Citi Double Cash welcome bonus
Spend $1,500 in first 6 months. $200 for $1,500 of spend in 6 months = 13% effective return on the required spend, and with no annual fee the entire bonus is profit.
The numbers
$200
$1,500
in 6 months
$0
13.3%
The real math
How to qualify
Apply for the Citi Double Cash. Spend $1,500 on purchases within 6 months to earn a $200 welcome bonus (credited as ThankYou points). The card earns a flat 2% on everything — 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% as you pay it off — with no annual fee.
Application restrictions
Citi 8/65 (informal): applications throttled at 8 cards per 24 months or 1 per 8 days.
All credit card applications trigger a hard credit pull (5-10 point temporary score dip). If you're denied, call the issuer's reconsideration line within a few business days — agents have authority to override automated denials.
Key card features
- 2% cash back on everything — 1% when you buy + 1% when you pay it off
- 3% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions via Citi Travel
- No annual fee
- Cash back is earned as ThankYou points — pool with a Citi Strata Premier to unlock transfer-partner value
Ongoing return: 2% flat cash back (1% buy + 1% pay)
When this card makes sense
Cashback cards work for predictable everyday spending. The welcome bonus stacks on top of ongoing rewards, so even casual users who hit the bonus once and rarely use the card again come out ahead. No-annual-fee cashback cards in particular are sticky — no carrying cost means no reason to close the card after the bonus posts.
When to skip it
Skip if you carry a balance month-to-month — credit card APR (typically 20-30%) erases a $200 bonus in 1-2 months of interest. Skip if you cannot reliably meet minimum spend organically. Skip if you are subject to Chase 5/24 and applying would block higher-value travel cards you actually want.
One of the strongest flat-rate cards — 2% on everything with no annual fee. Its cash back is technically ThankYou points, so pairing it with a Citi Strata Premier can convert that flat 2% into transfer-partner travel value.
How to maximize this card
Pair with a complementary category card (Amex Blue Cash Preferred for groceries, Chase Freedom Flex for rotating quarterly 5x, Wells Fargo Active Cash for everything else). Run welcome bonus chains across issuers — Chase first (5/24 sensitive), then Capital One, Citi, and Amex.
Compared to other cards
Frequently asked about Citi Double Cash
What is the Citi Double Cash welcome bonus worth?
Citi Double Cash pays $200 cash back after meeting the minimum spend requirement.
What is the application restriction for Citi Double Cash?
Citi 8/65 (informal): applications throttled at 8 cards per 24 months or 1 per 8 days.
Is the welcome bonus on Citi Double Cash taxable?
Welcome bonuses earned by spending on a credit card are generally NOT taxable — the IRS treats them as rebates on purchases, not income. The exception is account-opening bonuses paid without any spending requirement, which can be considered miscellaneous income (though banks rarely issue 1099s for amounts under $600). Cashback rewards from ongoing card use are likewise treated as rebates and not taxed.
What happens to Citi Double Cash's annual fee in subsequent years?
Citi Double Cash has no annual fee, so you can hold it indefinitely with no carrying cost.
Ready to apply?
Citi's full terms apply at application. Read the disclosure before you submit.