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A Complete Guide to Citi ThankYou Points

Updated
Lyle Daly
Author: Lyle Daly
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Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. His work with Motley Fool Money and The Motley Fool has appeared syndicated in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

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Citi has several popular rewards credit cards, and they all earn Citi ThankYou Points. If you have one of these cards, you can redeem your points through the Citi ThankYou Rewards program for travel, cash back, and more.

This is one of the more complex credit card rewards programs. Redemption options, and how much points are worth with each option, depend on the Citi card you have. While there's a bit of a learning curve, there are also plenty of great redemption options. Once you know how this program works, you'll be able to get the most out of your Citi points.

Transfers can be one of the best ways to use Citi ThankYou Points. If you like to travel and want to use Citi points to save money on your trips, then it's a good idea to have one of its travel cards.

As of Jan. 16, 2025
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Citi Strata Premier℠ Card Citi Double Cash® Card
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Apply Now for Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

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Apply Now for Citi Double Cash® Card

On Citi's Secure Website.

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Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Fair to Excellent (580-850)

Fair to Excellent (580-850)

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.

75,000 ThankYou® Points

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.

$200

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. 10x on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking. Travel insurance protection: Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption (Common Carrier), Trip Delay, Lost or Damaged Luggage, MasterRental Coverage (Car Rental).

1x - 10x points

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.

2% cash back

Intro APR:

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Intro APR:

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months on Balance Transfers

Regular APR:

20.24% - 28.24% (Variable)

Regular APR:

18.24% - 28.24% (Variable)

Annual Fee:

$95

Annual Fee: Circle with letter I in it. N/A

$0

Highlights:

  • For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
  • Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
  • Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
  • Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
  • No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Highlights:

  • Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
  • Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.
  • Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.24% - 28.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
  • Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
  • If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
  • There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
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What are Citi ThankYou Points worth?

Citi ThankYou Points are generally worth $0.01 per point, but their value varies based on the redemption method you choose and the Citi card you have. They can be worth as little as $0.005 per point to over $0.03 per point.

You can always get a minimum value of $0.01 per Citi ThankYou Point. With Citi travel cards, you can get $0.01 per point toward travel purchases made in the Citi Travel portal. With Citi cash back cards, you can get $0.01 per point for cash back redemptions. Both types of Citi cards offer rates of $0.01 per point for gift cards.

Citi travel credit cards also give you the option to transfer points to travel partners and book award travel. With this type of redemption, the value of your points will depend on the travel you end up booking. This is where it's possible to get much more value from your points, including $0.03 per point or higher.

How do you earn Citi ThankYou Points?

You earn Citi ThankYou Points with Citi's rewards credit cards:

With any of these cards, you'll earn Citi ThankYou Points on all eligible purchases. Some of these cards also have sign-up bonuses that allow you to earn a large number of Citi points as a new cardholder by meeting a spend requirement. The high rewards rates and sign-up bonuses on many Citi cards make them great for maximizing your rewards.

As you can see, Citi cash back cards technically earn ThankYou Points. They have more limited redemption options than Citi travel cards. Most importantly, Citi's cash back cards don't let you transfer points to Citi's full list of partners. But if you have multiple Citi credit cards, you can move your points from one card to another.

Ways to use Citi ThankYou Points

The redemptions you have available for Citi ThankYou Points will depend on which card you have. You'll find all the options below, as well as which Citi credit cards offer them.

Transfer points

Citi has airline, hotel, and retail partners where you can transfer your points. This allows you to convert your Citi points into points/miles in the partner's loyalty program. Here's the full list of Citi transfer partners:

  • Aeromexico
  • ALL - Accor Live Limitless
  • Avianca LifeMiles
  • Cathay Pacific
  • Choice Privileges
  • Emirates Skywards
  • Etihad Guest
  • EVA Air
  • Flying Blue (Air France KLM)
  • JetBlue TrueBlue
  • Qantas Frequent Flyer
  • Qatar Privilege Club
  • Sears Shop Your Way
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Thai Royal Orchid Plus
  • Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
  • Wyndham Rewards

If you have a Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, you can transfer your points to any of these partners. Other Citi cards let you transfer points, but only to a few of these partners.

Book travel

In the Citi Travel portal, you can book hotels, flights, cars, and more. You can pay for bookings in cash or with your Citi ThankYou Points. If you use points, the value you get per point is based on your Citi card.

