Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers; some offers may be expired.
If you truly want to maximize your points and miles, periodic transfer bonuses can offer lucrative opportunities for fantastic award redemptions. You can sometimes get significantly more value from your rewards by transferring them to a specific airline or hotel partner during one of these bonuses.
However, these are limited-time offers.
We’ve compiled the transfer bonuses for the major programs with transferable rewards to make tracking these offers easier. Just note that transfer bonuses are sometimes targeted, so some may not be available to you.
American Express Membership Rewards transfer bonus
‘Tis the season for transfer bonuses — at least, if you collect American Express Membership Rewards.
American Express is currently offering an enticing transfer bonus to Flying Blue, Air France and KLM’s combined loyalty program. Through Nov. 10, Amex cardmembers with this offer in their account can earn a 20% bonus when converting their American Express Membership Rewards points to Flying Blue miles. That means if you transferred 50,000 Amex points, you’d end up with 60,000 Flying Blue miles.
Flying Blue is a highly useful loyalty program for travelers looking to book international flights. Aviation reporter Sean Cudahy recently flew from North Carolina’s Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to Rome (via Paris) in Air France’s economy class for just 15,000 Flying Blue miles one-way — which he transferred from Amex.
Amex also recently kicked off two transfer bonuses for the month of November. You’ll get 35% more points when you transfer to Marriott Bonvoy, meaning you could turn 50,000 Amex points into 67,500 Bonvoy points — almost enough for a night at the Westin Bora Bora. And with a 15% transfer bonus to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, perhaps now is the time to book that business-class trip to Asia you’ve been dreaming about.
Lastly, Amex is offering 15% bonus points on transfers to Avianca LifeMiles, which is a particularly useful program for domestic travel, through Dec. 31.
| Partner program | Transfer bonus | Effective transfer ratio | Dates |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 20% | 1:1.2 | Until Nov. 10 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 35% | 1:1.35 | Until Nov. 30 |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 15% | 1:1.15 | Until Nov. 30 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 15% | 1:1.15 | Until Dec. 31 |
How to earn American Express Membership Rewards points
If you’re looking to earn more of these valuable points, the following Amex cards could be useful additions to your wallet:
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
- American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible restaurant purchases (up to $100) within the first six months of card membership.
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases with your card in the first three months of card membership.
Check the CardMatch tool to see if you’re targeted for an even higher welcome offer (subject to change at any time).
You can also earn extra Membership Rewards points when you enroll in Amex Offers and shop with Rakuten.
Based on TPG’s November 2024 valuations, Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each, and our tests indicate that they transfer instantly to most of Amex’s transfer partners.
Related: How to redeem American Express Membership Rewards points for maximum value
Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer bonus
Chase Ultimate Rewards is running a 40% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, which means Chase points transfer at a 1:1.4 rate. Following Flying Club’s switch to dynamic pricing, this is an especially lucrative deal, as some Saver flight routes from the U.S. to the U.K. cost as low as 6,000 Flying Club points. Therefore, you could potentially fly from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) for just 4,300 Chase Ultimate Rewards points (not including taxes and fees).
Chase members can also take advantage of a 50% transfer bonus to Marriott Bonvoy from now through Nov. 15. Since Chase points transfer to Marriott at a 1:1 ratio, this bonus means you’ll get a rate of 1:1.5.
TPG’s November 2024 valuations peg Chase points at 2.05 cents each and Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.85 cents each. Thus, if you transferred 1,000 Chase points (worth $20.50) with the current transfer bonus, your resulting 1,500 Marriott points would be worth only $12.75. You’ll be losing some value from your points, so we recommend only transferring them if you have a specific redemption in mind.
| Partner program | Transfer bonus | Effective transfer ratio | Dates |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 40% | 1.1.4 | Until Nov. 30 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 50% | 1:1.5 | Until Nov. 15 |
How to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points
If you want to earn more Chase Ultimate Rewards points, the following Chase cards could make good additions to your wallet:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: Earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
If you have one (or more) of the above cards, you can combine your Ultimate Rewards points in a single account. Then, you can effectively convert the cash-back earnings on the following cards into fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points:
- Chase Freedom Flex®: Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy in the first year (on up to $20,000 spent), worth up to $300 cash back.
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Earn up to $750 bonus cash back: $350 after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: Earn $900 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
According to TPG’s November 2024 valuations, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2.05 cents each when maximized with travel partners. Most Ultimate Rewards transfers will process instantly.
Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value
Capital One transfer bonus
After a bit of a dry spell when it comes to transfer bonuses, Capital One has launched an exciting new offer for British Airways Executive Club. You’ll snag 20% more Avios when you transfer your Capital One miles to British Airways through the end of the month.
