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The points and miles world is full of different currencies. Some belong to banks, while others belong to specific loyalty programs. Some points are locked into one system, while others can be moved between partners. But one thing is clear: transferable points give you the most flexibility.
Citi ThankYou® points, which are part of the Citi ThankYou Rewards program, are a great choice when it comes to transferable points. There are multiple ways to earn them and many ways to use them. Let's go over all of your options.
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Understanding How Citi ThankYou Points Work
The fastest way to earn Citi ThankYou points is by opening and spending on a Citi credit card. There are currently six ThankYou points-earning cards available to new applicants. There are also four cards that are no longer available to new applicants, but still earn ThankYou points if you already hold them.
What are Citi ThankYou points?
Like other flexible credit card points, Citi ThankYou points are earned by opening new cards and spending on them. They function like currency and can be used in various ways. You can book travel directly in the Citi Travel℠ Portal, transfer them to Citi travel partners, cash them out for a statement credit, buy gift cards, shop at online retailers, and more.
How the Citi ThankYou points system works
To use ThankYou points, log in to your account and scroll down until you see your available points balance. If you have multiple credit cards, you'll see your points balance for each card. Then, click “View / Redeem” to see information about the card(s) you have and redemption methods.
Citi ThankYou points are unique in that you can combine points earned on any card with any other Citi cardholder. This sets Citi apart from other card issuers — like Chase Ultimate Rewards, which only lets you combine points with one other household member, or American Express Membership Rewards, which don't let you combine points with anyone. In this way, you can earn points on everyday purchases alongside friends and family, share points, and redeem them through award bookings you've worked toward as a team.
One important note: Once you transfer points to someone, they expire 90 days after the points are shared. Therefore, it's important to have a plan in place for how they will be used before they expire.
Available Cards That Earn Citi ThankYou Points
Let's look at all of the options to earn ThankYou points with a Citi credit card, plus the pros and cons for each Citi ThankYou Rewards card. It's also worth noting that there are specific application rules for Citi ThankYou points cards.
Related: Build a Citi Credit Card Quadfecta
Citi Strata℠ Card
The Citi Strata℠ Card (Rates & Fees) debuted in July 2025. It features a generous welcome offer for new cardholders and has excellent earning potential to help you earn Citi points faster than ever. Our favorite feature is the card's self-select category, allowing you to earn more bonus points on the purchases you make most often. You can change your self-select category once each quarter.
Eligible self-select categories include:
- Fitness Clubs
- Select Streaming Services
- Live Entertainment
- Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons
- Pet Supply Stores
- For a limited time, earn 30,000 bonus Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months; after that, the variable APR will be 18.49% - 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 3 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent in an eligible Self-Select Category of your choice (Fitness Clubs, Select Streaming Services, Live Entertainment, Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons, or Pet Supply Stores). Choose your eligible Self-Select Category on Citi Online or by calling customer service. The default Self-Select Category is Select Streaming Services.
- Earn 5 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals and Attractions booked on Citi Travel® via cititravel.com; earn 3 ThankYou Points for each $1 spent at Supermarkets, on Select Transit purchases, and at Gas & EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 2 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent at Restaurants; earn 1 ThankYou® Point for each $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
- No Annual Fee
- 5X – Earn 5 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals and Attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ via cititravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent in an eligible Self-Select Category of your choice (Fitness Clubs, Select Streaming Services, Live Entertainment, Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons, or Pet Supply Stores). Choose your eligible Self-Select Category on Citi Online or by calling customer service. The default Self-Select Category is Select Streaming Services.
- 3X – Earn 3 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent at Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on Select Transit purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent at Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 2X – Earn 2 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent at Restaurants
- 1X – Earn 1 ThankYou® Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Pros:
- For a limited time, earn 30,000 bonus Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- No annual fee
- Earn 3X ThankYou points in a unique ‘self-select' category.
Cons:
- Points earned with Citi Strata Card transfer to partners at a reduced ratio—unless you also hold one of Citi's premium cards.
