Citi Transfer Partners: Complete List and Best Uses 2026

Citi ThankYou points, sometimes called Citi points, are the currency you earn on Citi's travel and cash-back cards. They're worth the most when you transfer them to Citi's airline and hotel partners to book award flights or nights. The travel portal and gift cards offer less value, and that gap is the reason why this list matters.

What are Citi transfer partners?

• Citi ThankYou Rewards points transfer to 19 airline and hotel loyalty programs (14 airlines and 5 hotel programs).

• Every ThankYou card can transfer to partners, and your card type determines the transfer ratio: full value on the Strata Premier and Strata Elite, and a reduced 10:7 ratio on no-annual-fee cards. American Airlines is the exception and you’ll need  a Strata card to access this partner.

• Citi is the only major bank that transfers directly to American AAdvantage. It's also the best way to transfer points directly to EVA Air at full value. This program actually releases premium award seats to Asia.

• Most transfers happen instantly. The minimum transfer is 1,000 points, and you must move them in 1,000-point increments.

• Citi doesn't transfer to United, Delta, or Hyatt directly, but you can still fly United and Delta through their alliance partners.

Citi's partner list is different from other banks’. Chase and Amex mostly compete for the same household names. Citi's list leans more global and specific, and its two exclusive partners are truly exclusive. The tradeoff is that Citi has some coverage gaps, which is why it works best for specific redemptions and as a supplemental points currency, rather than your only currency.

The complete list of Citi transfer partners

Citi's transfer partners, sometimes called Citi travel partners, let you move ThankYou points straight into a partner airline or hotel loyalty account. Then you book the award from that program. Many of the airlines also belong to an alliance, a group of airlines whose programs can book seats on each other's flights. That detail matters, because it's the key to booking award flights on airlines that  are not Citi partners.

Airline transfer partners

This table shows every Citi airline transfer partner, with alliance, transfer ratio, and typical transfer time. Ratios shown are for the Strata Premier and Strata Elite cards; no-annual-fee cards transfer at reduced ratios.

Two names on this list stand out, and American AAdvantage is the rarer of the two. Among the major banks, only Citi has the ability to transfer points directly to American, and the partnership became permanent in July 2025. EVA Air, on the other hand, is less flashy but it’s still powerful: Citi is the best way to transfer points to EVA at full value. This program releases far more premium award space to its own program members than its partners ever see. 

Almost every Citi point transfers at a 1:1 ratio when you hold one of the Strata cards. Emirates is an exception and transfers at a 5:4 ratio. Most transfers post instantly, though Thai Royal Orchid Plus can take about 7 days.

Hotel transfer partners

This table shows every Citi hotel transfer partner, with transfer ratio and typical transfer time. Ratios shown are for Strata Premier and Strata Elite card cardholders.

We’ll start with a simple fact: Hyatt isn’t on this list. What’s on it, however, is quirkier and occasionally better. Choice Privileges points arrive into your loyalty account at a 2:3 ratio, so your points grow on the way in. I Prefer Rewards, which can be redeemed for Preferred Hotels, including some excellent boutique properties, doubles your balance at a 1:2 ratio. Wyndham transfers at a straightforward 1:1 ratio, and Accor and Leading Hotels of the World both shrink your balance, so treat those two as last resorts. Leading Hotels is exclusive to Citi among the big US banks, and is for the traveler who loves those elite properties.

What makes Citi transfer partners valuable?

The exclusive partners are the value here. Most transferable currencies reach the same list of programs, so the partner list rarely tips the scales when you’re choosing a card. Citi's list, however, might make you think twice. Want to earn American miles with everyday card spend? Citi is the only major bank that lets you do that. If you want premium cabin seats to Asia, you can book them on EVA, which releases many more seats to its own members than its partners. Citi lets you access those seats directly, and at a full-value 1:1 ratio.

Another nice benefit: The premium Strata-level cards earn strong rates given their annual fees, but Citi’s no-annual-fee cardholders also have access to partner transfers. This sets it apart from Chase, for example, which requires an annual-fee card to access transfer partners. Citi also skips the extra fees for transferring to US airline partners, unlike Amex.

There are other ways to use your points, of course, but travel remains the best way to get outsized value. Gift cards, cash back, and checkout points will all yield less than the portal's floor value of one cent per point. Even when you’re using the portal to book travel, however,  it’s a reliable option, not a path to huge value. Use it to lock in a specific flight when you don’t have time to plan and just need a flight, and transfer to partners for everything else.

What are the best Citi transfer partners?

