The Best Transfer Partners for Major Points Currencies

A Strategic Guide to the Most Valuable Airline and Hotel Partners for Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, and Bilt Points

Introduction: Why Transfer Partners Are the Key to Maximum Value

You have been earning credit card points for months or years. Your balance has grown into something substantial, maybe 100,000 points, maybe 500,000 or more. Now comes the question that separates casual points collectors from travelers who extract extraordinary value: where should you actually transfer those points?

This is not a trivial question. The same 100,000 points can be worth $1,000 or $5,000 or more depending on which transfer partner you choose and how you redeem. Transfer to the wrong partner and you leave thousands of dollars of value on the table. Transfer to the right partner and you unlock experiences, flights in premium cabins, hotels at luxury resorts, that would otherwise cost a small fortune.

The challenge is that each major points currency has a dozen or more transfer partners, each with its own award chart, sweet spots, and quirks. Navigating this landscape requires knowledge that most travelers never acquire. They transfer to whatever partner is familiar or whatever comes up first, missing the redemptions that would have delivered far more value.

This article is going to cut through the complexity. We are going to examine each major transferable points currency and identify the transfer partners that consistently deliver the best value. We will explain why each partner is valuable, what redemptions to target, and how to think strategically about where to send your hard-earned points. By the end, you will know exactly which partners deserve your attention and which ones to skip.

How to Think About Transfer Partner Value

Before we dive into specific partners, let us establish how to evaluate transfer partner value.

The Cents Per Point Framework

The standard way to measure redemption value is cents per point (cpp). If you redeem 50,000 points for a flight that would cost $750 in cash, you are getting 1.5 cents per point. If the same points book a $2,000 flight, you are getting 4 cents per point.

Most transferable points are worth at least 1.5 to 2 cents per point with good redemptions. Excellent redemptions can deliver 3, 4, or even 5+ cents per point, particularly in premium cabins. Anything below 1 cent per point is generally a poor use of transferable currencies.

Sweet Spots Matter More Than Averages

Every airline and hotel program has sweet spots: specific routes, cabin classes, or properties where the points required are disproportionately low compared to the cash value. The best transfer partners are those with accessible sweet spots that match how you actually want to travel.

An airline with a high average value but no routes you care about is worthless to you. A partner with modest average value but incredible sweet spots to your favorite destinations might be your most valuable option.

Availability Is Part of Value

A transfer partner is only valuable if you can actually book the awards you want. Some programs have great award charts but terrible availability, making it nearly impossible to redeem for desirable flights. The best partners combine reasonable award pricing with actual availability.

Transfer Ratios and Bonuses

Most transfers happen at a 1:1 ratio, meaning each credit card point becomes one airline mile or hotel point. Some partners have different ratios. Periodic transfer bonuses can enhance value by 20, 30, or even 50 percent. Factor these into your decisions when available.

Chase Ultimate Rewards: Best Transfer Partners

Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of the most valuable and versatile points currencies. Here are the transfer partners that consistently deliver the best value.

Hyatt: The Gold Standard for Hotel Transfers

World of Hyatt is widely considered the single best hotel transfer partner across all programs. The reasons are compelling: reasonable award pricing, excellent availability, and high-value properties where cash rates are expensive.

Hyatt’s award chart tops out at 45,000 points per night for the most luxurious properties, which often have cash rates of $800 to $1,500 or more per night. This delivers 2 to 4+ cents per point, far exceeding what other hotel programs offer.

The sweet spots include Category 1-4 properties that offer solid value at 5,000 to 15,000 points per night, all-inclusive resorts where the points rate includes meals and drinks, and luxury Park Hyatt and Andaz properties where cash rates are astronomical.

If you have Chase points and want hotel value, Hyatt should be your first consideration for almost any redemption.

United Airlines: Domestic and Partner Access

United MileagePlus is valuable primarily for two reasons: access to domestic award flights and the ability to book partner airlines including Lufthansa, Swiss, Singapore Airlines, ANA, and other Star Alliance carriers.

