The Best Citi Transfer Partners and the Ones to Avoid

Citi’s ThankYou points can be extremely valuable, but it can be hard to understand how much your points are actually worth. That’s because Citi ThankYou points — earned by spending on eligible Citi credit cards — can be transferred to airline and hotel loyalty partners, but the ratio at which they’re transferred will depend on what card you hold.

Plus, the program offers some of the wackiest transfer ratios among major transferable points programs.

Still, it’s pretty simple to take advantage of Citi’s best transfer partners, especially as the program has tie-ups with loyalty programs that you can’t find elsewhere (yes, we’re looking at you, American Airlines).

Here’s our list of the best Citi ThankYou transfer partners, as well as ones that aren’t worth your time.

Citi ThankYou transfer ratios

Before we dive into the best Citi transfer partners, we need to address the elephant in the room: Citi’s quirky transfer ratios.

When you transfer points to an airline or hotel partner, they’ll be exchanged at a specific ratio. That’s often 1:1, meaning for each 1 Citi ThankYou point transferred, you’ll get 1 corresponding point back in the partner’s loyalty currency.

Easy enough to understand, right? However, Citi takes things a few steps further, by offering non-1:1 transfer ratios, as well as transfer ratios that will vary depending on which card you hold. The best Citi credit cards for transfer partners are the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card and Citi Strata Premier® Card, since they offer the highest transfer ratios. Other cards like the Citi Strata℠ Card, the Citi Custom Cash® Card and the Citi Double Cash® Card offer transfer ratios that are typically 30% lower.

Here’s how those transfer ratios break down:

For the purposes of this article, we’ll look at the best Citi ThankYou airline and hotel transfer partners assuming you have either the Citi Strata Elite℠ Card or the Citi Strata Premier® Card.

The best Citi ThankYou transfer partners

American Airlines AAdvantage

Citi is the only major flexible currency that offers transfers to American’s AAdvantage loyalty program, making it an extremely valuable option since AAdvantage miles can be hard to earn. According to NerdWallet’s valuations, American miles are worth 1.3 cents each when booking domestic flights on the airline.

But that’s not all: American miles can be worth even more when you use them on luxurious business or first class flights with American or its Oneworld partners, including Japan Airlines and Finnair. (You’ll typically want to avoid flying British Airways over the Atlantic, since those redemptions usually come with high taxes and fees.)

Another advantage to AAdvantage? American offers generous award cancellation policies, so you can cancel your itinerary for a full refund as long as you do it before your first flight departs.

» Learn more: A look at American's newest Flagship business class seats

Choice Privileges

Choice Privileges partners with multiple transferable currencies, and at face value, it might not seem like a great option. In fact, NerdWallet values Choice points at 0.8 cent each. However, Citi offers a 1:2 transfer ratio, making it the superior transferable currency for Choice redemptions.

While most people associate Choice’s portfolio with economy and midscale options (think Comfort, Econo Lodge and Quality Inn), it does have notable upscale brands that can offer great value for your points, such as Cambria Hotels and the Ascend Hotel Collection.

You can also net great value from Choice’s partners with Preferred Hotels & Resorts, a collection of independent properties. For example, a two-night stay in September 2025 at The Sherry-Netherland in New York City costs $2,300, but you can stay at the Central Park hotel for 164,000 Choice points, or 82,000 Citi ThankYou points — netting a redemption value of 2.8 cents.

Before you transfer your Citi points to Choice, make sure to check availability and compare pricing between points bookings and cash bookings. Sometimes, paying cash can be the better deal.

Flying Blue

Flying Blue is the loyalty program shared by SkyTeam members Air France and KLM, making it an attractive option for booking international flights within the alliance. It helps that the program partners with multiple transferable currencies, making it easy to pool points together for a Flying Blue redemption.

NerdWallet values Flying Blue miles at 0.8 cent each for economy bookings, but there are plenty of opportunities to boost that value, such as booking premium travel or taking advantage of Flying Blue’s monthly Promo Rewards that can offer up to 50% off select routes. Occasionally, Citi will offer a limited-time credit card transfer bonus for Flying Blue, meaning you can get an added boost — typically a 20% to 25% bonus to your transfer.

You can even add a free stopover in Paris or Amsterdam, although you’ll need to call Flying Blue to book these awards. That lets you add an extra destination at no additional charge, which can be a great deal for multi-city itineraries.

Singapore KrisFlyer

KrisFlyer, the loyalty program for Singapore Airlines, is an excellent way to book flights on the Singapore-based carrier, as well as Star Alliance and other non-alliance partners. While the airline has a great business class product, it also offers its Singapore Suites — a first class experience where you get both a seat and a separate bed. If you want to fly in luxury, you’ll need to use KrisFlyer miles to book those first class awards.

