THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CREDIT CARD TRAVEL TRANSFER PARTNERS
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Why Transferable Points Are So Valuable
In the world of miles and points, transferable credit card points are some of the most powerful rewards you can earn. The reason is simple: transferable points give you flexibility. Unlike airline miles or hotel points that can only be redeemed with one specific program (for example, American Airlines AAdvantage miles can only be used directly through AA), transferable points let you choose from a wide range of airline and hotel transfer partners.
That flexibility means you can shop around for the best redemption option—whether it’s a cheap economy ticket to Europe, a luxury business class flight, or a high-end hotel stay for a fraction of the cash price. Instead of being locked into one program, you can compare award charts and availability across multiple partners and transfer your points where they’ll get you the highest value.
Each bank’s rewards program has its own set of partners, and some even overlap, which gives you extra opportunities to maximize your points. The four main transferable points programs are:
Chase Ultimate Rewards®
American Express Membership Rewards®
Capital One Venture Miles
Citi ThankYou® Points
If you’re only using your credit card rewards to book travel through your bank’s portal, you’re leaving serious value on the table. In most cases, bank travel portals give you around 1 cent per point, but transferring your points to the right airline or hotel program can easily double that value, often 2 cents or more per point. That difference adds up fast when you’re booking flights for the whole family.
Chase Ultimate Rewards® Transfer Partners
Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) are often considered the most valuable of all the transferable points programs. Thanks to the Chase 5/24 Rule, it’s smart to prioritize getting Chase cards early in your credit card strategy. Once you’ve earned Chase UR points, you’ll have access to a wide network of airline and hotel transfer partners.
It’s important to note that not all transfer partners offer equal value. For example, transferring Chase points to Marriott Bonvoy generally isn’t a great redemption unless there’s a transfer bonus. But there are some standout partners that consistently deliver amazing value:
Air Canada Aeroplan – Use your points to book flights on Star Alliance partners like ANA, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, and United. Great for international travel.
British Airways Avios – While BA often adds fuel surcharges, Avios can be incredibly useful for short-haul flights on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines, or for booking Oneworld partner flights on Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Qatar and more.
Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) – One of the best ways to book cheap award flights to Europe. Economy redemptions start around 18,000 miles one-way, and business class often prices at just 60,000 miles. Flying Blue also lets you book Delta flights within the U.S. and internationally.
World of Hyatt – Widely regarded as the single best Chase transfer partner. With award nights starting at just 5,000 points, you can book luxury hotels that would cost $800–$1,000+ per night in cash.
Overall, Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners give you access to both major airline alliances and some of the best hotel values in the world. For anyone getting started with travel rewards, Chase is the perfect foundation.
Chase ultimate rewards transfer partners:
| Transfer Partner | Transfer Ratio | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | 1:1 | 24 hours to 7 days |
| Air Canada | 1:1 | 24 hours to 7 days |
| British Airways | 1:1 | Instant |
| Emirates Airlines (no transfers after 10/16/25) | 1:1 | Instant |
| Flying Blue (Air France & KLM) | 1:1 | Instant |
| Iberia | 1:1 | Instant |
| JetBlue | 1:1 | Instant |
| Singapore Airlines | 1:1 | Up to 2 days |
| Southwest Airlines | 1:1 | Instant |
| United Airlines | 1:1 | Instant |
| Virgin Atlantic | 1:1 | Instant |
| World of Hyatt | 1:1 | Instant |
| IHG | 1:1 | 24 hours |
| Marriott | 1:1 | Up to 2 days |
Cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points include:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Earn 75,000 points! Favorite card for beginners. This card earns Ultimate Rewards than can be transferred to travel partners. The Chase Sapphire Card has a new standard offer of 75k points now.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® - Earn 125k points. Premium card with perks like lounge access. With the new “once in a lifetime” bonus rules on the Sapphire cards I recommend getting this card for the increased bonus alone.
Chase Freedom Flex® - The workhorse card. This card earns 5x points per dollars on rotating quarterly categories. If you hold the Chase Sapphire, you are able to transfer points earned from this card to your CSP so you can transfer the points to travel partners.
Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Earns 1.5 x points on all purchases. A cashback card, but just like the Freedom Flex above, if you hold the CSP or CSR, you can transfer your points to travel partners.
Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card - New! Earn 90,000 points! Business credit card that earns 5% cash back (or 5x points per dollar) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. No annual fee plus 0% apr the first year. Must have the Chase Ink Business Preferred or the CSP/CSR in order to transfer points to travel partners.
Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card - Earns the same Ultimate Rewards points as the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Earns 3x points per dollar on the first $150,000 on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card - New! Earn 90,000 points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Earns 1.5x points per dollar on ALL purchases.
