Our Verdict
The AT&T Points Plus® Card from Citi is a reasonable option for AT&T customers who spend heavily at grocery stores and gas stations and who want a credit card without an annual fee. But for most credit card users and for customers of other wireless companies, there are significantly better options out there offering better earning potential that should be considered before applying for this one. With an unimpressive welcome bonus and a high spending threshold required to take full advantage of the card benefits, you can safely remove this card from your consideration. Citi is a Forbes Advisor partner
Pros
- Earns Citi ThankYou Points that can be consolidated with other ThankYou Points-earning credit cards
- Opportunity to earn up to $240 in statement credits annually when meeting certain criteria
- No annual fee
Cons
- Must have AT&T bill on autopay and paperless billing to receive the monthly credit
- The reward potential decreases once you hit $1,000 of monthly spend on the card
- No additional bonus points earned on AT&T purchases
- Foreign transaction fees
Highlights
- Earn a $100 Statement Credit after spending $1,000 in qualifying activities in the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn up to an additional $240 back toward your qualifying AT&T Wireless bills every year after eligible spend
- Earn 3 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations
- Earn 2 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent at Grocery Stores
- Earn 1 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on all other purchases
- No limit to the amount of points you can earn, and your points will not expire.
- No Annual Fee
Introduction
If you’re an AT&T customer looking for a new card to add to your wallet, you may think the AT&T Points Plus card from Citi is a no-brainer. With the potential to earn up to $240 in credits per year on your AT&T bill, this card seems appealing at first glance. You’ll earn 3 points per dollar at gas stations, 2 points per dollar at grocery stores and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Plus, you’ll earn a $100 statement credit after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
But when analyzing the perks and earning potential of this card, you will likely be disappointed at the meager earning rate of 1 ThankYou Point per dollar on AT&T purchases and the dwindling return after spending more than $1,000 on the card each month. Cardholders who have their AT&T bill on autopay and enroll in paperless billing will earn a $10 statement credit when spending $500 to $999.99 in a billing cycle and a $20 statement credit when spending more than $1,000 in a billing cycle.
To earn the full $240 in statement credits annually, you would have to spend $12,000 on this card each year. This card could be strategic if you max out that $12,000 in spend on the grocery and gas spending categories. But even if you are someone who spends that much on gas and groceries, it would be more beneficial to put that spending on a card with a better earning rate to earn the maximum amount of points in those categories.
Compare Citi AT&T Points Plus Credit Card With Other Cards
Quick Facts
- No annual fee
- Earn a $100 statement credit after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn 3 points per dollar at gas stations, 2 points per dollar at grocery stores and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
- Receive a $10 statement credit after spending $500 to $999.99 in a billing cycle or a $20 statement credit after spending $1,000 or more in a billing cycle.
AT&T Points Plus Card Rewards
Earning Rewards
The AT&T Points Plus credit card earns rewards at the following rates:
- Earn 3 points per dollar at gas stations, 2 points per dollar at grocery stores and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
As a new cardholder you can also earn the following welcome bonus: $100 statement credit after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, earn a $10 statement credit each month when you spend $500 to $999.99 in a single billing cycle or a $20 statement credit when you spend $1000 or more in a single billing cycle.
Redeeming Rewards
The AT&T Points Plus card earns rewards in the form of Citi ThankYou Points which can be redeemed the following ways:
- Gift cards. Redeem points for a variety of gift card options including dining, shopping and entertainment
- Travel rewards. Redeem points for airlines, flights, hotel stays, car rentals, cruises and experiences
- Shop with Points partners. Use points to pay for purchases made with partners like Amazon, PayPal, CVS, 1-800-Flowers, Best Buy and Walmart
- Cash back. Redeem points for cash back in the form of a direct deposit to a bank account, a statement credit or a check by mail
- Charitable contributions: Redeem points for charitable contributions to American Red Cross, No Kid Hungry, Unicef USA, Smile Train, World Central Kitchen and the Susan G Komen Foundation
- Transfer ThankYou Points to Citi’s travel partners. this option is only available to those with an eligible premium Citi card like the Premier or the Prestige (no longer available to new applicants)
Rewards Potential
To determine the rewards potential of the AT&T Points Plus card it helps to look at what the average household might spend in a given year. Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies to determine baseline income and spending averages across various categories. The 70th percentile of wage earners brings in $116,000 annually and we estimate that $36,177 can reasonably be spent on a credit card.
