Advertisers are not responsible for the content of this site, including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information about any information on any advertiser product, please visit their website. We receive compensation from some financial institutions listed on this site. Although we are compensated for each approved financial product through our website’s affiliate links, our research and content are based on an objective analysis. †Terms and conditions apply.
Citi just announced a Citi ThankYou transfer devaluation hitting two hotel partners on April 19, 2026. Transfer rates to Choice Privileges drop 25%, and transfers to Preferred Hotels I Prefer get cut in half. If you hold a premium Citi ThankYou card — like the Citi Strata Premier or Citi Strata Elite — you have less than a month to act on the current, better rates.
This article breaks down exactly what’s changing, who’s affected, whether you should rush to transfer points, and what alternatives exist. For a broader look at the best credit cards for earning transferable points, our main ranking covers every major issuer.
Citi is reducing ThankYou Points transfer rates to two hotel loyalty programs. The cuts are significant — especially for I Prefer, which loses half its value overnight. Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the current and new rates.
The new rates take effect on April 19, 2026. Any transfers completed before that date will still use the current, higher ratios. All other Citi ThankYou transfer partners — including all airline programs — remain unchanged.
This devaluation applies to holders of premium Citi ThankYou Rewards cards — meaning cards that carry an annual fee. These include the Citi Strata Premier® Card, Citi Strata Elite℠ Card, and the Citi / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, among others.
Cards without an annual fee — like the Citi® Double Cash Card or Citi Custom Cash℠ Card — can earn ThankYou Points but do not have access to transfer partners. If you’ve been transferring points to Choice Privileges for mid-range hotel stays, or using I Prefer for boutique hotel bookings, your redemptions will cost more points after April 19.
The answer depends on which program you use and whether you have specific redemptions in mind. A speculative transfer — moving points without a booking plan — carries its own risks. Hotel loyalty points are harder to use flexibly than airline miles. However, if you already have a stay planned, locking in the current rate before April 19 makes sense.
At the current 1:2 ratio, Choice Privileges points from Citi offer modest value. Choice points are generally worth around 0.5 to 0.7 cents each, depending on the property. That puts the effective value of a Citi ThankYou point transferred to Choice at roughly 1.0 to 1.4 cents — decent but not exceptional.
After April 19, the 1:1.5 ratio drops that effective value to about 0.75 to 1.05 cents per ThankYou point. That’s below what most airline transfer partners deliver. If you have a Choice Hotels stay booked or planned in the near future, transferring now at the old rate saves you points. Otherwise, airline partners offer better returns.
The I Prefer program — tied to Preferred Hotels & Resorts — offered real value at the old 1:4 ratio. At that rate, each Citi ThankYou point was worth roughly 2 to 3 cents when redeemed for boutique hotel stays. That made it one of the best transfer options in the entire Citi ThankYou ecosystem.
At the new 1:2 ratio, the value drops to about 1 to 1.5 cents per ThankYou point. That’s still acceptable in some scenarios, but it removes the standout advantage I Prefer once had. If you have a specific I Prefer redemption in mind — particularly at a high-end property — transferring before April 19 is a clear win.
Citi ThankYou Points still transfer to a strong roster of airline and hotel partners. If hotel transfers are losing value, the practical move is to redirect your points toward partners where the math still works. Here are the options worth your attention.
Citi’s strongest transfer partners are on the airline side. Several programs offer 1:1 transfer ratios and access to high-value award redemptions in business and first class. These partners consistently deliver 1.5 to 3+ cents per point when booked strategically.
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands is a sleeper pick at a 1:1 ratio. EVA releases better award availability to its own members than to Star Alliance partners. You can often find business class seats from the U.S. to Asia via Taipei that are unavailable through United or Air Canada.
If you specifically want hotel points from your Citi ThankYou balance, the remaining hotel partners — Accor ALL, Wyndham Rewards, and Leading Hotels of the World — don’t match the old I Prefer rate. For hotel stays, consider booking through a travel portal or using a dedicated hotel credit card from a program like World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, or Hilton Honors.
To stay updated on the latest card offers and transfer bonuses, subscribe to our newsletter.
The Citi ThankYou transfer devaluation removes two hotel transfer options that, at their old rates, offered respectable value. I Prefer takes the bigger hit — going from one of Citi’s best-kept secrets to a middling option. Choice Privileges was already niche, and the 25% cut makes it even harder to justify over airline partners.
If you have a specific hotel booking in mind with either program, transfer your ThankYou Points before April 18, 2026. Otherwise, focus on Citi’s airline transfer partners, where the math remains strong. Programs like AAdvantage, LifeMiles, Flying Blue, and Virgin Atlantic consistently deliver solid value.
For a full overview of the cards that earn ThankYou Points and their competitors, see our ranking of the best credit cards in the U.S.
You can change your preferences or opt out at any time by clicking on one of the hyperlinks available at the bottom of each newsletter.
If you are already a subscriber and would like to unsubscribe, you can click on the link at the bottom of any of our e-mails.
