Citi Double Cash® vs IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

Citi Double Cash®
VS
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
The short answer: The Citi Double Cash® delivers a bit more value for most spenders, but choose the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if you spend more on dining, gas.

Side-by-side comparison

Citi Double Cash®IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Annual feeNo annual feeNo annual fee
Welcome offer$200 cash back125,000 points
Dining2x3x
Groceries2x1x
Gas2x3x
Travel2x3x
Streaming2x1x
Everything else2x1x
Est. yearly rewards*$583$431
Points typePools with Citi → transferableLocked to IHG One Rewards
NetworkMastercardMastercard

*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.

The verdict

On a typical year of household spending, the Citi Double Cash® earns about $583 a year in rewards and the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card about $431, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Citi Double Cash® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the Citi Double Cash® delivers more total value, about $152 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and groceries. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Citi Double Cash® earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card stays locked to a single airline or hotel program. Favor the Citi Double Cash® if you will use travel transfers, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.

Pick the Citi Double Cash® if your spending leans toward groceries, streaming, everything else. Pick the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card if your spending leans toward dining, gas, travel.

Read the full reviews

Frequently asked questions

Is the Citi Double Cash® or the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card better?
On typical household spending, the Citi Double Cash® comes out ahead, by roughly $152 a year with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. But the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card can be the better fit if your spending lines up with its stronger categories. Run both through the Cardocrat calculator to see your own numbers.
Can I have both the Citi Double Cash® and the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?
In most cases yes, as long as you meet each issuer's approval rules (for example Chase's 5/24 rule). Many people hold complementary cards to cover more bonus categories, then pool or redeem the rewards together where the program allows.
Which has the better welcome bonus, the Citi Double Cash® or the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card?
As of June 2026, the Citi Double Cash® offers $200 cash back and the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card offers 125,000 points. Welcome offers change often, so confirm the current offer on each card's page before applying.