Related: Citi Strata Card full review
Citi Strata Premier® Card
The Citi Strata Premier (Rates & Fees) might be the best value credit card issued by Citi. It offers a large sign-up bonus, valuable benefits, and fantastic earning potential in exchange for a reasonable $95 annual fee. Plus, you'll receive an annual $100 hotel credit for a single stay of $500 or more booked through the Citi Travel℠ Portal.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases.
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Pros:
- Solid welcome offer
- Ability to transfer points to travel partners at the best rates
- 10X points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com; 3X points per $1 spent on air travel and other hotel purchases; and 3X points at gas stations, EV charging stations, restaurants, and supermarkets
- Annual $100 hotel credit via Citi Travel
Cons:
- $95 annual fee
- 1x on all other purchases
Related: Citi Strata Premier Card full review
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card
The Citi Strata Elite℠ Card marks Citi's return to the ultra-premium travel rewards space. With a generous welcome bonus and access to a wide range of travel credits, elite perks, and elevated earning rates, the Citi Strata Elite offers meaningful long-term value — especially for travelers who can fully utilize its benefits.
As a cardholder, you'll earn:
- 12X – Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time.
- 1.5X – Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
Those ThankYou® points transfer at full value, making it one of the strongest Citi cards for unlocking maximum redemption potential with transfer partners.
- 12X – Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time.
- 1.5X – Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
Pros:
- Earn 100,000 bonus Points
- Transfer ThankYou points at full value
- $300 annual hotel credit via Citi Travel
- $200 annual Splurge Credit℠ for select lifestyle brands
- $200 annual Blacklane credit for luxury rides
- 4 Admirals Club® passes per year
- Complimentary Priority Pass membership (with guest access)
Cons:
- $595 annual fee
- Some credits are limited to select merchants
- Reward structure favors those who frequently book through Citi Travel
Related: Citi Strata Elite full review
Citi Custom Cash® Card
The Citi Custom Cash® Card automatically provides bonus earnings where you spend the most. 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent (1% cash back thereafter), and 1% cash back on all other purchases, plus an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal. This means that you don't have to worry about maximizing spending categories on the Citi Custom Cash Card.
While this is advertised as a cash-back card, the cash rewards come in the form of ThankYou points. With no annual fee, this is an easy-to-use option. Eligible categories for bonus points include restaurants, gas stations, select travel, and even home improvement stores.
- Sign-up bonus of $200 in cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening, issued as 20,000 ThankYou® Points
- 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category on up to $500 of purchses each billing cycle
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for--the top earning category adjusts automatically each month to the eligible category in which you spend the most.
- Excellent intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent
- 1% cash back thereafter, plus, you'll earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
- Eligible spending categories are: Restaurants, Gas Stations, Grocery Stores, Select Travel, Select Transit, Select Streaming Services, Drugstores, Home Improvement Stores, Fitness Clubs and Live Entertainment.
- Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal.
You also can take advantage of a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 15 months from account opening and 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for 15 months from account opening with the Citi Custom Cash Card. After the introductory period, you'll have a Variable APR of 18.24% - 28.24%. Balance transfer fee applies with this offer: 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Pros:
- Welcome offer of $200 after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- No annual fee.
- Earn points at 5% back on your highest eligible spend category on your credit card each billing cycle.
Cons:
- Bonus earnings only apply to $500 spent each billing cycle (yielding a maximum of $25 in cash back).
- Only 1% back on other purchases.
Related: Citi Custom Cash full review
Citi Double Cash® Card
The Citi Double Cash® Card (Rates & Fees) has no annual fee and is a great option for people who want another easy-to-use, no-fuss card. It's great for everyday spending: Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay for those purchases. Cash back on the Citi Double Cash Card comes in the form of ThankYou points.
If you're looking to pay down debt or finance a larger purchase, this card also comes with one of the best available introductory APR offers on balance transfers.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel. - Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
You'll also enjoy an introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months from account opening. After that, you'll have a variable APR of 17.49% - 27.49%. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5)
Pros:
- 2% cash back on all purchases.
