Citi ThankYou Points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners, but once transferred the points cannot be cancelled or reversed.
Confirm bookable award space on the partner program’s own site before starting any transfer. Seats.aero can serve as a third-party award search tool to help locate possible space.
Because transfers are one-way, checking availability first protects your points from becoming stuck in a program where the award you need is not bookable.
At a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Airline partners | American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, EVA Air Infinity MileageLands, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, JetBlue TrueBlue, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club / Virgin Red |
| Hotel partners | ALL - Accor Live Limitless, Choice Privileges, Leaders Club, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, and Wyndham Rewards |
| Transfer direction | One-way and irreversible; once transferred, partner currency cannot be converted or transferred back to ThankYou Points |
| Posting time | May appear in some travel partners’ accounts within 24 hours; for others up to 14 days |
| Transfer amounts | Minimum 1,000 points, in 1,000-point increments, capped at 500,000 ThankYou Points per transfer, no fee |
| Account requirements | First and last names on ThankYou account and partner loyalty account must match; existing partner account required |
| Before transfer | Check and confirm bookable award space on the partner program’s own site |
Why Search Award Space Before Transferring
Citi ThankYou Points can move to airline and hotel partners, but the move is permanent. Points Transfer requests cannot be cancelled or reversed. Once transferred, the partner program’s currency cannot be converted or transferred back to ThankYou Points.
Because transfers cannot be reversed, confirm bookable award space on the partner program’s own site before starting a transfer. Log in to that program, run its award search or booking tool, and make sure the specific flight or hotel stay you want is actually available to book.
Posting times give another practical reason to search first. Points may appear in some travel partners’ accounts within 24 hours, while for others it may take up to 14 days to post. Award inventory can shift during that period, so verifying space in advance reduces the chance that the seat or room disappears after your points leave the ThankYou account.
The same caution applies across transferable currencies. Travelers often follow a similar check-first step with other programs. Our Capital One guide on checking award space before transfer walks through the same idea.
Citi ThankYou Transfer Partners
Citi ThankYou Points can be transferred to these airline programs: American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, EVA Air Infinity MileageLands, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, JetBlue TrueBlue, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qatar Airways Privilege Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club / Virgin Red.
Hotel transfer partners include ALL - Accor Live Limitless, Choice Privileges, Leaders Club, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, and Wyndham Rewards.
These programs appear consistently across Citi's official ThankYou FAQ and the Points Transfer listing as of our check. Cards eligible for Points Transfer include the Citi Strata Elite, Citi Strata Premier, Citi Prestige, Citi ThankYou Preferred, Citi Strata Card, Citi Double Cash Card, Citi Custom Cash Card, Citi ThankYou Mastercard and certain AT&T cards from Citi. The value of transferred points depends on your card and the program you choose.
Travelers can use these options to match points to the loyalty programs that fit their trips. We cover the full partner list in more detail in our Citi ThankYou Transfer Partners article. For Virgin Atlantic redemptions, see our Virgin Atlantic sweet spots guide.
Always verify the current partner list on Citi's site before planning a transfer, as programs can change. The value depends on the specific card held and the chosen program.
How to Check Partner Award Availability
To check award space, log in to the partner airline or hotel program’s own site and use its award search or booking tool. Availability is subject to that program’s terms.
Confirm bookable award space on the partner program’s site before starting a transfer. This confirmation step is essential because Points Transfer requests cannot be cancelled or reversed, and once transferred the partner currency cannot be converted back to ThankYou Points.
You need an account with the partner program before you can transfer. The first and last names on the ThankYou account and the partner loyalty account must match.
These steps help travelers avoid moving points that cannot be used as planned. For American Airlines AAdvantage partner award searches, see our how to search AAdvantage partner award space guide. Flying Blue details appear in our Flying Blue award taxes at checkout article.
Always complete the search and confirmation on the official partner site before initiating any transfer from your ThankYou account.
Transfer Rules and Timing
Transfers of Citi ThankYou Points to travel loyalty programs require a minimum of 1,000 points. All transfers must be made in 1,000-point increments, and each transfer is capped at 500,000 ThankYou Points. Currently, Points Transfer carries no fee.
Points may appear in some travel partners’ accounts within 24 hours. For other partners, it may take up to 14 days for the points to post to your loyalty program account. Plan for the longer window when you search for award space and prepare to book.
Points Transfer requests cannot be cancelled or reversed. Once transferred, the partner program’s currency cannot be converted or transferred back to ThankYou Points. Confirm bookable award space on the partner program’s own site before starting any transfer.
These rules apply when moving points to airline and hotel partners. Because the transfer is one-way and posting times vary from 24 hours to 14 days, locate and confirm the specific award you want first. For a comparison of transfer times across programs, see our points transfer times guide.
Using Seats.aero Before a Transfer
Seats.aero is a third-party award search tool that can help locate possible award space.
Always confirm any space found by logging in to the partner program’s own site and using its award search or booking tool before transferring. Availability is subject to that program’s terms.
Because transfers cannot be reversed, confirm bookable award space on the partner program’s site before starting a transfer. Once points move to the partner, they cannot be converted or transferred back to ThankYou Points.
Using a third-party tool for an initial look can save time, but the final check must happen on the official partner site. See our how to use Seats.aero guide for more on the tool.
Travelers should complete the confirmation step on the partner site so the space is bookable before any irreversible transfer begins.
Bottom Line
Confirm bookable award space on the partner airline or hotel site before transferring Citi ThankYou Points. Transfers cannot be cancelled or reversed, and once moved the partner currency cannot be converted back, so verify the space is actually available and bookable first.
Points may appear in some travel partners’ accounts within 24 hours, while for others it may take up to 14 days to post. Transfers require a 1,000-point minimum in 1,000-point increments, and the first and last names on the ThankYou account and the partner loyalty account must match. You also need an existing partner account before you can transfer.
FAQ
Why should I search award space before transferring Citi ThankYou points?
Points Transfer requests cannot be cancelled or reversed. Once transferred, the partner program’s currency cannot be converted or transferred back to ThankYou Points. Because of that, confirm bookable award space on the partner program’s site before starting a transfer.
How do I check partner award availability for Citi transfers?
Log in to the partner airline or hotel program’s own site and use its award search or booking tool. Availability is subject to that program’s terms.
What tools help search award space before a Citi transfer?
Use the partner program’s own award search tool. Seats.aero can serve as a third-party award search tool, but always confirm on the partner site before transferring.
Are Citi ThankYou point transfers reversible?
No. Citi says Points Transfer requests cannot be cancelled or reversed, and once transferred the partner program’s currency cannot be converted or transferred back to ThankYou Points.
How to use Seats.aero before transferring Citi points?
Use Seats.aero as a third-party award search tool to locate possible space, then confirm bookable award space by logging in to the partner program’s own site before starting any transfer.