Citi ThankYou Rewards is currently offering a 25% transfer bonus when converting points to Avianca LifeMiles. This limited-time promotion, running from September 21 through October 18, 2025, presents a valuable opportunity for Citi cardholders looking to book Star Alliance award flights without fuel surcharges.
This is just one of several transfer bonuses currently available from Citi, which is also running promotions for transfers to Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Turkish Miles&Smiles, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Let’s examine the details of the LifeMiles offer and whether it’s worth taking advantage of.
The bonus appears automatically when initiating a transfer through your Citi ThankYou account—no registration is required beyond having a LifeMiles account linked to your Citi profile.
The transfer bonus varies depending on which Citi card you hold:
If you have multiple Citi cards, remember that you can combine your ThankYou points and transfer them from the account with the best transfer options.
Avianca LifeMiles is a particularly valuable frequent flyer program because it allows you to book Star Alliance awards without fuel surcharges. With 26 member airlines, Star Alliance is the world’s largest airline alliance, offering extensive global coverage.
Here are some of the best redemption opportunities that become even more attractive with this 25% transfer bonus:
Despite a recent devaluation that increased the minimum award price from 6,500 to 7,500 miles, domestic United flights still represent good value through LifeMiles, especially with this transfer bonus. Routes like Kansas City to Orlando or Chicago to Washington DC can be booked for just 6,000 Citi points.
LifeMiles offers competitive pricing for business class travel to Europe on carriers like Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian, and United. For example, New York (JFK) to Zurich (ZRH) in SWISS business class costs 55,000 LifeMiles, which translates to just 44,000 Citi points with this transfer bonus. Best of all, you’ll pay minimal taxes and fees (around $50) since LifeMiles doesn’t pass on carrier surcharges.
While not quite as good as Turkish Airlines’ sweet spot pricing to Hawaii (which is also available with a current transfer bonus), LifeMiles still offers competitive rates for flights to the Hawaiian islands on United. At 12,000 Citi points one-way in economy with this bonus, it’s a solid option, especially when United’s own program might charge 20,000+ miles for the same flights.
Lufthansa First Class is one of the most coveted premium cabin experiences, and LifeMiles offers one of the more reasonable award rates. While Lufthansa typically only releases first class award space to partners 14 days before departure, this can be a fantastic use of miles if you have flexible travel plans or are booking a last-minute trip.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) offers an exceptional first class product, and LifeMiles provides a competitive rate for booking it. While availability can be challenging to find, 84,000 Citi points for a first class experience to Japan represents excellent value, especially compared to ANA’s own program which doesn’t allow one-way bookings.
Before transferring your valuable Citi ThankYou points to Avianca LifeMiles, keep these important factors in mind:
LifeMiles doesn’t always have access to the same award inventory as other Star Alliance programs. Sometimes it shows less availability than other programs, while other times it might show more. It’s always wise to conduct “dummy searches” on the LifeMiles website before transferring points to confirm that the flights you want are actually bookable.
The LifeMiles website can be frustrating to use and sometimes experiences technical glitches. Complex itineraries or mixed-cabin bookings might not display correctly online. In some cases, you may need to call LifeMiles customer service, which can also be challenging to work with.
LifeMiles expire after 12 months of inactivity. However, any earning or redemption activity will reset the expiration clock. This is more flexible than some programs (like Turkish Airlines), but still requires regular account activity to maintain your miles.
LifeMiles regularly offers transfer bonuses from various transferable points currencies. If you don’t have immediate travel plans, there will likely be similar opportunities in the future. While 25% is a good bonus, we’ve occasionally seen bonuses as high as 30% in the past.
If you’re ready to take advantage of this promotion, follow these steps:
The bonus will be automatically applied, and you should see the miles in your LifeMiles account almost immediately in most cases, though it can occasionally take up to 24 hours.
The 25% transfer bonus from Citi ThankYou to Avianca LifeMiles offers good value for travelers looking to book Star Alliance awards without fuel surcharges. While not as exceptional as the current 50% bonus to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, it still provides competitive rates for domestic United flights, business class to Europe, and premium cabin experiences on carriers like Lufthansa and ANA.
As with any transfer promotion, it’s best to have specific redemption plans in mind before transferring points. Check award availability on the LifeMiles website first, and be prepared for potential technical challenges during the booking process.
If you have eligible Citi cards and travel plans that align with Star Alliance routes, this 25% bonus is worth considering before it expires on October 18, 2025. Just be sure to understand the program’s quirks and limitations before committing your valuable ThankYou points.
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