Citi ThankYou Points Redemption Guide: Maximize Value (2025)

Getting the most out of your Citi ThankYou® Rewards points can mean the difference between a mediocre gift card and a luxurious first-class flight. In this guide, we’ll rank all the redemption options for Citi ThankYou points from worst to best so you know which to avoid and which to target. We’ll also highlight estimated cents per point (CPP) for each option.

In a nutshell, the baseline value of Citi ThankYou points is about 1 cent per point ($0.01) for most redemptions. However, with the right strategy, you can often get 2+ CPP by leveraging transfer partners.

Worst Value: Shopping with Points (0.8 CPP)

Using points for online shopping – for example, paying with ThankYou points at Amazon, Best Buy, or other retailers – is one of the worst redemption options. While applying your points at checkout is tempting, Citi typically gives you only about 0.8 cents per point in value for these redemptions.

For instance, 10,000 points might cover an $80 purchase on Amazon – far below the $100 value those points would have as cash or towards travel.

Major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and others are enrolled in “Shop with Points” partnerships, but the conversion rate is poor. Using them this way essentially loses 20% of your points’ value. The convenience isn’t worth the drop in value in most cases.

Pro Tip: Before clicking “Use ThankYou Points” on a retail site, think twice. Pay with your credit card instead and save your points for a redemption that gives you full value. You can always redeem the points for a statement credit if needed, and you’ll often come out ahead compared to the subpar rate retailers offer

Avoid This Pitfall: Transferring Points for Low-Value Awards (<1 CPP)

One trap some people fall into is assuming any transfer to an airline is automatically a good deal. Not all transfers are equal. If you transfer ThankYou points to a partner airline without a plan or for a low-value award ticket, you might end up getting less than 1 cent per point in value – a waste of valuable points.

Similarly, if you transfer points to any airline just to book a cheap $100 flight (when the award costs, say, 10,000 miles + fees), you’re only getting 1 cent per point or less – you could have just redeemed those points for cash or through the portal for the same value, with less hassle.

The lesson: Only transfer your Citi points to airline or hotel programs when you’ve identified a high-value redemption. Don’t transfer speculatively or for low-value bookings, or you might undercut the value of your points.

Important: Transferring points to airlines is the path to the best value, but do your homework first. If an award flight only saves you a penny per point (or less) compared to paying cash, you’re better off keeping your points or using a different redemption. Plan transfers for big wins, like expensive flights, not for $50 hops.

Baseline Value: Cash Back or Statement Credit (1 CPP)

If you want pure cash in hand, Citi ThankYou points can be converted to cash back, a statement credit, or a check at a rate of 1 cent per point in most cases. This means 10,000 points = $100.

Redeeming for cash is straightforward and flexible – you can use the money for anything – making it the baseline against which other options can be measured.

Depending on your Citi setup, there are a couple of ways to cash out:

• Statement Credit/Direct Deposit: You can redeem points to cover charges on your card or deposit into your bank account at a 1:1 ratio (1 point = $0.01).
• Mailed Check: Citi can also cut you a check at the same rate

Note: If you hold the Citi® Double Cash or Custom Cash (which earn ThankYou points), those points can be seamlessly cashed out at 1 cent each. This effectively sets a floor value for your ThankYou points – you should aim to redeem for no less than 1 cent per point, since cash is always an alternative.

In summary, cash back at 1 cent is solid if you need flexibility or don’t have a high-value travel redemption in mind. You’re not losing value at this rate (it’s the baseline TYP value), but you’re also not gaining extra value. Many enthusiasts prefer to use other redemptions to get more than 1 cent, but it’s comforting to know that your points won’t be worth less than $0.01 each if you choose to cash them out.

Baseline Value: Booking Travel Through Citi’s Travel Portal (1 CPP)

Citi ThankYou points can be used to book travel (flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, etc.) through the Citi Travel Center/Portal at a rate of 1 cent per point (effectively, 100 points = $1 of travel). This is similar to how you might use other bank points in their respective portals. For example, 20,000 points would cover a $200 airfare or hotel booking.

Using the Citi travel portal is pretty straightforward:

• You search for travel on the ThankYou website (which is powered by Citi’s travel agency partner).
• You have the option to pay with points, or a mix of points and cash. 

Advantages of using the portal:

• Simplicity: No need to transfer points or deal with airline miles programs. You just use points to buy travel like you would with cash.
• No blackout dates on paid rates: If there’s a seat for sale or a hotel room available for cash, you can book it with points (since you’re essentially paying Citi’s travel agency with your points as currency).

Drawbacks to consider:

• Value is capped at 1 cent per point: You won’t get more than 1 cent in value.
• Forfeited Rewards: When you book flights via the Citi portal with points, usually it’s like buying a ticket through a third-party travel agent with no cash cost – meaning you often won’t earn airline miles or elite credit for that flight (airlines treat it like an award ticket). Similarly, hotels booked through third-party portals often don’t earn points or elite nights, and you might not get your elite status perks on that stay.