However, if Singapore isn’t in your plans, you can also fly on one of the airline’s more unconventional routes, such as from Los Angeles to Tokyo or from New York to Frankfurt.

But note that the airline has announced a devaluation to its award charts, starting Nov. 1, 2025. Saver rates for flights between the U.S. and Europe will increase by 5%. The changes will also include the introduction of dynamically priced Access redemptions, which should increase availability for those willing to pay a higher price. While the increase is relatively modest, try to lock in any planned trips before then to get the best deal.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

If you’re looking for solid points value heading to London in any class of service, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is often a good bet. The airline’s swanky Upper Class cabin is a fun way to travel across the Atlantic, and the plane-shaped salt-and-pepper shakers in business class are iconic airline mementos for plane enthusiasts and occasional travelers alike.

The largest downside to these redemptions is the large amount you’ll often have to pay in taxes and fees. If you’d rather avoid doing that, you’re probably better off booking with another Citi transfer partner.

Beyond flights operated by Virgin Atlantic, Virgin points can net you fantastic redemptions on partner airlines, including fellow SkyTeam members and non-alliance carriers like All Nippon Airways. In fact, using Virgin points is one of the best (and cheapest) ways to book the Japanese airline’s popular first class suites.

Solid Citi ThankYou transfer partners

Avianca LifeMiles

Avianca LifeMiles used to be a go-to program for booking Star Alliance awards, but the Colombia-based program has lost some of its luster following multiple devaluations. However, it can still offer good value on certain routes, as well as potentially cheaper pricing on mixed-cabin awards. If you’re willing to hunt for deals, you’d certainly be able to find them.

The biggest pain point with LifeMiles is how difficult it can be to use the website’s buggy search functionality that often indicates availability when there is none. Those new to the program will need to fumble around with it until they get the hang of it, as it’s not for the weak of heart.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Cathay Pacific’s distance-based award chart means you’ll pay more Asia Miles the further you want to fly. While this program doesn’t offer the cheapest pricing, you can get good value for redemptions on Cathay Pacific, as well as its Oneworld and non-alliance partners.

For example, if you want to fly one-way in Cathay Pacific business class from Los Angeles to Hong Kong, that will cost you 88,000 Asia Miles, while New York to Hong Kong goes up to 115,000 miles. If you’re traveling within Asia, you can often find deals in economy via Asia Miles.

EVA Air Infinity MileageLands

Citi is the only major flexible currency that transfers to Taiwan-based EVA Air at a 1:1 ratio. (You can transfer Capital One miles at an inferior 2:1.5 ratio.) The best way to redeem EVA miles is for a seat in the airline’s luxurious Royal Laurel business class cabin.

You’ll find the best availability when booking via Infinity MileageLands, and one-way business class flights between Asia and America will cost you 75,000 to 80,000 miles. However, you’ll need some patience to book, as the user interface can be a bit clunky. While it’s possible to book Star Alliance partner awards, it’s difficult to determine award availability and some have reported Citi transfers to EVA taking several days.

JetBlue TrueBlue

JetBlue TrueBlue points are worth 1.4 cents each, according to NerdWallet’s valuations. That makes them one of the most valuable domestic airline currencies. However, TrueBlue award rates are often tied to the cash price of a flight, making it difficult to get truly outsized value for redemptions.

That’s not to say there aren’t sweet spots when redeeming through TrueBlue. Some popular ones include booking premium cabin awards in the airline’s well-regarded Mint business class, as well as booking flights via JetBlue’s partnerships with other airlines like Japan Airlines, Condor and soon United Airlines via the airlines’ Blue Sky partnership. However, availability for partner awards can be scarce.

Leaders Club

With a 5:1 transfer ratio, Leaders Club doesn’t look very impressive. However, the loyalty program for The Leading Hotels of the World values its points at roughly 8 cents apiece. That means your Citi points are worth about 1.6 cents per point when transferred to Leaders Club. It may not be the most jaw-dropping value, but it certainly is solid, especially if you’re interested in staying at one of the luxury five-star properties within that collection.

Keep in mind that these properties can be extremely expensive, with many pricing at more than $1,000 a night. However, it’s possible to find cheaper options, especially if you search for off-season dates. Leaders Club members can get on-property benefits, such as upgrade priority upon arrival, complimentary breakfast for two, early check-in and late check-out, and free Wi-Fi. These perks are similar to what you might get when booking via American Express’ Fine Hotels and Resorts or Chase’s The Edit programs.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts

I Prefer Hotel Rewards, the loyalty program for Preferred Hotels & Resorts, allows you to earn and redeem points on stays at hundreds of independent properties around the world. Plus, Citi ThankYou points transfer to this program at a 1:4 ratio, which means you can find excellent redemptions through this program.