United’s own award pricing is dynamic and can range from excellent to mediocre depending on the route and timing. The best domestic values appear on off-peak routes and with flexible dates. For international premium cabins, United often works best when booking partner airline metal rather than United’s own flights.

Key sweet spots include short-haul domestic flights that can price as low as 5,000-10,000 miles, partner airline business class to Europe and Asia where pricing can be more favorable than on United metal, and Polaris business class when saver availability appears.

Southwest: Unique Domestic Value

Southwest Rapid Rewards offers something no other airline partner provides: the ability to book Southwest flights with points. Since Southwest dominates certain domestic routes and offers no change fees plus free checked bags, this can be extremely valuable for specific travelers.

Southwest points have a fixed value based on the cash price of the ticket, typically delivering around 1.4 to 1.6 cents per point. This is modest compared to premium cabin international redemptions but excellent for flexible domestic travel.

If Southwest serves your home airport and you value their passenger-friendly policies, transferring to Southwest can be a smart choice for domestic trips.

Flying Blue: Transatlantic Sweet Spots

Air France-KLM Flying Blue is a transfer partner from Chase that offers excellent value for transatlantic travel and flights within Europe.

Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing but frequently offers promotional rates called Promo Rewards that significantly reduce award costs. Business class to Europe can price as low as 55,000-72,000 miles one-way during promotions, making it one of the best values for premium transatlantic travel.

The program also offers exceptional value for intra-Europe flights, often pricing short flights at just 10,000-15,000 miles one-way. For travelers planning European multi-city itineraries, Flying Blue provides affordable positioning flights.

Singapore Airlines: Premium Cabin Aspirations

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is the transfer partner to target when you want one of the world’s best business or first class products. Singapore consistently ranks among the top airlines globally for premium cabin experience.

The program is valuable for booking Singapore’s own flights, particularly on routes featuring their newest aircraft and Suites products. It is also useful for booking partner Star Alliance flights at reasonable rates.

The primary challenge with Singapore is availability. Award space is limited, particularly in premium cabins, and requires planning and flexibility to secure.

American Express Membership Rewards: Best Transfer Partners

Amex Membership Rewards offers the largest transfer partner list of any major program. Here are the partners that stand out.

ANA Mileage Club: Premium Cabin Champion

All Nippon Airways Mileage Club is widely regarded as offering some of the best value for premium cabin redemptions, particularly to and from Asia.

ANA’s award chart prices business class from North America to Japan at approximately 75,000-90,000 miles depending on season, significantly less than most competitors. First class to Japan prices at around 105,000-120,000 miles for one of the world’s best first class products.

The program also offers excellent value for round-the-world awards and partner bookings through the Star Alliance network.

The main drawback is that ANA requires round-trip bookings rather than one-way awards, which reduces flexibility. Careful planning can still yield exceptional value.

Virgin Atlantic: Partner Sweet Spots

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is valuable less for Virgin’s own flights and more for booking partner airlines at exceptional rates.

The standout sweet spot is booking ANA flights through Virgin Atlantic. Business class from the US to Japan can price at 60,000-90,000 miles one-way, often cheaper than booking through ANA directly and with one-way booking capability.

Virgin Atlantic is also useful for booking Delta flights, particularly when Delta’s own pricing is unfavorable. The partnership allows access to Delta award space with potentially better pricing.

Delta SkyMiles: Hub Convenience

Delta SkyMiles is an Amex-exclusive airline transfer partner, meaning other programs cannot access it. If you live in a Delta hub city like Atlanta, Minneapolis, Detroit, Salt Lake City, or Seattle, Delta miles have inherent value through convenient flight options.

Delta uses dynamic pricing without a published award chart, making valuations unpredictable. Sometimes Delta offers excellent saver pricing; other times the same route costs absurd mileage amounts. The key is flexibility and willingness to search multiple dates.

