How to Transfer Citi ThankYou Points (2024)

Vault’s Viewpoint

• If you have a Citi Premier Card, you are eligible to transfer to 19 hotel, airline and retail rewards programs, most of which transfer at a 1:1 rate.
• Citi Rewards+® Card, Citi Double Cash® Card and select other Citi card holders can transfer to Choice Privileges, JetBlue TrueBlue and Wyndham Rewards, though at a less favorable rate.
• The Citi ThankYou transfer program is more limited than similar programs from American Express and Chase.

Step by Step on How to Transfer Citi ThankYou Points

To transfer Citi ThankYou points, you’ll need to have an eligible card. Some Citi cards can only transfer to select programs, while others don’t qualify for point transfers at all. Eligibility is as follows:

• Citi Custom Cash® Card – Points can only be transferred to Shop Your Way retail program.
• Citi Double Cash Card – Points can be transferred to Shop Your Way, Choice Privileges, JetBlue TrueBlue and Wyndham Rewards (transfer ratios may vary.)
• Citi Rewards+ Card – Points can be transferred to Shop Your Way, Choice Privileges, JetBlue TrueBlue and Wyndham Rewards (transfer ratios may vary.)
• Citi Premier Card – Transfer to all partner programs at most favorable transfer ratio.

Additionally, if you have the Citi Prestige Card, which is no longer available to new applicants, you are eligible to transfer to all partners.

If you have a Citi card that is eligible to transfer ThankYou points, you can do so by logging into your online account’s rewards portal. Under the “more ways to redeem” menu option, you’ll find “points transfer.”

You’ll be able to select the program you want to transfer to, and be prompted to enter your loyalty account number for that program. The name on the loyalty account must match the name on your Citi card, so if you don’t already have an account with that airline or hotel, you’ll need to create one.

For all hotel and airline programs, you’ll need to transfer a minimum of 1,000 ThankYou points to take advantage of this option. There is no minimum requirement for the Shop Your Way retailer program.

Typically your points or miles will be available in your partner account within 24 hours, though some loyalty programs could take a few days to post.

Value of Citi Points

While you may be able to transfer your Citi points, it may or may not be worth it to do so. Sometimes transferring points to an airline or hotel program can get you more value out of your rewards, but that is not always the case.

That is because every airline, hotel and other loyalty program point or mile has its own value. The average point is worth about 1 cent, so if you can get more than that, it might be worth it to transfer to a partner program. You should also consider the transfer ratio, or the amount of partner points you can get for the Citi points you transfer.

Current Citi transfer ratios include:

With partner values in mind, we estimate the average Citi ThankYou point is worth about 1.28 cents a piece if you have a Citi Premier Card, but only about 1 cent if you have another Citi card.

Unfortunately, Citi’s list of transfer partners is relatively lacking when compared to options from American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards. Most notably, Citi’s list has no major domestic airlines.

Citi does have some unique transfer options compared to other issuers, however. The Shop Your Way program allows users to earn rewards from thousands of popular online retailers–a valuable choice for less frequent travelers.

Should You Transfer Your Citi Points?

In some cases, transferring your Citi ThankYou points to a travel partner can get you more value out of your rewards. But it will take a little bit of extra legwork to redeem points this way, and your mileage may vary.

Before deciding if you should transfer your Citi ThankYou points, consider the following:

• Other redemption options: Periodically, Citi offers special deals that mean you may get more value out of another redemption option. For instance, you could buy gift cards at a discount, getting you more than 1 cent per point of value. Consider all other options available to you, their value and how likely you are to use points that way to find the best choice for you.
• The transfer ratio: While most Citi transfers happen at a 1:1 ratio, you might end up getting more or less partner points for the Citi points you transfer. Check the ratio for your specific card to make sure you get a favorable rate.
• The price in cash vs. the price in points: To estimate the value of a point or miles-based redemption, divide the price in points by 100 and compare it to the price in cash. If the value is more than 1 cent per point, it’s typically a good deal, while less than 1 cent per point means you could be better off redeeming another way.
• Research time: Your time is valuable, and if you don’t want to put in the extra work of comparing partner flight prices and making transfers, you can still get a good value out of your ThankYou points by redeeming them for travel through the issuer or for other redemption options, like cash back or gift cards.