New to credit cards and points travel? Learn all the basics in my FAQ Guide here.
We transferred 60k points from Amex to Air Canada to fly Singapore Airlines business class
AMERICAN EXPRESS MEMBERSHIP REWARDs transfer partners
American Express Membership Rewards® Points are one of the most powerful tools in the miles and points world. Amex has the largest number of airline and hotel transfer partners of any flexible points program, which means you’ll always have plenty of options for booking award travel. Whether you want to fly business class to Europe, snag a short domestic hop, or top off a hotel stay, Amex points give you incredible versatility.
Here are some of the best Amex transfer partners and sweet spots to look at:
Air Canada Aeroplan – As a Star Alliance member, Aeroplan lets you book flights on partners like ANA, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, and United. It’s one of the best ways to book international premium cabins.
Avianca LifeMiles – Another Star Alliance partner, and often underrated. Avianca’s LifeMiles program allows you to book United, Lufthansa, and Swiss flights online at lifemiles.com. A major perk: no fuel surcharges on most partners.
British Airways Avios – Yes, BA adds fuel surcharges, but Avios are still super useful. You can combine them with Iberia, Aer Lingus, Finnair, and Qatar, or book Oneworld flights on American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines. One of the best redemptions: short-haul American Airlines flights within the U.S. for fewer points than AA itself often charges.
Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) – One of the top sweet spots in Europe. You can find flights for as little as 18,000 points in economy or 60,000 in business class one-way. Flying Blue also partners with Delta, so you can use Amex points to book Delta flights through their site.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club – A hidden gem for both economy and business class. Flights to Europe start at just 12,000 points one-way, though keep an eye on fees—especially on departures from London. Great for booking Delta business class to Europe at excellent rates.
Hilton Honors – While airline transfers usually give the best value, Amex also partners with Hilton at a 1:2 ratio. If you need to top off your Hilton account for a free night or take advantage of a promotion, this is the best Amex hotel transfer option.
Between the sheer number of Amex airline partners and the ability to transfer to hotels, Membership Rewards® Points are one of the most flexible currencies you can earn. If you’re serious about maximizing travel rewards, American Express should be a core part of your credit card strategy.
American Express Membership Rewards Transfer Partners:
| Transfer Partner | Transfer Ratio | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | 1:1 | Instant |
| Aeromexico | 1:1.6 | 1–2 days |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 | Instant |
| ANA (All Nippon Airways) | 1:1 | Up to 3 days |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 | Instant |
| British Airways | 1:1 | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 1:1 | Up to one week |
| Delta SkyMiles | 1:1 | Instant |
| Emirates Beginning 9/16/25 (5:4) | 1:1 | Instant |
| Etihad Guest | 1:1 | Instant |
| Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) | 1:1 | Instant |
| Iberia Plus | 1:1 | Up to 4 days |
| JetBlue | 1:0.8 | Instant |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 1:1 | Up to 3 days |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | 1:1 | Up to 2 days |
| Virgin Atlantic | 1:1 | Instant |
| Hilton Honors | 1:2 | Instant |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1:1 | Instant |
| Choice Hotels | 1:1 | Instant |
Cards that earn AMEX MEMBERSHIP REWARDS include:
There are ten cards that earn Membership Rewards points between personal and business cards. Many of them have a very high minimum spend. Some of the most popular for families include:
American Express® Gold Card - The best all-around travel rewards card - earns 4x points per dollar at U.S. Supermarkets, on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.
The Platinum Card® from American Express- A premium card with tons of perks and credits that can offset the high annual fee if you use them.
American Express Business Platinum Card - Earn 150,000 American Express Membership Rewards Points
American Express Business Gold Card - Earn 100,000 American Express Points
CAPITAL ONE VENTURE REWARDS MILES
The Capital One Venture Rewards® Miles program has quickly become one of my personal favorites. If you’re just starting out with points and miles, I recommend pairing a Capital One Venture card with either the Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Chase Sapphire Reserve®. Together, they give you access to two of the strongest transferable points programs.
What makes Capital One stand out is its simplicity and flexibility. You earn 2x miles on every purchase, with no bonus category tracking to worry about, which makes it super easy to build up a large balance of miles. From there, you can either:
Redeem miles directly for travel purchases (like Disney tickets, Universal tickets, or even cruises), or
Transfer miles to a wide selection of airline and hotel partners to unlock far more value.
We transferred 52k Venture miles to Choice to stay 3 nights free in the Amalfi Coast. A value of over $1300.
