Everything You Need to Know About Citi ThankYou Points

If you’re thinking of applying for a Citi credit card, you may have heard about ThankYou Points, a robust program that allows you to earn points and redeem them for gift cards, statement credits, travel arrangements, and more. Here’s what you need to know about Citi ThankYou Points to maximize their value.

What are Citi ThankYou Points?

Citi ThankYou Points is a rewards program offered by Citi that allows you to earn points through your banking and credit card accounts. While Citi has many different credit cards available, including co-branded options with airlines, only a select number of cards qualify for the ThankYou program.

As you earn ThankYou Points, you can redeem them for gift cards, travel arrangements, cash rewards, or even to make charitable contributions.

How do you earn ThankYou Points?

With the ThankYou Rewards program, you’ll earn points on every purchase you make with your eligible Citi credit card. Depending on the card, you could earn up to 5X points per $1 spent (or more) in select spending categories, such as travel. You could also earn rewards by completing the requirements of a welcome offer.

Cards that allow you to earn ThankYou Points

There are five different cards that are eligible for the ThankYou Rewards program. Having multiple Citi credit cards can be a good idea as you can pool your points together when you redeem them, helping you maximize their value.

Citi Custom Cash^® Card

The Citi Custom Cash^® Card has a $0 annual fee and offers 5% cash back in your top eligible spending category each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent, then 1% cash back), plus unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases; plus, as a special travel offer, earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026.

You can also earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 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.

The card also provides intro APR offers:

• On purchases: 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, then 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

• On balance transfers: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, then 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

The Citi Custom Cash doesn't offer the benefit of being able to transfer your rewards to travel partners.

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

With the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, you can, 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. 

While this card has a $95 annual fee, it offers generous rewards. You’ll earn 10X points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com; 3X points on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations; and 1X points on all other purchases.

There’s no promotional APR offer, so your rate will be a 20.49% - 28.49% (Variable), depending on your creditworthiness.

Like the Citi Prestige, the Citi Strata Premier allows you to transfer your points to select loyalty programs, like JetBlue TrueBlue or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, at a 1:1 rate.

As an added perk, you’ll get access to the Citi Concierge. You’ll be able to connect with trained experts 24/7 to help you with travel arrangements or to make dining reservations.

Citi Double Cash^® Card

Looking to take your everyday earnings to a new level? The Citi Double Cash^® Card is one of the best flat-rate, cashback cards out there and might be exactly what you're looking for. It’s best for those who pay their balances in full every month, and you can earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; 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. There are no categories to keep track of or enroll in and no caps on the total amount of cash back you can earn. Did I mention it also has a $0 annual fee?

Also, new Double Cash cardmembers can enjoy a lengthy 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After the promotional period, the APR will be 18.49% - 28.49% (variable) based on your creditworthiness.

Earnings with the Citi Double Cash Card can be redeemed for checks, statement credits, or direct deposit. Also, Citi Double Cash cardholders can convert their cash rewards into Citi ThankYou points via a linked ThankYou account, which means an additional way to pool rewards.

Converted ThankYou Points can be redeemed for things like gift cards, shopping, and travel booking, but to transfer points to a travel partner, you’ll still need either the Citi Strata Premier or Citi Prestige cards. JetBlue’s TrueBlue program is the only travel partner converted ThankYou Points can be transferred to without needing one of those higher-tier cards.

Citi Rewards+^® Card

If you’re looking for one of the best rewards credit cards with no annual fee, the Citi Rewards+^® Card is an excellent choice. As a Rewards+ cardmember, you’ll earn 2X points at supermarkets and gas stations (on the first $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1X points thereafter), and 1X points on all other purchases; Plus, as a special offer, earn 5X points on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.

As an added perk, Citi automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase you make. For example, if you spent $2 on a cup of coffee, you’d get 10 points.

If you’re looking to complete a balance transfer, the card may be a good choice for you. You’ll get an intro APR of 0% for 15 months from the date of your first transfer. Once the promotional period ends, your APR will be 17.99% - 27.99% (Variable), depending on your creditworthiness.

Citi Prestige^® Card

Even though the Citi Prestige is no longer available, there may be people that still have this card and could use it to earn Citi ThankYou Points. Although the Citi Prestige^® Card has a high annual fee of $495, it comes with significant rewards and benefits.

The card also offers some premium benefits, including:

• Complimentary fourth night hotel stay: After booking at least four consecutive nights through ThankYou.com, you’ll get your fourth night free up to two times a year.
• VIP lounge access: Get access to airport lounges through Priority Pass Select.
• $250 travel credit: Use your card to pay for eligible travel purchases and you’ll automatically receive a $250 statement credit.

The card doesn’t have a promotional APR (annual percentage rate) for new purchases or balance transfers. Your APR will be determined depending on your creditworthiness.

The Citi Prestige is one of the few cards in the ThankYou Rewards program that allows you to transfer your points to travel loyalty programs, such as Avianca LifeMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, and Qatar Privilege Club. In most cases, your points will transfer at a 1:1 rate.

