How to Transfer Points: The Complete Guide to Airline and Hotel Transfer Partners

Transferable points are the single most powerful tool in the frequent traveler's arsenal. When you earn points with programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, or Citi ThankYou, you are not locked into a single airline or hotel chain. Instead, you can move those points to dozens of different loyalty programs, often unlocking redemption values of 2 cents per point or more -- far beyond what a travel portal or cashback redemption can offer.

This guide walks you through every major transferable points program, their partners, the transfer ratios, and the specific sweet spots that deliver the best value. If you are new to points and miles, consider reading our beginner's guide first, then come back here when you are ready to level up.

What Are Transfer Partners?

Transfer partners are airline and hotel loyalty programs that have agreements with credit card issuers to accept point transfers. When you transfer points, they convert into that partner's miles or points at a set ratio (usually 1:1), and you can then use those miles to book award flights or hotel stays through the partner program.

Here is how the process works in practice:

1. Earn points on a transferable points credit card (Chase Sapphire Preferred, Amex Gold, etc.)
2. Search for award availability on a partner airline or hotel program's website
3. Transfer the exact number of points needed from your credit card account to the partner loyalty program
4. Book the award using your newly transferred miles or points

The transfer itself is usually instant or takes up to a few minutes for most partners, though some can take 24-48 hours. Once transferred, the points cannot be moved back to your credit card account.

Why Transfer Instead of Booking Through Portals?

Every major credit card program offers a travel portal where you can book flights and hotels using your points at a fixed rate -- typically 1 to 1.5 cents per point. So why bother with transfers at all?

The answer is simple: transfers can deliver dramatically more value. Here is a real-world comparison:

Example: Round-trip business class from New York to Tokyo

| Booking Method | Points Required | Cash Price | Value Per Point | |---|---|---|---| | Chase Travel Portal (1.25 cpp) | 640,000 UR | $8,000 | 1.25 cents | | Transfer to ANA via Amex (round-trip) | 85,000-95,000 MR | $8,000 | 8.4-9.4 cents | | Transfer to United (one-way) | 80,000 UR | $4,000 | 5.0 cents |

The difference is staggering. By transferring to ANA instead of using the Chase portal, you could save over 500,000 points on the same trip. That is enough for five or six additional premium cabin flights.

Of course, getting great value from transfers requires research. You need to find award availability, understand each program's award chart, and sometimes be flexible with dates. But the payoff is enormous -- and that is what this guide is here to help you with.

Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners

Chase Ultimate Rewards is widely regarded as the most versatile transferable points currency, thanks to its excellent mix of airline and hotel partners. You need a premium Chase card like the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve to access transfer partners.

| Transfer Partner | Type | Transfer Ratio | Transfer Speed | |---|---|---|---| | United MileagePlus | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | World of Hyatt | Hotel | 1:1 | Instant | | Southwest Rapid Rewards | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | British Airways Avios | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Singapore KrisFlyer | Airline | 1:1 | 12-24 hours | | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | IHG One Rewards | Hotel | 1:1 | Instant | | Marriott Bonvoy | Hotel | 1:1 | 1-2 days | | Emirates Skywards | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Iberia Plus | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Aer Lingus AerClub | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | JetBlue TrueBlue | Airline | 1:1 | Instant |

The standout partners here are Hyatt (consistently the best hotel redemption value in the industry), United (excellent for Star Alliance partner awards), and British Airways (perfect for short-haul flights on American Airlines). The combination of these three alone makes Chase UR incredibly powerful.

Amex Membership Rewards Transfer Partners

American Express Membership Rewards offers the largest roster of transfer partners, with a particularly strong lineup of international airline programs. Access requires cards like the Amex Gold, Amex Platinum, or Amex Green.

| Transfer Partner | Type | Transfer Ratio | Transfer Speed | |---|---|---|---| | ANA Mileage Club | Airline | 1:1 | 2-3 days | | Air Canada Aeroplan | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | British Airways Avios | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Delta SkyMiles | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Singapore KrisFlyer | Airline | 1:1 | 12-24 hours | | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Emirates Skywards | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Etihad Guest | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Iberia Plus | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | JetBlue TrueBlue | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Hilton Honors | Hotel | 1:2 | Instant | | Marriott Bonvoy | Hotel | 1:1 | 1-2 days |

The crown jewel here is ANA Mileage Club, which offers some of the lowest business and first class award rates to Japan and Asia. Virgin Atlantic is another standout -- you can use Virgin Atlantic miles to book Delta One seats at a fraction of what Delta charges through its own program. The Hilton transfer at 1:2 ratio can also be worthwhile during promotional periods when Amex runs bonus transfer offers (sometimes up to 1:3).

