There’s a new way to get Japan Airlines Mileage Bank miles: transferring Citi ThankYou® points.
Through Oct. 24, 2026, Citi is offering a 30% bonus when you transfer your points to JAL. With the bonus, eligible Citi ThankYou cards with an annual fee have an even better 1:1.3 transfer ratio, and eligible $0-annual-fee cards have a decent 1:0.9 transfer ratio. It’s best practice to transfer your points only if you have found the award availability for a specific redemption.
The influx of travelers transferring points to JAL, especially with the introductory transfer bonuses, has caused some complaints about the increasing difficulty of finding specific redemptions, such as business and first class flights to Japan.
What to know about Citi’s newest transfer partner
The standard transfer ratio for Citi to Japan Airlines is either 1:1 or 1:0.7, depending on which Citi card you hold. Generally, if your Citi card earns ThankYou points and has an annual fee, you’ll receive the higher ratio. If it doesn’t, you’ll get the lower one.
Keep in mind that JAL miles expire after 36 months. There isn’t a way to extend that expiration date.
If you do plan on redeeming JAL miles, you’ll want to create a JAL Mileage Bank account sooner rather than later. Typically, new members have to wait a maximum of 60 days before they can start redeeming their points.
However, we’ve seen that wait time be reduced to up to seven days when transferring other currencies to JAL. While that’s a shorter requirement, new members shouldn’t expect to transfer their points and immediately redeem them.
Should you transfer your Citi ThankYou points to JAL?
Transferring your Citi ThankYou points to Japan Airlines can offer exceptional value — assuming you can find the award availability (and navigate the clunky booking platform).
For example, I was able to redeem 55,000 miles last year on a Japan Airlines business class flight from New York to Tokyo. I had to pay taxes and fees (expect around $360 worth), but that’s a flight that would normally cost thousands of dollars.
🤓Nerdy Tip
To find the best availability for Japan Airlines flights, you often need to book when the calendar first opens at 360 days before departure.
However, as a rule of thumb, you should transfer your points only if you have a specific redemption in mind. Speculative transfers can backfire, especially if the carrier devalues its points or removes an airline partner that you might have been eyeing.
Plus, because JAL miles expire after three years, you don’t want to lose them just because the right redemption never came along.
