Every once in a while, Citi sends out one of those offers that makes you stare at the screen for a second and go… wait, really?
If you have the Citi Double Cash, keep an eye on your inbox. Citi is emailing select cardholders an offer for 9 bonus ThankYou® Points per $1 spent across a wide range of everyday categories.
And because this is the Double Cash, that can effectively turn into 11 points per $1 in those categories — which is almost unheard of for a card that’s usually the definition of “simple and steady.”
Important: this is a targeted offer (and may only be accessible from the email)
This promo appears to be targeted, meaning not every Double Cash cardholder will get it. In our case, it showed up via email, and there wasn’t an obvious way to access it on Citi’s website. So if you get one of these, don’t delete it — and make sure you click through and enroll from the message.
If you’re looking for it, try searching your email for things like: “Double Cash,” “ThankYou,” “Activate,” or “Smart spending starts here.”
What the offer gives you
After enrolling, you’ll earn 9 bonus ThankYou Points per $1 on eligible purchases in these categories:
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores (including supermarkets, and some convenience stores)
- Drugstores
- Restaurants (including fast food, bars, lounges, nightclubs, etc.)
- Mass transit & commuter transportation (rail/bus, bridge & tunnel fees, temporary parking; does not include Amtrak)
The offer ends 03/31/2026, but you must activate/enroll by 02/15/2026.
There’s also a cap: up to 2,500 additional points.
How you get to 11 points per $1 (and why that matters)
Normally, the Citi Double Cash earns rewards in two steps:
- 1 point per $1 when you buy
- + 1 point per $1 when you pay
This promo adds 9 bonus points per $1 on eligible purchases. So if you:
- make an eligible purchase, and
- then pay it off as usual,
…you can effectively end up with 11 ThankYou Points per $1 (2 base points + 9 bonus points).
That’s the kind of earning rate you usually only see from very specific, short-term promos — not broad, everyday categories.
If you want the full rundown on the card itself, here’s our review: Citi Double Cash Review.
Why this is easy to max out
The cap is 2,500 bonus points. Because the offer is 9 bonus points per $1, you’ll hit the cap after roughly:
- 2,500 ÷ 9 = $277.78 (so call it about $278 of eligible spend)
But with categories like grocery stores, restaurants, drugstores, gas, and transit… that’s a very easy number to reach without changing your life or doing anything weird.
Fine print worth knowing (because Citi always has some)
- It’s MCC-based. Citi uses merchant category codes, and they don’t control how merchants are coded.
- Some mobile/wireless purchases may not qualify depending on how the transaction is processed.
- Purchases must post during the promo period (late posting can miss the window).
- Bonus points post in 1–2 billing cycles.
- Your account must remain open and current. If you close or convert the card, you’ll lose eligibility.
- Exclusions apply (balance transfers, cash advances, fees/interest, and other “cash-like” transactions don’t count as purchases).
- The offer is non-transferable and tied to the card/account referenced in the email.
Final thought
This isn’t going to replace a long-term strategy. But as a targeted, limited-time promo? 11 points per $1 on everyday categories is fantastic — and the fact that it’s so easy to max out makes it even better.
So if Citi emailed you this offer, open it, enroll, run about $278 of eligible spend through the card, and take the win.
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary, or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.
Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