Citi ThankYou Transfer Partners

Citi ThankYou Points have a smaller partner list than Chase or Amex, but the partners it does have are exceptional -- particularly for anyone interested in Star Alliance award bookings or flying to the Middle East and beyond.

| Transfer Partner | Type | Transfer Ratio | Transfer Speed | |---|---|---|---| | Turkish Miles & Smiles | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Qatar Privilege Club | Airline | 1:1 | 1-2 days | | JetBlue TrueBlue | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Singapore KrisFlyer | Airline | 1:1 | 12-24 hours | | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Etihad Guest | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Emirates Skywards | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Qantas Frequent Flyer | Airline | 1:1 | 1-2 days | | Thai Royal Orchid Plus | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Wyndham Rewards | Hotel | 1:1 | Instant | | Choice Privileges | Hotel | 1:1 | Instant |

Turkish Miles and Smiles is the headliner here. Turkish offers a distance-based award chart for Star Alliance partner flights that can deliver outstanding value, especially for flights between 2,501 and 5,000 miles. Qatar Privilege Club gives you access to one of the world's best business class products. And having Singapore KrisFlyer available through yet another program gives you extra flexibility to pool points.

Capital One Transfer Partners

Capital One entered the transfer partner game more recently but has built a competitive roster. Any Capital One Venture X, Venture, or Spark Miles card provides access to transfers.

| Transfer Partner | Type | Transfer Ratio | Transfer Speed | |---|---|---|---| | Turkish Miles & Smiles | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Air Canada Aeroplan | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | British Airways Avios | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Singapore KrisFlyer | Airline | 1:1 | 12-24 hours | | Emirates Skywards | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Finnair Plus | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Qantas Frequent Flyer | Airline | 1:1 | 1-2 days | | TAP Miles&Go | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Wyndham Rewards | Hotel | 1:1 | Instant | | Accor Live Limitless | Hotel | 1:2 | Instant |

Capital One's strength lies in its overlap with other programs. Having Turkish, Air Canada, British Airways, and Singapore all at 1:1 gives you many of the same sweet spots available through Chase and Amex. Emirates at 1:1 is notable for booking Emirates first class, one of the most iconic products in aviation.

Bilt Rewards Transfer Partners

Bilt Rewards is the newest player in the transferable points space, and it is unique because the Bilt Mastercard lets you earn points on rent with no transaction fee. Despite being newer, Bilt has assembled an impressive transfer partner lineup.

| Transfer Partner | Type | Transfer Ratio | Transfer Speed | |---|---|---|---| | World of Hyatt | Hotel | 1:1 | Instant | | American Airlines AAdvantage | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | United MileagePlus | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Turkish Miles & Smiles | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Air Canada Aeroplan | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Alaska Mileage Plan | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | British Airways Avios | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Emirates Skywards | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | Airline | 1:1 | Instant | | IHG One Rewards | Hotel | 1:1 | Instant | | Marriott Bonvoy | Hotel | 1:1 | 1-2 days |

What makes Bilt special is the combination of Hyatt (shared with Chase) and American Airlines (not available from any other major transferable currency). Having both in the same program, along with United and Turkish, makes Bilt one of the most well-rounded transfer programs available today. The fact that you earn these points on rent -- an expense most people cannot put on a credit card -- makes it even more compelling.

Best Transfer Sweet Spots

Now for the part you have been waiting for: the specific transfer partner combinations that deliver the most outsized value. These are the redemptions that make transferable points so much more powerful than cashback.

Chase UR to Hyatt: Luxury Hotels for Less

Hyatt consistently offers the best value of any hotel loyalty program. Transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards to World of Hyatt at 1:1 regularly delivers 1.7 to 2.5+ cents per point for standard room redemptions, and even more for suites and premium properties.

• Category 1-4 hotels cost 3,500-15,000 points per night
• Park Hyatt and Andaz properties often cost 20,000-30,000 points for rooms that go for $400-$800 per night
• A Park Hyatt Tokyo stay at 25,000 points per night (cash rate around $600) delivers 2.4 cents per point

Chase UR to United: Star Alliance Partner Awards

United MileagePlus lets you book flights on any Star Alliance carrier, and the partner award availability can be excellent -- especially to Asia and Europe in business class.

• Business class to Europe on Lufthansa or Swiss: 70,000-80,000 miles each way
• Business class to Japan on ANA (booked via United): 80,000 miles each way
• Economy to Europe: 30,000-40,000 miles each way

The key is searching for "saver" level availability on United.com, which shows partner flights alongside United metal.

Amex MR to ANA: Business Class to Japan

This is one of the most celebrated sweet spots in the hobby. ANA's round-trip award chart for Star Alliance flights departing from North America offers business class to Japan for 75,000-95,000 miles round-trip depending on season. The catch: you must book round-trip, but the value is extraordinary.