Here are some of the best Capital One transfer partners and sweet spots:
Air Canada Aeroplan – A member of the Star Alliance programs. Book flights on partners like ANA, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, and United. A great option for both international and domestic flights.
Avianca LifeMiles – Another excellent Star Alliance partner with no fuel surcharges on most flights. You can book United, Lufthansa, or Swiss flights directly at lifemiles.com.
British Airways Avios – Avios points are incredibly versatile despite the fuel surcharges. You can pool them with Iberia, Aer Lingus, Finnair, and Qatar, or use them to book Oneworld partners like American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines. A favorite redemption: short-haul flights on American Airlines for fewer points than AA itself often charges.
Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) – One of the best ways to fly to Europe. Award flights start around 18,000 miles one-way in economy and 60,000 miles in business class. As a SkyTeam member, Flying Blue also gives you access to Delta flights when booked through their program.
Because the Capital One Venture Miles transfer partners overlap with both Chase and Amex, you get added flexibility and more opportunities to find award space. This is why the Venture cards are such a strong choice for beginners and seasoned points collectors alike.
capital one venture transfer partners:
| Transfer Partner | Transfer Ratio | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|
| Aeromexico Club Premier | 1:1 | Instant |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 | Instant |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 1:1 | Up to 5 days |
| British Airways Executive Club | 1:1 | Instant |
| Emirates Skywards | 1:1 | Instant |
| Etihad Guest | 1:1 | Up to 24 hours |
| EVA Air | 2:1.5 | Up to 36 hours |
| Finnair Plus | 1:1 | Instant |
| Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) | 1:1 | Instant |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 1:1 | Up to 24 hours |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 | Up to 36 hours |
| TAP Portugal Miles&Go | 1:1 | Instant |
| Turkish Airlines | 1:1 | Instant |
| Virgin Red | 1:1 | Instant |
| ALL Accor Live Limitless | 2:1 | Up to 24 hours |
| Choice Hotels Privileges | 1:1 | Instant |
| Wyndham (Vacasa) | 1:1 | Instant |
Cards that earn Capital One Venture miles include:
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card - Earn unlimited double miles on all purchases. The sign-up bonus is enough for two round trip flights to Europe when you book on Air France/KLM or Virgin.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card - This is my favorite card and one that is always in my wallet. Comes with access to Capital One Lounges, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and $300 back annually for bookings through Capital One Travel
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card - Earn 20,000 miles after meeting the minimum spend of $500 in purchases in the first three months of account opening. No annual fee.
Capital One Venture X Business Card - Earn 150,000 Venture miles after making $30,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of account opening.
CITI THANKYOU POINTS
Citi ThankYou® Points don’t always get as much attention as Chase or Amex, but they’re an underrated powerhouse in the world of transferable points. With a solid list of airline and hotel transfer partners and the recent addition of American Airlines AAdvantage® as a partner, Citi has moved way up on my list of favorite programs.
Just like Capital One Venture Miles, Citi ThankYou Points can be used in two ways:
Redeem directly through the Citi travel portal for things like flights, hotels, rental cars, Disney tickets, or even theme park passes.
Transfer points to Citi’s airline and hotel partners, where you’ll usually unlock far greater value.
Keep in mind: the transfer exchange rate depends on which Citi card you hold. Premium cards like the Citi Strata Elite® and Citi Strata Premier® often give you the best 1:1 transfer ratios (shown in the chart below) while no-fee card cards like the Citi Strata®, Citi Double Cash® may have reduced value.
You can transfe Citi ThankYou points to AA to flying business class for 57k points
Here are some of the best Citi ThankYou transfer partners:
American Airlines AAdvantage® – The standout partner! Citi is currently the only major transferable points program offering direct transfers to AA, which opens up award bookings across the Oneworld alliance.
Avianca LifeMiles – A Star Alliance partner with great redemption options on airlines like United, Lufthansa, Swiss, ANA, and Singapore Airlines. You can search and book directly at lifemiles.com.
Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) – One of the most versatile programs for both economy and business class to Europe. Business class awards often start at just 60,000 miles, and you can sometimes find Delta flights within the U.S. using Flying Blue.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club – A favorite for international travel. Economy flights to Europe start as low as 6,000 miles each way, and business class can be booked from 29,000 miles (although you will pay higher fees). Virgin is also a partner with Delta and Air France/KLM, making this a very flexible option.
