Well, hold the phone, folks! The Citi ThankYou program’s got a new buddy on the block that’s bound to shake things up in the travel points game.
Surprise! Citi ThankYou Points Now Play Nice with American AAdvantage
As of right now, your Citi ThankYou points can hop over to the American AAdvantage program. Yep, it’s live and kicking. I just tried it out myself, and like a well-oiled machine, those points shifted over faster than you can say “frequent flier.” We’ve been hearing whispers for a while, mind you, ever since Citi and American made an “exclusive issuer” announcement, where Citi got to be the one and only AAdvantage card issuer, ditching Barclays like an old sweater.
And there’s more to this than just a simple card swap. This change slots American right into Citi’s ThankYou mix, and let’s face it, without AAdvantage on board, Citi ThankYou’s star shone a bit dimmer compared to its rivals.
The Big Airline Points Rundown
- Delta has a solid thing going with AmEx, sharing the Membership Rewards joy for ages.
- United cozies up with Chase, having its MileagePlus as the Ultimate Rewards chum.
It’s no shocker that Citi wants in on the action, plugging American AAdvantage into the ThankYou family is the natural next step. Good news for savvy points earners, especially if you’ve got anything like the Citi Strata Premier® Card or its flashy new sibling, the Citi Strata Elite Card. The perks are piling up!
Blaringly Bright Boost to the ThankYou Environment
When you compare the “big three” American airlines strutting around, AAdvantage miles arguably strut a little taller. American’s got pretty impressive offerings for plush, premium cabin redemptions on partner airlines. Though, let’s admit, their own miles ain’t quite the golden ticket they once were.
- American’s gone dynamic with its award pricing—gone are the days of fixed costs, and those award prices are playing the upward game we’ve seen with transatlantic business class awards.
- Partners still keep it sweet with low award costs, but ironically, they’re getting stingy, closing award space to their loyal member bases—basically an unofficial devaluation.
Still, it’s not all bad news. There’s a good stash of value to be grabbed with AAdvantage miles if you play your cards right. This new update is a big win for anyone dabbling in the ThankYou miles pool.
But hey, let’s play devil’s advocate here—will this new twist make American itchy to toy with the value of AAdvantage miles? Now they’ve got another cash lane to rev up their miles, could this mean potential devaluation? Delta and United have thrown points around like confetti through partner programs, only to be famously stingy when it comes to redemption value, making you wonder…
Last Thoughts
Exciting times ahead as you can now switch your Citi ThankYou points to bless your American AAdvantage account. This shake-up felt on the horizon once Citi and American cozied up last year, and seeing AAdvantage slip into ThankYou’s ecosystem is a logical, albeit thrilling update.
AAdvantage miles might not be the kings they once were, but options, my friend, options—there’s still plenty of mileage in these points. Fingers crossed this doesn’t spark more devaluation drama, but what do you think about it all? How do you feel about American AAdvantage breaking into the Citi ThankYou party? Don’t be shy, spill the beans!