Citi Transfer Partners
ThankYou Points
17 airline partners led by Turkish Miles&Smiles - best for Star Alliance awards
All Citi transfer partners
13 airlines and 0 hotel programs. Every transfer is one-way and irreversible - always confirm award availability before transferring.
Transfer Bonus History
3 active| Partner | Base Ratio | Bonus % | Bonus Ratio | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leaders Club | 5:1 | +25% | 4:1 | Apr 19, 2026 → May 16, 2026 | Active | - |
 LifeMiles | 1:1 | +25% | 1:1.25 | Invalid Date → Apr 18, 2027 | Active | - |
 Flying Club | 1:1 | +30% | 1:1.3 | Invalid Date → Apr 18, 2027 | Active | - |
Transfer Partners
Current Citi transfer bonuses
Transfer bonuses give you extra miles for free - 20,000 points during a +25% bonus becomes 25,000 miles at the partner. Check this section before every transfer.
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About Citi ThankYou Points
Citi ThankYou Points are the transferable currency earned by the Citi Strata Premier, Custom Cash, and Double Cash cards. The program's 17 airline partners span all three major alliances, with particular strength in Star Alliance via Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles and Avianca LifeMiles - two of the most powerful partner-booking currencies available. ThankYou Points have no hotel partners, which is a notable gap, but their airline lineup is one of the most underrated in the industry.
The Citi Strata Premier ($95/yr) is the key card: it earns 3× on air travel, hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets - one of the broadest bonus category lineups among mid-tier travel cards. Crucially, the Strata Premier also unlocks transfer access for the no-fee Custom Cash and Double Cash cards. A household using all three can earn 2× on all cash-back spending via Double Cash and convert those points to airline miles, a strategy that's become increasingly popular.
Transfer speeds are mostly 24–48 hours, with JetBlue as the one instant-transfer partner. Citi does not charge an excise tax or transfer fee, which puts it ahead of Amex on that dimension. The program runs occasional transfer bonuses - often 25–30% - primarily on JetBlue, Turkish Airlines, and Avianca. ThankYou Points never expire as long as your Strata Premier account remains open.
TransferPoints tracks transfer bonuses and partner data in real time. Transfer ratios, speeds, and program rules on this page are verified against official bank sources. Visit the official Citi rewards page
Which Citi cards earn ThankYou Points?
Not all Citi cards unlock transfer access. Here are the cards that earn ThankYou Points that can be transferred to airline and hotel partners.
Citi Strata Premier
3× on air, hotels, restaurants & supermarkets - unlocks transfers for other Citi cards
Citi Double Cash
2% cash back (earns ThankYou Points) - pair with Strata Premier to unlock transfers
⚠ Requires Strata Premier account to transfer points to airline partners
Citi Custom Cash
5× in your top eligible category each billing cycle (up to $500/month)
⚠ Requires Strata Premier account to transfer points to airline partners
Best Citi transfer partners
Not all transfer partners deliver the same value. These three consistently offer the best cents-per-point returns for ThankYou Points.
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
Miles&SmilesMiles&Smiles prices Star Alliance partner awards at some of the lowest rates in the industry. United business class from the US to Europe costs 45,000–58,000 miles round-trip, and Lufthansa first class is accessible at rates no other program matches. No fuel surcharges on most Star Alliance partners.
Sweet spot
45,000 Miles&Smiles for round-trip business class on United from the US East Coast to Europe - no fuel surcharges.
Avianca LifeMiles
LifeMilesLifeMiles prices Star Alliance partners independently with no fuel surcharges, making it one of the cleanest ways to book ANA business class, United domestic awards, and Singapore Airlines. Transfers from Citi post in 24–48 hours.
Sweet spot
63,000 LifeMiles for a one-way business class flight from the US to Asia on ANA - regularly sold out via other programs.