In short, using ThankYou points through the portal to book travel is convenient and easy, and you’ll get a fair value of 1 cent per point. There’s certainly nothing wrong with redeeming or a vacation if you don’t want the complexity of point transfers. Just remember that you’re not getting above-average value this way. If stretching point value is your goal, the next section is where Citi ThankYou really shines.

Baseline Value: Gift Cards (up to 1.1 CPP)

Using ThankYou points for gift cards from various merchants is another way to get roughly 1 cent per point. Citi’s ThankYou portal offers a wide selection of gift cards (retail, restaurants, travel, etc.), and generally, a $100 gift card will cost you 10,000 points, which is 1 cent per point value.

However, Citi occasionally runs promotions on gift cards where they discount the points required. For example, you might find a $100 gift card for 9,000 points during a sale. In those cases, you’re getting about 1.11 cents per point value. These promos can be a decent deal if it’s for a store or service you’d use anyway.

A few considerations for gift cards:

• Flexibility: Gift cards lock you into spending at that merchant. $100 in cash is more flexible than a $100 store gift card, so only choose this if you’re sure you’ll use it.
• Sales/Discounts: Keep an eye out for those discounted redemption deals. For instance, around the holidays Citi might offer 10-15% off point redemptions on select gift cards, boosting your value a bit above 1 cent per point.
• Treat as Cash Equivalent: If there’s no discount, treat gift cards as essentially the same value as cash back (1 cent per point). It’s a fine use, especially if you want to earmark rewards for a gift or specific store, but it’s not supercharging your value.

Overall, gift card redemptions are okay – you’re typically not losing value, but you’re also usually not gaining much beyond the standard 1 cent baseline. If a promotion bumps the value above 1 cent, and it’s a retailer you like, it can be a small win. Otherwise, consider if you’d rather have the cash instead.

Best Value: Transferring Points to Airline & Hotel Partners (up to 2+ CPP)

The highest value uses of Citi ThankYou points come from transferring them to airline (or hotel) loyalty programs and redeeming them for award travel. This is where you can often achieve well above 1 cent per point, sometimes 2 cents or more, depending on the redemption.

Citi has a range of travel partners, including 14 airlines and a few hotel programs, which you can access with the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card.

Airline Partners:

• Aeromexico Club Premier
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue
• Avianca LifeMiles
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Emirates Skywards
• Etihad Guest
• EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Hotel Partners:

• Choice Privileges
• Wyndham Rewards
• ALL - Accor Live Limitless

How it works: You convert (transfer) your ThankYou points into a partner’s miles/points (usually at a 1:1 ratio for most partners). Then, you use that airline’s or hotel’s award program to book travel.

Some popular Citi transfer partners include: Avianca LifeMiles, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Singapore KrisFlyer, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

Why transfers can yield more value: When redeemed strategically, airline miles can offer outsized value for expensive flights:

• International business or first class flights often cost thousands of dollars, but require a reasonable amount of miles. If you use points that converted to miles to book a $5,000 flight for, say, 100,000 miles + taxes, you’re getting ~5 cents per point value – far above the 1 cent baseline.
• Last-minute or otherwise expensive flights in economy can also be a deal – if cash tickets are costly but the award price in miles is fixed or still low, transferring points to book it can save you money (and yield >1 cent per point value).
• Leveraging sweet spots: Every frequent flyer program has quirky award chart sweet spots. Citi’s diverse partners let you choose the program that has the best price for the trip you want.

Of course, not every transferred point redemption will get 2 cents – you might get more or less, depending on the scenario.

The transfer approach does require more planning and flexibility. You need to find award availability and deal with airline programs. But the payoff can be huge for those interested in travel.

Final Thoughts: Making the Most of Citi ThankYou Points

Citi ThankYou points are a versatile currency, but as we’ve seen, not all redemptions are created equal. If you’re looking to maximize every point, your strategy should be clear: avoid the low-value options (shopping, low-value transfers, etc.), treat 1 cent as your baseline floor (cash, portal, gift cards), and leverage transfer partners for the best rewards.

For many points enthusiasts, the effort to transfer and book awards is well worth it – that’s how you turn a stash of points into a business class adventure or save hundreds on flights. Citi’s partners like Turkish Miles&Smiles, Avianca LifeMiles, and Air France/KLM Flying Blue (among others) unlock travel experiences that would otherwise be very pricey out-of-pocket, delivering outstanding value for your points.

However, if you’re not interested in airline programs or you want simplicity, getting 1 cent per point via cash or travel portal bookings is nothing to scoff at. The good news is Citi ThankYou gives you that flexibility – you can always fall back on the easy options and know you’re getting a fair value.

Bottom line: Citi ThankYou points can be worth as little as ~0.8 cents or as much as 5-10 cents each – it all depends on how you use them. By sticking to the higher-end redemptions (especially transferring to airlines for premium or otherwise expensive flights), you’ll ensure you’re getting maximum value from your hard-earned points.

The information related to the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, Custom Cash® Card, Citi Rewards+® Card, and Citi Double Cash® Card has been collected by Cardonomics.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.

Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, vendors or companies, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.