Update: The card offer in this post is no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.
In response to my post about why you should NOT use Citi ThankYou points for cash back, Million Mile Secrets reader Mike commented:
I thought the 1.25 cents per Citi ThankYou point through the Citi Travel Center was only on airfare. Did that change, or is there a trick to get the 1.25 cents per point on hotels, car rentals, and cruises?
Good eye, Mike! There’s NO trick, but this IS a new perk with the Citi ThankYou Premier card!
What’s the Deal?
Link: Citi ThankYou Premier
Link: My Review of the Improved Citi ThankYou Premier Offer
Citi changed the terms and conditions on the Citi ThankYou Premier card, effective April 19, 2015.
Citi ThankYou Premier cardholders can now redeem Citi ThankYou points for 1.25 cents each towards:
- Airfare
- Car Rentals (new)
- Cruises (new)
- Hotels (new)
For example, a $100 car rental now only costs 8,000 Citi ThankYou points when booked through the Citi ThankYou Travel Center.
This is great news for folks who want more flexibility. Or who want to redeem points for travel that can’t normally be booked with miles & points, like cruises.
Note: It’s worth comparing Citi Travel Center prices to 3rd-party websites like Kayak or Orbitz to be sure you’re getting the best deal!
This makes the Citi ThankYou Premier more competitive with cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Ink Plus. Both cards also offer 1.25 cents per point when redeemed for airfare, car rentals, cruises, and hotels.
This can be a good deal for folks who book at the last minute, because there are NO blackout dates and you don’t have to worry about available award seats or nights!
That said, you’ll likely get more value from your Citi ThankYou points by transferring them to airline and hotel partners, including their newest partners Qantas and Virgin Atlantic.
My favorite Citi ThankYou partner is Singapore Airlines. You could use the Citi ThankYou Premier 50,000 point sign-up bonus towards a First Class flight worth thousands of dollars!
Bottom Line
Mike, thanks for the question! Yes, you can easily use your Citi ThankYou points for more than airfare. You’ll also get 1.25 cents per point for car rentals, cruises, and hotels through the Citi Travel Center.
This makes Citi ThankYou points even more flexible. That said, you’ll still often get more value by transferring your points to airlines and hotel partners, like Singapore Airlines.
Remember, to get 1.25 cents per point, 1st transfer your Citi ThankYou points to your Citi ThankYou Premier card.
I was trying to book a hotel using TY points, but even at 1.25% you are still getting less than 1 cent per point. The hotel prices they give you are ridiculously expensive.
Agree w/Rick B
From the rates I’ve seen, do not use points towards hotel/car. Don’t know about air/cruise rates
I’ve used Ty points for hotel bookings before. Unless something has changed with the portal they use, the rates are usually atrociously bad compared to mainstream booking sites and selection is weak.
Thanks for the heads up on this. I’ve been in the old mindset of getting 1.25 cents per ThankYou point only for airfare. This is great flexibility Citi added to this card.