A points-based credit card and banking rewards program connected to Citi is called Citi ThankYou. Spending on specific Citi credit cards and qualifying Citi checking account activities earn Citi ThankYou points, which can then be redeemed for a variety of retail and travel rewards.

Customers who meet the requirements of Citi’s rewards program can earn rewards and it is called ThankYou points, on purchases made with a compatible credit card.

• ThankYou points might be worthwhile, especially for travelers, but navigating the rewards program can be tricky:
• Depending on what specific Citi card you have, you have different redemption choices.
• Furthermore, point values can vary greatly.

However, access to this benefit also depends on the card you use. Citi does permit point transfers to a variety of travel loyalty programmes. There is only one domestic program among Citi’s travel partners.

Although flexible and adaptable, ThankYou points are best used for certain redemptions. Here’s how to maximize your Citi ThankYou point balance.

Pros and cons of Citi ThankYou

Pros

If you don’t use credit cards frequently, this program is an excellent choice for you because you may earn ThankYou points through banking transactions in addition to spending on them. If you don’t want to use your points for travel, you still have extra freedom with gift card redemptions, which give a high value of 1 cent per point. As long as you have an approved credit card, ThankYou points can be transferred to more than a dozen Citi transfer partners, most of which are airline reward programmes.

Cons

Compared to similar rewards programmes like Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards, ThankYou points have a lower average value. There are no significant American Airlines among Citi’s transfer partners. However, they do cover all the significant airline alliances. Low redemption value for cashback

How to Earn Points

Utilizing your checking account

You must already have or create an eligible checking account with Citi in order to earn ThankYou points from your banking activities. It’s important to keep in mind that only a select number of Citi’s bank account packages qualify for ThankYou points, and they frequently include higher monthly service costs that can only be waived if you keep a specific minimum amount in your account.

There are limits on how many points you can earn through banking, and you must have at least one qualifying direct deposit and one qualifying bill payment on each monthly statement. Although you may earn ThankYou points much more quickly with a credit card, if you bank with Citi currently, banking can be a useful strategy to increase your credit card benefits.

Utilizing a credit card

Citi offers three major credit cards: a no-annual-fee card, a middle-of-the-road card, and a premium card, all of which earn ThankYou points. You can transfer your points to any of Citi’s airline partners with two of these cards, the Citi Premier® Card and the Citi Prestige® Credit Card, greatly enhancing the value of your ThankYou points.

Citi ThankYou Travel

Through the ThankYou travel centre, you may use your ThankYou points to book flights, lodging, cruises, and rental vehicles. The value of these travel redemptions varies, but when you redeem for flights, you’ll receive 1 cent each point. Usually, transferring your ThankYou points to one of Citi’s transfer partners will provide you a better return.

Gift Cards

Additionally, you can exchange your ThankYou points for gift cards from several well-known retailers. Chain eateries like Olive Garden and Starbucks, clothes and department stores like Kohl’s, Macy’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as entertainment and travel businesses like Royal Caribbean and iTunes, are a few examples. Although the value of your points won’t be as high as if you transferred them, you’ll still receive about one cent for each one, which is more than most credit card programmes pay for gift card redemptions. If you can’t use your points for air travel, it’s not a terrible option.

Transfer Citi Thankyou Points

You can transfer your ThankYou points at a 1:1 ratio to more than a dozen airline reward programmes as long as you hold the Citi Premier Card or the Citi Prestige® Credit Card. Your points must be transferred in groups of 1,000 points.

Even though the majority of Citi’s transfer partners are foreign-based airlines, many of them are also members of airline alliances, giving you access to a wide range of airlines when you redeem your points. You actually have access to all three of the major airline alliances thanks to Citi’s transfer partners. Since these airline miles frequently have values considerably above one cent each, transferring points is frequently the most profitable way to redeem them.

Other Options

Citi provides numerous other options for using your ThankYou points, including cash back, statements, paying bills with points, and online shopping with Citi’s partners. Due of the large degree of flexibility they provide, these redemption alternatives could be alluring, but regrettably, they typically represent poor value. Instead of receiving 1+ cents per point when transferring points, using them to buy gift cards or travel, these alternatives only provide you 0.5 to 0.83 cents each ThankYou point.