Citi Now Lets Most No‑Annual‑Fee Cards Transfer to Nearly All ThankYou® Partners — But with Reduced Rates
In a sweeping change, Citi expands ThankYou transfer access to nearly all of its ThankYou Rewards‑earning credit cards — including those with no annual fee. This allow you to transfer points to most airline and hotel partners. Previously, many entry‑level Citi cards were limited to just a handful of partners like Choice Privileges, JetBlue, and Wyndham. Now, Citi cardholders across the board (except for those using Citi AAdvantage co‑branded cards) can access the broader suite of transfer partners.
🪪 Which Cards Are Affected?
This change applies to many no‑annual‑fee ThankYou cards, including:
Citi Double Cash®
Citi Strata℠ Card (formerly Rewards+)
Citi Custom Cash®
Citi ThankYou® Preferred (closed to new applicants)
AT&T Points Plus® Card
and more.
While these cards now have broader partner access, transfers to American Airlines AAdvantage® remain restricted to premium cards: Citi Strata Premier®, Citi Strata Elite®, and the legacy Citi Prestige®.
📉 Transfer Rate Differences by Card Level
Premium Cards (Citi Strata Elite, Citi Strata Premier, Citi Prestige, AT&T Access More):
Most airline transfers: 1,000 TY = 1,000 airline miles (1:1)
Emirates Skywards: 1:1, though this is reduced to 1:0.8 in late July 2025 for some cards.
No‑Annual‑Fee Cards:
Most airlines: 1,000 TY = 700 miles (1:0.7)
Choice Privileges: 1,000 TY = 1,400 Choice points (1:1.4; down from 1:1.5)
JetBlue TrueBlue & Wyndham Rewards: 1,000 TY = 700 points (1:0.7; down from 0.8).
These reduced rates became effective as of July 27, 2025.
✈️ What Are Citi’s Transfer Partners?
Citi ThankYou Points can now be transferred from eligible cards to most of these partners (at various ratios):
Airline Partners:
Air France/KLM Flying Blue
Avianca LifeMiles
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Etihad Guest
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
JetBlue TrueBlue
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Qatar Privilege Club
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
American Airlines AAdvantage (only via premium cards)
Hotel Partners:
Choice Privileges
Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club
Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Wyndham Rewards
Accor Live Limitless
✅ Ok, Citi Expands ThankYou Transfer Access—Why Does This Matter?
This expansion is a welcome move for holders of no‑fee Citi cards who previously could only transfer to a few partners. Now they have far broader redemption flexibility—even if at lower rates.
Still:
The lower ratios mean premium cards deliver better value per point.
If you aim to transfer to American Airlines, you’ll need one of the premium cards.
Timing matters: Award availability should be verified before transferring.
💡 Final Thoughts
Citi’s most recent update lifts long-standing restrictions for most ThankYou‑earning cards. No‑fee cardholders can now tap into transfer partners previously reserved for premium cards. Just be mindful of the reduced transfer rates and plan ahead. For those seeking maximum miles-per-point value or access to AAdvantage transfers, the premium Citi cards still hold the edge.
