While Citi offers many cards, only some provide access to its valuable ThankYou Rewards program. Moreover, only cardmembers with select cards can access all Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partners and transfer to them at the best rates.
Whether you’re applying for your first credit card or are a seasoned pro looking for a new travel rewards card, one or more cards in Citi’s portfolio might be right for you.
Here’s how to earn and redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards points and which cards can help you maximize their value.
Best Citi ThankYou Rewards cards
How to earn Citi ThankYou Rewards points
The primary way to earn Citi ThankYou Rewards points is with an eligible Citi credit card, whether through a welcome offer or ongoing spending. However, customers who enrolled an eligible Citibank checking account in ThankYou Rewards before July 18, 2022, may also earn points through that relationship.
Here’s a look at how to earn points with some of the best Citi ThankYou Rewards cards:
| Card | Welcome offer | Earning rates | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$595 |
|
|
Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. |
|
$95 |
|
|
Earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. |
|
$0 |
|
|
Earn $200 in cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou Rewards points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. |
|
$0 |
*Double Cash cardholders earn cash back in the form of ThankYou Rewards points.
If you want to add one of the above Citi ThankYou Rewards cards to your wallet, read the fine print for the welcome offer and check our page on credit card application rules to ensure you’re eligible for the bonus before clicking the “Apply” button.
Citi also currently offers the AT&T Points Plus Card, which earns ThankYou points and may appeal to eligible AT&T customers. Existing cardholders may also earn ThankYou points with several cards that are no longer open to new applicants, including the Citi Prestige, AT&T Access More, Citi ThankYou Preferred, Citi Custom Cash, Citi ThankYou Mastercard, AT&T Universal Rewards World, AT&T Universal Savings and Rewards, AT&T Universal Rewards and AT&T Access.
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The information for the Citi Prestige, AT&T Access More, Citi ThankYou Preferred, Citi Custom Cash, Citi ThankYou Mastercard, AT&T Universal Rewards World, AT&T Universal Savings and Rewards, AT&T Universal Rewards, AT&T Points Plus Card from Citi and AT&T Access has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Maximize the Citi Trifecta: Earn and redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards points with 3 cards
How to redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards points
TPG values Citi ThankYou Rewards points at 1.9 cents apiece as of October 2026, although the value you receive will depend on how you redeem them.
Most currently available Citi ThankYou cards let you redeem points through the Citi Travel portal and for many gift cards at 1 cent apiece. Redemption values for cash back, statement credits, Shop With Points and other options vary by card and redemption method, so check the displayed rate before redeeming.
You may get significantly more value from your ThankYou Rewards points by transferring them to airline or hotel partners. However, only travelers with select cards unlock higher transfer ratios. Here’s a look at Citi ThankYou Rewards travel partners and their standard transfer ratios by card type.
| Program | Transfer ratio for Citi Strata Elite, Citi Strata Premier, Citi Prestige and AT&T Access More | Transfer ratio for Citi Strata, Citi Double Cash and other select cards** |
|---|---|---|
|
Accor Live Limitless
|
1,000:500 |
1,000:350 |
|
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
American Airlines AAdvantage
|
1,000:1,000*** |
1,000:700*** |
|
Avianca Lifemiles
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
Cathay Pacific
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
Choice Privileges
|
1,000:1,500 |
1,000:1,050 |
|
Emirates Skywards
|
1,000:800 |
1,000:560 |
|
Etihad Guest
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
JetBlue TrueBlue
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700**** |
|
Preferred Hotels & Resorts (I Prefer)
|
1,000:2,000 |
1,000:1,400 |
|
Qantas Frequent Flyer
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
Singapore KrisFlyer
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
Thai Royal Orchid Plus
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
The Leading Hotels of the World (Leaders Club)
|
1,000:200 |
1,000:140 |
|
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club/Virgin Red
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
|
Wyndham Rewards
|
1,000:1,000 |
1,000:700 |
**The other select cards are the Citi ThankYou Preferred, Citi Custom Cash, Citi ThankYou Mastercard, AT&T Universal Rewards World, AT&T Universal Savings and Rewards, AT&T Universal Rewards, AT&T Points Plus and AT&T Access.
***Cardholders whose only eligible card is the Citi ThankYou Mastercard, AT&T Universal Savings and Rewards, AT&T Universal Rewards, AT&T Points Plus Card from Citi, AT&T Access More or AT&T Access cannot transfer to American AAdvantage.
****Cardholders whose only eligible card is the Citi ThankYou Mastercard cannot transfer to JetBlue TrueBlue.
Citi requires at least 1,000 points per transfer, and additional points must be transferred in increments of 1,000. Each transfer is capped at 500,000 points. Transfers are final, and the first and last names on your ThankYou Rewards account and airline or hotel loyalty account must match. Additionally, you can transfer points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Qantas Frequent Flyer only once every 24 hours.
If you have multiple ThankYou accounts, you can combine them online or by calling ThankYou Rewards. Combining eligible credit card points with a Citi Strata Elite, Citi Strata Premier or Citi Prestige account generally unlocks the strongest standard transfer ratios. However, checking-derived taxable points aren’t eligible for partner transfers.
With so many transfer partners, your options are plentiful when redeeming Citi ThankYou Rewards points. Here are some redemptions to consider:
Related: Strata, Premier or Elite: How to choose a Citi Strata credit card
Bottom line
Having an eligible card, such as the Citi Strata Elite or Citi Strata Premier, is important if you want access to Citi’s full partner lineup at the strongest standard transfer ratios. The $95-a-year Citi Strata Premier is the lowest-cost currently available option for unlocking those rates, while the Citi Strata Elite may make sense for cardmembers who can maximize its premium benefits and statement credits.
However, you don’t need an annual-fee card to participate in the ThankYou Rewards program. No-annual-fee cards such as the Citi Strata and Citi Double Cash still offer useful earning categories and access to all of Citi’s current transfer partners, albeit generally at lower ratios.
Related: The best time to apply for these popular Citi credit cards based on offer history
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thepointsguy.com