Delta miles are best used for domestic flights where you value the schedule convenience, and for flash sales that occasionally offer excellent international premium cabin pricing.

British Airways: Short-Haul Sweet Spot

British Airways Executive Club uses a distance-based award chart that excels for short flights and falters for long ones.

The sweet spot is flights under 650 miles, which price at just 7,500 Avios one-way. This makes British Airways exceptional for short domestic hops, flights to nearby Caribbean islands, and positioning flights within regions.

British Airways Avios can book flights on American Airlines, making them useful for AA routes throughout the Americas. Hawaii flights from the West Coast are a popular sweet spot.

For long-haul flights, the distance-based pricing becomes expensive and other partners offer better value.

Hilton: Volume Transfer Value

Hilton Honors receives transfers at a 1:2 ratio from Amex, meaning each Membership Rewards point becomes two Hilton points. While Hilton points are generally worth less per point than other currencies, this ratio can make the transfer worthwhile for specific redemptions.

Hilton works best when you have a specific high-value redemption in mind where cash rates are expensive and the points requirement is reasonable. Premium properties in expensive destinations can deliver good value.

For general hotel needs, Hyatt through Chase typically offers better value, but Hilton’s larger footprint means it has properties where Hyatt does not.

Capital One Miles: Best Transfer Partners

Capital One’s transfer partner list has matured into a competitive offering. Here are the standout options.

Air Canada Aeroplan: Versatility Champion

Air Canada Aeroplan has emerged as one of the most valuable frequent flyer programs globally, offering a combination of reasonable pricing, good availability, and flexible routing rules.

Aeroplan allows stopovers on award tickets, enabling creative itineraries that would otherwise require multiple bookings. Business class to Europe prices at 60,000-70,000 points one-way with regular availability on various Star Alliance partners.

The program is particularly strong for booking Lufthansa, Swiss, and other European partner airlines where the experience is excellent and availability is decent.

Aeroplan has become a go-to recommendation for premium cabin redemptions, especially from Capital One where it is one of the strongest options.

Turkish Miles & Smiles: Long-Haul Value

Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles offers exceptional value for long-haul flights on Turkish Airlines and Star Alliance partners.

Business class to major Turkish destinations and beyond prices competitively, and Turkish business class is consistently well-regarded. The program also allows booking partner flights at reasonable rates.

The primary considerations are that Turkish can be challenging to work with for changes or issues, and availability requires flexibility. When it works, the value is excellent.

Emirates Skywards: Luxury Aspiration

Emirates Skywards provides access to one of the world’s most recognized premium airline products. Emirates business and first class are bucket-list experiences for many travelers.

Award availability on Emirates can be challenging, and pricing is not cheap. But for travelers specifically targeting the Emirates experience, particularly first class, transferring to Skywards is the path to get there.

The program occasionally releases good availability, making it worth monitoring if an Emirates redemption is your goal.

Flying Blue: Consistent Value

Air France-KLM Flying Blue is available from Capital One just as it is from Chase, offering the same promotional pricing and transatlantic value. Capital One members can target the same sweet spots for flights to Europe.

Citi ThankYou Points: Best Transfer Partners

Citi ThankYou has fewer partners than Chase or Amex but includes some unique options.

Qatar Airways: Exclusive Access

Qatar Airways Privilege Club is Citi’s standout exclusive partner, not available from other major programs. Qatar operates one of the world’s best business class products, Qbusiness, and offers first class on select routes.

Award availability on Qatar can be limited but appears regularly for those with flexible dates. Pricing is reasonable for the product quality, making Qatar a compelling aspiration for premium cabin seekers.

If you hold Citi points and want a world-class business class experience, Qatar should be a primary target.

Singapore Airlines: Premium Overlap

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is available from both Chase and Citi, providing flexibility in which points currency to use. The same sweet spots apply: targeting Singapore’s own premium products or Star Alliance partner bookings.

Cathay Pacific: Asia Excellence

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles provides access to Cathay’s excellent business class product, particularly valuable for flights to Hong Kong and connections throughout Asia.

