Citi ThankYou points now transfer to Japan Airlines Mileage Bank, and Citi is opening the partnership with a 30% transfer bonus. As of September 23, 2026, Citi's promotion terms say the offer covers transfers completed between 12:01 AM ET September 20, 2026 and 11:59 PM ET October 24, 2026. If you hold a Citi Strata Premier or Strata Elite, that's 1,300 JAL miles for every 1,000 ThankYou points you send over.

JAL is a partner worth getting excited about. Its own business class is one of the best ways to cross the Pacific, and JAL publishes a mileage chart for it, so you can price a trip before you move a point. Below is what Citi's terms say, which cards get which rate, and one example booking priced off JAL's chart so you can see what the bonus saves.

What Citi added to its transfer terms

Citi added JAL Mileage Bank to the list of participating travel loyalty programs in its Points Transfer Terms and Conditions, and the JAL section of those terms sets out the 30% bonus offer. One Mile at a Time published a screenshot of Citi's transfer page showing JAL Mileage Bank with the 30% bonus.

Citi's terms set the mechanics. You need a JAL Mileage Bank number registered in advance, each transfer is at least 1,000 points in increments of 1,000 (up to 500,000 per transfer), and Citi says JAL transfers typically complete within 24 hours but can take up to 5 business days. Once you submit, the points leave your ThankYou account and can't be returned.

If you don't have a JAL Mileage Bank number yet, open an account now, because you can't transfer until the number is registered with Citi.

If this sounds familiar, Capital One ran a 30% JAL bonus in February, and our post-mortem on that one covers why the program is worth learning.

Citi's JAL transfer ratios, card by card

Citi splits its cards into two groups, and the terms name every card in each.

Citi Strata Elite, Citi Strata Premier, Citi Prestige and AT&T Access More get 1.3 JAL miles per ThankYou point during the bonus. Citi's terms describe that as 0.3 bonus miles on top of the base rate, and Citi's own example is 1,000 points becoming 1,300 JAL miles. The base rate for this group is 1:1.

Citi ThankYou Preferred, Citi Strata Card, Citi ThankYou Mastercard, Citi Double Cash, Citi Custom Cash and the AT&T Universal Rewards World, Universal Savings and Rewards, Universal Rewards, Points Plus and Access cards get 0.91 JAL miles per point during the bonus. That's 0.21 bonus miles on a base of 0.7, so 1,000 points become 910 JAL miles instead of 700.

The gap between those groups matters more than the bonus does. Citi's terms say redemption rates can differ by card account, so check which account the points sit in before you transfer. Our Citi Strata Premier review covers how that card fits with a Double Cash or Custom Cash and what it costs to keep.

What JAL business class to Tokyo costs with the bonus

JAL publishes a required-mileage chart for its own international flights for members living in the U.S., Canada, Central and South America and Guam. On that chart, updated September 8, 2026, for one-way travel between Japan and North America, the base miles are 27,000 in economy, 40,000 in premium economy and 55,000 in business class, the same for New York, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Seattle.

Say you want JAL business class from Los Angeles to Tokyo, one way, at the 55,000-mile base price.

  • At the base rate, on a Strata Premier or Strata Elite: 55,000 ThankYou points at 1:1.
  • During the bonus, same cards: 43,000 points, which Citi converts to 55,900 JAL miles. Because transfers go in blocks of 1,000, 42,000 points would leave you short at 54,600.
  • At the base rate, on a Strata Card or Double Cash alone: 79,000 points at 0.7, for 55,300 miles.
  • During the bonus, same cards: 61,000 points at 0.91, for 55,510 miles.

On a premium card that's 12,000 fewer points for the same seat. You'll also pay cash on top. JAL's chart lists a fuel surcharge from USD 316.30 and taxes and fees from USD 29.00 one way for these routes, as of September 1, 2026.

The catch: you need a base-priced seat

The 55,000 figure is JAL's base price, and it only applies when a base-priced seat is open. JAL's chart says that when base seats are gone you can book with extra miles under "Award Ticket PLUS," and the PLUS table's maximum for business class from Los Angeles is 421,500 miles one way. So the bonus is only worth using if you've already found a seat at base price.

First class is priced differently. JAL's chart uses seasons for it, and Los Angeles to Japan runs 110,000, 125,000 or 140,000 miles one way in low, regular and high season. Check for a seat before you transfer, same as business.

What to do before October 24

Here's the order I'd work in:

  1. Open a JAL Mileage Bank account and register the number with Citi.
  2. Use JAL's seat availability search for the exact flight and cabin, and confirm it prices at base miles.
  3. Transfer from a Strata Premier or Strata Elite account if you have one, in the smallest 1,000-point block that covers the award.
  4. Book as soon as the miles post.

If you only hold a card from Citi's second group, the bonus still helps: 910 miles per 1,000 points beats 700. Our Citi Strata Card review covers who that card suits. If you're weighing a premium card for trips like this, our Citi Strata Elite review runs the numbers on whether its annual fee pays off. Our guide to Citi ThankYou transfer partners shows the rest of the list JAL now joins.

The bonus ends at 11:59 PM ET on October 24, 2026. If the flight you want isn't open at base price by then, keep your points in ThankYou, where they stay flexible.

This article contains affiliate links. If you apply through our links, we may earn a commission at no cost to you, which helps us continue sharing points and miles strategies with the community.

Sources

  1. Citi ThankYou Points Transfer page, JAL Mileage Bank listing and promotion text (read 2026-09-23)
  2. Citi ThankYou Points Transfer Terms and Conditions, JAL Mileage Bank section and 30% promotion terms (returns JSON) (read 2026-09-23)
  3. JAL International Award Tickets required mileage chart, members living in the U.S., Canada, Central & South America and Guam, updated September 8, 2026 (read 2026-09-23)

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