{"id":184793,"date":"2024-10-21T16:00:50","date_gmt":"2024-10-21T16:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=184793\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T14:03:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T14:03:23","slug":"preferred-hotels-partnership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/news\/citi-thankyou-rewards\/preferred-hotels-partnership\/","title":{"rendered":"Citi\u2019s Newest Transfer Partner: How to Use ThankYou Points at Preferred Hotels & Resorts"},"content":{"rendered":"

It's not every day that we get news about a rewards program adding a new transfer partner, so this moment is exciting. Citi just introduced its fifth hotel and 21st overall ThankYou\u00ae<\/sup> transfer partner<\/a>: Preferred Hotels & Resorts<\/strong>. Starting today, you can transfer Citi ThankYou Points<\/a> to the I Prefer loyalty program.<\/p>\n

But is this a transfer partner you should use? Or is it one to forget? Here's what you need to know about Citi's newest hotel transfer partner.<\/p>\n

Transfer Citi ThankYou Points To Preferred Hotels & Resorts at 1:4<\/span><\/h2>\n

There's a new way to redeem Citi ThankYou Points<\/a>, courtesy of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. The Preferred footprint spans over 600 properties in more than 80 countries, and starting today, you can use Citi points to book stays at Preferred properties.<\/p>\n

Citi's published transfer ratio to I Prefer is 1:4. That means you'll earn four I Prefer points per Citi ThankYou point you convert. That's a generous-looking ratio, but that's because of what I Prefer points are worth.<\/p>\n

On most I Prefer redemptions, you'll get about 0.2 cents per point. In other words, per Citi ThankYou Point you transfer over, you'll earn 0.8 cents worth of value that you can put toward free or discounted nights.<\/p>\n

\"Citi-Preferred
Credit: Citi<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n

Should You Transfer Citi ThankYou Points To Preferred Hotels & Resorts?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Compared to other popular hotel loyalty programs, Preferred Hotels & Resorts' I Prefer program<\/a> is less well-rounded. The latter offers excellent elite benefits and has a solid network of properties in its portfolio but falls short when it comes to point redemptions.<\/p>\n

It's pretty challenging to find award space for I Prefer hotels. The program advertises that free nights start at 15,000 points — which would be 4,000 Citi points — but you'll be hard-pressed to find a night you can book wholly with points.<\/p>\n

You might encounter a points and cash option, but you should avoid this booking method unless you're simply interested in booking an I Prefer property for less than the sticker price.<\/p>\n

\"Aerial
Half Moon, in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Credit: Preferred Hotels & Resorts<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n

A potential workaround for booking I Prefer hotels with points is to call and inquire about points-only rates, but that requires a fair amount of effort and research. Alternatively, you could try booking your intended Preferred property through Choice Privileges<\/a>, which offers redemptions at participating properties<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But if all that is just too much of a hassle, Citi partners with four other hotel programs that are easier to navigate \u2014 and generally offer better value for your points.<\/p>\n

From<\/div>
To<\/div>
Transfer Ratio<\/div>
Min.Transfer<\/div>
Average Time<\/div><\/div>
Citibank (ThankYou Rewards)<\/a>
United States<\/div><\/div>\u2794<\/span><\/div><\/div>
\u2794<\/span>
Accor Group (ALL - Accor Live Limitless)<\/div><\/div><\/div>
1,000:500<\/div>
-<\/div>
Unknown<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Citibank (ThankYou Rewards)<\/a>
United States<\/div><\/div>\u2794<\/span><\/div><\/div>
\u2794<\/span>
Choice Hotels (Choice Privileges)<\/div><\/div><\/div>
1,000:2,000<\/div>
-<\/div>
Unknown<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Citibank (ThankYou Rewards)<\/a>
United States<\/div><\/div>\u2794<\/span><\/div><\/div>
\u2794<\/span>
LHW (Leaders Club)<\/div><\/div><\/div>
1,000:200<\/div>
-<\/div>
Unknown<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Citibank (ThankYou Rewards)<\/a>
United States<\/div><\/div>\u2794<\/span><\/div><\/div>
\u2794<\/span>
Preferred Hotels, etc. (I Prefer)<\/div><\/div><\/div>
1,000:4,000<\/div>
-<\/div>
Unknown<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Citibank (ThankYou Rewards)<\/a>
United States<\/div><\/div>\u2794<\/span><\/div><\/div>
\u2794<\/span>
Wyndham Rewards<\/div><\/div><\/div>
1,000:1,000<\/div>
-<\/div>
Unknown<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Additionally, AwardWallet users tend to redeem Citi ThankYou Points for 2.3\u00a2 apiece<\/a>, which is a far cry from the 0.8 cents in value you'll unlock per Citi point you transfer to Preferred Hotels & Resorts. Thus, transfers might be worth avoiding unless you have a strong use case for initiating one, such as topping off your account for a specific redemption.<\/p>\n

How To Earn Citi ThankYou Points<\/span><\/h2>\n

Whether you're interested in leveraging Citi's newest hotel transfer partner or stocking up for other redemptions, it's important to consider how to earn Citi ThankYou Points<\/a>. The best way to do so is to apply for a ThankYou Point-earning card and earning a sign-up bonus and creating a credit card pairing to supercharge your earnings on all kinds of spending<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Collecting a sign-up bonus is the best way to earn a lot of points quickly. Here's a look at the welcome bonuses on multiple ThankYou Point cards available now:<\/p>\n