You want your Citi ThankYou points to move fast, so you can lock seats before award space disappears. We use transferable points because they are flexible, protect you from a single program devaluation, and unlock sweet spots across alliances. In this complete guide, we explain transfer partners, typical speeds, rules, and smart tactics so you transfer with confidence.
How Many Airline And Hotel Partners Does Citi ThankYou Have?
Citi ThankYou now has 20 transfer partners in total, including 15 airlines and 5 hotel programs. Premium transfer ratios apply when you hold cards like Strata Elite, Strata Premier, or the discontinued Prestige, while reduced ratios apply on no-annual-fee cards. Use this table as a quick, current reference before you move points.
Airline Partners, Ratios, And Typical Transfer Times
Note: Premium 1:1 ratios require a qualifying card, and no-annual-fee cards may have reduced ratios, see the card section for details.
| Airline Partner | Premium Transfer Ratio | Typical Transfer Time | Best Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeroméxico Rewards | 1:1 | Instant | Mexico and South America redemptions (e.g., LAX–MEX economy from about 12.5k). |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 1:1 | Instant | Promo Rewards to Europe (e.g., JFK–CDG business from 50k–55k on promo). |
| American AAdvantage | 1:1 | Instant | Oneworld business class (e.g., JFK–DOH Qsuite business for 70k). |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 | Instant | Star Alliance sweet spots (e.g., EWR–FRA business for 63k on United). |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 1:1 | Instant | Distance-based awards (e.g., SFO–HKG business from about 85k). |
| Emirates Skywards | 1:0.8 | Instant | Emirates premium cabins (e.g., JFK–MXP business at about 87.5k). |
| Etihad Guest | 1:1 | Instant | Niche partner charts (e.g., U.S.–Casablanca business on Royal Air Maroc from about 44k). |
| EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | 1:1 | about 1–2 days | EVA business class (e.g., LAX–TPE business from about 75k). |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 1:1 | Instant | Revenue-based redemptions (e.g., JFK–FLL economy often about 6k–10k). |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 1:1 | Instant | Oneworld classic awards (e.g., SYD–MEL economy for 8k). |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 1:1 | about 1–2 days | Qsuite awards with Avios (e.g., JFK–DOH business for 70k). |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 | about 12–24 hours | Saver space on SQ (e.g., SFO–SIN business Saver from about 107k). |
| Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus | 1:1 | about 3–6 days | Regional Asia awards (e.g., BKK–NRT business around 40k). |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 1:1 | Instant | U.S. to Hawaii on United (e.g., mainland–HNL economy for 7.5k). |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1:1 | Instant | ANA premium cabins (e.g., LAX–Tokyo first from 55k, space permitting). |
Fees note: Fuel surcharges and carrier-imposed fees vary by program and route, always check totals before transferring points.
Hotel Partners, Ratios, And Typical Transfer Times
| Hotel Partner | Premium Transfer Ratio | Typical Transfer Time |
| ALL Accor Live Limitless | 1:0.5 | Instant |
| Choice Privileges | 1:2 | Instant |
| Leaders Club, The Leading Hotels of the World | 1:0.2 | Instant |
| Preferred Hotels & Resorts I Prefer | 1:4 | Instant |
| Wyndham Rewards | 1:1 | Within 24 hours |
Ratios may vary on no-annual-fee cards, and limited time transfer bonuses can improve value, so always check your Citi ThankYou portal before you move points. Make sure your partner account number and name match your Citi profile to avoid delays. Keep these nuances in mind when timing a transfer for scarce premium cabin seats.
How Long Do Citi ThankYou Points Transfers Take?
Note: First-time transfers and name mismatches are the top delay causes. Use each partner link below to jump to details in the tables above.
Quick Reference
| Partner | Status | Typical Transfer Time |
| Aeroméxico Rewards | Instant | Instant |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | Instant | Instant |
| American AAdvantage | Instant | Instant |
| Avianca LifeMiles | Instant | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | Instant | Instant |
| Emirates Skywards | Instant | Instant |
| Etihad Guest | Instant | Instant |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | Instant | Instant |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Instant | Instant |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | Instant | Instant |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Instant | Instant |
| ALL Accor Live Limitless | Instant | Instant |
| Choice Privileges | Instant | Instant |
| Leaders Club, The Leading Hotels of the World | Instant | Instant |
| Preferred Hotels & Resorts I Prefer | Instant | Instant |
| EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | Delayed | 1–2 days |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | Delayed | 1–2 days |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | Delayed | 12–24 hours |
| Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus | Delayed | 3–6 days |
| Wyndham Rewards | Delayed | Up to 24 hours |
Troubleshooting Checklist
- Verify your name and account number match exactly on Citi and the partner.
- Confirm the partner account is created, active, and linked in your ThankYou profile.
- Expect first-time transfer reviews and weekend or holiday batching delays.
Most Citi transfers post instantly, which is ideal when you need to grab award space quickly. A few partners still take hours or days, so plan ahead for EVA Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and sometimes Wyndham. If your points have not appeared after a reasonable window, recheck your name formatting, then contact Citi and the partner to investigate.
What It Costs To Move Points
You pay no fees to transfer Citi ThankYou points to airline or hotel partners, so the real cost is opportunity cost that you manage by timing transfers around verified award space, temporary transfer bonuses, and fare changes that affect redemption value.
Minimum transfers start at 1,000 points for most programs and many partners require 1,000‑point increments, so move only what you need after you confirm saver availability, total taxes and surcharges, and the program’s change and cancellation rules.
Transfers are final and cannot be reversed, keep a small cushion in your ThankYou balance for schedule issues, confirm your partner account is active and accurate before you send points, and when possible place a free hold or initiate the transfer during staffed hours so you can escalate if posting lags.
Smart Ways To Share Points With Someone You Trust
You can share up to 100,000 points per calendar year with another ThankYou member and you can receive up to 100,000 shared points, but shared points expire 90 days after arrival so line up the award first and move exactly what is required.
Create the recipient’s partner accounts in advance, match names precisely, prepare a simple checklist that includes program logins, award screenshots, and taxes due, then transfer during business hours so you can contact support if posting slows.
Because shared points cannot be re‑shared and the clock starts immediately, set a reminder for day 75, avoid sending points without a concrete plan, and send a few thousand extra only if the partner requires 1,000‑point increments and you are topping up multiple travelers on the same record.
Name Matching Rules To Avoid Failed Transfers
Your Citi ThankYou profile must match the partner account exactly, including middle names, suffixes, accents, and hyphenation, because even small differences can trigger manual review or rejection.
Before you transfer, confirm the membership number, check that the account is at least a few hours old, and align fields like first name, last name, and date of birth, then log out and back in to refresh the partner link in your ThankYou dashboard.
If you are helping a spouse or friend, share points to their ThankYou account first, keep screenshots of both profiles and the transfer confirmation, and be prepared to contact Citi and the partner with reference numbers if a mismatch delays posting beyond the normal window.
Combine Accounts Without Losing Value
You can combine ThankYou accounts under one login so you see a single points balance and redeem more easily, however each card’s points keep their own expiration rules behind the scenes. If you close a ThankYou‑earning card, the points tied to that card expire 60 days after closure even if you hold another ThankYou card, so set a reminder before you cancel, then transfer those points to a partner or product change to a no‑annual‑fee option to preserve access.
When you pool with no‑annual‑fee cards, remember that premium 1:1 transfer ratios depend on having an eligible premium card at the time of transfer, and shared points you receive keep their own 90‑day clock even after they land in your combined balance.
The Cards That Power Your ThankYou Earning
We recommend choosing a premium card as your hub for 1:1 transfers, then pairing it with a no‑annual‑fee earner to maximize everyday spending without adding cost. Strata Premier covers popular categories like travel, dining, supermarkets, gas, and EV charging with strong multipliers, while Strata Elite layers premium travel credits, protections, and full transfer access that turns your pooled points into flexible airline miles.
For simple daily earning, Double Cash adds steady returns on non‑bonused purchases, and when those points combine under a premium account you unlock the best transfer ratios, making it easier to top up for business class awards, last‑minute seats, and family bookings that would be expensive with cash.
Quick Reference, Earning And Transfer Access
| Card | Annual Fee | Public Welcome Offer (As Of August 2025) | Notable Earn Categories | Apply Here |
| Citi Strata Elite | $595 | 80,000 ThankYou Points after $4,000 spend in 3 months | Elevated travel and dining, enhanced benefits | Apply Here |
| Citi Strata Premier | $95 | 60,000 ThankYou Points after $4,000 spend in 3 months | 10x hotels, car rentals, attractions via CitiTravel, 3x air travel, hotels, dining, supermarkets, gas and EV charging | Apply Here |
| Citi Strata | $0 | 30,000 ThankYou Points after $1,000 spend in 3 months | 5x hotels, car rentals, attractions via CitiTravel, 3x supermarkets, select transit, gas and EV charging, 2x restaurants | Apply Here |
| Citi Double Cash | $0 | 20,000 ThankYou Points ($200 cash back) after $1,500 spend in 6 months | 1x when you buy, 1x when you pay, great for non-bonused spend | Apply Here |
Offers subject to change, terms apply. See issuer pages for current rates, fees, and bonus details.
Pairing a premium Strata card with a no-annual-fee card lets you combine points and unlock 1:1 transfers for those earnings once they sit in your ThankYou account.
Double Cash earns cash back in the form of ThankYou points, which can be pooled with a premium card account to access full 1:1 partner transfers. Keep at least one eligible premium card open in your household so pooled points retain transfer access at the time you move them.
Should You Transfer Citi ThankYou Points To Travel Partners?
Transferring to airline partners often delivers the highest value per point, especially for international business class awards. We like Flying Blue for monthly Promo Rewards, Virgin Atlantic for selective partner redemptions, and AAdvantage now that it supports direct 1:1 transfers. Move points only after you have found seats, verified pricing and surcharges, and confirmed rules like mixed cabin pricing and change policies.
Before you book your next trip, try our Credit Card Finder to match your spending with the right welcome bonus and transfer partners.
Quick FAQs On Citi Transfers
Do Transfers Process On Weekends?
Instant partners usually post seven days a week within minutes. Some programs batch transactions, and weekends or bank holidays can add several hours or longer. If the award is time-sensitive with a non-instant partner, build in lead time or hold the seat first if the program allows it.
Can Transfers Be Reversed?
No, transfers are final once you confirm the move in your Citi ThankYou account. Because the process is irreversible, verify award space and total taxes before you send points. Move only what you need for the specific booking, and keep screenshots of the itinerary and pricing.
What Is The Minimum Transfer Amount?
Most partners require a minimum of 1,000 ThankYou points per transaction. Some programs also require transfers in 1,000 point increments, which affects top-up math for close redemptions. Check the partner rules on your ThankYou dashboard before you initiate the transfer.
Why haven’t my points shown up yet?
Confirm that your name and account number match exactly between Citi and the partner, including middle names or spaces. First-time transfers and security reviews can slow posting, so give non-instant partners a reasonable window. If the timeline has passed, contact Citi and the partner with your reference number, then escalate via secure message if needed.
ThankYou points shine when you pair strong earning with targeted transfers to high value partners. Instant posting to most programs makes it easier to secure scarce seats, and new access to American AAdvantage adds serious flexibility. Use our tables, plan around slower partners, and you will stretch your points further on the trips you care about most.