The “best” Citi transfer partner depends heavily on where you want to travel. American is a boon for most US-based travelers, and EVA is great for Asia flights. The partner bench behind them covers Europe, the Middle East, and a number of hotel programs. Each of the choices below is tailored to specific kinds of travelers, and each comes with a catch. Get to know them before you transfer.

Transfer Citi points to American Airlines AAdvantage

The sweet spot: American still prices its partner awards on a fixed, region-based chart — one of the last airlines in the US to do so. That means more stability than a program with dynamic pricing, and rates that often undercut its competitors. American's own dynamic pricing holds some surprises, too: Sometimes the AAdvantage price is the best on the route, period. Some of the best award flights are from the US to Japan, or from the US to Korea in premium cabins. 

Who it's for: This one is made for US-based travelers, first and foremost. Citi is the only bank that lets you transfer points directly to American Airlines. If you often fly American or its oneworld partners, this is the single best reason to earn ThankYou points.

The catch: To take advantage of this transfer relationship, you must hold a Strata Premier or Strata Elite card. No-annual-fee cards, like the ThankYou cards, can't access transfers to American at all. One glitch to look out for: America’s web site sometimes shows partner award seats that will cause an error at booking. To fix it, use the hold trick: Log into AAdvantage, place the ticket on hold, then transfer your points only after the hold sticks.

Transfer Citi points to EVA Air for premium cabin flights to Asia

The sweet spot: Book business-class flights between the US and Asia via Taipei. EVA releases far more premium award space to its own members than to its partner programs, so a direct transfer from Citi gives you a leg up. Plus, Citi sends points over to EVA at full value where other banks don’t.

Who it's for: This is a great choice for anyone headed to Asia or the South Pacific. American's Asia network is thin and expensive when you’re booking premium cabins, so EVA should be your Citi transfer choice for those routes.

The catch: To book flights for anyone other than yourself, you must enroll each traveler as a "nominee" on your EVA account and the airline has to approve them. This process requires paperwork and time, not to mention EVA's sign-off. It's worth it for the seats, but start the enrollment weeks before you need to book.

Transfer Citi points to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles for cheaper American and British Airways flights

The sweet spot: Use Cathay to book American and British Airways flights for fewer miles and lower taxes than you’d find on their own programs. Cathay, American, and British Airways all belong to the oneworld alliance, so you can book seats on all three through Cathay’s program. This is also the best way to book Cathay's own flights, as Cathay releases much more premium space to its own members than to its partners.

Who it's for: Choose this partner if you’re flying British Airways across the Atlantic and are looking to dodge BA’s steep fees. And of course, this is a good choice for anyone looking to fly Cathay to Hong Kong and beyond.

The catch: You can’t always book the seat you want. British Airways, for example, holds many of its award seats for its own members and does not release them to partners like Cathay. Though you cannot transfer Citi points directly to British Airways, you can always transfer them into Avios with Qatar Airways Privilege club, and then move them to British Airways from there.

Transfer Citi points to Etihad for its  own flights, or to JetBlue Mint

The sweet spot: Your points can do two very different jobs here. Etihad Guest uses set prices for partner awards, and its JetBlue Mint rates often beat what JetBlue's own program charges for the same lie-flat seat. This is also the only reliable way to book Etihad's own first class cabin on points, and that’s mostly true for business, too.

Who it's for: Use this transfer if your plans are locked down and you know they won’t change. Etihad rewards certainty and punishes those who make flight changes. This option is for the trip that’s set in stone.

The catch: Etihad’s cancellation policy is among the worst you’ll find. Within 72 hours of departure, you can't change or cancel your flight at all without forfeiting 100% of the cost. Cancel before 72 hours, and you’ll lose a percentage of the ticket cost, taken from both the miles and the cash you paid. In short, only transfer to Etihad when you're completely sure you're flying. One more quirk: The website sometimes quotes fewer miles during your fare search than the actual price at ticketing, so it’s wise to pad your transfers a bit.

Transfer Citi points to JetBlue for its own flights and for  Condor flights to Europe

The sweet spot: If you hold a premium Citi card (Strata Premier or Strata Elite),  you can transfer your points to JetBlue at a full 1:1 ratio. Only Chase and Wells Fargo can match that. The hidden gem behind this transfer partner, however, is Condor, JetBlue's German partner. TrueBlue prices Condor's business class between the Northeast and Frankfurt at very attractive rates, and JetBlue members have access to more Condor award space than Condor's other partners. 

Who it's for: Travelers departing from the Northeast, both on JetBlue's own network and on Condor, will find value here. This is also a smart transfer for families: TrueBlue lets households pool points, which matters more now that Citi has ended point sharing between its own cardmembers.

