Citi added Japan Airlines Mileage Bank to the ThankYou Rewards transfer lineup on September 20, 2026, and paired the launch with a limited time transfer bonus.
The ratio depends on your card
The transfer rate is split by product. Cards that charge an annual fee, including the Citi Strata Premier and the Citi Strata Elite, transfer at 1:1. No annual fee cards, including the Citi Strata and the Citi Double Cash, transfer at 1:0.7, so 1,000 ThankYou points become 700 JAL miles.
That split is the same structure Citi already applies to several of its other airline partners, and it makes the fee paying cards meaningfully better for anyone planning JAL redemptions.
A 30% bonus through October 24
To mark the launch, Citi is running a 30% transfer bonus that ends October 24, 2026. During the promotion:
- Annual fee cards get 1,300 JAL miles per 1,000 ThankYou points
- No annual fee cards get 910 JAL miles per 1,000 ThankYou points
Why JAL miles matter
JAL Mileage Bank has historically been difficult to build up from the United States, because few domestic cards earn into it directly. Japan Airlines has been the subject of repeated transfer bonuses from other point currencies this year, and Citi joining the list gives ThankYou holders another way into the same award space.
Transfers to airline programs are generally not reversible, so confirm award availability before moving points. Citi has not said how long the partnership stays at these ratios after the launch bonus ends.