• Round-trip business class to Japan: 75,000-95,000 ANA miles (low/regular/high season)
• Cash price for the same itinerary: $6,000-$10,000+
• Value per point: 6.3-13.3 cents per point

Amex MR to Virgin Atlantic: Delta One for 50,000 Miles

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club lets you book Delta flights, and the rates can be significantly cheaper than booking through Delta directly. The headline sweet spot:

• Delta One (business class) to Europe: 50,000 Virgin Atlantic miles each way
• Delta One to Japan: 60,000-80,000 Virgin Atlantic miles each way
• Delta would charge 120,000-350,000+ SkyMiles for these same routes

This works because Virgin Atlantic sets its own award pricing for Delta flights, and it is often far more generous than Delta's dynamic pricing. Search for availability on Delta.com first, then call or book through Virgin Atlantic's website.

Citi TY to Turkish: Star Alliance Partner Awards

Turkish Miles and Smiles uses a distance-based award chart for Star Alliance flights, and the rates can be remarkable:

• Round-trip business class under 5,001 miles: 45,000 miles
• Round-trip business class 5,001-7,500 miles: 52,500 miles
• Chicago to London in business on United: 45,000 Turkish miles round-trip

This is one of the most underrated sweet spots. A round-trip business class ticket between the U.S. and Europe for 45,000 miles is exceptional by any standard.

Any Program to BA Avios: Short-Haul Domestic Flights

British Airways Avios uses a distance-based chart, and for short flights under 1,151 miles, you can book American Airlines flights for just 7,500 Avios each way in economy. Since BA is a transfer partner of Chase, Amex, Capital One, and Bilt, almost anyone can access this sweet spot.

Great routes for 7,500 Avios each way on AA:

• New York to Miami
• Los Angeles to San Francisco
• Chicago to Nashville
• Dallas to Denver

At a cash price of $150-$300, these 7,500-point redemptions deliver 2-4 cents per point -- solid value for domestic economy, which is typically harder to optimize.

Transfer Tips and Warnings

Before you start moving points around, keep these critical guidelines in mind:

Always Search for Availability First

Never transfer points speculatively. Once points leave your credit card account, they cannot be transferred back. Always confirm that the specific flight or hotel you want is available as an award before initiating any transfer. The workflow should be: search first, confirm availability, then transfer.

Understand Transfer Times

Most transfers are instant, but some are not:

• Instant: Chase to United, Chase to Hyatt, Amex to Delta, Amex to BA
• 12-24 hours: Transfers to Singapore KrisFlyer (from any program)
• 2-3 days: Amex to ANA, Capital One to Qantas
• 1-2 days: Any program to Marriott Bonvoy

If you are booking a time-sensitive award, factor in transfer times. For ANA bookings, you may want to transfer a day or two before you plan to book.

Watch for Transfer Bonuses

Several times per year, programs run transfer bonuses that give you additional miles per point transferred. For example, Amex might offer a 30% bonus on transfers to Virgin Atlantic, meaning 100,000 MR becomes 130,000 Virgin Atlantic miles. These promotions can shift value calculations significantly.

• Amex runs the most frequent transfer bonuses (quarterly for select partners)
• Capital One also offers periodic transfer bonuses
• Chase rarely offers transfer bonuses, but it does happen

Know the Tax and Fee Implications

Some airline programs charge hefty fuel surcharges on award tickets, which can add hundreds of dollars to your "free" flight. Programs known for high surcharges include British Airways (on BA-operated flights), Singapore Airlines, and ANA (on certain partner carriers). Programs with low or no surcharges include United, American Airlines, Delta (domestic), and Turkish Miles and Smiles.

Pool Points Strategically

Since several partners appear across multiple programs (Singapore KrisFlyer, Virgin Atlantic, and British Airways are available from nearly every issuer), you can effectively pool points from different credit card currencies into a single airline program when you need a large number of miles for a specific booking.

For example, if you need 120,000 Virgin Atlantic miles, you could transfer 50,000 from Chase, 50,000 from Amex, and 20,000 from Citi -- all into the same Virgin Atlantic account.

Start With the Highest-Value Redemptions

If you are new to transfers, focus on the sweet spots that deliver the most dramatic value improvement over portal bookings:

1. International business class flights (5-10+ cpp via ANA, Turkish, or United)
2. Hyatt hotel stays (1.7-2.5+ cpp consistently)
3. Delta One via Virgin Atlantic (3-5 cpp)
4. Short-haul AA flights via Avios (2-4 cpp)

Use our points calculator to evaluate specific redemptions, and check out our card comparison tool to figure out which transferable points card fits your spending profile best. For more card recommendations, visit our credit cards page or read our best travel credit cards for 2026 guide.

Next Steps

Transferring points is the single biggest lever you can pull to get more value from your credit card rewards. Start by identifying where you want to travel, search for award availability through the partner programs listed above, and then transfer only the exact number of points you need.

The learning curve is real, but once you book your first international business class flight for a fraction of the cash price, you will never look at cashback the same way again.

Have questions? Explore our other guides for more strategies, or use the calculator to see what your points are worth for a specific trip.