The program offers reasonable pricing and respectable availability. For travelers focused on Asia, Cathay represents solid value from Citi points.

Turkish and Flying Blue: Familiar Value

Citi also transfers to Turkish Miles & Smiles and Flying Blue, providing overlap with other programs. This redundancy gives flexibility in which currency to draw from for popular redemptions.

Bilt Rewards: Best Transfer Partners

Bilt Rewards has built an impressive partner list despite being a newer program. Here are the highlights.

American Airlines: Exclusive Access

American Airlines AAdvantage is Bilt’s standout exclusive partner. American is not available from Chase, Amex, or Capital One, making Bilt the only transferable points path to AA miles.

This exclusivity is valuable because American serves routes and hubs that other carriers do not. If you live in a major American hub like Dallas, Charlotte, Miami, Phoenix, or Philadelphia, the ability to transfer to American fills a significant gap.

American’s pricing can be inconsistent due to dynamic award charts, but web specials and partner bookings through American can offer good value.

Hyatt: Shared Excellence

Bilt transfers to Hyatt at 1:1, providing the same gold-standard hotel value available through Chase. For Bilt members, this means the most valuable hotel transfer is fully accessible.

United and Alaska: Domestic Coverage

Bilt offers both United and Alaska Airlines as transfer partners, providing strong coverage for domestic redemptions and various hub cities. This breadth exceeds what some other programs offer for domestic airline options.

Flying Blue and Turkish: International Value

The familiar Flying Blue and Turkish Miles & Smiles partnerships are available through Bilt, providing the transatlantic and long-haul value these programs are known for.

Strategic Recommendations by Travel Goal

Let us organize these recommendations by what you are actually trying to accomplish.

Best for Domestic Economy Flights

For domestic economy travel, Southwest through Chase provides unique value through flexible policies. British Airways Avios work well for short-haul American Airlines flights. United through Chase or Bilt offers broad coverage.

Best for Transatlantic Business Class

Flying Blue stands out for promotional pricing on Air France and KLM. Virgin Atlantic offers competitive pricing to book partner flights. Aeroplan through Capital One provides strong Star Alliance coverage.

Best for Asia Premium Cabins

ANA through Amex delivers exceptional value for round-trip awards. Singapore through Chase or Citi targets the Singapore experience specifically. Cathay through Citi focuses on Hong Kong and Asia-Pacific routing.

Best for Middle East and Beyond

Qatar through Citi provides exclusive access to a world-class product. Turkish through multiple programs offers competitive pricing on long-haul routes. Emirates through Capital One targets the iconic Emirates experience.

Best for Hotel Stays

Hyatt through Chase or Bilt is the clear leader for overall value. Hilton through Amex makes sense for specific high-value redemptions where Hyatt lacks presence.

Partners to Approach With Caution

Not every transfer partner delivers value. Here are partnerships that rarely make sense.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott transfers at unfavorable ratios from most programs and Marriott points are worth relatively little per point. The math almost never works compared to other options. Skip Marriott transfers in most cases.

IHG Rewards

IHG suffers from the same issues as Marriott: poor transfer value and low points worth. Direct IHG earning or cash bookings typically make more sense.

JetBlue TrueBlue

JetBlue points have low per-point value and the airline’s route network is limited. Other airline partners almost always deliver more value.

Low-Value Airline Partners

Each program has airline partners that sound appealing but consistently deliver poor value compared to the best options. Research before transferring rather than assuming any partner is worthwhile.

Real-Life Examples: Strategic Transfers in Action

Michelle’s ANA First Class

Michelle accumulated 300,000 Amex points over two years. She researched her options and discovered that ANA first class from Los Angeles to Tokyo prices at approximately 110,000 miles round-trip through the ANA program.

She transferred 220,000 points to ANA Mileage Club, booking first class for herself and her husband. The same tickets would have cost over $25,000 in cash. Her effective redemption value exceeded 10 cents per point.

