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It is quite impressive to see and it can make the Citi ThankYou program more attractive to many.
Citi ThankYou Adds American AAdvantage as Partner
Citi ThankYou points are now transferred to American AAdvantage miles at a 1: 1 ratio, assuming you have Citi Premier or Citi Prestige. This is a limited time opportunity that is currently available until November 13, 2021.
It’s really exciting to see – among the “big three” carriers in the United States, American Airlines is the only one with a mileage currency that was not transferred efficiently to another currency (Amex points can be converted into Delta SkyMiles, and points can be converted to United MileagePlus miles).
American AAdvantage offers excellent mileage redemption options for traveling on partner airlines, especially for those looking to redeem in premium cabins on Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Japan Airlines, and Qatar Airways. For example, for a one-way business class award ticket on one of the above partners, you will pay:
- 60,000 to 70,000 AAdvantage miles between the United States and Asia
- 70,000 AAdvantage miles between US and Middle East / India
- 75,000 AAdvantage miles between the United States and Africa
These are some of the best rewards redemption values, and without a doubt, it’s a transfer option that a lot of people will appreciate.
Earn 80,000 points with the Citi Premier card
For anyone looking to earn American AAdvantage miles, now is the perfect time to pick up the Citi Premier® Map (review). For a limited time, the card offers its best welcome bonus of 80,000 thank you points. It was a huge bonus at first, but it has become even more valuable as you can now use it to earn AAdvantage US miles.
The Citi Premier Card has many advantages, including the bonus categories. The Citi Premier® card offers 3x the points on meals, gas, groceries, airline tickets and hotels, making it one of the most comprehensive cards for everyday spending.
Could this transfer option become permanent?
While this transfer option is currently available until November 13, 2021, personally I don’t think it’s out of the question that this could be extended or even become permanent. For years, point enthusiasts have wondered why Citi ThankYou points weren’t transferred to American AAdvantage miles, especially given the co-branded card relationship and competitor policies.
Presumably so far this is due to one of two factors:
- American and Citi could not agree on a fair price for point transfers
- American feared such a transfer option would cannibalize its co-branded card wallet
I guess there are a few ways to look at this temporary opportunity:
- American is testing the waters on a transfer option like this, and what impact does that have on its co-branded card wallet, transfer volumes and the way people redeem miles
- In light of coronavirus, American sees it as easy way to generate income
- The US economy on the cost at which transfers make sense has changed; it could be due to the way people redeem miles, planned devaluations, etc.
Only time will tell what the real explanation is, although personally I don’t think it’s out of the question that this could be extended.
At the end of the line
Citi ThankYou Points are now transferred to American AAdvantage at a 1: 1 ratio, which is a really exciting development. While this is only good for a limited time from now on, who knows, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this become permanent. This is one more reason to take the Citi Premier® Menu.
What do you think of adding AAdvantage as a Citi transfer partner? Are you going to transfer points?
(Hats off to Business Insider)
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