Based on Forbes Advisor’s estimates, the average household spends $6,692 at grocery stores per year, earning 13,384 ThankYou Points. In addition, this family spends $2,479 at gas stations, earning 7,437 ThankYou Points.
Since all other spending earns 1 point per dollar, you’d earn an additional 27,006 points for a total of 47,827 ThankYou Points. You’d also earn the $20 monthly credit after spending $1,000 each month.
Other AT&T Points Plus Card Benefits
- Citi Entertainment. Get special access to purchase tickets for live entertainment including concerts and sporting events, including presale tickets and exclusive experiences.
- Digital wallets. Compatible mobile device contactless pay options.
- $0 liability for unauthorized charges. There is no cardholder responsibility for unauthorized transactions.
- Free access to FICO Score. View your FICO Score at any time within the Citi Mobile app and Citi Online with no impact on your credit score.
- Fraud early warning. Cardholders will be contacted to validate potentially fraudulent transactions.
- Quick Lock. In the event of a lost card, Citi will block new charges while allowing recurring charges to continue without disruption.
Fine Print
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
- Purchase intro APR: N/A
- Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
Fees
- Annual fee: $0
- Balance transfer fee: $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Foreign purchase transaction fee: 3%
How the AT&T Points Plus Card Stacks Up
AT&T Points Plus® Card from Citi vs. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
If you’re someone who spends a lot on gas and you’re not opposed to an annual fee, a better option may be the extremely well-rounded Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (Terms apply. See rates & fees). While the card charges a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 each year after, the earning rates are above average and most cardholders would come out ahead rewards-wise, even with the annual fee considered.
Cardholders will earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. There’s also a welcome bonus: $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.
AT&T Points Plus® Card from Citi vs. Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
If a no annual fee card is what you’re looking for, and you want to earn more on other popular spending categories like grocery stores, travel and dining, you may want to consider the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card.
It will earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, and 1% on all other purchases.
Plus, you’ll earn a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
For the casual spender, this card may be a better “catch-all” card compared to the AT&T Points Plus card that really only earns comparable rewards on gas station purchases. The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a higher reward rate of 3% on groceries compared to 2% on the AT&T Points Plus Card.
This card also weaves in the added bonus of 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One Portal and 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber and Uber Eats.
AT&T Points Plus® Card from Citi vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Another comparable no-fee option is the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. With this card you’ll earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases, plus an additional 1.5% cash back on the first $20,000 in purchases the first year.
You’ll also earn a welcome bonus: an additional 1.5% cash back on up to $20,000 spent in the first year, worth up to $300 cash back.
Both cards are void of an annual fee, but where the Chase Freedom Unlimited stands out is when considering travel benefits. This card includes trip cancellation and interruption insurance and a secondary auto rental collision damage waiver.
Another perk to consider is the ease of earning 1.5 points per dollar on every purchase with the Chase Freedom Unlimited without having to consider which category your purchase may fall into.
Like the AT&T Points Plus Card, you can also combine the points earned on the Chase Freedom Unlimited with another premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. By doing so you’ll potentially get more value from your points, either through transfer partners or the increase in redemption value when booking travel through the Chase travel portal.
Is the AT&T Points Plus Card for You?
The AT&T Points Plus card isn’t for everyone. For AT&T customers who spend a significant amount on gas and who already have other Citi ThankYou Point-earning credit cards that earn more in the categories that this card neglects, it’s something to consider.
But with its meager welcome bonus and the need to spend a minimum of $12,000 on the card to fully maximize the benefits, this card leaves something to be desired. The vast majority of credit card users will want to look elsewhere, and would likely be better off putting their spending on a more well rounded everyday spend card like the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
To view rates and fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please visit this page.
Methodology
Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors, including:
- Annual fees
- Welcome bonus offers
- Ongoing earning rates
- Value of individual points or miles
- Included travel or merchant credits
- Additional cardholder benefits
Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors came together to provide a star rating for each individual card.
Read more: How Forbes Advisor Rates Credit Cards
