The complete guide to Citi ThankYou Rewards: How to earn, redeem and transfer points
Editor's Note
While Citi offers many cards, only some provide access to the company's valuable ThankYou Rewards program. Moreover, only cardmembers with select cards can access all the Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partners and transfer to these partners 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. In this guide, we'll examine the program in more detail, including how to earn and redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards points.
Best Citi ThankYou Rewards cards
- Citi Strata Elite℠ Card (see rates and fees): Best for Citi Travel users and American Airlines flyers
- Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees): Best for earning full-fledged ThankYou Rewards points with a low annual fee
- Citi Strata℠ Card (see rates and fees): Best for earning points with no annual fee
- Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees): Best for everyday spending
- Citi Prestige® Card: Best for restaurants, airlines and travel agencies
- Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best for bonus earnings in different categories each billing cycle
The information for the Citi Prestige and the Citi Custom Cash has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
How to earn Citi ThankYou Rewards points
The only way to earn Citi ThankYou Rewards points is to get and use a Citi ThankYou Rewards card for purchases. Here's a look at how to earn points with some of the best Citi ThankYou Rewards cards:
| Card | Sign-up offer | Earning rates | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Strata Elite Card | For a limited time, earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. |
| $595 |
| Citi Strata Premier Card | Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. |
| $95 |
| Citi Strata Card | Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. |
| $0 |
| Citi Double Cash® Card* | Earn $200 in cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. Note that this bonus will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou Rewards points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. |
| $0 |
| Citi Prestige Card | This card is not available to new applicants. |
| $495 |
| Citi Custom Cash Card* | Earn $200 in cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. Note that this bonus will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou Rewards points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. |
| $0 |
*Note that Double Cash and Custom Cash cardholders will earn cash back in the form of ThankYou Rewards points.
If you want to add a new Citi ThankYou Rewards card to your wallet, read the fine print for the sign-up offer and check our page on credit card application rules to ensure you're eligible for the bonus before clicking the "Apply" button.
Related: The best time to apply for these popular Citi credit cards, based on offer history
How to redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards points
All the Citi ThankYou Rewards cards let you redeem ThankYou Rewards points for statement credits, cash rewards, third-party gift cards and travel booked through the Citi Travel portal at a flat rate of 1 cent per point. Sometimes, you'll even find gift cards on sale that could give you a slightly higher redemption rate. Be careful, though, as some redemption options (such as Shop With Points) provide less than 1 cent per point in value.
You may get significantly more value when you redeem your ThankYou Rewards points by transferring them to airline or hotel partners. However, only travelers with the Citi Strata Elite Card, the Citi Strata Premier Card or the Citi Prestige Card can transfer Citi ThankYou Rewards points to American Airlines AAdvantage. And, for the other Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partners, travelers with select cards (including the Citi Strata Elite and the Citi Strata Premier) unlock higher transfer ratios.
Here's a look at the Citi ThankYou Rewards travel partners and transfer ratios based on card type.
| Program | Transfer ratio for Citi Strata Elite, Citi Strata Premier, Citi Prestige and AT&T Access More cardmembers | Transfer ratio for other Citi ThankYou Rewards cardmembers |
|---|---|---|
| Aeromexico Rewards | 1,000:1,000 | 1,000:700 |
| 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 (not available for AT&T Access More cardmembers) | Not available |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1,000:1,000 | 1,000:700 |
| Cathay Pacific Cathay | 1,000:1,000 | 1,000:700 |
| Choice Privileges | 1,000:2,000 | 1,000:1,400 |
| 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 |
| I Prefer Hotel Rewards | 1,000:4,000 | 1,000:2,800 |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 1,000:1,000 | 1,000:700 |
| Leaders Club (Leading Hotels of the World) | 1,000:200 | 1,000:140 |
| Miles&Smiles (Turkish Airlines) | 1,000:1,000 | 1,000:700 |
| 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 |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club/Virgin Red | 1,000:1,000 | 1,000:700 |
| Wyndham Rewards | 1,000:1,000 | 1,000:700 |
The information for the AT&T Access More card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
You can combine all your ThankYou Rewards points into one account, either on the ThankYou Rewards website or via a phone call to ThankYou Rewards. Suppose you combine your points into your Citi Strata Elite Card, Citi Strata Premier Card or Citi Prestige Card account. In that case, you can transfer your rewards to all the Citi ThankYou Rewards travel partners at the best transfer ratios.
