--- title: Best Ways to Use Citi ThankYou Points description: >- Make Citi ThankYou points go further. Learn which AA and EVA Air transfers are worth it, why the specific card matters, and which redemptions to skip. date: '2026-10-22' author: Jimmy Yoon, Laura Motta category: Insights - Blog Articles Home tags: - Credit Cards - Loyalty Programs canonical_url: https://www.point.me/insights/best-ways-use-citi-thankyou-points/ source: point.me license: © 2026 point.me. All rights reserved. slug: best-ways-use-citi-thankyou-points id: 69VlKA3nvg3QHp1b9vwRNN contentType: article --- # Best Ways to Use Citi ThankYou Points Written by: Jimmy Yoon Reviewed by: Laura Motta **Insights - Blog Articles Home** ![Featured image for How Much Are Citi ThankYou Points Worth?](https://images.ctfassets.net/alwdzgjlz5qv/6FIkcqKaWwJ1YZr6dv90YY/89989766022874ac803b958278e45919/view.jpg?w=1280&fm=webp&q=75) Citi ThankYou is a niche pick among the transferable currencies. Its partner list is less mainstream than its competitors, so it has some real gaps; however, it does have some worthwhile marquee partnerships. Citi lets you transfer points to EVA Air at a 1:1 ratio, and it’s the only major bank with a direct transfer partnership with American Airlines. Finding the best award redemption depends on the route and cabin you choose, the card you hold, and whether the seat you want is available. **Citi ThankYou best uses at a glance:** - Citi offers value through its headline partnerships with American Airlines AAdvantage and EVA Air. Use Citi points for those partners, not for everyday trips. - Citi ThankYou points, sometimes called Citi points, transfer to 19 airline and hotel transfer partners. - Which Citi card you hold determines your points transfer ratio. A mid-tier or premium card transfers points at full (1:1) value, and no-annual-fee cards transfer at a reduced ratio. - Citi is a companion card that you’d generally hold alongside others. Pair it with another transferable currency card to cover the trips its partners can't access. ### Explore our Citi hub For more on getting real value from your Citi ThankYou points, dive deeper into our guides. - [Citi Transfer Hub](https://www.point.me/insights/citi-transfer-partners/) - [How to Use Citi Points to Book Flights and Travel](https://www.point.me/insights/how-to-redeem-citi-thankyou-points-for-flights/) - [How to Transfer Citi ThankYou Points](https://www.point.me/insights/how-to-transfer-citi-thankyou-points/) - [Do Citi Points Expire?](https://www.point.me/insights/do-citi-thankyou-points-expire/) - [Current Transfer Bonuses](https://www.point.me/insights/current-transfer-bonuses/) ### Transfer Citi ThankYou points to airline and hotel partners for the best value When you transfer your Citi points, they land in an airline or hotel loyalty account, ready to redeem. In terms of value, this strategy beats any kind of cash-out.  One thing sets Citi apart from the other banks: the card you hold determines your points transfer ratio. A mid-tier card like the Strata Premier, or the premium Strata Elite, lets you transfer points at full value. The no-annual-fee cards still let you transfer your points, but at a reduced ratio. This is uncommon among no-fee cards, which makes Citi an interesting entry point, whether you’re new to the world of transferable points, or new to Citi. Just remember to check your card's transfer ratio before you start planning an award booking. For Citi’s full partner list and the exact transfer ratios, see [Citi transfer partners](https://www.point.me/insights/citi-transfer-partners/). For step-by-step instructions on moving your points, see our guide on how to transfer Citi points. Check the [current transfer bonuses](https://www.point.me/insights/current-transfer-bonuses/) before you book, because a bonus can change the transfer math and give you even more value from your points. ### When the Citi travel portal can be the better booking choice The Citi travel portal is worth using in a few cases. Use it when you don’t have flexibility on the flight you’re hoping to book. In that case,  you can't gamble on award space opening up. Booking that flight through the portal removes the guesswork. You can also use it when cash fares are so cheap that a transfer would waste your points. One nice Citi detail: unlike Amex, Citi does not charge excise tax on transfers to U.S. airline