What happened
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank went live as Citi ThankYou's 16th airline and 22nd overall transfer partner on September 20, 2026. Annual-fee cards such as Strata Premier and Strata Elite move at 1:1. No-annual-fee cards such as the Strata card and Double Cash move at 1:0.7.
A 30% launch bonus through October 24, 2026 turns 1,000 ThankYou Points into 1,300 JAL miles from annual-fee cards or 910 miles from no-annual-fee cards. Once the bonus ends, 1,000 points transfer as 1,000 miles from annual-fee cards and 700 miles from no-annual-fee cards. ThankYou Points can now reach JAL alongside Bilt and Capital One. Only Citi and Bilt transfer at 1:1.
North America to Japan business class can start at 55,000 miles one-way. JAL also prices Oneworld partner awards on a distance chart that can allow up to seven stopovers. Transfers cannot be reversed. Miles expire 36 months after they post, with no extension. Awards are limited to the member and family. Ticketed awards cannot be changed. Saver-level business awards can be scarce.
Transfer from an annual-fee ThankYou card by October 24, 2026 only against space already confirmed.
- Announced
- Sep 20, 2026
- Starts
- Sep 20, 2026
- Ends
- Oct 24, 2026
- Numbers
- 30%: launch transfer bonus to JAL Mileage Bank
- 1:1 ratio: standard transfer ratio for annual-fee ThankYou cards
- 1:0.7 ratio: standard transfer ratio for no-annual-fee ThankYou cards
- 1,300 miles: JAL miles per 1,000 ThankYou Points from annual-fee cards during the bonus
- 910 miles: JAL miles per 1,000 ThankYou Points from no-annual-fee cards during the bonus
- 1,000 miles: standard JAL miles per 1,000 ThankYou Points from annual-fee cards
- 700 miles: standard JAL miles per 1,000 ThankYou Points from no-annual-fee cards
- 22nd partner: Citi ThankYou overall transfer-partner count after adding JAL
- 16th partner: Citi ThankYou airline transfer-partner count after adding JAL
- 55,000 miles: one-way JAL business-class award from North America to Japan
- Who qualifies
- Citi ThankYou cardholders; annual-fee cards (including Strata Premier, Strata Elite, and legacy Prestige and AT&T Access More) transfer at 1:1, while no-annual-fee cards (including Strata and Double Cash) transfer at 1:0.7, and the 30% bonus applies to both.
- Takeaway
- If you already see JAL award space you want, transfer from an annual-fee ThankYou card by October 24, 2026 to capture the 30% bonus.
See all current transfer bonuses →