Comparison between Capital One and Citi Credit Cards: Which one reigns supreme in 2025?
Capital One Miles and Citi ThankYou Points: A Comparative Analysis
Capital One and Citi, two of the largest financial institutions in the U.S., offer a variety of credit cards that come with rewards programs. Two of their most popular rewards currencies are Capital One Miles and Citi ThankYou Points. In this article, we will compare these two currencies, their transfer partners, and their best use cases.
Capital One Miles
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a top premium travel card, earning 10x miles on hotels and car rentals and 5x miles on flights and vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel. The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, on the other hand, offers a welcome bonus of 20,000 miles (equal to $200 in travel) once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. The VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is the second-favorite no-annual-fee credit card, offering up to 5x Capital One miles including 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 1.25x miles on other purchases.
Capital One miles can be redeemed for transfers to airline and hotel partners, Capital One Travel bookings, statement credits on eligible travel purchases, PayPal, Amazon.com, gift cards, and cash-back. Generally, Capital One miles are worth about 1.6+ cents each, especially when redeemed through transfer partners rather than fixed travel bookings or cash back, which are less valuable options.
Citi ThankYou Points
The Citi Custom Cash Card offers 5% cash-back in your top eligible spending category each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent) from a list of categories including gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants. The Citi Double Cash Card is the best no-annual-fee credit card, earning 2% cash-back on all purchases split into 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay. The Citi Strata PremierSM Card is Citi's top card, earning 10x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions via Citi Travel and 3x points on air travel, hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, and gas.
Citi ThankYou Points can be redeemed for transfers to airline and hotel partners, Citi Travel Center bookings, Shop with Points, Amazon.com, gift cards, and cash-back. The value of Citi ThankYou Points is generally around 1.6 cents each when transferred to airline partners or redeemed for travel bookings via Citi’s portal. However, the value drops significantly if redeemed for cash back or statement credits.
Transfer Partners
Capital One Miles can be transferred to more than 15 travel loyalty programs, including highly regarded partners like British Airways Avios, Air Canada Aeroplan, and others. Citi ThankYou Points also have exclusive transfer partnerships, including Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles and other select airlines; transfers are generally at a 1:1 ratio when done via cards that enable transfers.
Best Use Cases
Capital One is recommended if you want broad flexibility with transfer partners and slightly better per-point value, especially through strategic partner transfers. Citi ThankYou Rewards shine if you already hold a Citi card that allows transfers and prefer a targeted airline partner like Turkish Airlines or want to maximize value via their travel center.
In summary, Capital One miles tend to offer a slightly higher per-point value and more transfer partners, making them attractive for frequent travelers who optimize transfers. Citi ThankYou Points hold value particularly with select partners and existing Citi ecosystems, and both are best maximized through transfer rather than cash redemption.
[1] WalletHub, 2021. Best Credit Card Rewards Programs
[2] NerdWallet, 2021. Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card Review
[3] The Points Guy, 2021. Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card Review
[4] The Points Guy, 2021. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Review
[5] The Points Guy, 2021. Citi Double Cash Card Review
- The article comparing Capital One Miles and Citi ThankYou Points highlights that Capital One's transfer partners and per-point value tend to be slightly better, especially when strategic transfers are made, making it an attractive choice for frequent travelers who optimize transfers.
- In the realm of entertainment and lifestyle, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card stands out as a top premium travel card, earning 10x miles on hotels and car rentals, while Citi Custom Cash Card offers 5% cash-back in the top eligible spending category each billing cycle up to $500 spending.
- For those who prioritize history and news, a comparative analysis of Capital One Miles and Citi ThankYou Points might be of interest, as it provides insights on these renowned rewards currencies, their transfer partners, and best use cases, drawing from resources like WalletHub, NerdWallet, and The Points Guy.