programs. For more on understanding the value of your points, see [How much Citi points are worth](https://www.point.me/insights/how-much-are-citi-thankyou-points-worth/). For partner-by-partner transfer strategies, see the guide to [Citi tricks and workarounds](https://www.point.me/insights/citi-tricks-workarounds-how-to-reach-airlines-citi-cant-transfer-to/). ## What are the best Citi ThankYou redemptions? The table below sums up the redemptions that make Citi points worth holding, plus a hotel option and advice for using the travel portal. | **Best for** | **Example use** | **Program** | **Why it offers value** | **Key caveat** | | American Airlines flights | AA flights or partners, U.S. and beyond | American Airlines AAdvantage | A rare direct-to-American transfer option, partner flights priced on a region-based chart with strong rates | The card you hold determines your transfer ratio | | Asia in premium cabins | U.S. to Taipei and across the Asia-Pacific region | EVA Air Infinity MileageLands | A full-value transfer to EVA that no other bank has, and EVA releases far more premium space to members | Booking for others means enrolling them as “nominees” with the airline | | American or British Airways flights | Long-haul in the oneworld alliance | Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | Lower cost in miles and cash fees than booking British Airways through its own program | The best transfer ratio needs a Citi card with an annual fee | | JetBlue Mint business | Transcon or transatlantic on JetBlue | Etihad Guest | Etihad's fixed rates price Mint far below JetBlue's own dynamic pricing | Limited award space, Etihad's booking site is clunky and their cancellation/change policy is very restrictive | | Value hotels | Europe (non-luxury) stays | Choice Privileges | Strong value in pricey markets, plus the Preferred Hotels partnership | A recent devaluation trimmed the ratio | | Must-fly certainty, no flexibility on flight date or time | A specific flight you can't risk losing | Citi travel portal | A bookable cash seat at a fixed point value, no waiting on award space | Returns less value than a well-chosen transfer on most premium trips | ### Want to see what's bookable on Citi's transfer partners right now? [Search live award availability on point.me for FREE](https://www.point.me/signup/basic) Our search shows you real deals across Citi's transfer partner roster for the next 60 days. ## What are the best ways to use Citi ThankYou points for flights? These are the flight redemptions that make Citi points worth holding. ### Fly American Airlines flights via AAdvantage - **Best for:** U.S.-based travelers who want American Airlines or AA partner flights at some of the best rates in the market. - **Route, cabin, and program:** American Airlines-operated flights and AAdvantage partners, booked through American Airlines AAdvantage. American AAdvantage is a oneworld program. - **Why it offers value:** A direct bank-to-American transfer is rare, and Citi has it. AAdvantage is also one of the few programs still pricing partner awards on a region-based chart at competitive rates. For a U.S.-based traveler, this is a big part of Citi's value. - **Fees and trade-offs:** The Strata Elite, Strata Premier, and the legacy Prestige cards can transfer points to AAdvantage at full 1:1 value. The no-annual-fee cards transfer at a reduced 10:7 ratio. And when it comes to fees, they tend to be very reasonable on American's own flights. - **Availability and execution:** Confirm that the AAdvantage award flight is available and bookable before you transfer points, because Citi transfers are one-way. American releases a decent amount of partner space, though premium seats to Asia are hard to find and expensive, which is where the next redemption comes in. ### Fly to Asia in premium cabins via EVA Air - **Best for:** Travelers headed to the Asia-Pacific region in a premium cabin who want the award seat that isn’t bookable through other programs. - **Route, cabin, and program:** Business class to Taipei and destinations across Asia, booked through EVA Air Infinity MileageLands. EVA is a Star Alliance program. - **Why it offers value:** Citi points transfer to EVA at full 1:1 value. No other major bank offers this. That matters because EVA releases far more premium-cabin space to its own members than to its partner programs. American's own Asian