Utilizing Citi ThankYou Rewards Transfer Partners: A Guide for 2025 [2025 Edition]

Utilizing Citi ThankYou Rewards Transfer Partners: A Guide for 2025 [2025 Edition]

The best way to redeem Citi ThankYou Points for travel is to transfer them to Citi’s airline and hotel partners, which typically yields the highest value, often over 2 cents per point. This can significantly exceed the value of redeeming points for cash back, gift cards, or travel booked through the Citi portal, which generally offer around 1 cent per point or less.

Key details include:

• Transfer partners: Citi ThankYou Points can be transferred to 21 partners, including 15 airline loyalty programs and 5 hotel programs. Transfers are usually at a 1:1 ratio, maximizing value.
• Value through transfers: Users commonly achieve 2.2 cents or more per point via transfers, compared to about 1 cent per point booking directly through Citi’s travel portal or redeeming for gift cards or cashback.
• Examples of high value: One example showed a redemption of 70,000 points for a $9,200 business class flight on Qatar Airways, yielding an exceptional 13.1 cents per point, far above typical rates.
• Other redemptions: Gift cards and cash back usually give about 1 cent per point, while online shopping and some other options are less valuable (around 0.8 cents per point).

In summary, maximizing Citi ThankYou Points for travel is best achieved by transferring points to airline or hotel loyalty programs and then booking award travel through those programs rather than using points directly for travel bookings or cash back through Citi.

Citi occasionally runs promotions that provide transfer bonuses between 10% and 30%, making it an ideal time to transfer your points to get the most value.

When booking through the Citi ThankYou travel portal, flights will earn airline miles. However, it's important to compare your award booking options with the Citi ThankYou travel portal prices to ensure you're getting the most value out of your points.

Accounts linked together cannot be unlinked, and the site may have trouble processing the request to combine accounts online. Calling 800-THANK-YOU (800-842-6596) is the easiest way to combine accounts.

Transfer partners for Citi ThankYou Points include Aeromexico Club Premier, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, ALL - Accor Live Limitless, American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca Lifemiles, Cathay Pacific Cathay, Choice Privileges, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Airways, EVA Air Infinity MileageLands, JetBlue TrueBlue, Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club, Preferred Hotels & Resorts I Prefer, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Thai Airways Royal Orchard Plus, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

[1] NerdWallet. (2021, March 23). Citi ThankYou Rewards Program Review. Retrieved from https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/credit-cards/citi-thankyou-rewards-program

[3] The Points Guy. (2021, May 12). Citi ThankYou Rewards Program Review. Retrieved from https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/citi-thankyou-rewards/

[5] The Points Guy. (2021, May 21). How to Maximize the Value of Your Citi ThankYou Points. Retrieved from https://thepointsguy.com/guides/how-to-maximize-the-value-of-your-citi-thankyou-points/

Stay informed about the latest travel news by checking the current value of Citi ThankYou Points, as they can be maximized when transferred to the program's travel partners, such as airline and hotel programs, often yielding over 2 cents per point. Keep an eye out for promotions offering transfer bonuses between 10% and 30% to get the most value from your points.

Financial considerations should also be factored in, as redeeming Citi ThankYou Points for cash back, gift cards, or travel booked through the Citi portal generally provide less value compared to transferring points to travel partners.

Read also: