ThankYou Credit Cards: A Comprehensive Guide

ThankYou credit cards are a type of rewards credit card offered by Citi that allows users to earn points for every dollar spent, with no rotating categories or spending limits.

The points can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, or cash back, among other options.

The ThankYou program has a variety of redemption options, including booking travel through the Citi ThankYou Travel Center or transferring points to airline and hotel loyalty programs.

Citi ThankYou credit cards have no foreign transaction fees, making them a great option for international travel.

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The ThankYou Rewards program is a great option for earning points on your everyday spend, with the ability to earn 2x to 5x on all spend.

Citi credit cards offer a very good program with some big holes, but its biggest strengths are the ability to earn 2x to 5x on all spend.

One of the sweet-spots of ThankYou Rewards is the opportunity to transfer points to EVA Air, a feature that's only available with Citi credit cards.

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Leading Hotels of the World and Choice Privileges are also transfer partners, with a 1:2 transfer ratio.

Unfortunately, you can't transfer points directly to most North American airline programs, except for JetBlue.

The Citi credit card program is terrific as a secondary or tertiary option, offering strong cash back rewards and sweet-spots for travel.

To get the most out of your ThankYou credit card, you need to know how to use your points effectively.

You can transfer your Citi ThankYou points 1 to 1 to airline partners like Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Avianca, as long as you have a Citi Strata Premier card or one of the no-longer-available Citi Prestige or Access More cards.

Using your points to pay for Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and other retail partner purchases is a low-value redemption at 0.8 cents per point, but Amazon.com periodically offers targeted promotions that can make it a valuable option.

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If you're looking to fly to Europe, transferring your points to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles can get you a first-class ticket on Singapore Suites between New York and Frankfurt for 86,000 miles.

You can also transfer your points to Turkish Miles&Smiles to get a round-trip economy ticket to Hawaii on United Airlines for just 25,000 points.

To book cheap domestic tickets, transfer your points to Avianca LifeMiles and you can get tickets on United Airlines starting at just 7,500 points each way.

You can also redeem your points for flights booked through the Citi ThankYou Travel Portal, but be aware that this is not the best way to redeem those hard-earned points, as you'll only get 1 cent per point in value.

Here are some redemption options to consider:

The Citi ThankYou credit cards offer a range of rewards and benefits that can help you earn points and cash back on your everyday purchases.

You can earn points quickly when you use your Citi ThankYou credit cards to make everyday purchases, especially when you use the right card to make purchases in the bonus categories. The Citi Prestige Card, for example, earns 5x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com, while the Citi Strata Premier Card earns 10x points in the same category.

The Citi Custom Cash Card has a unique rewards structure, earning 5x points in your top eligible spending category every billing cycle, on up to $500 worth of spending per billing cycle, and 1x points everywhere else. Eligible spending categories include drugstores, fitness clubs, gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores, live entertainment, restaurants, select streaming services, select transit, and select travel.

With the Double Cash Card, you'll earn 2x points on all purchases, making it a great option for everyday spending. The card also offers a path to using your cash back in the form of more valuable travel points down the road.

Here's a breakdown of the bonus categories for each card:

*The Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5x points on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, then 1x point thereafter.

You can redeem your ThankYou Points for cash back in three ways: as a statement credit, by deposit into a bank account, or by requesting a check. The value of your redemption will vary depending on the redemption option you choose, as well as the type of card account you have.

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Travel and redemption options are plentiful with Citi ThankYou credit cards. You can transfer points to over a dozen airline and hotel travel partners, including Avianca LifeMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.

The transfer ratio varies depending on the partner, with some offering 1:1 transfers and others offering 1:2 or 1:0.5. For example, Choice Privileges transfers at a ratio of 1:2, while All Accor Live Limitless transfers at 1:0.5.

You can also use the Citi Travel portal to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and attractions online, but the redemption rate is generally lower than cash back. In fact, for hotels, the redemption rate is 0.85 cents per point, which is less than the 1 cent per point cash back value.

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Some travel partners offer more competitive redemption rates, such as Avianca LifeMiles, which offers business class flights to/from Europe with no fuel surcharges for 70K (or fewer) Citi points one-way.

Here are some of the Citi ThankYou transfer partners and their current transfer ratios:

Redeeming points for gift cards is also an option, and the value is 1 cent per point. However, the value of your redemption will vary depending on the redemption option you choose, as well as the type of card account you have.

To keep your points alive, it's essential to understand the expiration rules. Points earned by a credit card account expire 60 days after cancelling that account, while points transferred to your account expire after 90 days.

If you have a Citi banking product, points earned from it expire 3 years after December 31 of the year in which the points were earned. To maximize your points earning potential, consider picking up credit card duos like the Citi Strata Premier Card and the Citi Double Cash Card. These cards offer a single $95 annual fee, welcome bonuses, and 2-3x ThankYou points for all purchases, with 3x points on dining, supermarkets, gas, airfare, and hotels.

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Here's a breakdown of the points you could earn with these cards:

By allocating your spending to the right ThankYou cards, you could earn over 6,000 points per month, which is equivalent to an average of over 3x ThankYou Points per dollar spent.

You can redeem your Citi ThankYou points for flights through the Citi ThankYou Travel Portal, but it's not the best way to do so, as you'll only get 1 cent per point in value.

You can transfer your points to airline partners, such as Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and Avianca, and get a minimum of 1.6 cents per point in value.

Some airline partners offer incredible redemptions, like Singapore Suites between New York and Frankfurt for 86,000 KrisFlyer miles.

You can also redeem your points for domestic flights on United Airlines through Avianca LifeMiles for as low as 7,500 points each way.

Here are some of the best redemptions for Citi ThankYou points:

To maximize your Citi ThankYou points, consider applying for the Citi Strata Premier Card and the Citi Double Cash Card. This combination can't be beat, with a single $95 annual fee and the ability to earn 2-3x ThankYou points on all purchases.

You can earn a lot of points with the welcome bonuses on both cards, and between the two, you'll earn 2-3x ThankYou points on all your purchases, including 3x points on dining, supermarkets, gas, airfare, and hotels.

To be approved for both cards, apply for the Citi Strata Premier Card first and then wait at least nine days before applying for the Citi Double Cash Card. This is because Citi restricts you to being approved for at most one Citi card every eight days and at most two Citi cards every 65 days.

If you're willing to put in a bit more effort, consider picking up the Citi Custom Cash Card and the Citi Rewards+ Card, which are no annual fee complements that can help you earn even more points.

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Here are the key cards to consider:

By using these cards strategically, you can earn a lot of points and redeem them for valuable rewards, such as flights to Europe, Hawaii, or the Caribbean.

Thankyou credit cards offer a range of features and options to suit different needs and preferences.

The Thankyou Cash credit card offers unlimited 3% cash back on gas and dining purchases, making it a great choice for frequent diners and drivers.

You can also earn 2% cash back on all other purchases, with no rotating categories or spending limits to worry about.

The Thankyou Rewards credit card offers 2X points on all purchases in your top spending category each quarter, with a $150 bonus for redeeming 15,000 points.

This feature allows you to earn more points where you spend the most, making it a great option for those with consistent spending habits.

The Thankyou Credit Card also offers a sign-up bonus of $150 for spending $500 in the first 90 days, making it a great choice for those who want to earn rewards quickly.

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The Citi Double Cash card has a very attractive feature: no annual fee. This means you can use the card without worrying about an extra charge every year.

You can earn up to 2% cash back on all purchases, with 1% earned when the purchase is made and 1% earned when payment is made on the account. This is a great way to get rewarded for your spending.

One thing to keep in mind is that there is a foreign transaction fee, which means you'll be charged an extra fee for making purchases abroad.

Here are the key benefits of the Citi Double Cash card's annual fee policy:

Targeted Spending Offers can be a game-changer for maximizing your ThankYou Points earnings. These offers are sent via email to cardholders and offer a higher earning rate in specific categories that usually don't have an increased category bonus.

You can earn up to 5 points per dollar in a targeted offer, as seen in an example where a $500 purchase would earn 2,500 ThankYou Points at a rate of 5 points per dollar instead of the standard 500 ThankYou Points earned at a rate of 1 point per dollar.

These offers are time-limited and capped, so be sure to take advantage of them while they're available.

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Thankyou credit cards are designed to reward you for everyday spending, not just for making large purchases or paying off balances. You can earn points or cash back on your usual expenses, such as groceries, gas, and dining out.

To maximize your rewards, consider applying for a Thankyou credit card that aligns with your spending habits, such as the Thankyou Cash card for cash back on all purchases or the Thankyou Points card for points on dining and travel purchases.

