The new AT&T Access credit card from Citi replaces the discontinued AT&T Universal Savings and Rewards Credit Card with ThankYou points.
AT&T offers a sign up bonus and extra rewards on some retail and travel websites paid out as ThankYou Points. However the new card is neither a Visa Card or Mastercard, but part of Citi Retail Services program. Here are some pros and cons of the card.
PROS
- Introductory bonus of 10,000 ThankYou points for opening account
- Two reward points with eligible online retail and travel websites
- Two reward points when buying tablets or phones directly from AT&T
- Presale and VIP events
- No annual fee
CONS
- Not part of the Visa or Mastercard network
- Points lose half their value when redeemed for cash
- Limited selection of redemption options.
RATES & FEES
- 13.99% to 22.99% APR (Annual Percentage Rate) on purchases and balance transfers
- 25.24% APR for cash advances, i.e. when you use the card to get cash at an ATM, plus a 5 % fee ($10 min)
- 29.99% APR if make late payment or if payment is returned
- No recurring annual fee
- Up front 3% balance transfer fee
- 3% foreign transaction fee to purchase items billed outside the United States
VERDICT
The AT&T Access Card does best as a secondary card. For most people other cards may have lower interest rates and better rewards. Not having the features and benefits of a Mastercard or Visa Card family can limit its usefulness in some cases.
Several other credit cards have better introductory offers with no annual fees. Discover It card features generous 5% cash back in useful rotating categories on a quarterly basis. The 3-2-1 cash back rewards of the American Express Blue Cash Everyday card works great for most shoppers.
CITI RETAIL SERVICES
Though Citi Retail Services isn’t a household name, the stores it partners with may be. Here are some of the places who market their credit cards using Citi’s expertise in the credit card industry.
- Wayfair
- Best Buy
- Bloomingdale’s
- Brooks Brothers
- ExxonMobil
- Goodyear
- Home Depot
- L.L. bean
- Macy’s
- Office Depot
- Ross-Simons
- Shop Your Way
- Shell