A major credit card issuer has just added American Airlines as a transfer partner.
Citi announced Sunday that it launched a 1:1 transfer from its Thanks Rewards Program to launch the US AADVANTAGGH loyalty program with three reward cards in its lineup.
The move made Citi the only issuance card transferred directly to the United States, one of three U.S. airlines.
Points transfer is expected to be online immediately on Sunday.
Citi revealed the news as part of the unveiling of the Citi Strata Elite® card, its brand new premium credit card with benefits from other American airlines, passed to the airline’s Admirals Club Club Network in the form of an annual day.
These lounge passes will target new Strategy Elite cards, but existing cardholders have two more cards, i.e. Citi Layer Premier® Card (See Rates and Fees) and the CitiPrestige® Card (No longer available) will be able to transfer your reward points to the U.S. forward.
Information on the Citi Strata Elite card and Citi Reputation card has been independently collected by Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Citigroup and Americans approach
Citigroup and the United States are not new to collaborating on credit cards. The airline and issuer first joined the force decades ago and have co-provided American Airlines-specific card kits, just like it was the main force of my wallet for most of the decade.
However, unveiled late last year, a new agreement between the two parties laid the foundation for a deeper connection between the two companies.
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On Sunday, the relationships led to Citi being the only major issuer that allows consumers with transferable rewards to hand over these points directly to Americans.
“I think we’ve always wanted to be a major airline transfer partner, of course only with Americans, so we’re happy to conclude that customers will value that,” Pam Habner, head of American Brand Cards and Loans at Citi, told TPG.
Here’s the stipend for new transfer options and new American Airlines, which is what you know for Citi cardholders.
Can you transfer Citi Thank You Reward Points to US Airlines?
Yes, it depends on the card. As of Sunday, July 27, cardholders with the following Citi cards can transfer their thank you points directly to the Aadvantage program in the United States:
- Citi Layer Elite (brand new card, $595 annual fee)
- Citigroup Prime Minister ($95 annual fee)
- Citi Prestige (annual fee of $495, no longer available to new applicants)
Points will be transferred in a 1:1 ratio, so 1,000 Citi Thanks Rewards Points will be 1,000 Aadvantage Miles.
How to transfer Citigroup to US Airlines
If you wish to go directly to Citi-American Transfers, you should be able to log in to your Thank You Rewards Account directly, file a transfer page and move your points to the airline.
Once they reach your Aadvantage account, you can book rewards about Americans whether you are looking to book an airline’s brand new flagship kit on a flight to Europe or snap up coach deals on a short domestic flight.
Read more: How to redeeate miles using American Airlines Aadvantage Program
New Admiral Club benefits for cardholders
Title features for the new Citi Layer Elite Card unveiled Sunday include access to the U.S. Admiral Club Network.
Specifically, Strata Elite Card holders will receive a pass to the U.S. club four times a year.
These can be redeemed for one-time use; think about them like a one-day pass.
First Look: American American’s New Flagship Lounge and Admiral Club
Can you bring guests?
Yes, but there is a catch.
Strata Elite Card holders have the option to redeem their annual Admiral Club Pass for their adult guests aged 18 and older. However, if you take three adults into the lounge at one visit, know that this will drain your annual allocation to four club passes.
cardholder yes However, access is allowed up to three children (under 18 years old) without consuming all annual passes.
If you are a traveler who frequently enters the Admiral Club and has a more relaxed guest policy – you can consider comprehensive club access you get through a common brand citi® /aadvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (See rates and fees).
Not a “first”, but the main moment for Citi and Americans
Technically, this is not the first time Citi has offered cardholders the opportunity to transfer points to the United States. A few years ago, the issuer temporarily offered a U.S. transfer during the coronavirus pandemic.
But now, these transfers seem more permanent, making Citi’s growing stratigraphic card kit an interesting choice for travelers who like to fly America.
Previously, JetBlue was Citi’s only American airline transfer partner. This means that Citi cardholders want to redeem points for American aircraft must go through their OneWorld Alliance partners such as Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways and Qantas.
According to TPG’s July 2025 valuation, American mileage is the most valuable of any operator in the United States.
The United States acquires transfer partners
Until this announcement, the United States has been an American airline without a credit card transfer partner.
The airline briefly moved directly from the BILT rewards, but the partnership ended for more than a year.
Meanwhile, rivals of top U.S. airlines have allowed points to be transferred from their top banking partners for years: Delta Air Lines partners with American Express, while United Airlines has formed a partnership with Chase.
Scott Long, senior vice president of Aadvantage in the United States, told TPG that there are more to its Citi relationship that customers will see in the future.
“It’s a rethinking of what we can do as partners and a new partnership that is broader and deeper than before,” Long said. “We think we can do more, but it’s an exciting first step.”
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