Citi switch companions: Airline and lodge loyalty packages

Many Citi cardholders redeem their Citi ThankYou Rewards factors for present playing cards or bookings by means of the Citi travel portal. However in case you have a premium Citi ThankYou card, you might get better worth out of your factors by using the Citi switch companions.

On this information, we’ll talk about how you can earn Citi ThankYou factors you’ll be able to redeem with the Citi switch companions.

You possibly can earn Citi ThankYou factors by means of some Citi credit cards, together with:

Take note, although, that not all ThankYou factors have the identical worth. To switch Citi ThankYou factors to most companions described on this information, you should maintain a premium Citi ThankYou card such because the Citi Prestige® Card (not obtainable to functions) or the Citi Premier.

If you happen to solely have the Citi Rewards+ Card, you will earn extra restricted ThankYou factors which you could switch to JetBlue TrueBlue, Selection Privileges and Wyndham Rewards. If you happen to solely have the Citi Double Money Card or the Citi Customized Money Card, you earn money again as “fundamental” ThankYou factors which you could’t switch to companion packages.

Nonetheless, when you additionally maintain the Citi Status or the Citi Premier, you’ll be able to combine your limited and basic ThankYou points with these out of your Citi Status or Citi Premier account. Then, you’ll be able to switch your mixed rewards to any Citi ThankYou switch companions.

The knowledge for the Citi Status card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

Associated: Is the Citi Premier worth the annual fee?

Day by day Publication

Reward your inbox with the TPG Day by day e-newsletter

Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s specialists

Sometimes, you might be able to switch Citi factors to pick out companions at the next ratio throughout a transfer bonus.

To switch Citi ThankYou factors, go to thankyou.com and register to your account. It’s possible you’ll want to pick out the ThankYou account you need to use. Then, click on “Journey” on the highest navigation bar and choose “Factors switch.” Every switch have to be no less than 1,000 ThankYou factors however not more than 500,000. ThankYou factors can solely be transferred in increments of 1,000.

Some companions acknowledge transfers from Citi ThankYou Rewards faster than others. Citi says transfers can take as much as 14 days to course of, however our exams on how long Citi ThankYou points take to transfer present most transfers happen a lot faster.

Within the the rest of this information, we’ll talk about every Citi switch companion and whether or not they’ll possible present good worth when you switch Citi factors.

Associated: Best ways to redeem Citi ThankYou points

Accor Live Limitless has 53 manufacturers, together with fashionable names like Sotifel, Fairmont, Raffles and Movenpick. Its redemptions are easy — 2,000 factors are value 40 euros (round $44, based mostly on present alternate charges). Which means every Accor level is value round 2.2 cents.

Transferring Citi factors to Accor at a 2:1 ratio means you will get simply over 1 cent per Citi level (considerably decrease than TPG’s valuation of Citi factors at 1.8 cents every). That mentioned, in case you have a restricted variety of Citi factors, Accor Dwell Limitless might be a compelling switch companion that can provide barely extra worth than redeeming your factors for journey by means of the Citi journey portal.

Aeromexico Rewards

Whereas Aeromexico Rewards has an award chart for limited-availability traditional award tickets, it makes use of dynamic pricing for many award tickets operated by Aeromexico, Delta, KLM and Air France. This dynamic pricing varies relying on demand, availability, vacation spot and your class of service — however the charges often aren’t compelling. Even when you e book your award on-line, you will nonetheless must pay an award reserving payment of 365 Mexican pesos (about $22).

It’s possible you’ll get good worth from Aeromexico when you use your factors in the fitting conditions, however usually, Aeromexico Rewards is not probably the most priceless Citi switch companions.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue is a well-liked program that some would possibly argue is among the greatest Citi switch companions. Nonetheless, Flying Blue makes use of dynamic award pricing and adds fuel surcharges that may be hefty on some routes.

Flying Blue standardized prices of saver-level redemptions to Europe in late 2023, and yow will discover nice worth by means of the monthly Flying Blue Promo Rewards and Flying Blue stopovers. You may as well use Flying Blue’s calendar search tool to seek out cheaper award tickets.

Associated: How to find the cheapest redemption rates using Flying Blue miles

Avianca LifeMiles

With its combined cabin ticketing and low taxes and charges, Avianca LifeMiles is a well-liked forex for reserving flights on Star Alliance carriers. Not like some frequent flyer packages, LifeMiles would not cross alongside service surcharges on award tickets.

