Citi is running a 40% transfer bonus from ThankYou Points to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles right now — one of the stronger transfer bonuses on the calendar this month, if you can actually use Miles&Smiles miles. Here’s what the bonus actually pays out, the catch most people miss, and when it’s worth moving points for.
The Offer, in Plain Terms
The bonus runs November 1 through November 30, 2026, ending at 23:59 Turkey time (UTC+3) on the 30th — which is earlier in the day than US Eastern midnight, so don’t wait until the last minute. It’s capped at 50,000 bonus miles per member, and it’s only usable if you already have (or open) a Miles&Smiles account. Non-members have to register for Miles&Smiles first before transferring.
This bonus is run by Turkish Airlines, not Citi — so it won’t show up as a rate change on Citi’s own ThankYou transfer page. You transfer at the normal rate, and Turkish credits the 40% bonus to your Miles&Smiles account separately, after the promotion period closes. That means the bonus miles won’t post right after you transfer — budget for a delay before booking anything that depends on the bonus amount.
The Ratio Catch: Check Your Card First
Most Citi ThankYou cards transfer to airline partners at 1:1, so 100,000 ThankYou points plus the 40% bonus would become 140,000 Miles&Smiles miles. But at least one report (via Loyalty Lobby) says some premium ThankYou cards — including Citi ThankYou Preferred and Citi Strata — transfer at a reduced base ratio for this particular promotion, which would bring the same 100,000 points down to roughly 98,000 miles instead of 140,000. That’s a meaningful difference, and it’s not something every source agrees on. Check the live transfer ratio shown in your own Citi account before you transfer — don’t assume 1:1 just because that’s the standard rate. If you’re deciding which Citi card to put spend on for transferable points, see our Citi Strata Premier review for how its earning and transfer rules compare to Citi’s other ThankYou cards.
Worked Example
Say you transfer 100,000 ThankYou points on a card with the standard 1:1 ratio. With the 40% bonus, you’d receive 140,000 Miles&Smiles miles once Turkish processes the promotion after November 30. Miles&Smiles uses a distance-based award chart with partner-dependent pricing (Turkish is a Star Alliance member), so 140,000 miles can realistically cover a one-way business class redemption on a mid-haul Star Alliance route, or a long-haul economy ticket, depending on the route and partner carrier you book.
When Is This Worth It?
- You already have a Star Alliance redemption in mind. Transfer bonuses are a bad way to speculate into a program you’ve never booked with — Miles&Smiles’ award chart and fuel surcharge rules are specific enough that you want to price out the actual flight first.
- You can tolerate the posting delay. Since the bonus miles land after November 30, this isn’t a fit if you need the full balance immediately for a near-term booking.
- Your card’s ratio is confirmed at 1:1. If your transfer defaults to a reduced ratio, the effective bonus is much smaller than 40% looks on paper — verify before you commit points you can’t easily get back (ThankYou transfers are one-way and final).
If you’re not sure Turkish Miles&Smiles is the right redemption for your points, it’s worth comparing against other transfer bonuses running this month — see our Citi ThankYou to Avianca LifeMiles bonus for another current option from the same ThankYou balance.
Bottom Line
A 40% bonus to Turkish Miles&Smiles is a real, worthwhile boost — but only for travelers who already know how they’ll use Miles&Smiles miles and have confirmed their card transfers at the full ratio. Don’t transfer speculatively into a program you haven’t priced an actual redemption in, since ThankYou transfers can’t be reversed.
Frequently Asked Questions
The promotion runs November 1 through November 30, 2026, ending at 23:59 Turkey time (UTC+3) on the 30th. Yes — the bonus is capped at 50,000 bonus miles per Miles&Smiles member. Turkish Airlines administers the bonus, not Citi, so bonus miles post after the promotion period closes following November 30 — not immediately after you transfer. Most transfer at 1:1, but at least one report says some premium cards, including Citi ThankYou Preferred and Citi Strata, may transfer at a reduced base ratio for this promotion. Check the live rate shown in your own account before transferring. No. Transfers from Citi ThankYou to airline partners are one-way and final, so only transfer once you have a specific redemption in mind.How long does the Citi ThankYou to Turkish Miles&Smiles 40% bonus last?
Is there a cap on the bonus?
When will the bonus miles post to my account?
Do all Citi ThankYou cards transfer at the same ratio?
Can I reverse a Citi ThankYou points transfer?
