A serious bank card issuer has simply added American Airways as a switch companion.
Citi on Sunday introduced the launch of 1:1 transfers from its ThankYou Rewards program to American’s AAdvantage loyalty program for 3 of the rewards playing cards in its lineup.
The transfer has made Citi the one card issuer with direct transfers to American, one of many three largest U.S. airways.
Factors transfers are anticipated to go dwell instantly, on Sunday.
Citi revealed the information as a part of the revealing of the Citi Strata Elite® Card, its brand-new premium-tier credit card that comes with further American Airways advantages within the type of annual day passes to the airline’s Admirals Club network.
These lounge passes will probably be particular to the brand new Strate Elite Card, however current cardholders with two different playing cards, the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees) and the Citi Prestige® Card (now not out there), will have the ability to switch their ThankYou Rewards factors to American going ahead.
The knowledge for the Citi Strata Elite Card and the Citi Status Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Citi and American get nearer
Citi and American partnering on a bank card is nothing new. The airline and the issuer first joined forces many years in the past and already collectively supply American’s suite of airline-specific cards, just like the one which’s been a workhorse of my wallet for the higher a part of a decade.
However a new agreement between the two sides, unveiled late last year, set the stage for deeper ties between the businesses.
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And on Sunday, these ties led to Citi changing into the one main card issuer to permit customers with transferable rewards to maneuver these factors on to American.
“I feel that we’ve got all the time desired a serious airline level switch companion, and naturally it might solely be with American, so we’re delighted that we have come to the conclusion that clients will worth this,” Pam Habner, Citi’s head of U.S. branded playing cards and lending, instructed TPG.
This is what to know in regards to the new switch choices and new American Airways perks for Citi cardholders.
Are you able to switch Citi ThankYou Rewards factors to American Airways?
Sure, relying on the cardboard. As of Sunday, July 27, cardholders with the next Citi playing cards can switch their ThankYou Rewards factors on to American’s AAdvantage program:
- Citi Strata Elite (brand-new card with a $595 annual charge)
- Citi Strata Premier ($95 annual charge)
- Citi Status ($495 annual charge, now not out there to new candidates)
Factors will switch at a 1:1 ratio, so 1,000 Citi ThankYou Rewards factors will develop into 1,000 AAdvantage miles.
Easy methods to switch Citi factors to American Airways
In case you’re hoping to leap proper into Citi-American transfers, it is best to have the ability to log proper into your ThankYou Rewards account, pull up the transfers web page and transfer your factors over to the airline.
As soon as they hit your AAdvantage account, you’ll ebook an award flight on American, whether or not you are hoping to ebook the airline’s brand-new Flagship Suites on a flight to Europe or snag a coach deal on a brief home flight.
Learn extra: How to redeem miles with the American Airlines AAdvantage program
New Admirals Membership advantages for cardholders
Among the many headlining options of the brand new Citi Strata Elite Card unveiled on Sunday is entry to American’s community of Admirals Golf equipment.
Particularly, Strata Elite Card holders will get 4 annual passes to American’s golf equipment.
These can every be redeemed for one-time use; consider them like a day move.
First look: American’s new Flagship Lounge and Admirals Club in Philly shine in big debut
Are you able to deliver a visitor?
Sure, however there is a catch.
Strata Elite Card holders can select to redeem their annual Admirals Membership passes for grownup visitors age 18 and over. Nevertheless, do you have to deliver three adults right into a lounge with you on one go to, know that that will exhaust your annual allotment of 4 membership passes.
A cardholder is allowed to usher in as much as three youngsters (underneath the age of 18) on a go to with out utilizing up all their annual passes, although.
In case you’re a traveler who desires frequent entry to the Admirals Membership — and with a extra lenient visitor coverage — you would possibly as an alternative think about the full-fledged membership entry you get by way of the cobranded Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees).
Not fairly a ‘first,’ however a serious second for Citi and American
It isn’t technically the primary time Citi has supplied cardholders an opportunity to switch factors to American. A number of years in the past, through the coronavirus pandemic, the issuer supplied American transfers on a temporary basis.
However now, these transfers appear way more everlasting, making Citi’s rising suite of Strata playing cards a extra intriguing choice for vacationers who prefer to fly American.
Beforehand, JetBlue was Citi’s solely U.S. airline transfer partner. That meant Citi cardholders hoping to redeem factors for a flight on American needed to undergo its Oneworld alliance companions like Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Qantas.
Per TPG’s July 2025 valuations, American’s miles are probably the most priceless of any U.S. provider.
American beneficial properties a switch companion
Up till this announcement, American had been the biggest U.S. airline and not using a bank card switch companion.
The airline briefly allowed direct transfers from Bilt Rewards, however that tie-up ended a little over a year ago.
In the meantime, American’s prime airline rivals have each allowed factors transfers from their prime banking companions for years: Delta Air Lines partners with American Express, whereas United Airlines has a partnership with Chase.
Scott Lengthy, American’s senior vp of AAdvantage, instructed TPG that there is extra to come back on its Citi ties, which clients will see sooner or later.
“It is a rethinking of what we are able to do as companions, and a brand new partnership to go broader and deeper than we’ve got earlier than,” Lengthy stated. “We predict there’s extra that we are able to do, however that is an thrilling first step.”
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