Though Avianca LifeMiles raised award costs to Asia in late 2022, two of our favourite candy spots stay:

You may additionally typically discover cheap Avianca-operated award flights throughout the Americas.

Associated: The best websites to search for Star Alliance award availability

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles makes use of distance-based award charts for flights by itself steel and Oneworld companion awards. Lengthy-haul flights, corresponding to these between the U.S. and Hong Kong, may be costly. Particularly, you’ll be able to e book one-way “ultra-long” Cathay Pacific flights of seven,501 miles or longer for 160,000 Asia Miles in firstclass, 110,000 miles in enterprise, 75,000 miles in premium economic system and 38,000 miles in economic system.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles passes on charges and surcharges from different carriers and infrequently expenses important charges by itself tickets. However, even after Cathay increased most Asia Miles award rates in late 2023, you will nonetheless often discover award flights the place reserving by means of Asia Miles is the most suitable choice.

Associated: Traveling soon? These 10 apps and websites make award redemptions easier to find

Selection Privileges

Choice integrated Radisson Rewards Americas into its loyalty program in mid-2023. Now you’ll be able to e book Selection motels, together with legacy Radisson Rewards Americas manufacturers, by means of Choice Privileges. Award nights at most properties worldwide vary from 6,000 to 35,000 factors per night time.

You possibly can switch Citi factors to Selection at a 1:2 ratio (2:3 ratio for playing cards that earn restricted ThankYou factors), which makes it simpler to get good worth. Try our tales on Choice Hotels Sweet Spot Rewards and unique ways to redeem Choice points to discover ways to maximize Selection factors.

Associated: Register for Choice Hotels Your Extras to earn gift cards or other perks on weekday stays

Emirates Skywards is probably most helpful for reserving Emirates business-class or first-class award tickets, however its award costs are excessive. For instance, a business-class one-way flight from New York to Dubai prices 138,000 miles and $839 in taxes and charges.

A extra viable possibility is to have a look at one of many service’s fifth-freedom routes between the U.S. and Europe. For instance, you’ll be able to e book a one-way business-class award from New York to Milan for 87,000 miles plus $106 in taxes and charges, but when yow will discover round-trip, saver-level awards, your whole value for the New York-to-Milan fifth-freedom route drops to 108,000 miles plus $248.

Associated: The complete guide to the Emirates A380 onboard bar and lounge

Etihad Guest was once a incredible program for maximizing companion redemptions. Sadly, Etihad slashed its sweet spots and elevated award charges by over 300% on some routes in 2023.

Etihad is making more loyalty program changes this yr, together with diminished GuestSeat award costs and the flexibility to redeem miles to improve to the Residence on some A380 flights. Nonetheless, Etihad Visitor award charges are usually excessive, and the award charts you will discover solely listing introductory charges, so the charges you will discover while you go to e book will typically be considerably larger.

Associated: Your ultimate guide to searching award availability for the major airlines

Try the award chart for Star Alliance awards and the award chart for EVA Air awards.

Associated: Is EVA Air business class worth it on the Boeing 787-10?

JetBlue TrueBlue

Redeeming JetBlue TrueBlue factors for the service’s flights is straightforward: The extra a flight prices in money, the extra it would require in factors. In keeping with TPG’s valuations, you’ll be able to anticipate to get roughly 1.4 cents of worth for each TrueBlue level you redeem, however some flights could yield barely higher or worse worth.

An alternative choice is to redeem JetBlue points for travel on Hawaiian Airlines. You possibly can often e book nonstop, one-way intra-Hawaii economic system flights for 7,500 factors plus $5.60. Nonetheless, this is not nearly as good of a deal because it sounds since paid flights are sometimes cheap on these routes.

The newest Citi transfer partner is Leaders Club, the loyalty program of The Main Motels of the World. Leaders Membership makes use of dynamic award pricing, however you will often get between 6 and eight cents per level. Given which you could switch Citi factors to Leaders Membership at a 5:1 ratio, you will often get between 1.2 and 1.6 cents per Citi level (decrease than TPG’s 1.8 cents per ThankYou level valuation).

Suppose you need to redeem Citi factors for a keep at a LHW property. In that case, you will often be higher off transferring factors to Leaders Membership as a substitute of redeeming factors when reserving by means of the Citi journey portal, however it’s value doing the maths on your particular reserving.

