Citi Rewards Credit Card
300 statement credit after 6,000 in 60 days
at Citibank UAE's secure site
New Citi credit card customers only, applying directly through the Citi website. See rates & fees.
Rewards rate
There is nothing wrong with the Citi Rewards card — it costs nothing to hold, the spend waiver is easy to clear and groceries earn a decent 1.5 points per dollar. It just sits next to the Citi Cash Back card, which has identical terms and pays more.
Earning and redeeming ThankYou Points
The Rewards card pays 1.5 ThankYou Points per USD 1 on groceries in and on all non- spend, and 1 per USD 1 on everything else charged in — dining and fuel included, with no bonus. European Economic Area currencies earn 0.75, and the standard Citi penalty bucket in (utilities, telecom, government services, education, insurance, real estate, transit and transport) drops to 0.25 points per USD. Utility bills paid through Citibank Online or the Citi Mobile app earn nothing.
Citi's own worked example on this card's page values 4,500 ThankYou Points at 100 — about 0.022 a point. That puts groceries and foreign spend at roughly 0.9% back and ordinary spend at about 0.6%. Points redeem as a cash rebate or against travel-related spending, and Citi's comparison page lists no points expiry for this card.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- 0 in year one. From year two it stays free if you spend 9,000 in the year; otherwise 300 plus 5% VAT applies.
- Interest rate
- 3.69% a month (44.28% APR) on retail and cash. Citi's footnote says 42% APR applies until 01 October 2026.
- Interest-free period
- Up to 52 days on purchases if you clear the statement in full; minimum 21 days. Cash advances, instalment plans and balance transfers accrue interest from day one.
- Foreign currency fee
- 2.99% processing margin on international and foreign-currency transactions.
- Cash advance fee
- 3% of the amount or 99, whichever is higher, capped at 250.
- Late payment fee
- 230.
- Over limit fee
- 249, or the highest over-limit amount assessed daily during the statement period, whichever is lower.
- Minimum payment
- The higher of 100 or 2.74% of the statement balance, plus fees, finance charges and instalment amounts.
- Supplementary cards
- Free.
Rates taken from Citibank UAE's Credit Cards Key Facts Statement and the July 2026 Fees & Charges schedule. VAT of 5% applies over and above every fee listed.
Card benefits
1.5x on groceries and abroad
1.5 ThankYou Points per USD 1 on supermarket spend in and on every purchase in a foreign currency.
No annual fee
Free in year one, and free from year two as long as you put 9,000 a year through the card.
Mastercard Travel Pass lounges
Access to roughly 1,200 lounges through the Mastercard Travel Pass app. Citi does not publish a visit allowance for this card — check before you travel.
One Careem airport ride a year
One complimentary airport transfer a year through the Careem app, capped at 84.
Cinema and grocery discounts
Flat 30% off two VOX Cinemas tickets a month, 40 off a Carrefour app order and 20% off a Talabat order, each once a month.
Points that do not expire
Citi's comparison page lists no points expiry for the Rewards card, so you can build a balance at your own pace.
Pros and cons
- Free in year one and free from year two as long as you spend 9,000 a year — a low bar
- 1.5 ThankYou Points per USD on groceries and on all foreign spend
- Citi's comparison page lists no points expiry for this card
- Lounge access via Mastercard Travel Pass, monthly Talabat and Carrefour discounts and 30% off two VOX tickets a month
- 8,000 minimum salary makes it one of the easier Citi cards to qualify for
- 1 point per USD on ordinary spend is only about 0.6% back at Citi's own point valuation
- Dining and fuel get no uplift — the Citi Premier pays 3 points per USD on those for 750
- The Citi Cash Back card has the same fee structure, salary bar and welcome offer but pays 3% and 2% straight to your statement
- spend on utilities, telecom, government, education, insurance, real estate and transport earns 0.25 points per USD, and utility bills paid inside Citi's app earn nothing
- Citi does not publish how many lounge visits this card actually gets
- 300 kicks in from year two if annual spend falls short of 9,000
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You want a points card that costs nothing to hold at an 8,000 salary
- A meaningful chunk of your spend is supermarkets or foreign currency
- You specifically want ThankYou Points rather than a cash rebate
- You use the monthly Talabat, Carrefour and VOX discounts
Consider skipping it if
- You would rather have cash — the Citi Cash Back card has identical terms and pays 3%, 2% and 1%
- Your spend is mostly dining and fuel, which earn only 1 point per dollar here
- You need a guaranteed lounge allowance, which Citi does not publish for this card
- You spend under 9,000 a year, which triggers the 300 fee from year two
Alternatives to consider
Identical fee waiver, salary bar and welcome offer, but 3% on foreign spend and 2% on groceries credited straight to your statement.
Best cashback cards →
750 buys 3 points per USD on dining, fuel and groceries plus 14 lounge visits with a guest.
Best dining and delivery cards →
No annual fee with no spend condition attached, and no late, cash advance or over-limit fees at all.
No annual fee cards →Not sure which way to go? Put them side by side in our card comparison tool or browse the full ranked list.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Citi Rewards Credit Card free?+
There is no annual fee in year one. From year two the fee is waived as long as you spend at least AED 9,000 in the year; if you do not, AED 300 plus 5% VAT is charged.
What is the minimum salary for the Citi Rewards card?+
AED 8,000 a month, according to Citi's Key Facts Statement.
How many points does the Citi Rewards card earn?+
1.5 ThankYou Points per USD 1 on groceries and on all non-AED spend, and 1 per USD 1 on other AED spend. European Economic Area currencies earn 0.75, and AED spend on utilities, telecom, government services, education, insurance, real estate and transport earns 0.25.
What are ThankYou Points worth on this card?+
Citi's own illustration on the Citi Rewards page prices 4,500 ThankYou Points at an AED 100 cash rebate — about AED 0.022 a point, so 1 point per USD works out to roughly 0.6% back.
What is the welcome offer on the Citi Rewards card?+
AED 300 as a statement credit after spending AED 6,000 within 60 days. It is limited to new Citi credit card customers applying directly through the Citi website and runs until 31 January 2027.
Does the Citi Rewards card include lounge access?+
Citi says the card gives access to around 1,200 lounges through the Mastercard Travel Pass app, but it does not publish a visit allowance for this card the way it does for the Ultima, Cash Back and Simplicity. Check with CitiPhone before you rely on it.
Do Citi Rewards points expire?+
Citi's card comparison page lists 'no points expiry' as a feature. Points are still cancelled if the card account is closed, blocked or falls into arrears.
Should I take the Citi Rewards or the Citi Cash Back card?+
Both cost the same, need the same AED 8,000 salary and carry the same AED 300 welcome offer. The Cash Back card pays 3% on foreign spend, 2% on groceries and 1% on everything else straight to your statement, which beats 1.5 and 1 points per dollar at Citi's own point valuation. Take the Rewards card only if you specifically want ThankYou Points.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank or card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.