Citi ThankYou Rewards added a new airline partner on September 20, 2026: ThankYou points now transfer directly to Japan Airlines Mileage Bank. Citi marked the launch with a 30% transfer bonus, which ended October 24, 2026; transfers now run at the standard ratio. It’s a genuinely useful addition, not just a paper partnership — JAL’s own award chart to Japan is one of the stronger premium-cabin deals in the transferable-points world, and now two major banks (Citi and Capital One) route into it.
The New Partnership at a Glance
- Launch date: September 20, 2026
- Standard transfer ratio: 1:1 for full-access ThankYou cards; 1:0.7 for no-annual-fee cards
- Launch bonus: 30% extra miles on every transfer (ended October 24, 2026)
- Standard rate: 1,000 ThankYou points → 1,000 JAL miles (full-access cards) or 700 JAL miles (no-fee cards)
Which Citi Cards Get the Full 1:1 Ratio
As with every other Citi airline partner, the ratio you get depends on which ThankYou card is holding the points, not on JAL itself.
| Card | Transfer Ratio to JAL |
|---|---|
| Citi Strata Elite | 1:1 |
| Citi Strata Premier | 1:1 |
| Citi Prestige (legacy, closed to new applicants) | 1:1 |
| AT&T Access More (legacy, closed to new applicants) | 1:1 |
| No-annual-fee ThankYou cards (Double Cash, Custom Cash, Strata, Rewards+) | 1:0.7 |
That last row is the one to watch. If you only hold a no-fee ThankYou card, your points transfer at a discount — 700 JAL miles per 1,000 points. Pooling those points into a Strata Elite or Strata Premier account before transferring gets you the full ratio, the same trick that already works for Citi’s other airline partners.
The 30% Launch Bonus (Ended October 24, 2026)
This launch bonus ended on October 24, 2026.
55,000 JAL miles is roughly what a one-way business-class award between the US and Japan costs on JAL metal. At the standard 1:1 ratio, a Strata Elite or Strata Premier holder needs the full 55,000 Citi points to generate those 55,000 miles — no discount now that the launch bonus has ended.
How Far JAL Miles Actually Go
JAL Mileage Bank’s own award chart for US–Japan flights is the reason this partnership is worth paying attention to, not just a box-checking exercise. One-way pricing on JAL-operated flights between the US (JFK/LAX/ORD and similar) and Tokyo (HND/NRT) commonly runs:
| Cabin | One-Way JAL Miles |
|---|---|
| Economy | 27,000 |
| Premium Economy | 40,000 |
| Business | 55,000 |
| First | 110,000–140,000 |
Beyond JAL’s own flights, Mileage Bank also prices partner awards — including Oneworld carriers like American Airlines and British Airways — on a distance basis, which opens up multi-city and stopover routings that a single-airline chart usually can’t match.
Key Rules Before You Transfer
- New-account holding period: JAL’s own rule blocks redemptions for up to 60 days after you first open a Mileage Bank account. Some reports on Citi’s rollout point to miles posting and becoming usable in as little as 7 days for new accounts, but JAL’s official policy is the safer number to plan around — enroll in Mileage Bank now if you don’t already have an account, rather than waiting until you’re ready to book.
- Hard 36-month expiry: JAL miles expire on a fixed schedule with no extensions for activity or reinstatement. Don’t transfer speculatively without a redemption in mind.
- Family-only award bookings: JAL restricts award redemptions to the member, their spouse, and relatives within the second degree. You can’t book an award ticket for a friend on someone else’s miles.
- Transfers are final: once ThankYou points become JAL miles, they can’t be converted back.
A Quick Example
Say you’re holding 55,000 Citi ThankYou points on a Strata Premier account and eyeing a one-way business-class award from the US to Tokyo. That JAL redemption costs the full 55,000 miles, point for point, so your 55,000 Citi points convert exactly to the 55,000 JAL miles you need. If you’re on a no-fee ThankYou card instead, those same 55,000 points would only generate 38,500 miles (55,000 x 0.7) — short of the 55,000 needed, which is exactly why pooling into a Strata account before a big transfer is worth doing.
How This Compares to Capital One’s JAL Bonus
Citi isn’t the first bank to route into JAL Mileage Bank. Capital One added JAL as a transfer partner with its own 30% bonus in 2025, at a 2:1.5 standard ratio (roughly 1:0.75). Citi’s 1:1 ratio for Strata Elite and Strata Premier holders is the better deal of the two if you have the choice — you’re not giving up nearly a quarter of your points’ value just to get into JAL’s ecosystem.
Bottom Line
JAL Mileage Bank is now a permanent 1:1 Citi transfer option (1:0.7 on no-fee cards) — if you’re sitting on Citi ThankYou points and have any interest in a Japan trip, it’s worth considering, but only transfer once you already know you’ll use the miles. Pool your points into a Strata Elite or Strata Premier account first, confirm JAL award space for your dates, then transfer. See the full list of Citi transfer partners for how JAL stacks up against Citi’s other airline options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Citi launched the partnership on September 20, 2026, making JAL Mileage Bank the newest addition to the ThankYou Rewards transfer roster. It's 1:1 for full-access ThankYou cards (Citi Strata Elite, Citi Strata Premier, and the legacy Citi Prestige and AT&T Access More cards). No-annual-fee ThankYou cards transfer at a reduced 1:0.7 ratio unless the points are first pooled into a Strata Elite or Strata Premier account. No. The launch bonus ran through October 24, 2026, and has ended. Transfers now run at the standard ratio: 1,000 JAL miles per 1,000 ThankYou points for full-access cardholders, or 700 JAL miles per 1,000 points for no-fee cardholders. One-way awards on JAL-operated flights between the US and Tokyo commonly run 27,000 miles in economy, 40,000 in premium economy, 55,000 in business, and 110,000–140,000 in first class. JAL Mileage Bank also prices Oneworld partner awards on a distance basis. JAL's official policy blocks redemptions for up to 60 days after opening a new Mileage Bank account, though some reports on Citi's rollout suggest miles can post and become usable in as little as 7 days. Enroll in JAL Mileage Bank now if you don't already have an account, rather than waiting until you're ready to book. Yes — JAL miles expire on a hard 36-month schedule with no extensions for activity. Award bookings are also restricted to the member, their spouse, and relatives within the second degree, so you can't redeem miles for a friend's ticket.When did Citi add Japan Airlines Mileage Bank as a transfer partner?
What is the transfer ratio from Citi ThankYou points to JAL Mileage Bank?
Is Citi’s 30% JAL launch bonus still available?
How many JAL miles do I need for a flight to Japan?
Is there a waiting period before I can redeem transferred JAL miles?
Do JAL miles expire, and can I book awards for friends?
