Citi Reducing Transfer Rate to Emirates by 20%

Citi has often trailed behind its competitors in the flexible points space. With a smaller selection of cards that earn transferable rewards and no true top-tier premium product, it’s easy to see why this program doesn’t get as much buzz as others. Still, a solid mid-level card and a respectable roster of transfer partners have kept Citi in the conversation.

That said, Citi ThankYou members are facing yet another setback — this time involving a devaluation when moving points to Emirates Skywards. Here’s what’s changing.

Citi Reducing Emirates Transfer Ratio

Presently, most Citi ThankYou transfers happen at a 1:1 ratio, meaning 1 Citi point becomes 1 hotel point or airline mile. There are a few exceptions, but Emirates Skywards hasn’t been one of them.

However, Citi has emailed some customers indicating that the ratio is dropping by 20%. Effective July 27, 2025, the new transfer ratio will be 1:0.8.

This means that if you transfer 1,000 Citi points to Emirates, you’ll end up with 800 Emirates Skywards miles.

Not everyone has received this email, unfortunately. While some staffers, including those holding a Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, did get it, those with only a Citi Prestige^® Card did not. Does this mean that the change only affects those with the Citi Strata Premier card?

Citi has confirmed that this change will affect those with the Citi Strata Premier card, Citi Prestige card, and the AT&T Access More Card (note that the latter 2 cards are no longer available for applicants).

We also checked out the Citi ThankYou portal to see if there was any new wording, but nothing has changed yet.

What Does This Mean for Citi ThankYou Points?

Citi ThankYou Points may sometimes be overshadowed by other, more popular currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards. However, they’ve got a lot to offer, including a higher-than-average transfer ratio from Citi to Choice Privileges (1:2).

Dropping the Emirates transfer ratio doesn’t bode well for the currency, especially when Emirates partners with so many flexible point currencies.

With American Express Membership Rewards, Chase points, Bilt Rewards, and Capital One miles all continuing to transfer to Emirates at a 1:1 ratio, this just means a loss of value and competitive edge when it comes to Citi’s transfer options.

While Emirates Skywards redemptions don’t always provide great value (the surcharges are tough to swallow), Skywards is one of the only options for booking Emirates’ sought-after first class with points. For those willing to pay for it, the game-changing premium cabin is in a league of its own.

And to those who’ve needed to combine a few balances to make their redemptions, having so many transfer partners on hand has been useful.

Final Thoughts

Citi is sending out emails saying that the transfer ratio from Citi ThankYou Points to Emirates Skywards will be dropping by 20% on July 27, 2025. If you have any upcoming redemptions in mind, be sure to complete them before that date.