AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
Offers for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, Citi Custom Cash® Card and Citi Prestige® Card are not available through this site. Some offers may have expired. Please see our card marketplace for available offers
Citi ThankYou® Rewards Points can be extremely valuable — especially once you know how to maximize them. Although it's possible to redeem your points for a fixed value toward travel or retail via thankyou.com, transferring points to Citi’s airline and hotel partners is the best way to maximize their value.
You can currently transfer ThankYou Points to 15 different airline frequent flyer programs, five hotel loyalty programs, and one retail partner. This gives you tremendous flexibility when you're ready to book your next trip.
Here's everything you need to know about the Citi ThankYou transfer partners and tips for getting the most value from your points.
Why Transfer Citi ThankYou Points to Partners
When you get a co-branded card like the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, you limit yourself to just one loyalty program. In this case, you'd earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles. While American Airlines AAdvantage miles are incredibly valuable, transferable rewards can offer even more flexibility.
Instead, we recommend earning transferable points — like Citi ThankYou Points. Doing so gives you the option to use your rewards not just through American Airlines but with around 20 other airline and hotel partners.
Since Citi ThankYou Rewards partners with airlines in every alliance, you can book awards on most major airlines with your points. Flexible points give you a much better chance of finding an ideal itinerary, especially if you have limited date flexibility.
That said, we don't recommend you transfer points speculatively — unless you're in some specific, unique situations. So, wait to transfer your points to the airline or hotel partner until you're ready to book. That flexibility is what makes transferable rewards points so valuable.
Related: Beginner's Guide to Airline Alliances and Partnerships
Comparing award costs and fees
Mileage rates and out-of-pocket fees can vary significantly between Citi transfer partners, even for the exact same itinerary.
For example, Avianca LifeMiles and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles can both book Lufthansa business class to Europe. With the former, you'll pay 69,000 miles one way (or potentially less). Turkish, meanwhile, charges a slightly cheaper 65,000 miles for this ticket.
However, Miles & Smiles passes along award taxes, fees, and carrier surcharges. For a Lufthansa business-class award, this amounts to hundreds of dollars. Avianca LifeMiles doesn't pass these along, though you'll also lose some flexibility, as LifeMiles has some of the worst award change and cancellation fees in the industry.
Learning the ins and outs of the Citi travel partners can help you stretch your points (and dollars) further. In a nutshell, having flexible points that you can transfer to an array of partners lets you shop for the best award deal.
Now, let's dig into the transfer partners.
Citi Airline Transfer Partners
There are currently 21 Citi ThankYou transfer partners. Of those, 15 are airlines — almost all of which transfer at a 1:1 transfer ratio if you hold either the Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees), the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (Rates & Fees), or the Citi Prestige® Card (no longer open to new applicants).
The only airline partner that transfers at a different ratio is Emirates Skywards, which transfers at a 1:0.8 ratio for cardholders of the Citi Strata Premier, Citi Strata Elite, or Prestige Card.
Citi Hotel Transfer Partners
Hotel transfer ratios vary by partner. In some cases, you'll receive fewer hotel points than the number of Citi ThankYou Points you transfer, while other partners offer a 1:1 ratio or even more hotel points than the number of Citi points transferred. We'll discuss how these transfer ratios affect the value of your Citi ThankYou Rewards below.
Best Value Citi Transfer Partners
American Airlines AAdvantage®
Citi ThankYou Points are the only transferable point currency that can be transferred to AAdvantage, giving cardholders a unique and coveted opportunity to book flights directly with the airline.
However, only select Citi cardholders are eligible. If you hold the Citi Strata Premier, Citi Strata Elite, or Prestige Card, you can transfer points to AAdvantage at a 1:1 ratio. No other Citi cards can take advantage of this partner.
There are several American Airlines AAdvantage sweet spots out there to get the most value from your miles, like flying business class on Japan Airlines from the U.S. to Tokyo for 60,000 miles.
You can also find some short-haul routes starting at 5,000 miles. If you live near an American hub, the ability to transfer your Citi ThankYou Points to the airline can be lucrative.
Air France–KLM Flying Blue
Flying Blue is the mileage program for Air France and KLM — and both are members of SkyTeam. One way to get the major value from your points is with Flying Blue's Promo Rewards. Each month, award flights to/from specific cities go on sale up to 25% off. If you catch the right deal, it's possible to book economy flights to Europe for as few as 18,750 miles each way.
The second sweet spot is thanks to Flying Blue's generous region definitions, which can offer lower pricing than other airlines. For example, Flying Blue considers Algeria, the Canary Islands, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia to all be part of Europe. You can find flights to these spots for as few as 25,000 miles each way.