network tends to be thin and pricey, so EVA is often the difference between finding a bookable seat and not. This partner exclusive justifies earning Citi points if you’re looking for flights to Asia. - **Fees and trade-offs:** Cash fees are moderate. One real catch, though, is the process for booking flights for other people. EVA requires you to enroll them as “nominees” first, which takes time and requires extra steps. So plan way ahead for any trip where you’re not flying solo. - **Availability and execution:** Search EVA's member-side award space, confirm that it's bookable, then transfer your points. When booking flights for other people, give yourself extra time on the nominee step. ### Fly American or British Airways flights via Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - **Best for:** Travelers on long-haul oneworld routes who want to spend the fewest miles and pay the lowest fees. - **Route, cabin, and program:** American and British Airways flights, booked through Cathay Pacific Asia Miles. Cathay Pacific Asia Miles is a oneworld program. - **Why it offers value:** Citi lets you book oneworld flights from any card through Cathay Pacific. Cathay often prices the same British Airways flights at a lower miles cost and with lower cash fees than what you’d find on British Airways, so it complements the AAdvantage redemption. - **Fees and trade-offs:** The best transfer ratio to Cathay requires a Citi card with an annual fee. So check your card first. Note that Cathay won’t always allow you to book some of the seats that British Airways holds for its own members. - **Availability and execution:** For a specific British Airways flight, check both programs. When the seat is actually available through Cathay, it usually wins on cost. ### Fly JetBlue Mint via Etihad Guest - **Best for:** Travelers who want JetBlue's Mint business class on transcon or transatlantic routes at a sane price. - **Route, cabin, and program:** Mint business class on JetBlue, booked through Etihad Guest. Etihad is a JetBlue partner and prices Mint on a fixed award chart. - **Why it offers value:** For Citi points holders, Etihad is a low-cost way to book JetBlue's Mint. Transfer Citi points directly to JetBlue when Etihad comes up empty. Booking Mint through JetBlue, however, can be expensive because TrueBlue prices its seats based on their cash value. Etihad’s fixed partner rates, on the other hand, can cost far less than what TrueBlue charges for the same seat. - **Fees and trade-offs:** JetBlue releases limited Mint space to partners, and you can only take advantage of the value if you can find the seat. Additionally, Etihad's booking site can be clunky, and their change/cancellation policies are among the most restrictive out there. Leave time to work through this strategy, if you’re fully committed to the trip. - **Availability and execution:** Confirm the Mint award on Etihad before you transfer your points, because Citi transfers are one-way and cannot be undone. If the seat you want isn’t available on Etihad, try a direct transfer to JetBlue. The ratio will depend on the card you hold. ## What are the best ways to use Citi ThankYou points for hotels? Citi offers a list of hotel partners, but finding value here can be tough. On most trips, your points do more work when you transfer them for a flight. One hotel partner, detailed below, is worth knowing. ### Book value hotels via Choice Privileges - **Best for:** Travelers who want solid mid-tier hotels in expensive markets, rather than aspirational luxury properties. - **Hotel use and program:** Award nights at Choice properties and, via a partnership, some Preferred Hotels that can be booked by transferring Citi points to Choice Privileges. - **Why it offers value:** Choice is the one hotel partner worth a transfer from Citi. Its hotel roster is thin, and Choice can secure good value in pricey markets like Northern Europe, where cash rates are high and Choice award rates can be reasonable. The Preferred Hotels partnership also lets you book some independent properties you would not expect from a mid-scale program. - **Limitations:** Choice recently devalued its program with Citi, trimming a bit off the transfer ratio. So compare the points cost against the cash price before you transfer. This is the right redemption for value properties, not luxury. ### More Citi points tricks and workarounds Citi has ended point sharing between family accounts, but you can always transfer points to a partner that still offers this feature, like JetBlue TrueBlue or Flying Blue.  