Remember, however, that Choice Privileges has a partnership with Preferred Hotels & Resorts. If you’re looking to book a Preferred property, make sure to check award pricing via both programs to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Qatar Airways Privilege Club

Qatar Airways Privilege Club uses Avios, a currency shared by airlines including British Airways, Finnair, Aer Lingus and Iberia. It’s a unique currency because it offers the ability to transfer points between Avios-using airlines. Each program has different redemption rates and rules, so make sure to check each program to make sure you’re getting a good deal.

NerdWallet values British Airways Avios at 1.2 cents cents apiece, so aim for a value around there. And if you’re looking to book Qatar’s popular Qsuites business class, you’ll find the most availability via Privilege Club.

Thai Royal Orchid Plus

Citi points transfer to Thai Airways’ Royal Orchid Plus program, which largely flies under the radar for U.S. travelers given the lack of direct flights between the U.S. and Bangkok. However, Royal Orchid Plus miles can be valuable for certain travelers.

Let’s say you’re planning a trip across multiple continents. Thai Airways miles can be a great way to book business class flights from Bangkok to Australia for 65,000 miles, or business and first class flights from Bangkok to Europe for 90,000 or 125,000 miles, respectively.

If you’re looking to go from Europe to Australia via Bangkok in Thai Airways business class, that’ll cost you 117,500 miles.

Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles

Like fellow Star Alliance program Avianca LifeMiles, Turkish Miles&Smiles can offer good value redemptions. However, following a 2024 devaluation that wiped out many sweet spots and the introduction of per-segment pricing, it’s much more difficult to find those redemptions with outsized value.

If you’re looking for a Miles&Smiles award though, you’ll want to find a promotion award on Turkish Airlines flights, which offer an excellent business class product. For example, a business class flight between the U.S. and Istanbul costs 65,000 miles for a promotion award; a standard award would cost more than double at 135,000 miles. Another excellent redemption is spending 10,000 miles for one-way domestic economy flights on United, as long as you can find award space.

Keep in mind that many people report frustrations dealing with Turkish Airlines’ customer service, so it’s best to avoid bookings where you might need to make changes.

Wyndham Rewards

Wyndham Rewards is one of the few loyalty programs that still uses a fixed award chart. In fact, this program has one of the easiest award charts to understand, with only three award tiers at 7,500, 15,000 or 30,000 points per room. That means it’s easy to get excellent value from your points, whether via last-minute bookings or during popular periods.

Another great way to use Wyndham points is via the program’s partnership with Vacasa, a vacation rental platform. Typically, you’ll pay 15,000 points per bedroom at properties where the average nightly cost including taxes and fees is $250 or less, while properties where the average is $500 or less will cost 30,000 points per bedroom.

One thing to keep in mind is that Wyndham occasionally runs sales where you can buy Wyndham points at a price of less than 1 cent per point. In those situations, you may want to consider whether it’s worth buying points so you can save your Citi ThankYou points for other partners.

Citi ThankYou transfer partners to avoid

ALL — Accor Live Limitless

You can transfer Citi points to Accor Live Limitless at a ratio of 2:1, making it a less-than-stellar value. Accor says 1,000 of its points are worth 20 euros (~$23), which comes out to a value of about 1.2 cents per Citi ThankYou point when transferred to ALL. Given the relatively fixed value, that doesn’t leave a lot of room to find outsized value when transferring to Accor.

Aeromexico Rewards

Aeromexico Rewards transfer at a higher ratio of 1:1.6 when using American Express Membership Rewards points. Even then, we don’t recommend Aeromexico as a transfer partner. That’s largely because there aren’t any discernible sweet spots when booking through Aeromexico, and the process to do so can be needlessly complicated.

Emirates Skywards

Emirates Skywards has become an increasingly difficult transfer partner to maximize, and some major currencies — including Citi ThankYou — have lowered their transfer ratios in 2025 or even said they would drop Emirates as a transfer partner. The airline is most known for its luxurious business and first class offerings, but the redemption rates and associated taxes and fees are truly exorbitant. With a transfer ratio of 5:4, you’re better off transferring your Citi points elsewhere.

Etihad Guest

Like Emirates, Etihad offers well-regarded premium cabins, and Etihad Guest is often the easiest way to book those awards. However, this transfer partner doesn’t have too many sweet spots, and its premium cabin awards can be pricey. If you’re looking to book Etihad business class, you may want to consider using American AAdvantage miles instead.

Qantas Frequent Flyer

Qantas Frequent Flyer’s distance-based award chart went through a devaluation in August 2025, a blow to a program that already wasn’t offering great redemption rates to begin with. If you’d like to book Qantas flights, you can often find better rates when booking through a partner like American’s AAdvantage program.