The catch: JetBlue prices its own award flights off the cash fare, so outsized value on JetBlue's own planes is rare. Condor flights, however, can yield some real value. If you cancel a partner award, JetBlue refunds the taxes as travel credit rather than a refund back to your card.

Transfer Citi points to Air France-KLM Flying Blue for Europe routes and Delta flights

The sweet spot: Flying Blue is dependable for Europe flights. Its Air France and KLM pricing is competitive, and award seats are easy to find from US gateways. Each month it also publishes Promo Rewards. These are discounted award routes that get very cheap in economy and premium economy. It's also Citi's easiest path to book Delta flights as a SkyTeam partner award that offers low fees.

Who it's for: Frequent fliers to Europe, plus anyone who wants to fly Delta on Citi points will find this transfer useful. Add a Promo Reward fare for even more value..

The catch: Pricing is dynamic, so prices on a single route can fluctuate week to week. Check the live price before you transfer, not after. And don't transfer in anticipation of a Promo Reward. You can never know which routes will make the list.

Transfer Citi points to Choice Privileges for hotel stays in Europe and Japan

The sweet spot: Choice Privileges is the quiet overachiever of Citi's hotel list. Your points grow at a 2:3 ratio, plus, Choice's fixed award pricing often beats high cash rates in pricey markets, like Scandinavia and Japan. Choice also partners with Preferred Hotels, so you can use your points for some standout independent properties. Choice occasionally prices those rooms for less than Preferred's own program.

Who it's for: Travelers who want clean and well-located hotels over luxury, plus road-trippers, will do well here. This is value lodging, not aspirational lodging.

The catch: Citi trimmed this transfer ratio by a quarter in 2026, and the math still works, just less spectacularly than before. Resort and destination fees aren't waived on award stays, and the portfolio has no real premium tier outside of the options from Preferred.

Which Citi transfer partners are not a 1:1 ratio?

Most Citi airline partners use a 1:1 ratio if you hold a Strata Premier or Strata Elite card. The exceptions are worth understanding before you commit, because a ratio changes what your points are really worth. 

Emirates is an outlier among Citi’s airline partners. At the 5:4 ratio, 10,000 ThankYou points become 8,000 Skywards miles, so you give up a fifth of your balance before booking anything. The hotels can cut both ways. Choice (a 2:3 ratio) and I Prefer (a 1:2 ratio) grow your balance on the way in. Accor (a 2:1 ratio) and Leading Hotels of the World (a 5:1 ratio) shrink it sharply.

If you hold the no-annual-fee ThankYou cards, most airline transfers drop to a 10:7 ratio, so 10,000 points become 7,000 miles. A reduced ratio isn't automatically a bad deal, but check your card's ratio before you plan a redemption.

The rule of thumb: When a transfer shrinks your balance, the partner's pricing has to be meaningfully better to break even. When a transfer grows it, the growth alone doesn't make the program good. Run the math on the specific award to understand what you’re getting, and remember that Citi’s Strata transfer partners give you more value at a 1:1 ratio.

How do you transfer Citi ThankYou points to a partner program?

To transfer from your ThankYou account online, pick the partner, link your loyalty account, choose an amount, and confirm. The minimum is 1,000 points, transfers move in 1,000-point increments, and most transfers post instantly. For a full walkthrough with screenshots, see our step-by-step guide on how to transfer Citi ThankYou points.

Before you transfer, make sure you’re getting these two things right. First, the loyalty account has to be in your own name and it must match your Citi account, or the points may not transfer. Second, transfers are one way and irreversible. Once ThankYou points become airline miles, they don't come back.

The order of operations matters: Find the award seat first, then transfer, then book. point.me searches live award space across Citi's partners before you move a single point. You’ll never transfer into a program that has nothing to offer you.

How do you transfer Citi points to non-partner airlines like United and Delta?

You can't transfer Citi points to United or Delta directly, but you can still book their flights. It just takes a little more work. Airlines in the same alliance sell award seats through each other's programs. Transfer to an indirect (or "workaround") partner in the same alliance, then book there. Here's how to book the most popular airlines with Citi points, using workarounds:

Want to transfer Citi points to United? Avianca lifemiles usually prices Star Alliance awards well and adds no fuel surcharges. Just book close to departure, and only when the seat is available and ready to book. Want to transfer Citi points to Delta? Flying Blue should be your first stop, with Virgin Atlantic as the backup.

Something to keep in mind: An indirect booking has more moving parts, and a transfer into the wrong program is irreversible. This is exactly the guesswork point.me removes from the transfer process. One search checks every direct Citi partner and its alliance routes at once, and shows which program can actually book the seat, all before you transfer a single point.

How do Citi transfer partners compare to Chase, Amex, Capital One, and Bilt?

