA Travel Rewards and the Citi Rewards+ based on factors such as rewards and balance transfers to help you see how each card fits your needs.
Our scoring system considers effective reward rates, introductory APRs, regular APRs, annual fees and issuer satisfaction. To understand our ranking process better, check out our ranking methodology.
The BofA Travel Rewards offers 1.5 points on all purchases, while the Citi Rewards+ rounds up points and gives 2X points on gas station and supermarket transactions and 1X point on all other purchases.
Both cards offer no annual fee.
Each card provides a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
The BofA Travel Rewards has no foreign transaction fees, while the Citi Rewards+ charges 3%.
The BofA Travel Rewards offers 25,000 points for spending $1,000 within the first three months, whereas the Citi Rewards+ provides 20,000 points for spending $1,500 in the same period.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
