Citi Rewards Full Guide | Your Next Best Alternative to HSBC Revolution from 01 May 2024

Citi Rewards Full Guide | Your Next Best Alternative to HSBC Revolution from 01 May 2024

Written by
Demi Zhuang
Accurate as of
April 13, 2024

After the changes that takes effect from 01 May 2024 for HSBC Revolution, Citi Rewards Credit Card could be your next best alternative for an easy 4mpd without having to crack your brain thinking what qualifies and what doesn’t.

HSBC Removed the following from 01 May 2024

  • 5499 - Misc Food Stores - Food Delivery
  • 5411 - Grocery Stores / Supermarkets
  • 5814 - Fast Food
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What Qualifies for 4 mpd?

In-person Transaction with 💳

MCC 5311
Department Stores
MCC 5611
Men’s and Boy’s Clothing and Accessories Stores
MCC 5621
Women’s Ready to Wear Stores
MCC 5631
Women’s Accessory and Specialty Stores
MCC 5641
Children’s and infant’s Wear Stores
MCC 5651
Family Clothing Stores
MCC 5655
Sports and Riding Apparel Stores
MCC 5661
Shoe Stores
MCC 5691
Men’s and Women’s Clothing Stores
MCC 5699
Misc. Apparel and Accessory Shops
MCC 5948
Luggage and Leather Goods Stores

Online Merchants (excluding Mobile Wallet and Travel)

  • Mobile Wallet - Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay etc!
  • Travel
  • MCC 3000 to 3350
    Airlines, Air Carriers
    MCC 3351 to 3500
    Car Rental Agencies
    MCC 3501 to 3999
    Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts
    MCC 4112
    Passenger Railways
    MCC 4411
    Cruise Lines
    MCC 4511
    Airlines, Air Carriers (Not Elsewhere Classified)
    MCC 4722
    Travel Agencies and Tour Operators
    MCC 5962
    Direct Marketing– Travel-Related Arrangement Services
    MCC 7011
    Lodging – Hotels, Motels, Resorts (Not Elsewhere Classified)
    MCC 7512
    Car Rental Agencies (Not Elsewhere Classified)

    public transport simplygo is not a qualifying transaction, you’d have the Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card that gives you 5.6 mpd or 6% cashback!

The beauty of Citi Rewards?

Link your Citi Rewards with Instarem Amaze to convert Offline (in-person txns) to ONLINE

And that allows you to earn 4mpd!

💛
An example of my transactions history → So Good Bakery + Facial Payment
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Sign up for Instarem here ➡️ https://bit.ly/49fngBD

What is Instarem?

  • Transfer Money Internationally
  • Multi Currency Card (Amaze) → Prepaid Wallet OR Pair with a Mastercard
    • 10 Currencies available for you to lock in rates in advance
    • Otherwise load up SGD and spend using the Instarem Amaze card giving you great foreign currency exchange rates!
    • If you want to know how good is Instarem Amaze rates when using the prepaid wallet instead? Refer to this video for detailed comparisons!

You essentially get 4mpd on almost any of your everyday spendings excluding 🚌 public transportation, making this your next best alternative to the HSBC Revolution Credit Card.

Note that the maximum charge per statement month allowing you to earn 4 mpd is $1,000 in qualifying transactions!

The standard list of exclusions like your insurance payments, educational institutions, non-profit organizations etc do apply full list ➡️ linked here.

Point System for Citi Rewards

Base (1x)
Round down to nearest $1
No Cap
Bonus (9x)
Round down to nearest $1
Cap at 9,000 Bonus point / Statement month
Points Credited
1-3 working days after transactions are posted
Points Validity
60 months
All points expire 5 Years from when you get approved for the card + 3 months grace period

Great as it rounds down to the nearest $1 as compared to other cards that has the $5 rounding blocks, a pain in the butt. 😅

Note that the points do not pool together with other Citibank Credit Cards that you might hold!

Citi Rewards 4mpd cap at $1,000 spendings goes by per statement month, not calendar month! Banks Card that counts by Calendar Month instead?

  • DBS Womans World Mastercard
  • HSBC Revolution

What can you use your Points for?

Points required
Redemption Value
Cashback % / Other Notes
Pay with points
440 Points
$1
Spend $44 = 440 points Cashback % = $1/$44 = 2.27%
Cash Rebate
22,000 Points
$50
Spend $2,200 = 22,000 points Cashback % = 2.27%
Vouchers
depends on what you redeem
Transfer points
25,000 Points
10,000 Miles
up to 14 working days transfer + $27.25 Admin Fee

If you’re a cashback person, the points accumulated can be redeemed for cashback at a rate of 2.27%!

Transfer Partners

  • British Airways
  • Cathay
  • Etihad Guest
  • EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
  • Flying Blue
  • Qantas Frequent Flyer
  • Qatar Airways Privilege Club
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Royal Orchid Plus Miles (Thai Airways)
  • Turkish Airlines Miles and Smiles
  • IHG Rewards Club Points

Conclusion?

I know how it feels like having to remember specifically what qualifies and what doesn’t. I’ve made my fair share of mistake on cards like UOB Lady’s and HSBC Revolution… 🤦🏻‍♀️ To eliminate that, use a card like Citi Rewards (paired with Instarem Amaze) where you only have to remember, Travel Transactions, Mobile Wallet i.e. Apple pay, Google Pay etc won’t qualify for 4mpd! (+ the standard list of exclusions)

Apply for Citi Rewards

Apply for Instarem Amaze

How to Earn Miles Overseas?