By targeting the right partner for her specific goal, Michelle extracted extraordinary value from her points balance.

The Rodriguez Family Hyatt Vacation

The Rodriguez family had 180,000 Chase points and wanted a beach vacation. They researched all-inclusive Hyatt properties and found Hyatt Ziva in Mexico, where a five-night stay in a premium suite would cost 30,000 points per night.

They transferred 150,000 points to Hyatt and booked five nights at a resort where the cash rate was over $600 per night all-inclusive. Their points covered over $3,000 in resort value at 2+ cents per point, with meals, drinks, and activities included.

Hyatt delivered exactly the value its reputation promises.

James’s Aeroplan Discovery

James had Capital One miles and wanted to fly business class to Europe. He researched his options and found that Air Canada Aeroplan offered strong availability on Lufthansa business class at 70,000 points one-way.

He transferred 140,000 Capital One miles to Aeroplan and booked round-trip business class to Germany. The same tickets would have cost over $6,000 in cash. James extracted over 4 cents per point by targeting a partner sweet spot.

Building Your Transfer Strategy

Here is how to approach transfers strategically.

Know Your Partners Before You Need Them

Research your available transfer partners before you have a specific redemption in mind. Understand which partners align with your travel goals so you are prepared when opportunities arise.

Never Transfer Speculatively

Only transfer points when you have a specific redemption confirmed and ready to book. Transferring to a partner hoping to use the points later risks devaluation, availability changes, and stranded points.

Monitor Transfer Bonuses

Periodic transfer bonuses can increase your value by 20-50 percent. Subscribe to points and miles newsletters and monitor for bonuses to partners you plan to use.

Diversify Your Earning

Having points in multiple currencies gives you access to more partners and more sweet spots. Consider spreading your earning across programs rather than concentrating everything in one currency.

Stay Current

Award programs change constantly. Partner sweet spots can disappear or new opportunities can emerge. Stay informed through blogs, forums, and newsletters focused on points and miles.

20 Powerful and Uplifting Travel Quotes to Inspire Your Next Journey

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” — Saint Augustine
“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” — Anonymous
“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.” — Amelia Earhart
“Not all those who wander are lost.” — J.R.R. Tolkien
“Life is short and the world is wide.” — Simon Raven
“To travel is to live.” — Hans Christian Andersen
“Take only memories, leave only footprints.” — Chief Seattle
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” — Lao Tzu
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” — Ibn Battuta
“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” — Dalai Lama
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” — Anonymous
“Jobs fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul.” — Jaime Lyn Beatty
“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” — Gustave Flaubert
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” — Marcel Proust
“Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have traveled.” — Mohammed
“Travel far enough, you meet yourself.” — David Mitchell
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” — Neale Donald Walsch
“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” — Tim Cahill
“Own only what you can always carry with you.” — Alexander Solzhenitsyn
“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” — Confucius

Picture This

Let yourself sink into this moment.

You are sitting in a lie-flat business class seat that cost you nothing. Not nothing in the sense of feeling free, but literally nothing, zero dollars paid for a seat that would cost $8,000 if you bought it with cash. The cabin is quiet. The champagne is cold. The flight attendant has just handed you a menu describing a multi-course meal designed by a celebrity chef.

You recline your seat and think about how you got here.

It started with points. Ordinary credit card points earned on grocery runs and gas station fill-ups and online shopping. Points that accumulated in your account while you lived your normal life, not spending extra, not gaming anything, just using the right cards for the right purchases.

But unlike most people with points, you did not just transfer them to whatever program was most familiar. You did not let them sit in your account losing value. You learned. You researched. You discovered that the same points could be worth wildly different amounts depending on where you sent them and what you booked.

You found the sweet spot. Maybe it was ANA first class through Amex. Maybe it was Lufthansa business through Aeroplan. Maybe it was a Park Hyatt suite through Chase. Whatever it was, you recognized the opportunity and executed the transfer at exactly the right moment.