JetBlue TrueBlue
TrueBlueJetBlue is the only Citi transfer partner that posts instantly. TrueBlue uses a revenue-based model - points scale with the price of the flight - making it useful for high-value JetBlue routes, especially transatlantic flights in Mint business class.
Sweet spot
20,000–30,000 TrueBlue points for a JetBlue Mint (business class) seat on popular East Coast to Caribbean routes.
Why earn ThankYou Points?
Strongest Star Alliance coverage in the industry
Turkish Airlines and Avianca are both Citi partners - and both are among the very best currencies for booking Star Alliance flights. Having both under one program gives ThankYou Points a unique edge for United, Lufthansa, ANA, and Singapore Airlines award bookings.
No transfer fees, ever
Unlike Amex, Citi charges zero transfer fees or excise taxes. Transferring 100,000 ThankYou Points to Turkish Airlines costs exactly $0. This is a meaningful difference when transferring large balances for premium cabin redemptions.
3× on supermarkets, restaurants & hotels
The Strata Premier's 3× bonus covers four of the highest-spend everyday categories: air travel, hotels, restaurants, and US supermarkets. Few $95 annual fee cards match this breadth of bonus earning alongside transfer access to 17 airline partners.
Double Cash earns 2× transferable points
The Citi Double Cash earns 2 ThankYou Points per dollar (1 when you spend, 1 when you pay), which transfers to airline miles when paired with a Strata Premier. This makes it one of the best no-annual-fee cards for accumulating transferable points.
How to transfer ThankYou Points to partners
Follow these steps every time. The golden rule: confirm award availability before moving a single point - transfers are one-way and irreversible.
- 1
Find the award first
Search for award availability on the airline or hotel program's website before transferring. Note the exact flight, date, cabin, and miles required. Award space disappears - transfers cannot be reversed.
- 2
Check for an active transfer bonus
Check the Current Bonuses section above. A +25% bonus means 40,000 points becomes 50,000 miles - free miles that require zero extra spending.
- 3
Execute the transfer from Citi
Log in to your Citi account → navigate to ThankYou Points → select "Transfer to travel partners" → choose the airline or hotel program → enter your loyalty membership number and the number of points to transfer → confirm. Keep your loyalty account number ready before you start.
- 4
Book the award immediately
As soon as miles post to your loyalty account, book the award. Partner award availability can vanish within hours. Have your passport details and co-pay card ready before starting the booking.
How much are ThankYou Points worth?
Point value varies dramatically by redemption type. Transferring to the right partner at the right time can yield 3–8× more per point than redeeming for cash back or statement credits.
Worked example
45,000 ThankYou Points transferred to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles can book a one-way business class flight from the US to Europe on a Star Alliance carrier - a seat worth $2,000+ in cash - yielding over 4¢ per point.
TPG valuation: 1.8¢ per point (April 2026). Actual value varies by route, date, and availability.
Citi vs other programs
Citi ThankYou Points competes most directly with Chase Ultimate Rewards and Capital One Miles for the best mid-tier transferable points program. Here's the head-to-head comparison.
Bottom line
Citi's biggest advantage is Turkish Airlines + Avianca - the two best Star Alliance booking tools available - combined with zero fees and a solid 3× category lineup on the $95 Strata Premier. Chase is better if you value instant transfers and Hyatt. Capital One is better if you want the most airline partners. Citi is uniquely positioned for travelers who book heavily through Star Alliance programs.
Citi ThankYou Points - program details
| Points currency | ThankYou Points |
| Transfer ratio | 1:1 to all partners |
| Transfer fees | None |
| Transfer speed | 24–48 hours (JetBlue: instant) |
| Minimum transfer | 1,000 points |
| Points expiry | Never expire with active Strata Premier |
| Airline partners | 17 |
| Hotel partners | None |
| Cards with transfer access | Strata Premier (direct); Double Cash / Custom Cash via pooling |
| Transfer bonuses | Occasional (25–30% on select partners) |
| TPG valuation | 1.8¢ per point |