- No cost to keep the card.
Cons:
- No bonus categories besides 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals, and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- No travel benefits.
Related: Citi Double Cash full review
AT&T Points Plus Card
The AT&T Points Plus is an intriguing offer for AT&T customers. Receive a $200 statement credit when you spend $1,000 in the first three months from account opening, plus receive a monthly statement credit, depending on your spending amount. Customers who spend between $500 and $999.99 receive a $10 statement credit. Customers who spend $1,000 or more receive a $20 statement credit. Additionally, earn 3X ThankYou points at gas stations and EV charging stations, 2X at grocery stores, and 1X on all other purchases.
Pros:
- Statement credit for AT&T customers.
- No annual fee.
- Bonus categories with no limit on earning.
Cons:
- Main benefits only apply to AT&T customers.
Cards That Are No Longer Available to New Applicants
The following cards earn ThankYou points; however, they are no longer open to new applicants.
AT&T Access Card from Citi
- Earn 2X on retail, travel, and AT&T purchases plus 1X on other purchases.
- No annual fee.
Citi Prestige Card
- 5X points on air travel and at restaurants, 3X points at hotels and on cruise line purchases, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
- Annual travel credit of $250.
- Priority Pass Select membership.
- Up to $100 in statement credits for your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee every four years.
- $495 annual fee.
Related: Citi Prestige Card review
Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card
- Earn 2X on dining and entertainment plus 1X on other purchases.
- No annual fee.
Citi ThankYou® Mastercard® formerly Sears Mastercard® with ThankYou® Rewards
- $0 annual fee.
- 5% back (issued as points) at gas stations and 3% back (as points) on $10,000 of combined spending at grocery stores and restaurants.
- Cardholders regularly report targeted offers for bonus earnings, despite the card being closed to new applicants.
It's worth noting here that Citi has unique product change rules. One of these rules is that you can product change to any other eligible Citi credit card for personal use. This even works for cards that aren't in the same category, i.e., changing a card that earns ThankYou points to a Citi card that doesn't.
This means you may be able to change to a card that is no longer available to new applicants, as long as it accepts product change applicants (which the Citi Prestige Card does not). However, make sure to use your ThankYou points before changing to a card that does not earn them. Otherwise, you will lose them immediately upon switching cards.
Related: When Do Citi ThankYou Points Expire?
Other Strategies To Earn More Citi ThankYou Rewards Points
There are very few ways to earn ThankYou points outside of opening and spending on cards. Previously, you could earn ThankYou points through your Citi personal banking accounts; however, Citi no longer offers this option.
Increasing earnings through Citi bonus categories
One way to earn more points is by focusing on the bonus categories of your Citi ThankYou credit card. Credit cards offer elevated returns on spending in specific categories, and each card offers different categories. When you're aware of your card's categories, you can make sure to use that card for your spending and earn extra points in return.
Here are the categories for each Citi Rewards card we mentioned above.
Cards open to new applicants:
- Citi Strata Card: Earn 5X on Citi Travel℠ bookings (including hotels, car rentals, and attractions); 3X on supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations, select transit, and one self-selected category (choose from fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores); 2X at restaurants; 1X on everything else.
- Citi Strata Premier: Earn 10X points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com; 3X points per $1 spent on air travel and other hotel purchases; and 3X points at gas stations, EV charging stations, restaurants, and supermarkets.
- Citi Strata Elite: Earn 12 points per $1 on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel; 6 points per $1 on air travel booked on Citi Travel and at restaurants during CitiNights℠; 3 points per $1 at restaurants other times; and 1.5 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Citi Custom Cash: Earn 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent (1% cash back thereafter), and 1% cash back on all other purchases, plus an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal Eligible categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment.
- Citi Double Cash: Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To qualify for cash back, you have to make at least the minimum payment on your Citi credit card bill by the due date. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- AT&T Points Plus: 3x at gas stations and 2x at grocery stores.
