Redeeming Citi ThankYou® Rewards
A Guide to Citi's Flexible Points Program
How to Earn ThankYou Points
Citi's ecosystem allows you to combine points from multiple cards into one account, maximizing your earning and redemption potential. You must have a premium card like the Citi Strata Premier℠ to unlock transfers to most airline partners.
| Key Earning Card | Description |
|---|---|
| Citi Strata Premier℠ Card | The flagship card for earning ThankYou points, with bonus categories on travel, dining, supermarkets, and gas stations. |
| Citi Custom Cash℠ Card | Earns 5% cash back (as 5 ThankYou points per dollar) in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle. |
| Citi Double Cash® Card | Earns 2% cash back (1% on purchase, 1% on payment) that can be converted to ThankYou points. |
| Citi Rewards+® Card | Rounds up points to the nearest 10 on every purchase and gives a 10% rebate on the first 100,000 points redeemed each year. |
Redemption Options & Value
The value of ThankYou points shines when transferred to airline partners. Other redemptions are generally less valuable.
| Redemption Method | Typical Value (per point) | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer to Airline/Hotel Partners | 1.3 - 1.7+ cents | Highest potential value. Citi has unique partners not found elsewhere. |
| Book via ThankYou Travel Center | ~1.0 cent | Fixed value. Less valuable than competitors' portals. |
| Cash Back / Statement Credit | 0.5 - 1.0 cent | Often a poor value, especially if you only have a Rewards+ card. Double Cash points redeem at 1 cent each. |
| Gift Cards | ~1.0 cent | Standard redemption value, but travel transfers are better. |
Key Transfer Partner Sweet Spots
Unique Partners, Unique Value
Citi's strength lies in partners that other bank programs don't have, like Turkish Airlines, which can offer incredible value for those willing to do some research.
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles: A legendary sweet spot. Fly round-trip from the U.S. to Europe in business class for just 90,000 miles. Or fly domestic U.S. on United, including to Hawaii, for just 15,000 miles round-trip in economy.
- Avianca LifeMiles: A great Star Alliance partner with no fuel surcharges. Good for premium cabin redemptions on airlines like Lufthansa and United.
- Choice Privileges: While a hotel program, the transfer ratio from Citi is often 1:2, doubling your points. This can be fantastic for budget stays in expensive locations like Scandinavia and Japan.
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue: Access to monthly Promo Rewards and competitive business class pricing to Europe.