Citi ThankYou Rewards

Don’t sleep on Citi ThankYou points. You can redeem them for some of the world’s best business- and first-class seats by transferring points to Citi’s 19 airline and hotel loyalty programs, including reader favorites Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Avianca LifeMiles.

Whether you already have a stash of ThankYou points or are just about to open your first Citi credit card, it’s important to know all the ways to earn ThankYou points and the best ways to redeem them. Here’s everything you need to know about Citi ThankYou.

Citi ThankYou Rewards overview

Citi ThankYou might not be as well-known as Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards points, but it’s a program worth knowing. Here are a few of its key features:

I’ve been earning and redeeming with ThankYou since 2016, and these points have funded many of my favorite vacations.

How to earn Citi ThankYou Rewards points

You can earn Citi ThankYou points when spending on select Citi credit cards. However, only one Citi card — the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card — lets you transfer your points to all 19 of Citi’s travel partners. You can, however, earn points with other Citi cards and move the points to your Strata Premier.

Cards that earn Citi ThankYou Rewards points

Here are the Citi cards earning ThankYou points:

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

Unlock Ultra‑Premium Rewards with the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

• 80,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases within your first 3 months
• 12× points on hotels, car rentals & attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
• 6× points on airfare booked through CitiTravel.com
• 6× points on weekend dining (Friday & Saturday from 6 PM–6 AM ET)
• 3× points on restaurants any other time
• 1.5× points on all other purchases
• Up to $300 annual hotel credit on two‑night bookings via CitiTravel.com
• Up to $200 annual Splurge Credit℠ (choose two brands: 1stDibs, AA, Best Buy, personal training, Live Nation)
• Up to $200 Blacklane® chauffeur credit per year
• Priority Pass™ Select lounge access plus four Admirals Club® passes
• Up to $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck® credit every four years
• No foreign transaction fees

Designed for discerning travelers, the Strata Elite℠ Card turbocharges your points on every journey and gourmet meal, then offsets its $595 fee with generous annual credits and premium lounge benefits. Redeem ThankYou® Points for flights, hotels, gift cards or transfers to top airline and hotel partners—your next luxury experience is just a swipe away.

Terms apply. Bonus points, credits and benefits require qualifying spend and enrollment. See issuer for details.

Citi Strata Premier® Card

Supercharge Your Earning with the Citi Strata Premier® Card

• 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
• 10X points on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
• 3X points on air travel, other hotel purchases, supermarkets, restaurants and gas & EV charging stations
• 1X point on all other purchases
• $100 annual hotel benefit on a single $500+ stay booked via CitiTravel.com
• No foreign transaction fees and no points expiration
• $95 annual fee

Whether you’re packing your bags for an international adventure or filling up at the grocery store, the Citi Strata Premier® Card rewards you richly across everyday essentials and travel purchases. Track your points in the Citi app, enjoy instant hotel savings, and leverage top transfer partners to unlock even more value.

Terms apply. Annual fee applies. Bonus points require minimum spend. See full terms for details.

Citi Strata℠ Card

Maximize Your Everyday & Travel Spend with the Citi Strata℠ Card

• 30,000 bonus points after $1,000 in purchases within 3 months
• 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases & balance transfers
• 5× points on hotels, car rentals & attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
• 3× points at supermarkets, on select transit, gas & EV charging
• 3× points on your choice of
  – Fitness clubs
  – Select streaming services
  – Live entertainment
  – Cosmetic stores, barber shops & hair salons
  – Pet supply stores
• 2× points at restaurants
• 1× point on all other purchases
• No annual fee

Whether you’re stocking up at the grocery store, exploring a new city or treating yourself to a concert, the Citi Strata℠ Card delivers accelerated points where you spend most. Redeem ThankYou® Points for travel, gift cards or statement credits—and transfer to partner programs for even more value.

Terms apply. Intro APR applies to purchases & balance transfers posted within first 60 days; ongoing APR 19.24%–29.24% variable. Balance transfer fee: 3% for transfers in first 4 months (min $5), then 5%. Foreign transaction fee: 3%. Bonus points require qualifying spend. See issuer for details.

Citi® Double Cash Card

Unlock 2% Cash Back with the Citi Double Cash® Card

• 2% cash back on all purchases: 1% when you buy, plus 1% as you pay
• $200 cash back bonus after $1,500 in purchases within 6 months
• 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months
• No annual fee
• 3% foreign transaction fee

Perfect for simplifying your rewards, the Citi Double Cash® Card delivers unlimited cash back on every dollar you spend and pay off. Redeem your ThankYou® Points as statement credits, direct deposits or checks—all tracked easily in the Citi mobile app. Plus, use the introductory 0% APR period to consolidate balances and save on interest.

Terms apply. Balance transfer fee: 3% of each transfer (min $5) within first 4 months, then 5% thereafter. Intro APR applies to transfers completed within 4 months of account opening. See full terms for details.

Consider a two-card strategy

I have two Citi ThankYou cards in my wallet: the Strata Premier and the Double Cash. When I want to stock up on ThankYou points, I use the Strata Premier for travel, EV charging, dining and groceries to earn 3 points per dollar. Then, I put the rest of my regular spending on the Double Cash to earn 2% cash back — which can be transferred to ThankYou points — on all other purchases.

Doing this ensures I never get fewer than two points per dollar on my everyday spending. So, if you can manage two credit cards, consider doing the same. It’ll speed up how many points you earn and put you closer to your next big redemption.

How to redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards points

Citi ThankYou Rewards is a transferable points program, so you have options for redeeming your rewards. You’ll typically get the best value from your points when you redeem them for travel through Citi’s transfer partners, but you can also choose to redeem them for statement credits, gift cards and more.

Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partners

As mentioned, if you have a Citi Strata Premier or a discontinued Citi ThankYou card with an annual fee, you can transfer your points to all of Citi’s airline and hotel transfer partners. 

Here’s the full list of 15 airline transfer partners:

You can also transfer to four hotel loyalty programs:

If you only have a Citi card with no annual fee, you can transfer your points to the following loyalty programs at lower transfer rates:

Booking with Citi Travel

Citi Travel is an online travel agency powered by Booking.com. You can redeem Citi ThankYou points for hotels, flights, rental cars and other travel at a fixed rate of 1 cent per point. This isn’t the worst value, but you can often do better when booking travel through a transfer partner.

Other ways to use Citi ThankYou Rewards points

Other ways to redeem your Citi ThankYou points include:

Given these low redemption rates, we recommend avoiding these redemptions.

Maximizing Citi ThankYou Rewards points

Citi ThankYou Rewards redemption sweet spots

With 19 transfer partners, it’s not hard to redeem Citi ThankYou points for flights to your dream destination. But some transfer partner redemptions will yield better value than others — here are a few team favorites:

Check out our list of the best ways to redeem ThankYou points for more information.

Bottom line

Citi ThankYou Rewards points are the underdog of the transferable points world. It has fewer credit cards than rival programs, and its transfer partners are more obscure. However, there’s still immense value to be found if you know how to redeem your points properly.

Posts related to Citi ThankYou Rewards

FAQs about Citi ThankYou Rewards