09/29/2026

Citizens Survey Finds Credit Card Perks Are Changing How Americans Spend, Save and Signal Status

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (September 29, 2026) – As the cost of living remains elevated and household budgets face ongoing pressure, consumers are looking for more ways to make their money go further and expect more from the credit cards they use every day. That pressure is changing how people use their cards, with consumers becoming more intentional about using perks to create value from everyday spending. The primary card is taking on a bigger role and a new Citizens survey finds that perks are a growing part of that equation, as people increasingly take pride in knowing how to maximize them. Nearly nine in ten (88%) see some form of status in credit card perks and knowing how to get more for less has become the bigger flex.

Perks have become a mainstay in powering a consumer mindset shaped by a more challenging economic environment, with consumers increasingly treating them as an important part of how they manage spending and create financial flexibility. Getting more for less increasingly feels more aspirational, while higher-income households are using perks to get more from purchases they already planned to make.

Key Highlights

  • 88% of credit card users see some form of status in credit card perks
  • 51% view perks as a way to get more from spending they are already doing
  • 34% used perks to free up cash and pay down debt
  • 76% of households earning $150,000 or more choose their card based on perks, but only 11% of those high earners feel extremely confident they are capturing full value

“Consumers increasingly expect more from their primary credit card than access to credit alone,” said Courtney Mitchell, Head of Credit Card and Unsecured Lending at Citizens. “They are more intentional about looking for meaningful value on everyday spending, rewards they can use in ways that matter to them and a simple experience that helps them manage their money and work toward their financial goals.”

Smart Spending Has Become a Point of Pride
The survey found that intentionality around earning and using credit card perks has become a source of pride for consumers – uncovering a shift in traditional perception of what earns financial bragging rights. Increasingly, credit card users are focused on getting more from the money they already plan to spend, whether that means lowering the cost of an experience or reaching something they would not otherwise buy without overspending.

When asked what feels like the bigger flex, survey respondents revealed:

  • 1 in 3 (36%) say using perks to get the same experience for less
  • 26% say getting something premium without touching savings
  • 14% say upgrading travel, dining or entertainment

Perks also absorb social pressure, helping people afford dining out (39%), travel (33%), and gifts (25%) they felt expected to take part in. That effect is strongest among younger consumers, with 61% of Gen Z saying perks helped them afford dining out and 54% saying travel, compared with 52% and 40% of Millennials, 31% and 29% of Gen X, and 21% and 18% of Boomers.

Higher Earners Are Working Their Cards the Hardest
Expectations rise with income, and so does the gap between effort and payoff. For higher-income households, perks are less about affording something and more about pulling more value from spending that was already going to happen. That shapes both which card they carry and where they use it. Among households earning $150,000 or more:

  • 76% prioritize rewards rate or cash back when choosing which card to use most often, compared with 58% of households earning under $50,000
  • 36% prioritize travel and lifestyle rewards, versus 16% among households earning under $50,000
  • 47% say rewards helped them continue prioritizing travel as costs increased

Higher expectations have not necessarily brought more certainty. Only 11% of these households feel extremely confident they are capturing full value from their perks, compared with 26% of those earning under $50,000. The households working their cards the hardest are the least sure it is paying off.

Credit Card Perks Are Creating Financial Flexibility
That mindset shows up across income levels. Only 14% of consumers connect their credit card to their financial goals but as costs stay elevated their behaviors tell a different story:

  • 34% freed up cash to pay down debt
  • 27% put more toward savings or investments
  • 24% made a major purchase sooner

Perks are also helping people hold on to what they value as costs rise, including dining out (47%), travel (37%), and entertainment (33%). This more intentional approach is gaining momentum. Compared with three years ago, 55% say perks matter more when deciding which card to use, and 41% say perks always or often influence where they spend. The primary card has moved from a payment choice to a spending strategy.

“Credit cards are central to how consumers manage everyday spending, and they are increasingly focused on getting more value from every purchase,” said Courtney Mitchell. “When a card works seamlessly with a customer’s broader banking relationship, it can make everyday finances easier to manage and help them get more from their money.”

Citizens designed its credit card suite to support customers as their needs and priorities evolve, with perks that fit different stages of their financial lives. The suite lets customers move through a tiered continuum of cards as their financial status and credit strength grow, all while providing a holistic experience for credit and additional banking needs. For more information about Citizens credit cards and perks, visit Citizens credit card hub.

Methodology
The Citizens Credit Card Survey was conducted among 1,499 U.S. credit card users ages 18 and older. The survey was fielded online from August 6 to August 12, 2026. High-income households were oversampled, and the data was weighted to be representative of the U.S. population across nine demographic variables.

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About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.

Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $233.8 billion in assets as of June 30, 2026. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail, private banking, wealth management and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,000 ATMs and approximately 1,000 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. Consumer Banking includes Citizens Private Bank and Private Wealth, which integrate banking services and wealth management solutions to serve high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, as well as investors, entrepreneurs and businesses. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on X, LinkedIn or Facebook.