Citi is running a 25% bonus on ThankYou point transfers to Avianca LifeMiles through October 24, 2026. Move 1,000 points and 1,250 miles land instead of 1,000. Upgraded Points reports the window closes at 11:59 p.m. Eastern on the 24th, which gives you most of October to work out whether you actually want LifeMiles.
What the bonus pays
The usual rate from Citi ThankYou to LifeMiles is 1:1, which Upgraded Points says is what the Citi Strata Premier and Strata Elite get, so the bonus takes it to 1:1.25 for the length of the promotion. Transfers run in 1,000-point increments with a 1,000-point minimum, and Upgraded Points says the bonus is calculated at the time of transfer.
Two conditions come with it, per Upgraded Points: you need a LifeMiles account before you transfer, and the bonus miles don't count toward LifeMiles elite status.
Who this is for, and who should skip it
LifeMiles is a Star Alliance program, which is the reason to care. One Mile at a Time points out that you can redeem LifeMiles on Star Alliance airlines without fuel surcharges, but also that LifeMiles doesn't always see the same award space other Star Alliance programs do.
That's why the order matters. Points sitting in Citi stay flexible across every Citi transfer partner, while miles sitting in LifeMiles are committed to Avianca for good. Transfers run one way, so a 25% bonus is only worth taking against a redemption you've already priced out.
Our Avianca LifeMiles guide walks through where the program's pricing holds up and where it doesn't.
How to take advantage
- Find the award you want first and confirm the seat is actually bookable on the dates you need.
- Work out how many LifeMiles the booking costs, then transfer only that many points, rounded up to the nearest 1,000.
- Transfer before the promotion ends on October 24.
Upgraded Points says the miles should post within 24 hours but can take up to 5 days, so build in a buffer rather than transferring against an award you're trying to grab the same hour.
The bottom line
If you have a Star Alliance redemption in mind and LifeMiles prices it well, this gets you 25% more miles for the points you'd have moved anyway. If you don't, leave the points in Citi where they can still go somewhere else.
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