Avianca LifeMiles
Avianca LifeMiles offers some great options for travel on Star Alliance carriers like United, Air Canada, and Lufthansa. In addition to a competitive award chart, Avianca does not pass on fuel surcharges from partner airlines. Another benefit of Avianca LifeMiles is that you can choose between economy-, business-, and first-class tickets on a flight-by-flight basis. And you'll pay a discounted rate for mixed-class itineraries.
For example, here's a mixed-cabin itinerary from Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (NRT) on United via San Francisco (SFO). The Los Angeles-San Francisco segment is in economy, and the San Francisco-Tokyo leg is in business class. Breaking up the segments saves around 2,500 miles.
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
Turkish Airlines may not have the most customer-friendly website, but it more than makes up for it with its partner award pricing.
By far, the best Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles sweet spot is for domestic flight awards within the U.S. Flights anywhere within the lower 48, and Alaska cost 15,000 miles in economy and 22,500 miles in business/first class.
Turkish Miles&Smiles also offers some other sweet redemption options, like 65,000 miles one way between the U.S. and Turkey in business class. Check out our post on Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles award chart sweet spots for more ideas.
Good Value Partners
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Cathay Pacific is part of the Oneworld alliance, so its Asia Miles program is great for booking award flights on airlines like Alaska, American, Japan Airlines, and Qantas. It's less ideal for airlines that have fuel surcharges like British Airways and Qatar, as you'll still have to pay those fees. However, fees are generally less than booking the same flights with other programs (such as British Airways).
Cathay's round-the-world tickets can still be a good deal if you maximize them. Additionally, short- and medium-haul Cathay Pacific flights are also still affordable. You can fly nonstop from Hong Kong (HKG) to Jakarta (CGK) for just 13,000 miles in economy or 32,000 miles in business class.
Choice Hotels (Choice Privileges)
In addition to being a Citi transfer partner, Choice Privileges is a transfer partner of Amex Membership Rewards and Capital One miles. Transfers from Citi happen at 1:1.5. While this transfer partner recently underwent a devaluation (formerly 1:2), this option can still be valuable with the right use in mind.
Some of the better sweet spots include booking hotels in expensive markets, such as Japan or Scandinavia, where rooms can cost as few as 8,000 to 10,000 Choice points per night. This translates to around 6,000 to 7,000 Citi points per night with the latest transfer ratio.
Emirates Skywards
The Emirates Skywards program isn't as popular as many other programs, in large part because Emirates often charges hefty fuel surcharges on its own flights. As a result, the best value often comes from Emirates flights originating in countries that limit or forbid fuel surcharges, like Brazil and Hong Kong.
Emirates revamped its partner award charts in March 2026, dropping its redemption rates by up to 76%. Partner awards now begin at just 3,000 miles for flights up to 300 miles one way.
Emirates implemented a minor devaluation in May 2026. The upside: You can now book one-way saver awards. That means you can fly between Newark (EWR) and Athens (ATH) for 59,000 miles one-way. Factoring in the subpar ratio, getting this many Emirates Skywards miles now requires a 74k Citi point transfer.
Unfortunately, you can no longer book Emirates First Class award tickets unless you hold Silver, Gold, or Platinum elite status with the airline.
You can check prices for Emirates flights using its Miles Calculator.
JetBlue TrueBlue
Of all the Citi airline partners, JetBlue TrueBlue is the easiest to use. Unlike other loyalty programs that use a fixed award chart, JetBlue redemptions generally vary based on the cash price of the flight. This is a key difference between revenue-based and region-based award programs. AwardWallet users have redeemed TrueBlue points at an average value of 1.24¢ cents per point.
However, JetBlue's growing partner network can let you get outsized value from your TrueBlue points. For instance, you can fly nonstop from Boston to Doha on a flight operated by Qatar in business class for 98,000 one-way. Considering that a one-way flight retails for almost $11,000, you're getting a fantastic valuation of your points.
Related: Why JetBlue Is the Best Program for My Family Right Now
Leading Hotels of the World (Leaders Club)
Leaders Club, which belongs to Leading Hotels of the World, allows you to redeem points for hotel stays at more than 400 properties in 80 locations around the world. While the transfer ratio is 5:1 (meaning you'll get 1 Leaders Club point for every 5 Citi points you transfer), the points needed to redeem for a stay are low with this loyalty program — and there are some great sweet spots.
Plus, members get benefits like complimentary breakfast and room upgrades. This makes it a decent way to redeem Citi ThankYou Points.
