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Whether you’re new to travel points and miles or a seasoned points enthusiast, it’s crucial to know the various travel partners your credit cards offer.
One of the most effective ways to maximize your credit card points is by transferring them to airline and hotel partners for discounted flights and free hotel stays.
In this blog post, I will outline the airline and hotel partners of the most popular travel rewards credit cards available to travel points and miles fans.
Banks With Transferrable Travel Points
In this article, I will focus on the top 4 banks that offer transferrable points currencies that can be leveraged for discounted or free travel.
| Credit Card Points Currencies |
|---|
| Chase Ultimate Rewards Points |
| American Express Membership Rewards Points |
| Capital One Miles |
| Citi ThankYou Points |
Read This Before You Transfer Your Credit Card Points
Ensure award space is available, or your desired hotel room can be booked on points before transferring your credit card points to airline and hotel partners.
Once you’ve transferred your points, there’s no turning back.
It’s a one-way street, so be mindful of this rule – you wouldn’t want your points trapped in a partner account instead of using it for your travels.
Summary of Airline Transfer Partners
| Transfer Partner | Transfer Rate (1:1 unless noted) |
|---|---|
| AerLingus | Chase Amex Bilt |
| AeroMexico | Amex Capital One Citi |
| Aeroplan (Air Canada) | Chase Amex Capital One Bilt |
| Alaska | Bilt |
| ANA | Amex |
| Avianca Lifemiles | Amex Capital One Citi Bilt |
| British Airways | Chase Amex Capital One Bilt |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | Amex Capital One Citi Bilt |
| Delta | Amex |
| Emirates | Chase Amex Capital One Citi Bilt |
| Etihad Guest | Amex Capital One Citi |
| EVA Airways | Capital One (2 Cap One: 1.5 EVA) Citi |
| Finnair | Capital One |
| Flying Blue (Air France /KLM) | Chase Bilt Amex Capital One Citi |
| Hawaiian | Amex |
| Iberia | Chase Amex Bilt |
| Jetblue | Chase Amex (250 Amex = 200 JetBlue) Citi |
| Qantas | Amex Capital One Citi |
| Qatar | Amex Citi |
| Singapore Airlines | Chase Amex Capital One Citi |
| Southwest Airlines | Chase |
| TAP Portugal | Capital One |
| Thai Royal Orchid | Citi |
| Turkish Miles & Smiles | Capital One Citi Bilt |
| United Airlines | Bilt Chase |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Chase Amex Citi |
| Virgin Red | Bilt Capital One |
Summary of Hotel Transfer Partners
| Transfer Partner | Transfer Rate (1:1 unless noted) |
|---|---|
| Accor | Capital One (2 Cap One: 1 Accor) Citi (2 Citi : 1 Accor) |
| Choice Privileges | Amex Citi (1 Citi : 2 Choice) |
| IHG | Chase Bilt |
| Hilton | Amex (1,000 Amex = 2,000 Hilton) Bilt |
| Hyatt | Chase Bilt |
| Marriott | Chase Amex Bilt |
| Wyndham | Capital One Citi |
Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
Points enthusiasts highly favor Chase Ultimate Rewards Points due to the relatively simple process of accumulating this points currency via credit card welcome offers.
It offers numerous transfer partners, including Southwest Airlines and World of Hyatt, which are highly valuable for budget-conscious travelers.
Chase Travel Partners
| Hotels (1 Chase Point = 1 Hotel Point) Transfer in 1,000-point increments |
| Aer Lingus |
| Aeroplan |
| British Airways |
| Emirates |
| Flying Blue |
| Iberia |
| Jetblue |
| Singapore Airlines |
| Southwest Airlines |
| United Airlines |
| Hotels (1 Chase Point = 1 Hotel Point) Transfer in 1,000 point increments |
| IHG |
| Hyatt |
| Marriott |
Credit Cards that Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
| Credit Cards | Details |
|---|---|
| Credit Cards that Earn Ultimate Rewards Points (Chase Premium Cards) | |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Welcome Offer |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Welcome Offer |
| Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card | Welcome Offer |
| Credit Cards that Convert into Chase Ultimate Rewards Points* | Steps to Convert |
| Chase Freedom Flex® | Welcome Offer |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | Welcome Offer |
| Ink Business Cash® Credit Card | Welcome Offer |
| Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card | Welcome Offer |
Recommended Chase Ultimate Rewards Guides
American Express Membership Rewards
American Express Membership Rewards Points are another favorite among points enthusiasts, primarily because of their frequent generous transfer bonuses, which significantly increase the value of their points.
For instance, in the past year, I’ve converted my American Express Membership Rewards Points to Avianca Lifemiles, British Airways Executive Club, and Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) while transfer bonuses were offered.