Qantas Frequent Flyer usually is not probably the most profitable loyalty program with its excessive gasoline surcharges and lackluster award charts. You may discover a number of distance-based award charts for this system, so you should choose the right award chart based mostly on the airways you intend to fly.

There are some candy spots to be discovered, together with quick Qantas-operated flights, around-the-world Oneworld tickets, transatlantic business-class awards operated by American Airways and short-haul American Airways flights.

Qatar Airways Privilege Membership

Qatar Airways Privilege Club is not the most well-liked program, however it’s value caring about because it switched to Avios as its currency in 2022. Now, it’s the solely Avios-accruing program to companion with Citi ThankYou Rewards.

Since you’ll be able to combine your Avios throughout the loyalty packages that use Avios, you’ll be able to switch Citi factors to Qatar after which e book candy spots within the British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus loyalty packages.

Associated: Book Qatar Qsuites before anyone else

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is often your greatest wager when you’re trying to book Singapore Airlines first-class Suites with points and miles. You may often solely discover Benefit area for 243,000 miles one-way in firstclass on the nonstop flight from New York to Singapore. However, if you wish to fly in enterprise class on this flight, Benefit awards price 143,500 miles, and Saver awards price 111,500 miles. If there is not an award obtainable while you e book, you’ll be able to be part of the waitlist.

If these business- and first-class award charges appear a bit excessive, you too can discover worth within the month-to-month KrisFlyer Spontaneous Escapes program.

Store Your Manner is a procuring rewards program. You possibly can’t see your redemption choices till you’ve sufficient Store Your Manner factors. Nonetheless, in response to an article on the Store Your Manner web site, 1,000 factors are value $1 towards a present card.

Citi factors switch to Store Your Manner at a 1:10 switch ratio, which suggests you’d get about 1 cent per Citi level when you switch to Store Your Manner. Contemplating you may get 1 cent per level when redeeming Citi factors for an announcement credit score or test, there’s little purpose to switch your factors to Store Your Manner.

Regardless of some first rate intra-region award pricing, you will not discover a lot worth in Thai Royal Orchid Plus. You will discover the Thai award chart for originating in Bangkok here, the Thai award chart for connecting in Bangkok here and the Star Alliance companion award chart here.

Turkish Airways Miles&Smiles

The Turkish Miles&Smiles program has been a favourite amongst award vacationers lately. Nonetheless, Turkish Airlines devalued its award charts final month. Though this devaluation definitely dropped a few of the program’s enchantment, there’s nonetheless some worth to be discovered.

You may nonetheless get probably the most worth while you use your miles to e book Turkish- or Star Alliance-operated flights. Based mostly on the Miles&Smiles region-based award charts, one-way awards are bookable for half the value of a round-trip award. Nonetheless, gasoline surcharges are excessive on some Miles&Smiles redemptions.

Among the finest methods to redeem Turkish miles is on home flights operated by one of many Turkish Miles&Smiles companions. This candy spot works in lots of international locations with companion hubs, however you will pay 10,000 miles one-way in economic system and 15,000 in enterprise class on United flights throughout the U.S., together with Hawaii.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has been a favourite of award vacationers, however this system has eliminated lots of its candy spots over the previous few years. In 2021, Virgin Atlantic axed many of its Delta sweet spots. In 2023, Virgin Atlantic increased ANA first-class redemptions and devalued the award chart for a lot of Delta flights outside Europe and the United Kingdom.

There are nonetheless methods to seek out worth, particularly when you think about the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club partners. For instance, Delta Foremost Cabin flights between the U.S. and the U.Okay. on customary season dates begin at 15,000 Virgin factors every approach. You possibly can generally get good worth by reserving discounted award flights by means of Virgin Atlantic Promo Rewards.

Associated: How to book Delta award flights with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points

Wyndham Rewards has a easy award chart: Every award night time prices 7,500, 15,000 or 30,000 factors, relying on the property you select. Not all properties are a great deal, however you’ll be able to generally discover bargains in costly cities, at high-end properties or throughout peak journey dates.

You may as well redeem Wyndham factors for stays at Wyndham trip membership resorts, Caesars Rewards properties and Vacasa trip leases.

Associated: The 12 best Wyndham hotels in the world