And now here you are. Sipping champagne at 35,000 feet. Stretching out in a seat that becomes a bed. Anticipating a destination that would have stayed on your bucket list indefinitely if you had to pay cash prices for premium travel.

The passenger next to you paid $8,000 for the same seat. You paid points that you earned buying groceries. The experience is identical. The meals are the same. The service is the same. The destination is the same. But your path here was radically different, and radically more accessible.

This is what happens when you understand transfer partners. When you know that Hyatt delivers hotel value that Marriott cannot match. When you recognize that Flying Blue runs promotions that slash transatlantic award prices. When you time your transfers to capture bonuses that stretch your points even further.

The plane pushes through the night toward a destination you have dreamed about. Tomorrow you will wake up somewhere new, having traveled in comfort that once seemed reserved for other people with other budgets. But you unlocked it with knowledge. With strategy. With the simple discipline of learning which transfer partners actually deliver value.

The flight attendant dims the cabin lights. You adjust your blanket and close your eyes, a smile on your face.

This is the reward for understanding transfer partners. Not just points. Not just miles. But experiences that transform what travel can be.

Share This Article

If this guide helped you understand which transfer partners actually deserve your points, think about who else needs this knowledge. Think about your friend who has been hoarding points for years without any clear plan for using them. Think about your sibling who transferred to the wrong partner and wasted thousands of points on a mediocre redemption. Think about your coworker who does not realize that their Chase points could book a Park Hyatt suite or their Amex points could get them to Japan in first class. Think about anyone you know who earns points without understanding how to extract maximum value.

This article could be the thing that transforms their points from abstract numbers into extraordinary experiences.

Share it on Facebook and tag the points collector who needs to read it. Send it in a text to someone planning a trip who might benefit from transfer guidance. Post it on X (formerly Twitter) and share your own favorite transfer partner or sweet spot. Pin it to your travel rewards board on Pinterest where it can guide redemption decisions. Email it to family members who are sitting on points balances without a strategy. Drop it in any points and miles community where people are asking where to transfer.

Every share helps another traveler stop leaving value on the table and start unlocking the experiences their points can actually provide.

Visit us at DNDTRAVELS.COM for more points and miles strategies, transfer partner updates, redemption guides, and everything you need to travel the world on points.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as professional financial, legal, tax, or credit advice. All transfer partner descriptions, award valuations, sweet spot recommendations, and redemption examples described in this article are based on publicly available information, general industry knowledge, and the past experiences of points and miles enthusiasts and the author. Award programs change frequently, and the specific pricing, availability, transfer ratios, and partner relationships described in this article may have changed since publication.

DNDTRAVELS.COM and the authors of this article make no guarantees or warranties, expressed or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability, suitability, or timeliness of the information presented. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, compensated by, or officially connected to any credit card issuer, bank, airline, hotel chain, or loyalty program mentioned in this article unless explicitly stated otherwise. The mention of any transfer partner, program, or company does not constitute an endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee of value.

Award availability, pricing, and program rules vary constantly and can change without notice. The valuations described in this article represent general estimates based on typical redemptions and may not reflect the value you receive from any specific booking. Transfer partner relationships can be added or removed by credit card issuers at any time. Points transferred to partner programs cannot be transferred back and are subject to the partner program’s terms and conditions. We strongly recommend that you verify current program terms, award pricing, and availability directly before transferring any points, and that you only transfer points when you have a specific redemption confirmed and ready to book.

By reading and using the information in this article, you acknowledge and agree that DNDTRAVELS.COM, its owners, authors, contributors, partners, and affiliates shall not be held responsible or liable for any points devaluations, failed transfers, booking difficulties, lost value, or any other negative outcomes that may arise from your use of or reliance on the content provided herein. You assume full responsibility for your own points and miles decisions. This article is intended to educate and inform about transfer partner strategy, not to serve as a substitute for verifying current program information or your own independent evaluation and due diligence.