American Express Membership Rewards Travel Partners
| Amex Travel Partners | Transfer Rate |
|---|---|
| Airlines | |
| Aer Lingus | 1,000 AMEX Points = 1,000 Avios |
| AeroMexico | 1,000 Points = 1,600 Points |
| Aeroplan | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Points |
| Air France/KLM (Flying Blue) | 1,000 Points = 1,000 FB Miles |
| ANA Mileage Club | 1,000 Points – 1,000 Miles |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1,000 Points = 1,000 LifeMiles |
| British Airways Executive Club | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Avios |
| Cathay Pacific | 1,000 Points – 1,000 Asia Miles |
| Delta | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Miles |
| Emirates Skyward | 1,000 Points – 1,000 Miles |
| Etihad Guest | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Miles |
| Hawaiian | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Miles |
| Iberia Plus | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Avios |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 250 Points = 200 TrueBlue Points |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 500 Points = 500 Qantas Points |
| Qatar Privilege Club | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Avios |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1,000 Points = 1,000 KF Miles |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Virgin Points |
| Hotels | |
| Choice Privileges | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Choice Points |
| Hilton Honors | 1,000 Points = 2,000 Hilton Points |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Marriott Points |
Travel Rewards Cards that Earn American Express Membership Rewards Points
Like Chase Ultimate Rewards, earning Membership Rewards Points is relatively easy.
They are typically accumulated through generous welcome offers and regular spending using any of the credit cards that earn Membership Rewards and/or through Rakuten.
| Travel Cards that Earn American Express Membership Rewards Points |
|---|
| American Express® Gold Card |
| American Express® Business Gold Card |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express |
| The Business Platinum Card® from American Express |
| The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express |
Recommended American Express Membership Rewards Points Guides
| Steps on How to Convert Rakuten Cashback to American Express Membership Rewards Points |
| Steps on How to Transfer American Express Membership Rewards Points to Airline and Travel Partners |
Capital One Miles
Some of the cards I always keep in my wallet are my Capital One credit cards.
Most of their popular cards earn 2 points per dollar, and they also have several airline and hotel transfer partners that I find useful.
Capital One Airline and Hotel Travel Partners
| Capital One Airline Travel Partners (1 Capital One Mile : 1 Airline Mile) Transfer in 1,000-point increments |
| Aeromexico Club Premier |
| Air Canada Aeroplan |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue |
| Avianca LifeMiles |
| British Airways Executive Club |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles |
| Emirates Skywards |
| Etihad Guest |
| EVA Infinity MileageLands (2 Cap One Miles: 1.5 EVA) |
| Finnair Plus |
| Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer |
| TAP Portugal Miles&Go |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles |
| Virgin Red |
| Capital One Hotel Travel Partners (1 Capital One Mile: 1 Hotel Point) Transfer in 1,000-point increments |
| ALL Accor Live Limitless (2 Cap One: 1 Accor) |
| Choice Privileges |
| Wyndham |
Capital One Credit Cards That Earn Transferrable Miles
Recommended Capital One Guides
Citi ThankYou Points
Though not as widely favored as the top three banks, Citi ThankYou Points should not be entirely written off.
They offer the most favorable transfer ratio to Choice Privileges Hotels (1 Citi TYP = 2 Choice Privileges Points), which are abundant across Europe.
Additionally, Citi allows direct transfers to Qatar, providing a fantastic opportunity to experience its acclaimed business-class product, Q-Suites.
Citi Airline and Hotel Transfer Partners
| Citi Airline Partners (1 Citi ThankYou Point = 1 Airline Point) Transfer in 1,000-point increments |
| AeroMexico |
| Avianca Lifemiles |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles |
| Emirates Skywards |
| Etihad Guest |
| EVA Air |
| Flying Blue |
| Jetblue True Blue |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer |
| Qatar Privilege Club |
| Singapore Airlines |
| Thai Royal Orchid Plus |
| Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club |
| Citi Hotel Partners Transfer in 1,000-point increments |
| All-Accor Live Limitless (2 Citi : 1 Accor) |
| Wyndham (1 Citi = 1 Wyndham) |
| Choice Privileges (1 Citi : 2 Choice): Prestige®, Citi Strata PremierSM, AT&T Access More Cardmembers |
| Choice Privileges (1 Citi : 1.5 Choice): Citi ThankYou® Preferred, Citi Rewards+®, Sears Mastercard, Citi Double Cash®, AT&T Universal Rewards World, AT&T Universal Savings and Rewards, AT&T Universal Rewards, AT&T Points PlusSM Card from Citi or AT&T Access Card Cardmembers |
Citi Credit Cards That Earn Transferrable Miles
| Citi Credit Cards That Earn Citi ThankYou Points |
|---|
| Citi Strata Premier℠ Card |
| Citi Prestige Card (discontinued) |
| Citi Credit Cards That Convert to Travel Points* |
| Citi Rewards+® Card |
| Citi Double Cash® Card |
| Citi Custom Cash® Card |
Recommended Citi Guides
| Steps on How to Transfer Citi ThankYou Points to Airline and Hotel Partners |
Final Thoughts
Without a doubt, understanding the travel partners of popular credit cards is vital for maximizing rewards, particularly if you want to get the best bang for your buck.
This knowledge is critical for all points enthusiasts, whether you’re just getting into the hobby or have been at it for years.
Delving into the hobby’s details can genuinely level up the fun and appreciation for those fully into it.
So, whether planning a trip or enhancing travel, make sure to consider transferring to travel partners to maximize the value of your credit card points.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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