Citi’s exclusive partners beat anything the other banks offer, but it also has much wider gaps without United, Delta, and Hyatt, plus a thin Star Alliance roster. If you’re wondering if you should choose  Citi or another bank,  consider that the best answer is usually Citi and another bank.

Citi vs. Chase transfer partners

Chase brings the mainstream royalty: United and JetBlue at 1:1 on every card, and full-value Hyatt on its premium card. Citi has American and EVA, which Chase can only approximate indirectly, if at all. These two lists barely overlap, and that's what makes the pairing work. See Chase transfer partners.

Citi vs. Amex transfer partners

These two share the same gaps: no Hyatt, no United, no Alaska. Amex, however, has ANA, direct Delta access, and Hilton at a 1:2 ratio. Citi, on the other hand, connects directly with American and EVA, and charges no fee on transfers to US airline programs, which Amex does. Asia travelers face the real choice: EVA access vs. ANA access. See Amex transfer partners.

Citi vs. Capital One transfer partners

Capital One is a strong all-around program. It has broad Star Alliance and SkyTeam coverage, flat everyday earning, and, like Citi, it allows its no-annual-fee cardholders to transfer points to partners. It also transfers directly to EVA, but at a reduced ratio vs. Citi’s 1:1. Capital One fills Citi's coverage gaps well, but it can’t transfer directly to American. See Capital One transfer partners.

Citi vs. Bilt transfer partners

Bilt is our recommended pairing for Citi points. It covers all three of Citi's big gaps (Hyatt, United, and Alaska's Atmos program) at full value. And it does it without requiring a premium card. Bilt also reaches Aeroplan, patching Citi's thin Star Alliance bench with the two programs that rebook you best when plans change. See Bilt transfer partners.

What are the watch-outs with Citi’s points transfer partners?

The exclusives are excellent, but the rest of Citi’s transfer partner list is uneven. Know the weak spots before you commit.

• Skip Turkish Miles&Smiles unless you're flying Turkish's own flights to Turkey. The 2024 devaluation gutted the partner sweet spots, and rates have climbed since. Plus, the cancellation policy is complicated and expensive.

• Book avianca lifemiles only within about two weeks of departure. The rates can be good, but rebooking support is nil when a partner flight cancels, and the cancellation fees are high and unclear.

• Use Singapore KrisFlyer for Singapore's own flights, period. Partner awards carry heavy fuel surcharges, and another program will almost always book the same partner flight for less.

• Qatar Privilege Club is easy when you’re flying solo and hard for groups. Booking for others requires pre-registering them on a nominee list, and new accounts often can't do it at all. The prize, after you get through all the red tape, is real (Qsuites and extra member-only space), so decide whether you qualify before you transfer.

• Etihad Guest's cancel rules earn a second mention. Certainty is the price of admission (see the sweet spot, mentioned above).

• Point sharing between Citi cardmembers ended in May 2026. Points can now be redeemed only from the earner's account. If you’re looking for a points-pooling program for your household, transfer to JetBlue TrueBlue or Flying Blue.

• Check your card's ratio before every transfer. The no-annual-fee cards offer a 10:7 ratio for most airline partners, which changes the math on redemptions.

Which Citi cards earn ThankYou points?

Every Citi card that earns ThankYou points can transfer to Citi’s partners. The ratio, however, is different depending on which card you hold. The Citi Strata Premier and Citi Strata Elite (and the legacy Prestige) transfer at full value. The no-annual-fee cards, like the Citi Strata and the Double Cash, transfer at a reduced 10:7 ratio.

American AAdvantage is the major exception. AA transfers require the Strata Premier or Strata Elite cards. No-annual-fee cards can't transfer to American at any ratio, so if American is your reason for holding Citi points, make sure you have the right card.

Believe it or not, this tiered setup makes Citi one of the generous banks. Citi, Capital One, Bilt, and Wells Fargo all let no-annual-fee cardholders transfer to partners, but Chase and Amex make you pay an annual fee before transfers switch on at all.

A common two-card setup is the Strata Premier for the bonus categories and transfers, plus a Double Cash card earning flat points on everything else you buy. Link them and the Double Cash points pool into the Premier's transferable balance, so every dollar spent feeds into one balance with one annual fee.

What's the point.me take on Citi transfer partners?

Citi ThankYou flies under the radar, but it has some powerful elements. You get direct access to American, plus full-value EVA transfers for Asia flights. Add a deep global roster of hotels and transfer capabilities on every card, and this currency starts to really make sense. The gaps (United, Delta, Hyatt) are real, which is why Citi shines brightest as half of a two-currency wallet.