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The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is a no-annual-fee credit card that includes an exceptionally long zero-interest offer on balance transfers, making it one of the top balance transfer credit cards on the market. That said, the Citi Diamond Preferred is one of the rare top credit cards that does not offer any form of rewards — no cash back, no points.

So, what does that mean if you’re considering adding the Citi Diamond Preferred to your wallet? Here’s everything you need to know about the benefits of the Citi Diamond Preferred, including tips on how to maximize them.

Citi Diamond Preferred zero-interest benefits

0% intro APR on balance transfers

If you want to do a balance transfer with Citi, the Citi Diamond Preferred is going to be one of your best options. The biggest benefit of the Diamond Preferred is its 21-month 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers made in the first four months of card membership, followed by a variable APR between 17.49 percent to 28.24 percent. As noted above, this is one of the longest 0 percent APR introductory offers available among balance transfer credit cards.

This means that, with the Citi Diamond Preferred, new cardholders get 21 months free of interest on balance transfers. Of course, if you fail to transfer your balance within the first four months, you’ll lose access to the introductory rate. Also note that the card charges a relatively high balance transfer fee of 5 percent (or $5, whichever is greater).

0% intro APR on purchases

The Diamond Preferred also offers a much shorter introductory offer on new purchases: 0 percent for 12 months, followed by the same 17.49 percent to 28.24 percent variable APR. If you’re more so focused on funding a large upcoming purchase, know that there are better options available to you.

Additional Citi Diamond Preferred credit card benefits

Free FICO Score access

With the Diamond Preferred, enjoy free access to your FICO credit score. Your score will refresh each month, helping you to stay on top of any changes — an important practice in order to eventually improve your credit score from good to excellent.

Citi Entertainment

Do you enjoy going out to concerts or spending the day at sporting events? With Citi Entertainment, Citi Diamond Preferred cardholders get early or VIP access to tickets for a variety of entertainment options, including music, sports, dining experiences and more. So if you like having early access to concert tickets or making reservations for the hottest new restaurant, consider Citi Entertainment another key benefit of the Citi Diamond Preferred.

Citi Easy Deals

Citi Easy Deals are discounts you can earn on everyday purchases from participating retailers and restaurants (including local businesses). To take part, simply enroll on the Easy Deals registration page with your card information and create a login. From there, you’ll be enrolled in the Base Tier, granting you access to retail and restaurant discounts, as noted above. But if you spent a certain amount per year, you can gain access to even more discounts.

With $100 in spending per year, gift card and magazine discounts will become available to you. And with $500 in spending per year, you’ll gain access to travel and merchandise discounts, as well as “Daily Deals” on specific items.

Citi Flex Loan

The Citi Flex Loan program allows you to borrow money on your Citi credit card’s credit line at a fixed interest rate. You can pay the loan back over a set period of time with no additional fees, applications or credit inquiry required. However, Citi Flex Loans aren’t available to all Citi cardholders; you can check your account to see if you’re eligible.

How to maximize Citi Diamond Preferred Card benefits

To maximize your Citi Diamond Preferred’s benefits, be sure to make your balance transfer within the first four months of card membership. Otherwise, you won’t be able to take advantage of the zero-interest offer on balance transfers.

To help get your balance transfers done on time, consider using Bankrate’s credit card balance transfer guide. Then, use our credit card balance transfer calculator to determine how much you’ll need to set aside each month in order to pay off your debt before the 0 percent intro APR period ends.

Additionally, don’t forget that the Citi Diamond Preferred’s low-interest offer also applies to new purchases. If you want to use your card to fund a vacation, cover a home improvement project or pay off a medical bill, take advantage of this zero-interest opportunity — and be sure you have a plan for paying off your large purchase before the regular interest rate kicks in. As noted above, there are plenty of other 0 percent interest credit cards available with introductory offers on purchases for longer than 12 months, so take that into consideration before you settle on the Diamond Preferred.

The bottom line

The Citi Diamond Preferred is a solid balance transfer credit card option for those hoping to avoid paying an annual fee. You won’t earn any cash back or points, but you can use the card to get out of credit card debt, fund a purchase or build your credit score as you pay off your outstanding credit card balances.