With Citi travel cards, you get a rate of $0.01 per point on Citi Travel bookings. For example, 10,000 Citi points would be worth $100.

The rate varies for Citi cash back cards. Some cardholders have reported getting $0.01 per point on travel bookings with Citi cash back cards, but when I checked with my own Citi card, I'd only get a rate of $0.008 per point. If you're not getting $0.01 per point, you're better off redeeming for cash back, instead.

Cash back

Citi offers multiple ways to redeem your points as cash back:

  • A statement credit toward your credit card bill
  • Direct deposit to your bank account
  • A check in the mail

If you have a cash back card, you get a value of $0.01 per point. But with other Citi cards, the rate can be as low as $0.005 per point. This method is only worth using if you're getting $0.01 per point.

Gift cards

Citi lets you buy gift cards with a variety of merchants using your points. The standard rate is $0.01 per point, meaning you could use 5,000 points to buy a $50 gift card. It also runs sales on gift cards with select merchants. You can typically expect a value of $0.011 per point through Citi gift card sales.

Shop with Points

Shop with Points allows you to use your Citi points with participating partners. Partners currently include Amazon and PayPal. Citi rewards are normally only worth $0.008 per point this way, so this isn't a good redemption method.

Charitable contributions

You can donate your Citi ThankYou Points to select charities, including the American Red Cross, Susan G. Komen, and UNICEF. Citi rewards are worth $0.01 per point this way, and the minimum redemption amount is 1,000 points for a $10 donation.

Can you buy Citi ThankYou Points?

No, you can't buy Citi ThankYou Points. Citi used to allow cardholders to buy points at a rate of $0.025 per point, but it discontinued this feature in 2022.

Do Citi ThankYou Points expire?

With all of Citi's current rewards credit cards, ThankYou Points don't expire as long as the card account remains open. Some of Citi's older rewards cards had points that expired after three or five years. You can check if your points have an expiration date by going to My Points Summary on the Citi ThankYou Rewards site.

Where can you redeem Citi ThankYou Points?

You can redeem Citi ThankYou Points in the Rewards & Offers section of your online account. You can also go to the Citi ThankYou Rewards site or call the ThankYou Service Center at 1-800-THANKYOU.

How do you redeem Citi points?

Here's how to redeem Citi ThankYou Points online:

  1. Go to the Citi ThankYou Rewards site and log in.
  2. Select the redemption you want.
  3. Proceed through the rest of the process.

The process varies depending on how you're redeeming your points, but Citi makes everything straightforward and easy to understand on its site.

What is the best way to use Citi ThankYou Points?

The most effective way to use Citi ThankYou Points is transferring them to a partner airline to book award airfare, so you need a Citi Strata Premier℠ Card to get the most out of your points.

With all the airline partners available, there are a lot of ways to use ThankYou Points. Here are a few tips to find high-value transfer opportunities:

  • Prioritize more expensive airfare, such as international flights and seats in business or first class. ThankYou partners that often have good award-ticket deals for these types of seats include Avianca, Cathay Pacific (bookable using Asia Miles), Qantas, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic.
  • Start your search as far in advance as possible -- at three to six months before your trip, you'll likely have more options available.
  • Try to be flexible about travel dates.
  • Don't transfer points to a partner until you've picked out the airfare you want.

Paying for trips with your ThankYou Points

Citi ThankYou Points offer plenty of redemption options that can save you serious cash on your travels. They're particularly useful if you like to travel internationally, thanks to the diverse collection of airline transfer partners. If you spend a little time checking out all the available redemptions, you're sure to find a good use for your points.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Still have questions?

Here are some other questions we've answered:

FAQs

  • The value of 1,000 Citi ThankYou Points is about $10, but the exact value will vary depending on how you use them. There are always redemption options available where you can get $0.01 per point. If you transfer your Citi points to its travel partners, you can potentially get more value from them.

  • Yes, you can convert Citi points to cash. You can get cash back as a statement credit on your credit card bill, a direct deposit to your bank account, or a check in the mail. Keep in mind that some Citi cards offer a lower value for your points if you redeem them as cash back. Check how much cash back you'll get for the points you're redeeming. If you're not going to get at least $0.01 per point, you're better off choosing another redemption method.

  • To use your Citi ThankYou Points, log in to your account on the Citi ThankYou Rewards site. Select how you want to use your points and follow the steps to go through the redemption process. If you want to use your Citi points over the phone, call 1-800-THANKYOU.