Citi credit cards

This card is for people who want maximum cash back with zero maintenance. Every purchase earns 1% up front and another 1% as you pay, with no caps or categories. There is no annual fee, and balance transfers get 0% for 18 months. The caveat: a 3% foreign transaction fee makes it a poor travel companion abroad.

This card is for people whose spending lives in everyday categories but who redeem for travel. Restaurants, supermarkets, gas, EV charging, air travel and hotels all earn 3X, with 10X on Citi Travel bookings. The $100 annual hotel benefit can offset the $95 fee by itself. The caveat: the 10X rate requires booking through Citi's portal.

This card is for paying down a balance, not for earning. Transfers made within 4 months of opening get 0% for 21 months; purchases get 0% for 12 months. There is no annual fee. The caveat: no rewards program, so once the balance hits zero this becomes a backup card.

This card is for people who fly American a few times a year. It earns 2X miles on American Airlines purchases, restaurants and gas stations, and the free first checked bag can pay for the card in two round trips. The annual fee is $0 the first year, then $99. The caveat: outside its bonus categories it earns 1X, so it works best paired with an everyday card.

This card is for frequent American Airlines flyers who live in Admirals Clubs. It earns 4X on AA purchases, rising to 5X after $150,000 in a year, and 12X on AAdvantage Hotels and Cars bookings. Lounge membership covers the primary cardmember with guests. The caveat: at $695, casual AA flyers cannot make the math work.

This card is for businesses whose travel runs through American Airlines. AA purchases, telecom, cable, car rentals and gas all earn 2X, and employee cards feed the same account free. Spending $30,000 in a cardmembership year earns a domestic companion certificate. The caveat: it is AA-only value; mixed-airline travel fits a flexible miles card better.