Booking flights with points and miles is an easy and affordable way to travel. If you have an eligible Citi ThankYou® Rewards card, you can redeem points with the Citi Travel® site to book flights, hotels, car rentals, and attractions, allowing you to make the most of your time away from home. If you plan correctly, you’ll rarely—if ever—have to pay for a flight out-of-pocket. Let’s review the general process of booking your flight with points or miles, including identifying the points and miles you want to use, choosing the correct flight, and successfully completing the transaction.
How to Book Flights With Points or Miles
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Know which points and miles you want to use
The first step in booking flights with points or miles is identifying the points and miles you want to use. It’s possible that you’ve accrued points or miles on different cards or for different airlines. Maybe you’re partial to flying on a particular airline, or only certain airlines fly to your travel destination. Assess the points and miles you have available, determine where you’re going and the airline that can get you there, and decide how best to use your existing points and miles from there.
Go to the airline or travel website
Next, you’ll want to visit the airline or travel website, log into your account, and make sure you can apply your points or miles to cover the cost of your flight. You can also investigate whether your points cover any perks, such as priority security, early boarding, upgraded accommodations, in-flight meals and drinks, and more. Check the airline or travel website’s terms and conditions and be aware of any contingencies, policies, or restrictions before moving forward.
Browse flights
It’s time to browse available flights! Enter your travel details, including your dates of departure and return, the airport you’re flying out of, your travel destination, and whether you’d like to search for flights with minimal layovers. Flights on certain dates and at certain times will often require more points than less popular schedules. If you have the option of flexibility, you may choose a flight that requires fewer points or miles so that you can also conserve your rewards for a future trip.
Select which flight you want
Selecting which flight you want can be overwhelming, but consider using some parameters to narrow down your search. For example, do you prefer to fly in the morning, in the afternoon, or at night? Are you traveling with kids, other adults, or solo? Do you prefer a direct flight (if possible), or can you tolerate a layover? And how many points or miles does each flight require? Once you’ve identified the flight that fits all—or most—of your needs, it’s time to move to the next step: confirming the details.
Confirm the details
After you select your flight and enter your personal information, including your name, address, and form of identification, you’ll be navigated to a confirmation page, where you can review all of your flight details before you click “pay,” including the date, time of departure, time of arrival, any layovers, and your final destination. You’ll also confirm any extras or add-ons at this time, like seat selection and trip insurance. Though most airlines offer free cancellation within twenty-four hours, it still doesn’t hurt to double-check that all of the information is correct. After you’ve done so, you’ll be able to move to the final step: paying with points or miles at checkout.
Pay with points or miles at checkout
As the final part of the booking process, you’ll pay with points or miles at checkout. Most often, you’ll choose “points” or “miles” as your form of payment. You’ll also have the option of paying for the remaining cost of your ticket—if any—using a credit or debit card. Review the details one last time, finalize your transaction, and be on the lookout for confirmation (usually via email) that it’s been processed—and off you go!
Disclosure: This article is for educational purposes. It is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and is not a substitute for professional advice. It does not indicate the availability of any Citi product or service. For advice about your specific circumstances, you should consult a qualified professional.
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