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Qantas uses a distance-based award chart that calculates the price of your ticket based on the total distance flown. The best value tends to be for short trips. You'll pay 9,200 points each way for trips under 600 miles and 13,800 points each way for trips of 601–1,200 miles.
What's even better is that the award chart is valid for classic flight rewards with Qantas, Emirates, Fiji Airways, and American Airlines.
Qantas prices tend to be higher than other Citi partner airlines for the majority of itineraries. Qantas as a transfer partner was more valuable before you could transfer directly to American Airlines, but it still makes sense in some situations.
Related: How To Maximize Citi ThankYou Points for Flights Within North America
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Qatar Airways Privilege Club doesn't publish an award chart. However, there's a calculator online that tells you how many Avios you'll need for Qatar Airways flights. It's possible to fly between the U.S. and Doha starting at:
- 35,000 Avios in economy
- 70,000 Avios in business class
- 105,000 Avios in first class (although first class isn't currently operating on these routes)
Short-haul Qatar award flights are also an excellent use of your Avios, especially if you want to check out the Qatar Al Safwa First Class Lounge. Short-haul first class can be booked for as few as 21,000 Avios.
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
KrisFlyer is one of the most accessible Citi airline partners because you can supplement your balance when you transfer points from Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Marriott Bonvoy.
The biggest reason to consider booking with Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is because the airline makes more award space available to its own members than to the members of partner programs — especially in premium cabins.
Additionally, you can add a stopover in Singapore. For instance, you can fly from Istanbul (IST) to Melbourne (MEL) and add a stopover in Singapore for no additional cost, as long as you book an Access or an Advantage redemption. It's a good option that allows you to explore an additional city during your trip.
Related: 1,850 United Award Routes You Can Book for 14,000 KrisFlyer Miles
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is one of the most underrated flexible point transfer partners, even after devaluations in 2024. While some bookings with Virgin will incur high taxes and fees, Flying Club makes up for this shortcoming by charging fewer points than many other airlines and has some great sweet spots. If you choose your flights carefully, it's possible to avoid those high out-of-pocket costs.
You can find some great saver awards when traveling during the offseason. For instance, this nonstop flight from Atlanta (ATL) to London (LHR) in January is just 34,000 in Virgin Atlantic Upper Class, plus $576 in taxes and fees.
If you're lucky, you also might be able to snag a one-way ANA flight between Japan and the West Coast of the U.S. for as little as 72,500 Virgin Points in first class, 52,500 points in business class, or 30,000 points in economy. Availability tends to be limited, so you will need to search around for an open seat.
Wyndham Hotels (Wyndham Rewards)
The Wyndham Rewards program isn't the most lucrative, but it's still worth a look. With more than 9,100 hotels across more than two dozen brands in nearly 100 countries, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts offers a lot of options for travelers to explore.
Wyndham uses an award chart that is simple to understand. It has three award tiers at 7,500, 15,000, and 30,000 points per night and per room, depending on the property. You might find good value here if you book when cash rates are particularly high or for a last-minute stay.
Additionally, Wyndham credit cardholders receive a 10% discount on award stays.
Preferred Hotels & Resorts
You can transfer Citi ThankYou Points to Preferred Hotels & Resorts, an independent collection of over 600 luxury hotels across 80 countries. Cardholders of the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card, Citi Strata Premier, or Citi Prestige® Card can transfer at a 1:2 rate. While this transfer ratio also recently underwent a devaluation like Choice Hotels, you can still get good redemption value when cash rates are high.
A night at The Londoner Hotel would cost 100,000 points booked through I Prefer Hotel Rewards, which translates to 50,000 Citi ThankYou Points with the latest transfer ratio. The same room would cost $812 per night, giving you a valuation of about 1.64 cents per point.
Lesser Value Partners
Accor Hotels (ALL — Accor Live Limitless)
Accor Live Limitless has more worldwide hotels than you might realize — over 5,100. You may have even stayed at an Accor hotel and not realized it. Accor doesn't use dynamic pricing for award redemptions. Instead, you spend 1,000 points for a 20 euro discount on your stay. To book a night at a hotel that costs 100 euro, you'll need to use 5,000 points.
Unfortunately, Citi points transfer to ALL at a 2:1 ratio. This means the 100 euro redemption would cost 10,000 ThankYou Points. At the current exchange rates, this is a bit over 1 cent per ThankYou Point. You can do much better than this with other partners, but at least it's an option.