With Citi ThankYou Points transfer partners, you get access to all three major airline alliances: Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance, along with a handful of strong hotel options. That makes Citi one of the most well-rounded programs for anyone looking to maximize credit card points for free flights and hotels.
citi thankyou transfer partners
| Transfer Partner | Transfer Ratio | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|
| Aeromexico Club Premier | 1:1 | Instant |
| American Airlines | 1:1 | Instant |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 1:1 | Instant |
| Emirates | 1:0.8 | Instant |
| Etihad | 1:1 | Instant |
| EVA Air | 1:1 | Up to 3 days |
| Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) | 1:1 | Instant |
| JetBlue | 1:1 | Instant |
| Qantas | 1:1 | Instant |
| Qatar Privilege Club | 1:1 | Up to 2 days |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 | Up to 24 hours |
| Thai Royal Orchid | 1:1 | Up to 7 days |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 1:1 | Up to 24 hours |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1:1 | Instant |
| ALL – Accor | 1:0.5 | Instant |
| Choice Hotels | 1:2 | Instant |
| Preferred Hotels & Resorts | 1:4 | Instant |
| Wyndham Hotels | 1:1.25 | Instant |
Cards that earn citi thankyou points include:
Citi cards that earn ThankYou® points are considered flexible currency. Much like Chase Ultimate Rewards, these points can be transferred to multiple travel transfer partners.
Citi Strata Elite℠ Card - (non-affiliate link) Earn 80,000 points. This is a new premium card from Citi that is garnering a ton of attention because American Airlines is a transfer partner! There are cheaper ways of earning 80k AA miles, so take a look before you get this card just for that reason. Earns 3x on travel, restaurants, grocery stores and gas stations.
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card - Earn 60,000 points,
Citi Strata℠ Card - Earn 30,000 points
Citi Rewards+® Card (non-affiliate link) - This is a no-annual fee card that earns 2x points on groceries.
cards THAT SHARE THE same transfer partners:
Another great reason to diversify your transferable currency is that many points from the four transferable points programs have the SAME travel transfer partners. That makes it easier when you need to earn a lot of points (for those of us with big families or those that want to book pricey business class awards) and have the ability to earn multiple sign-up bonuses across different card products.
Credit Card Transfer Partner Comparison
| Rewards Program | Chase Ultimate Rewards | Amex Membership Rewards | Citi ThankYou Points | Capital One Venture Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Aeroplan | X | X | X | |
| Avianca LifeMiles | X | X | X | |
| British Airways | X | X | X | |
| Cathay Pacific | X | X | X | |
| Emirates | X | X | X | X |
| Etihad | X | X | X | |
| Flying Blue (Air France / KLM) | X | X | X | X |
| Iberia Plus | X | X | ||
| Singapore Airlines | X | X | X | X |
| Virgin Atlantic (combine Virgin Red account) | X | X | X | X |
| Choice Hotels | X | X | ||
| Marriott | X | X |
Putting It All Together
Here’s a simple example of why transferable points are so powerful.
Let’s say you want to book five flights to Europe for your family using Flying Blue (Air France/KLM). You check your Chase Ultimate Rewards® balance and realize you don’t have enough points. Instead of giving up, you look back at the transfer partner chart and see that Flying Blue is also a partner of Amex Membership Rewards®, Citi ThankYou®, and Capital One Venture®. That means you can combine points from multiple programs and still book those exact same flights.
Or maybe you’ve found the perfect business class seat to Europe on United but you only have Amex or Capital One miles. No problem! Since both programs transfer to Star Alliance partners like Air Canada Aeroplan and Avianca LifeMiles, you can book those same United flights through a partner program—often for far fewer points than booking directly with United. This flexibility is what makes transferable points so valuable for families.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Now that you know how credit card transfer partners work and why flexible points are so valuable, you’re ready to put this knowledge into action. The next step is learning the step-by-step process of actually booking those flights.How to Book a Flight With Points
Check out my brand new guide: How to Book Award Flights with Miles and Points
In that post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to search for award space, transfer your points, and lock in flights—so you can turn all the strategies in this guide into real trips for your family.
Final Thoughts
If you’re not sure where to begin, don’t worry. You don’t need to master every single program overnight. Start small by using a free or low-cost award search tool to practice finding flights. My favorite is Seats.aero, because it lets you search an entire year at a time instead of being limited to just a few days. Even playing around with the free version will help you get comfortable with how award space works.
The biggest tip I share with my readers is this: always know the value of the points you’re earning. If you’re collecting transferable points from cards like Chase, Amex, Citi, or Capital One, you’re building flexibility into your travel strategy. By getting familiar with the transfer partner charts, you’ll always know which airlines and hotels you can access and when it comes time to book, you’ll have multiple ways to get there.
At the end of the day, flexible points win every time. They give you more options, more value, and more freedom to travel the way you want.
Happy Travels!
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