With so many transfer partners, your options are plentiful when redeeming Citi ThankYou Rewards points. Here are some redemptions to consider:
- Transfer to Singapore KrisFlyer and snag a Spontaneous Escapes deal.
- Transfer to Choice Privileges and redeem as few as 6,000 Choice points per night for a hotel stay.
- Use Avianca LifeMiles to book United Airlines-operated awards.
- Use Virgin Atlantic Flying Club to fly on Delta Air Lines-operated flights.
- Transfer to Wyndham Rewards and redeem as few as 7,500 Wyndham points per night (or even less if you have select Wyndham credit cards).
- Transfer to Air France-KLM Flying Blue to book a Flying Blue Promo Rewards flight.
- Transfer to American Airlines AAdvantage to book any of the numerous AAdvantage sweet spots.
Related: Redeem your points and miles: How to search flight award availability for the major airlines
Bottom line
Having a premium Citi ThankYou Rewards card like the Citi Strata Elite Card, the Citi Strata Premier Card or the Citi Prestige Card is more important than ever if you want to maximize the Citi ThankYou Rewards program. These cards unlock transfers to all the Citi ThankYou Rewards partners at the best rate, which can provide many high-value award booking options.
The Citi Strata Elite Card currently has a limited time welcome offer of 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, while the Citi Strata Premier Card has a welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. So, now is a good time to add either of these cards to your wallet.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 17X | Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card. |
| 3X | Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining. |
| 2X | 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless carries a $95 annual fee but offers plenty of ways to get more value from it year after year. You’ll get automatic Silver elite status, which awards 10% bonus points on stays, and enjoy a pathway to Gold status (with 15 elite night credits each year) to lock in some even better benefits. Cardholders also receive an annual free night certificate (worth up to 35,000 points) each cardmember anniversary. Those who can maximize this certificate can lock in a room with a rate far exceeding the $95 annual fee.Pros
- Annual free night certificate (up to 35,000 points) each cardmember anniversary
- Automatic Silver elite status with a pathway to Gold
Cons
- There are better Marriott cards if you want higher tier status or no annual fee
- Earn 125,000 Bonus Points + 1 Free Night Award after qualifying purchases.
- Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
- Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
- 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
- Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
- Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite status, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
- Member FDIC
Rewards Rate
| 17X | Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card. |
| 3X | Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining. |
| 2X | 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. |
Intro Offer
Earn 125,000 Bonus Points + 1 Free Night Award after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening with your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. Free Night Award valued up to 50,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.125K Points + 1 Free NightAnnual Fee
$95Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Good Credit, Excellent Credit
Why We Chose It
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless carries a $95 annual fee but offers plenty of ways to get more value from it year after year. You’ll get automatic Silver elite status, which awards 10% bonus points on stays, and enjoy a pathway to Gold status (with 15 elite night credits each year) to lock in some even better benefits. Cardholders also receive an annual free night certificate (worth up to 35,000 points) each cardmember anniversary. Those who can maximize this certificate can lock in a room with a rate far exceeding the $95 annual fee.Pros
- Annual free night certificate (up to 35,000 points) each cardmember anniversary
- Automatic Silver elite status with a pathway to Gold
Cons
- There are better Marriott cards if you want higher tier status or no annual fee
- Earn 125,000 Bonus Points + 1 Free Night Award after qualifying purchases.
- Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
- Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
- 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
- Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
- Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite status, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
- Member FDIC