Etihad Guest
There aren't many great ways to redeem Etihad miles after a major devaluation to the award chart in 2023, and another just a year later. You'll pay through the nose for business- or first-class flights from the U.S. to Abu Dhabi. A first-class ticket from New York (JFK) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) would run 160,000 Etihad miles each way. You can use the miles calculator to determine how many miles you'll need for your trip, but in general, you'll find better options through other Citi partners.
But we should note that its change and cancellation policies aren't the least bit traveler-friendly. Be sure to consider how set in stone your plans are before booking through Etihad.
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
Simply put, EVA Air is not a fantastic Citi transfer partner. However, the airline does offer an option that could be beneficial to some travelers, particularly for round-trip travel. You're permitted two stopovers on a round-trip ticket, plus one open jaw. You cannot book a stopover on a one-way EVA award.
What does this mean in practice? Essentially, you can fly from A to B with a stopover in C. Then, fly from D back to A with a stopover in E. The open jaw, C to D, happens at the turnaround point.
If you stay within Asia, you can score several business-class flights for just 50,000 miles total. Flights between zones are pricey — 160,000 miles in business between Asia and hubs throughout the East Coast.
Shop Your Way Rewards
In addition to its 15 airline and five hotel partners, you can send your Citi ThankYou Points to Shop Your Way Rewards, the loyalty program for Sears and Kmart. Points transfer at a 1:10 ratio, but 1,000 SYWR points are only worth $1.
Thus, points transferred to Shop Your Way are worth 1 cent each toward Sears and Kmart merchandise. You're better off making a purchase with your Citi card to earn rewards on the purchase and then cashing out points at 1 cent per point.
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
There's not much to see here. Thai Airways instituted a significant devaluation of its award program on October 1, 2019, with many routes seeing considerable increases in the number of miles required.
For example, domestic flights within the U.S. start at 17,500 miles each way in economy — not terrible, but not good either. However, if you want to fly from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii, you'll pay an eye-watering 65,000 miles each way. Flights from North America to Asia cost 67,000 miles each way in economy and 132,000 miles each way in business class.
How To Earn Citi ThankYou Points
If you want to earn Citi points, there are several ways to do so. Generally speaking, you'll get the largest bundle of points at once by opening Citi credit cards and meeting minimum spending goals to earn ThankYou Points from the welcome bonus.
This includes cards such as the popular Citi Strata Premier Card, which charges a $95 annual fee but punches way above its class when it comes to earning rewards, such as getting 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.
- 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
The new Citi Strata Elite is also a solid option for some travelers. It comes with a much higher $595 annual fee which can be offset by several valuable statement credits used throughout the year. Unfortunately, the earning potential leaves a lot to be desired, but the welcome bonus might be enticing enough to get you to apply. If you need a chunk of ThankYou Points ahead of a trip, earning the Citi Strata Elite welcome bonus is the best way to get them.
- Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
- 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
- Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- 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.
You also can pair no-annual-fee cards like the Citi Strata℠ Card (Rates & Fees), Citi Double Cash® Card (Rates & Fees), and Citi Custom Cash® Card with the Citi Strata Elite, Citi Strata Premier Card, or the Prestige Card.
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.
- 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.
This provides more options to redeem points, such as letting you use the rewards you earn with a no-annual-fee Citi credit card with more airline and hotel transfer partners and at improved ratios. Do note that the Prestige Card is no longer open to new applicants, though.
Related: Build a Citi Rewards Card Combo
How Long Do Points Take To Transfer to Citi Partners?
AwardWallet tracks the time to transfer points to Citi ThankYou transfer partners. Transfers to most programs are immediate. However, you'll need to watch out for the following when you want to redeem points:
- Etihad Guest: Transfers should be immediate but sometimes take up to a week.
- EVA Air Infinity MileageLands: Transfers can take up to two days.
- Qantas Frequent Flyer: Transfers can take up to a day.
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club: Transfers can take up to a day.
- Singapore KrisFlyer: Transfers can take up to a day, but usually process within a matter of hours.
- Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus: Transfers can take three to seven days.
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles: Transfers can take up to a day.
Related: How To Earn Citi ThankYou Points
Tips for Maximizing Citi ThankYou Partners
- Always make sure flights or hotel nights are available with points before you make a transfer. Where possible, put flights on hold before you transfer.
- Check the cost of booking the same flight through ThankYou Travel. In some cases, you'll spend fewer points and less cash booking with ThankYou Points directly, rather than transferring to a partner program. This is especially true for economy flights.
- Remember, each airline partner has its own list of partner airlines. You're not limited to flights on the airline that owns the program.