Learn lots more about squeezing value from Citi points with our guide on [Citi points tricks and workaround](https://www.point.me/insights/citi-tricks-workarounds-how-to-reach-airlines-citi-cant-transfer-to/)s. ## What Citi ThankYou redemptions should you avoid? A handful of Citi redemptions underdeliver. Avoid these when you can. - Don't redeem Citi points for cash back, gift cards, or merchandise. All of them return less value than the Citi travel portal, and the portal value itself is usually bested by a good transfer. - If you hold a no-annual-fee Citi card, always check the point transfer ratio before you research your trip. These cards transfer at a reduced ratio. - Skip avianca lifemiles. You can transfer your Citi points to it directly but the service is poor and the change and cancellation fees are high. It also offers little help when a partner flight is canceled. - Don't expect to share points with another cardmember. Citi ended that in May 2026, and points can now only be redeemed from the account that earned them. To pool, transfer into programs such as JetBlue TrueBlue or Flying Blue that offer a points pooling feature. - Confirm the seat or room is available and bookable before you transfer points. ### Frequently asked questions about using Citi ThankYou points #### Does the Citi card I hold change my transfer ratio? Yes. The card sets the transfer ratio, and Citi is unusual in this sense. A mid-tier Strata Premier or the premium Strata Elite transfers points at full value, while no-annual-fee cards transfer at a reduced ratio. #### Can I use Citi ThankYou points to book travel for someone else? Yes, once you transfer your points to an airline or hotel partner, subject to that program's rules. Some programs add steps to this process. EVA Air, for example, requires you to enroll other travelers as nominees before you can book seats for them, so plan ahead. #### Can I still share Citi ThankYou points with another cardmember? No. Citi ended point sharing between cardmembers in May 2026. Points can only be redeemed from the account that earned them. The workaround is to transfer into a partner that allows family pooling, like JetBlue TrueBlue or Flying Blue, and pool the miles there instead. ## Summary and expert verdict The best way to use Citi ThankYou points is to transfer them to the two partners that make Citi special: American Airlines AAdvantage for U.S.-based travel, and EVA Air for premium cabins to Asia. Just remember that the card you hold sets your transfer ratio. Citi points really shine as a companion currency when paired with a more mainstream program that covers its gaps, rather than as a solo currency.  ### point.me take *— Jimmy Yoon, Head of Points Intelligence, point.me* Citi ThankYou is more of a complementary currency – not one you'd want all your eggs in because its partner list is niche and, for the most part, not especially beginner-friendly. A lot of its partners overlap with other transferable currencies, but a couple stand out as more distinctive to Citi. The two I'd focus on are American Airlines AAdvantage, where Citi is the only transferable currency that transfers to them, and EVA Air Infinity MileageLands, a solid option for travel to the Asia-Pacific region where Citi is the only program transferring at a 1:1 ratio. Outside of those, I wouldn't get too excited, as the rest either overlap with other programs or aren't programs I'd particularly recommend. ### Learn more about Citi - [How Much Are Citi Points Worth?](https://www.point.me/insights/how-much-are-citi-thankyou-points-worth/) - [How to Use Citi Points to Book Flights and Travel](https://www.point.me/insights/how-to-redeem-citi-thankyou-points-for-flights/) - [How to Transfer Citi ThankYou Points](https://www.point.me/insights/how-to-transfer-citi-thankyou-points/) - [Do Citi Points Expire?](https://www.point.me/insights/do-citi-thankyou-points-expire/) - [Current Transfer Bonuses](https://www.point.me/insights/current-transfer-bonuses/) ### Ready to put your Citi ThankYou points to work? [Sign up for point.me and search award availability across every Citi transfer partner. ](https://www.point.me/signup/basic) See real deals on real dates before you transfer.