Citi ThankYou Points cardholders can transfer points to I Prefer, the loyalty program of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, at a 30% bonus rate through June 13, 2026. The standard transfer rate is 1:2, meaning 1,000 Citi ThankYou Points convert to 2,000 I Prefer points. During this promotion, that same 1,000 points converts to 2,600 I Prefer points. No minimum transfer amount applies.
If you have Citi ThankYou Points sitting idle and a stay at an independent luxury hotel on the horizon, this is one of the better transfer bonus windows Citi has offered for I Prefer this year.
Who qualifies for the bonus
The 30% bonus is available to holders of the following Citi cards:
- Citi Strata Premier Card (the $95 annual fee card most readers will have)
- Citi Strata Elite Card ($595 annual fee, premium tier)
- Citi Prestige Card (legacy, no longer available for new applicants)
- AT&T Access More Card (legacy, no longer available for new applicants)
If you carry the Citi Strata Premier, you are eligible. The Premier earns 3x ThankYou Points on hotels, dining, groceries, gas, and EV charging, and 10x on hotels booked through the Citi Travel portal. Rates verified as of April 19, 2026. For the full picture on earning and benefits, see our Citi Strata Premier review.
What I Prefer points are worth
I Prefer is the loyalty currency for Preferred Hotels & Resorts, a collection of roughly 650 independent upscale and luxury properties worldwide. These are not chain hotels. You will not find them in Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, or World of Hyatt. They are independently owned boutique and luxury properties, from small city retreats to remote resort properties.
I Prefer points average about 0.51 cents per point (cpp) in value. The range is wide depending on property tier and redemption type. Free night awards and Points + Cash rates at high-end properties can reach 1–3+ cpp. Redemptions at entry-level participating hotels can land below 0.5cpp. The best value comes from luxury independent properties with strong free night redemption rates.
Here is what the 30% bonus is worth at different transfer amounts:
| Citi TY transferred | Standard (1:2) | Bonus (1:2.6) | Extra I Prefer points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,600 | 600 |
| 5,000 | 10,000 | 13,000 | 3,000 |
| 10,000 | 20,000 | 26,000 | 6,000 |
| 25,000 | 50,000 | 65,000 | 15,000 |
At the average value of 0.51cpp, 10,000 Citi ThankYou Points transferred at the bonus rate yield 26,000 I Prefer points worth roughly $133, compared to $102 at the standard rate. The bonus adds about $31 in value per 10,000 points transferred, with no additional spending required.
When this transfer makes sense
The most important rule for any transfer bonus: only transfer when you have a confirmed redemption target. I Prefer points do not expire as long as your account stays active with at least one earn or redemption every 24 months, but the program has significantly fewer redemption opportunities than Marriott, Hilton, or Hyatt. Points accumulate from paid stays and redeem via free night awards or Points + Cash rates at participating properties.
This bonus is worth using if:
- You have a specific Preferred Hotels & Resorts property booked or planned in the coming months
- You have 10,000 or more Citi ThankYou Points with no near-term use case for airline or other hotel transfers
- You want to stay at a boutique or independent luxury property outside the major chain ecosystems
- You value the specific properties in the Preferred Hotels & Resorts portfolio, which skews toward design-forward independents and smaller luxury collections
Skip this transfer if you value Citi ThankYou Points above 1.3cpp through other uses. Citi’s airline transfer partners, including Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, and Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles, can deliver significantly higher per-point value for premium cabin redemptions. At the 1:2.6 bonus rate with I Prefer averaging 0.51cpp, you are getting roughly 1.3cpp from Citi ThankYou Points. That beats the Citi travel portal rate (about 1cpp) but does not compete with well-timed airline redemptions at 2–5+ cpp.
One more constraint: I Prefer points do not transfer out to other programs. Once transferred, they stay in I Prefer. Transfer only what you plan to use.
How to initiate the transfer
- Log in to your Citi ThankYou account at thankyou.com
- Navigate to Rewards, then select Transfer Points
- Choose I Prefer (Preferred Hotels & Resorts) from the list of transfer partners
- Enter the number of ThankYou Points you want to transfer and your I Prefer membership number
- Review the confirmation screen: the 30% bonus rate should display before you finalize the transfer
- Submit: points typically post to your I Prefer account within 1–3 business days
Do not transfer points without a confirmed redemption target. Transfers cannot be reversed, and Citi’s terms do not allow for point recovery after a completed transfer.
About the Citi Strata Premier and Strata Elite
The two eligible cards most readers will encounter are the Strata Premier and Strata Elite.
The Citi Strata Premier ($95 annual fee) earns 3x on hotels, dining, groceries, gas, and EV charging, and 10x on hotels via the Citi Travel portal. It is one of the few mid-tier cards that offers hotel transfer partners alongside airline partners, making it a solid option for points earners who want flexibility across travel categories. For a full breakdown, see our Citi Strata Premier review.
The Citi Strata Elite ($595 annual fee) is the premium tier, with higher category multipliers, a broader set of travel credits, and the same access to Citi’s transfer partner network. Strata Elite holders transferring to I Prefer during this bonus window benefit from the same 1:2.6 rate.
Neither card is the right choice if your primary focus is a single major hotel chain, or if you want to earn and redeem entirely within Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, or World of Hyatt. Those programs offer deeper in-program redemption options and status pathways that the Citi ecosystem does not replicate.
Bottom Line
The 30% Citi ThankYou to I Prefer transfer bonus runs through June 13, 2026, lifting the rate from 1:2 to 1:2.6. Use it if you have a specific Preferred Hotels & Resorts stay planned and ThankYou Points you are not allocating elsewhere. If you do not have a confirmed booking at a participating property, hold the points: I Prefer has limited flexibility compared to major hotel chains, and transfers cannot be undone.
FAQ
Q: Which Citi cards qualify for the I Prefer transfer bonus?
A: The Citi Strata Premier, Citi Strata Elite, Citi Prestige (legacy cardholders), and AT&T Access More (legacy cardholders) all earn ThankYou Points eligible for the promotion. The Citi Double Cash and Citi Custom Cash earn ThankYou Points but cannot transfer to travel partners on their own without being paired with a Strata Premier or Strata Elite account.
Q: What is the standard Citi ThankYou to I Prefer transfer rate?
A: Normally 1:2, meaning 1,000 Citi ThankYou Points convert to 2,000 I Prefer points. During this promotion through June 13, 2026, the rate is 1:2.6.
Q: How long do I Prefer points take to post after a Citi transfer?
A: Typically 1–3 business days. If you are transferring close to a stay, allow extra time and do not wait until the last day before your check-in. Transfers cannot be reversed.
Q: Are there minimum or maximum transfer amounts?
A: Citi transfers to I Prefer are processed in increments of 1,000 ThankYou Points. There is no stated minimum for the bonus promotion. Standard Citi account transfer limits apply.
Q: When does this transfer bonus expire?
A: June 13, 2026. Initiate your transfer a few business days before the deadline to ensure points land in your I Prefer account before the promotion closes.