Bank of America Travel Rewards vs Citi Custom Cash
Side-by-side comparison across fees, rewards, welcome bonuses, and eligibility.
Citi Custom Cash wins 3-2. Auto-detects your top spend category each cycle — set-and-forget. Bank of America Travel Rewards is still the right call if no-fee travel — 1.5x flat with no fx markup, plus preferred rewards bumps.
Side-by-side
| Criterion | Bank of America Travel Rewards | Citi Custom Cash |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | = No annual fee | = No annual fee |
| Joining fee | = None | = None |
| Top reward rate | · 1.5% (general) | 5% (shopping) |
| Base reward rate | 1.5% | · 1% |
| Forex markup | No FX fee | · 3% |
| Welcome bonus | = 25,000 online bonus points after $1,000 in first 90 days (~$250 travel) | = $200 cashback after $1,500 in 6 months |
| Fee waiver threshold | = N/A (no fee) | = N/A (no fee) |
| Min income | = — | = — |
| Min credit score | · 700 | 670 |
| Editorial rating | · 4.3/5 | 4.5/5 |
Benefits compared
Bank of America Travel Rewards
- 1.5x points on every purchase
- Up to 75% bonus for Preferred Rewards clients (1.5x → 2.625x)
- Points redeem against any travel purchase, no blackout dates
- No foreign transaction fees
- No annual fee
Citi Custom Cash
- 5% cashback in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle (up to $500)
- 1% on everything else
- Eligible categories: restaurants, gas, grocery, travel, etc.
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR for 15 months
FAQ
›Bank of America Travel Rewards vs Citi Custom Cash: which is better?
Citi Custom Cash wins on more dimensions (3 vs 2). But the right answer depends on your specific spending pattern — see the calculator below.
›Can I get both?
Yes — if your credit profile supports it, holding both is the optimal play. Use Bank of America Travel Rewards for its best categories, Citi Custom Cash for its best categories. Just watch the combined annual fees against your spend.
›Which one has the better welcome bonus?
Bank of America Travel Rewards: 25,000 online bonus points after $1,000 in first 90 days (~$250 travel). Citi Custom Cash: $200 cashback after $1,500 in 6 months.