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To earn a cash back bonus, you need to spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening, and you'll get $200 cash back in the form of ThankYou Points.

Earning cash back is relatively easy with this credit card, as you'll get 2% on every purchase, with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy and an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

To qualify for the cash back, you need to pay at least the minimum due on time.

A special travel offer gives you 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals, and attractions booked on the Citi Travel portal through 12/31/25.

Here's a breakdown of the cash back rates:

Adding Authorized Users can be a great way to earn bonus points, but it's essential to understand the terms and conditions of any offer.

Citi periodically offers bonus points for adding authorized users, but be aware that these offers often come with a spending requirement.

Only add authorized users you know and trust, as they'll have access to your credit line and can make purchases, but they won't be financially responsible for the bill.

Citi doesn't impose a limit on the age of the added authorized user, so you can add family members or friends of any age.

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If you're looking to remove unwanted cards from your Citi account, you can do so by contacting Citi customer service. They'll be able to assist you with the process.

Citi offers several cards that earn Citi ThankYou Points, which can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, and other travel-related expenses. To remove a card, you'll need to call Citi's customer service number and let them know which card you'd like to cancel.

If you have a Citi Double Cash Card, you can earn 2% cash back on all purchases and 5% cash back on hotel, car rentals, and attractions booked on the Citi Travel portal through 12/31/25. However, if you're not using the card, it's a good idea to cancel it to avoid any unnecessary annual fees.

Some Citi cards, like the Citi Custom Cash Card, offer 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category up to the first $500 spent each billing cycle. While this can be a great perk, it's not worth keeping the card if you're not using it.

You can also consider canceling cards with high annual fees, such as the Citi Prestige Card, which has a fee of See Terms. However, if you're using the card for its rewards and benefits, it may be worth keeping.

Here are some cards that earn Citi ThankYou Points and their respective annual fees:

Sharing points across cardholders is a great way to make the most of your Citi ThankYou Rewards. You can share points with up to 99 other cardholders, and each of you can receive up to 100,000 points per calendar year.

You can share points with friends or family members who have a Citi Strata Premier card or one of the no-longer-available Citi Prestige or Access More cards. This allows you to transfer your points to a partner airline or hotel program and book high-value awards.

However, there's a catch: shared points expire after 90 days, so make sure you have a specific use in mind before transferring them.

Here are some key details to keep in mind when sharing points:

If you don't have a Citi Strata Premier card or one of the other eligible cards, you can still share points by transferring them to a friend who has one of those cards. They can then transfer the points to an airline or hotel program to book an award.

Applying for credit can be a straightforward process, especially when you know the right strategies. To earn ThankYou points quickly, consider applying for a Citi credit card, as welcome offers are a great way to get started.

The credit card welcome offer is a significant way to earn points, and it's usually the easiest and quickest way to do so. You can earn a substantial amount of points just by signing up for a new credit card.

To maximize your credit card spend, make sure to use your card for daily purchases, such as groceries, gas, and dining. This will help you earn points on your regular expenses.

Retaining your credit card can also lead to more offers, so be sure to call the credit card company once a year to ask about any available offers. This can lead to additional points and rewards.

Citi periodically emails cardholders with targeted offers that can significantly boost your earning potential. These offers are usually directed toward categories that don't normally have an increased category bonus, so it's worth keeping an eye on your email inbox.

Targeted offers can earn you points at a higher rate than usual, such as 5 points per dollar instead of the standard 1 point per dollar. For example, a $500 purchase might earn 2,500 ThankYou Points instead of the usual 500.

Keep in mind that these time-limited offers often come with a cap on the number of extra points you can earn, so make sure to check the terms before making a purchase.

Citi ThankYou Points are often overlooked, but they shouldn't be. With the ease of earning points and diverse redemption options, including an impressive list of transfer partners, Citi ThankYou Point-earning cards can be a rewarding addition to your wallet.

The Citi ThankYou Rewards program features excellent transfer partners, making it easy to build a high-earning card combo. This is a piece of cake compared to the application restrictions applied by other issuers.

Citi ThankYou Point-earning cards offer top-tier earning rates without large annual fees, making it an attractive rewards strategy. You won't have to break the bank to earn points.

Here are some of the best credit cards that earn Citi ThankYou Points:

These cards offer a range of benefits and rewards, and can be a great addition to your wallet.