There are two types of travel reward credit cards available; those that offer points in some sort of bank rewards program and those that are co-branded with travel providers such as hotels and airlines. Among the bank rewards cards, each credit card issuer competes to create a system that offers cardholders the most flexibility and value. Citi offers its ThankYou rewards program that includes many different travel redemption opportunities for eligible cardholders. Furthermore, those who hold the Citi ThankYou Premier card are eligible to receive an additional 33% in value towards airline awards.
How ThankYou Travel Awards Work
Citi offers several different credit cards that earn ThankYou points. Once accumulated, cardholders have multiple travel redemption options. Cardholders can request travel certificates that represent credit towards purchases with major travel providers such as Avis car rentals and Hyatt hotels. These awards typically return one cent in value for each ThankYou point redeemed. Cardmembers can also redeem points for cruises on many different cruise lines. To exercise this option, customers must contact the ThankYou Service Center by phone at 1-800-THANKYOU (1-800-842-6596). Finally, customers can book flights, hotels, rental cards, and other vacation activities directly through Citi’s web site. When points are redeemed through Citi’s online travel portal, customers also receive one cent in value for each point redeemed.
How ThankYou Premier Cardholders Can Receive Extra Value
While Citi offers many different cards that earn ThankYou points, ThankYou Premier cardholders can stretch their points even further when they book airfare through Citi’s travel portal. Citi offers these cardholders 1.33 cents in value for each point redeemed. For example, if a cardholder redeems 50,000 ThankYou points for a flight, he or she will not have to pay for the first $665 worth of airfare. If the airfare is less than the number of points in their account, cardholders will have a balance of points remaining. If the flight chosen requires more points than cardholders have available at the time, they can use their remaining points while charging the balance to their Citi card. In this way, ThankYou points are worth 1.33 cents each towards any airfare purchase. Finally, it has been shown that Citi’s travel portal does, in fact, display the same airfares that competing travel providers show, and the prices displayed by Citi are identical those of the websites of the airlines.
Citi’s ThankYou program is filled with many different award opportunities, but ThankYou Premier cardholders will always receive the most value when utilizing the additional benefits of airfare redemptions.