Cards closed to new applicants:
- AT&T Access Card: 2x on retail, travel, and AT&T purchases.
- Citi Prestige Card: 5x on airfare and restaurants.
- Citi ThankYou Preferred: 2x Citi points on dining and entertainment.
- Citi ThankYou® Mastercard®: 5% back on gas and 3% back on grocery stores and restaurants, up to $10,000 spent.
Ways to Redeem ThankYou Points
Once you have a stockpile of Citi ThankYou points, you need to decide how to use them. Fortunately, you have several options for redeeming points; however, the value per point can vary significantly.
Transfer points
To maximize the value of your points, the best option for redeeming them is through Citi's transfer partners. Luckily, you can access all of Citi's 15 airline partners and five hotel partners with all of the cards on this list. However, you'll need the Citi Strata Premier or Citi Strata Elite if you want to unlock the best transfer rates.
For instance, although the Citi Strata Card or Citi Double Cash could technically transfer to Avianca LifeMiles or JetBlue TrueBlue, these cards transfer at a ratio of 1:0.7. If you want to transfer at a 1:1 ratio, you'll need one of Citi's cards that charges an annual fee.
Some Citi transfer partners provide more consistent value than others when redeeming your travel rewards. Generally, Citi's airline transfer partners tend to offer more value than its hotel transfer partners, but this is not always the case.
The chart below shows the transfer ratio and transfer times if you have the Citi Strata Premier, Citi Strata Elite, or the Citi Prestige Card.
Related: How To Transfer Citi ThankYou® Points to Partners: A Step-By-Step Guide
Travel rewards
While transferring points to travel partners is our preferred way to maximize value per point, using points like cash rewards with Citi Travel is another solid option. To use your ThankYou points with the Citi Travel℠ Portal, log in to the Citi Travel website (which you can do here). Choose the type of travel you're looking for — not just flights and hotels but also car rentals and attractions. Enter the information for your trip, then select “search.”
From here, choose the option that works for you. To redeem points for the transaction, you will first need to complete the checkout process by entering your personal information. When you reach the payment screen, there's a box at the top that allows you to choose how many of your Citi points, if any, you'd like to apply.
If you don't have enough points for the entire cost of your booking in the travel portal, you can apply what you have and then pay the difference in cash. Citi ThankYou points are worth one cent per point when redeemed this way.
Gift cards, shopping, and other merchandise
If you'd like to use points for something other than travel, you have a few options. You can shop with points, including using them for both online and in-store purchases. Another unique option is that you can use your points to pay for gas at participating Amoco, BP, Murphy USA, and Shell stations.
Furthermore, use your points to buy gift cards for dozens of retailers, including shops, restaurants, movie theaters, hotels, and more. Sometimes, you can catch a promo that offers a discount when redeeming Citi points for certain gift cards. This is a great option if you want to buy a gift for a loved one and keep your out-of-pocket costs low.
Typically, a Citi ThankYou point is worth an average of one cent per point on these redemptions, but be sure to check the actual value you're getting at the time of redemption.
Other options
Finally, there are a few other ways to use your Citi ThankYou points. You can:
- Cash them out for a check in the mail.
- Redeem them for statement credits (essentially cash back).
These redemption options typically make each ThankYou Point worth between 0.75 cents and 1 cent per point in value, so they're not the best use of your points. In contrast, AwardWallet users typically redeem each Citi ThankYou Point at 2.28¢ apiece when they transfer points to redeem for hotel stays or flights.
Final Thoughts
Citi ThankYou points are a great transferable points option. Luckily, if you want to earn Citi ThankYou points, you have several different credit cards available to you. A few don't charge an annual fee, and the ones that do provide plenty of benefits in exchange. If you are serious about earning ThankYou points, you can apply for several of the cards on this list to maximize your earning potential and return on day-to-day purchases.
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- 12X – Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com.
- 6X – Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time.
- 1.5X – Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Citi Strata℠ Card (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees), and Citi Double Cash® Card (Rates & Fees)
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