- Transfers can't be reversed! You can never transfer points back to Citi ThankYou from a Citi transfer partner, so plan your transfers carefully.
- Comparison shop. In most cases, the same flight can be booked by several Citi transfer partners. Be sure to compare the points, taxes, and fees required before you decide on a partner program.
If you're looking to book award flights with a domestic U.S. airline, here's how to do so with Citi ThankYou Points:
- Delta flights: Air France/KLM and Virgin Atlantic
- American flights: Directly with American, or through Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Qantas, and Qatar
- Alaska flights: Cathay Pacific, Qatar, Singapore, and Qantas
- United flights: Avianca, EVA, Singapore, Thai, and Turkish
Related: How To Transfer Citi ThankYou Points to Partners: A Step-By-Step Guide
Best Redemptions for Citi ThankYou Points
American Airlines (or Finnair) business class to Europe for 57,500 AAdvantage miles
American Airlines currently prices partner business class awards to Europe starting at 57,500 miles each way — and awards on American Airlines itself can drop lower than that. Availability at these rates may be hard to find, but it's an exceptional deal if you can find it. Just beware of awards on British Airways, as these awards can be extremely expensive out-of-pocket.
ANA “The Room” business class for 52,500 Virgin Points
We've already mentioned this, but it bears repeating: Booking a ten-hour flight on ANA from Japan to the West Coast of the U.S. will cost you just 52,500 Virgin Points one way. It doesn't hurt that ANA's business class is one of the best around.
Related: Do Citi ThankYou Points Expire?
Bottom Line
Travelers have numerous reasons to earn Citi ThankYou Points. ThankYou Points transfer to multiple high-value rewards programs, and transferring points routinely provides more value for your points than redeeming them in the travel portal or for cash back. Even cards marketed as earning cash back — like the Citi Double Cash card — can access some points transfer options (albeit with subpar transfer ratios), which is great for a card with no annual fee.
However, the best value comes from accessing all of the other Citi transfer partners when you hold the Citi Strata Elite, Citi Strata Premier, or Prestige Card. You'll have access to all redemption options and an improved transfer ratio as well.
- Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
- 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
- Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- 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.
Citi ThankYou Points FAQ
Can I transfer Citi ThankYou Points to United MileagePlus?
No, you can't send Citi ThankYou Points to United, but you can transfer them to Avianca, EVA, Singapore, Thai, and Turkish. Those programs are Star Alliance partners that can book flights on United.
Can I transfer Citi ThankYou Points to Delta SkyMiles?
No, you can’t transfer Citi ThankYou Points to Delta, but you can transfer them to Air France–KLM or Virgin Atlantic and use those programs to book flights on Delta.
Can I transfer Citi ThankYou Points to American Airlines AAdvantage?
Yes. Citi added American Airlines AAdvantage as a transfer partner for cardholders of the Citi Strata Premier, Citi Strata Elite, and Citi Prestige cards in July 2025. You can also transfer Citi points to Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Qantas, or Qatar Airways Privilege Club and use those airlines’ miles to book flights on American.
Can I transfer Citi ThankYou Points to Alaska Mileage Plan?
No, you can’t transfer Citi ThankYou Points to Alaska, but you can transfer points to Cathay Pacific, Qantas, or Singapore and use those miles to book flights on Alaska.
Can I use Citi ThankYou Points to book travel for others?
Generally, airline programs don’t have a problem with you using your points to book travel for someone else. Some have restrictions, though. For example, Singapore Airlines limits the number of other people you can book tickets for, and Turkish reportedly requires that the first booking you make match the name on the Miles & Smiles account.
However, it's generally against rewards programs’ terms and conditions to make a reservation with your points or miles in exchange for money or other compensation. As long as you’re only booking for people you know, you shouldn't run into any problems.
Page Contents
- Why Transfer Citi ThankYou Points to Partners
- Citi Airline Transfer Partners
- Citi Hotel Transfer Partners
- Best Value Citi Transfer Partners
- Good Value Partners
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Choice Hotels (Choice Privileges)
- Emirates Skywards
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Leading Hotels of the World (Leaders Club)
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red
- Wyndham Hotels (Wyndham Rewards)
- Preferred Hotels & Resorts
- Lesser Value Partners
- How To Earn Citi ThankYou Points
- How Long Do Points Take To Transfer to Citi Partners?
- Tips for Maximizing Citi ThankYou Partners
- Best Redemptions for Citi ThankYou Points
- Bottom Line
- Citi ThankYou Points FAQ
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (Rates & Fees), Citi Strata℠ Card (Rates & Fees), and Citi Double Cash® Card (Rates & Fees)