Earn more ThankYou Points by using Citi bank accounts

If you currently have a checking account through Citi, you could be eligible to earn additional ThankYou Points. To start earning points, you have to enroll in the program and complete one qualifying direct deposit and one qualifying bill payment each statement period.

The following bank accounts are eligible for ThankYou Points:

• Citigold
• Citi Priority
• Citi Private Bank Account
• The Citibank Account

You can earn even more points if you have a home equity loan, savings or money market account, personal loan, or mortgage linked to your Citi checking account.

How do you redeem ThankYou Points?

You can quickly and easily redeem your points through the ThankYou.com portal. Points are usually worth one cent each, except in some unique circumstances. There are several different ways to redeem your points:

Citi ThankYou Travel Center

You can use the Citi ThankYou Travel Center to book your travel arrangements with your points. To do so, just visit ThankYou.com. You can redeem your points with no blackout dates or restrictions, and you can book airline tickets, hotel accommodations, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages, and destination activities.

Gift cards

You can also redeem your points for gift cards through ThankYou.com. You can opt to have an electronic gift card sent to your email address right away or a physical gift card mailed to you within one to three weeks.

Gift cards are available from a wide range of retailers and restaurants, including Macy’s, AMC Theatres, Target, and Panera Bread.

Most gift cards are available once you reach at least 2,500 points and are available in $25, $50, or $100 increments.

Cash back

You can redeem your points for cash once you’ve accumulated 5,000 points. Cash rewards are issued via check and are available in increments of $50 and $100.

Statement credit

If you’d rather redeem your points for a statement credit than for cash rewards, there’s an extra step involved. You can visit ThankYou.com and select “Cash rewards and charity” under the “More ways to redeem” menu. Or you can call the service center at 1-800-THANKYOU and request a statement credit.

Once you redeem your points, you’ll see the credit reflected on your statement within 30 to 60 days.

Mortgage payment

You can use your points to make a payment toward your mortgage once you’ve accumulated at least 2,500 points. To request this option, you must call 1-800-THANKYOU. The representative will mail a check to your mortgage lender.

Student loan payment

If you have student loans, you can use your points to make a payment toward your debt. The minimum points needed for this option is 2,500. To redeem your points for a student loan payment, call 1-800-THANKYOU.

Charitable contribution

You can also use your ThankYou Points to donate to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, American Red Cross International Services, or Smile Train. You need at least 2,500 points to donate and can do so in $25, $50, or $100 increments.

Shop with Points

You can use your points to pay for purchases from Amazon, Expedia, PayPal, or Live Nation. Your points can be used to pay for a portion of your order or the full amount.

Utility bills

If you have a Citi checking account, you can use your ThankYou Points to pay some of your utility bills. You can also use a combination of cash and points when making online payments, helping you save money.

Point transfers

The Citi ThankYou Points program has several travel partners. Most have a 1:1 transfer rate, but not all — so make sure you double-check the rate before you transfer your points.

For airline loyalty programs, it can take up to 14 days for your ThankYou Points to post to your loyalty program account.

Occasionally, there are transfer bonuses that can make point transfers more valuable. In the past, airlines have offered bonuses as large as 30%, allowing you to save money on travel.

How do ThankYou Points compare to Chase Ultimate Rewards?

The Chase Ultimate Rewards program is one of the most popular credit card rewards programs available. However, the Citi ThankYou program offers a lot of value, too.

There are more redemption methods available with the ThankYou program. You can redeem your points not just for travel or gift cards but also to make payments on your student loans or mortgage. Your points are nearly always worth one cent each, allowing you to get the most value for your points, regardless of the redemption method.

However, the Chase Ultimate Rewards program has more airline partners. For frequent travelers, signing up for a card that’s eligible for the Chase Ultimate Rewards program might make more sense.

How do ThankYou Points compare to Membership Rewards?

The American Express Membership Rewards program has an expansive list of airline and hotel loyalty programs, making it a great choice for frequent travelers. However, most of the eligible American Express cards have high annual fees, while there are three Citi ThankYou-eligible cards with no annual fee at all.

If you intend to use your rewards for statement credits or gift cards, you may get more value from a Citi credit card.

FAQs

Who the Citi ThankYou Rewards program is a good fit for

The Citi ThankYou Rewards program is perfect for a person who wants more flexibility in how they can use their points, without sacrificing the value of their rewards. Whether you want to get a statement credit or make a charitable contribution, you can get the full value of your points.

If you’ve always been a Chase Ultimate Rewards loyalist, signing up for a Citi ThankYou card may give you more flexibility, allowing you to earn rewards you could use to pay down your bills or even pay off a chunk of your student loan debt.

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Citi Double Cash^® Card

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Rates and fees

Current Offer

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

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; 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

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Simple flat-rate cash back on all your purchases
• 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable) APR
• No annual fee

Drawbacks

• 3% foreign transaction fee
• No bonus categories to maximize earnings
• No introductory APR on purchases

Card Details

• 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 18.49% - 28.49%, 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).