Citi Points Turn Into Avianca LifeMiles at 1:1.25 Until October 24. Read the Devaluation History First.
Citi is offering a 25% transfer bonus to Avianca LifeMiles through October 24, 2026. Transfer 1,000 Citi ThankYou points and 1,250 LifeMiles arrive instead of 1,000. The offer closes at 11:59 PM Eastern on October 24.
The short version
The bonus runs from September 20 to October 24, 2026, ending at 11:59 PM ET.
The rate is 1:1.25, up from the standard 1:1.
Citi has run this exact 25% bonus to Avianca ten times since 2018, always at 25%.
Avianca LifeMiles raised award prices three times in the 15 months to August 2026.
Transfers to LifeMiles are near instant, but they are one way and cannot be reversed.
How good is a 25% transfer bonus to Avianca?
Citi ThankYou points transfer to Avianca LifeMiles at 1:1 normally. A 25% bonus moves that to 1:1.25, so a 60,000-mile award costs 48,000 Citi points instead of 60,000. Put differently, the bonus cuts your point cost by 20% on the same ticket.
Here is the uncomfortable part. Citi has offered a 25% bonus to Avianca in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, twice in 2025 and twice in 2026, according to Doctor of Credit's running list. The number has never once been higher. There is no version of this promotion worth waiting for, because 25% is the ceiling.
That cuts both ways. You are not missing a better offer by transferring now. You are also not getting anything rare.
What is Avianca LifeMiles good for?
Avianca LifeMiles is the Star Alliance program with no fuel surcharges on partner awards, which is its single best feature. Booking Lufthansa, Swiss, Turkish or United through LifeMiles avoids the hundreds of dollars in carrier-imposed fees that some programs pass along.
LifeMiles also lets you book partner awards without holding a ticketed itinerary first, and its website prices partner space directly. Star Alliance business class between the U.S. and Europe has historically priced around 63,000 miles one way, which is 50,400 Citi points at the bonused rate.
The program has real flaws. Customer service is difficult, the website drops bookings, and award space that displays sometimes fails to ticket. Budget time, not just miles.
Should the devaluation history change your mind?
Avianca LifeMiles devalued three times in the 15 months ending August 2026. A program that raises prices that often is a program you should hold miles in for days, not years.
The rule follows directly. Find the award seat first. Confirm it is bookable. Then transfer the points and ticket the same day. Transferring speculatively into a program with that record is how people lose value while their balance sits still.
Citi transfers to Avianca usually complete within minutes, which makes the find-first approach practical rather than theoretical. We covered the broader question of when a bonus is worth chasing in our beginner guide to transfer bonuses.
Which Citi cards can transfer at the full rate?
Citi ThankYou points transfer to airline partners at 1:1 from annual-fee cards including the Citi Strata Premier and the Citi Strata Elite. No-annual-fee cards such as the Citi Double Cash transfer at a reduced rate, so check which product holds your points before you plan a redemption.
If you are considering opening a Strata card to access these transfers, note that Citi changed its bonus eligibility to once per lifetime on September 20, 2026. Our guide to the Citi ThankYou and Strata cards covers the lineup, and our best travel credit cards guide compares Citi against Chase and Amex.
What this means for you
You have until October 24 at 11:59 PM Eastern, which is a month of runway. There is no reason to rush a transfer today.
Search Star Alliance business class space for your dates before touching your points. LifeMiles shines on Lufthansa and Swiss, and shines less on anything requiring a phone call. Skip this entirely if you have no trip in mind.
FAQ
When does the Citi to Avianca LifeMiles transfer bonus end?
The Citi 25% transfer bonus to Avianca LifeMiles runs through 11:59 PM Eastern on October 24, 2026. Transfers must be initiated before that deadline.
How many LifeMiles do I get per Citi point?
With the 25% bonus, 1,000 Citi ThankYou points become 1,250 Avianca LifeMiles. The standard rate outside the promotion is 1,000 points to 1,000 miles.
Has Citi ever offered more than 25% to Avianca?
No. Every Citi transfer bonus to Avianca LifeMiles since 2018 has been 25%, across ten separate promotions. The rate has never gone higher.
How long do Citi transfers to Avianca LifeMiles take?
Transfers from Citi ThankYou to Avianca LifeMiles typically post within minutes, which makes it practical to find award space first and transfer afterward.
Are Citi transfers to Avianca reversible?
No. Points transferred from Citi ThankYou to Avianca LifeMiles cannot be moved back. Confirm the award is bookable before transferring.
Does Avianca LifeMiles charge fuel surcharges?
Avianca LifeMiles does not add carrier-imposed fuel surcharges on Star Alliance partner awards, which is the main reason to redeem through the program.
The Bottom Line
A 25% bonus on a program that devalues yearly is a tool, not a windfall. Use it to close a gap on a seat you have already found. Do not use it to build a balance.
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