This bonus is especially useful because British Airways isn’t the only carrier where you can spend your Avios. Aer Lingus, Finnair Plus, Iberia and Qatar Airways Privilege Club also use Avios as their currency, and it’s easy to transfer Avios between programs. If you have a redemption in mind with one of these airlines, you could take advantage of the current transfer bonus to British Airways and then transfer your new Avios to your desired account.
| Partner program | Transfer bonus | Effective transfer ratio | Dates |
| British Airways Executive Club | 20% | 1:1.2 | Until Dec. 1 |
How to earn Capital One miles
If you’re looking to earn more transferable miles, the following Capital One cards are solid options to consider:
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $4,500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
TPG’s November 2024 valuations peg Capital One miles at 1.85 cents apiece, and most transfers from Capital One will process instantly.
For more details, check out our guides to the Capital One transfer partners and how to transfer Capital One miles to airline and hotel partners.
Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer bonus
Citi ThankYou Rewards is currently offering two transfer bonuses. You can transfer your Citi ThankYou Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club with a 30% transfer bonus, meaning your points will convert at a 1:1.3 rate. Therefore, for every 1,000 Citi points you transfer, you’ll receive 1,300 Flying Club points.
TPG currently values Citi points at 1.8 cents each and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points at 1.4 cents each, per our November 2024 valuations. Therefore, 1,000 Citi points equals $18, and 1,300 Flying Club points equals $18.20. Since loyalty programs undergo frequent devaluations, we don’t recommend blindly transferring your points unless you have a specific redemption in mind.
Citi is also offering a 20% transfer bonus to Wyndham Rewards, which means your points will convert at a rate of 1:1.2. Therefore, 1,000 Citi points equals 1,200 Wyndham Rewards points. Per TPG’s November 2024 valuations, Wyndham Rewards points are worth 1.1 cents per point. So, 1,200 Wyndham points equals just $13.20, whiles 1,000 Citi points equals $18.
Though this redemption option would provide less value for your Citi points, it could make sense if you wish to simply save money on a hotel stay. Unlike many hotel loyalty programs, Wyndham Rewards still operates using an award chart, and properties cost between 7,500 and 30,000 points per night.
Note that some Citi transfers will not process instantly, so be sure to factor in the transfer time if you’re trying to book an award with scarce availability.
| Partner program | Transfer bonus | Effective transfer ratio | Dates |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 30% | 1:1.3 | Until Nov. 16 |
| Wyndham Rewards | 20% | 1:1.2 | Until Nov. 16 |
How to earn Citi ThankYou Rewards points
These Citi credit cards could make useful additions to your wallet for earning Citi ThankYou Rewards points:
- Citi Strata Premier℠ Card* (see rates and fees): Earn 70,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases with your card within three months from account opening. A higher offer may be available through citi.com.
- Citi Rewards+® Card (see rates and fees): Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 within three months from account opening. Plus, earn 5 bonus ThankYou Rewards points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions via the Citi travel portal through Dec. 31, 2025. (Note: You must pair this card with a premium Citi ThankYou card to access a full-fledged, transferable ThankYou points account.)
*Note: You can earn 75,000 bonus points by applying directly on citi.com rather than through TPG’s affiliate link, which offers 70,000 bonus points. We are committed to our readers getting the highest bonus available.
Marriott Bonvoy transfer bonus
Marriott Bonvoy is currently not offering any transfer bonuses.
How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
If you’re looking to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points, the following Marriott Bonvoy cards may be of interest:
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening.
- Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn three free night awards after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Each free night award has a redemption level of up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Resort fees and terms apply.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points plus one free night award (valued at up to 50,000 points) after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.
According to TPG’s November 2024 valuations, Marriott Bonvoy points are worth 0.85 cents each. Before transferring points, review our tests of Marriott transfer times, since some airlines take a few days (or even weeks) to receive the points.
Related: Marriott Bonvoy program: How to redeem points for hotel stays, airfare and more
Should you transfer points?
We only recommend transferring points or miles if you have a short-term plan to use them. Many programs have implemented devaluations over the last few years, so any speculative transfers could be a losing proposition.
Transfers are irreversible, and you don’t want to be stuck with thousands of points or miles in a program you have little use for.
If you don’t have a specific redemption in mind but still want to earn points or miles, you’re likely better off earning rewards through card welcome bonuses and everyday spending.
And we always recommend you ensure award availability before transferring your rewards.
Bottom line
When a program with a transferable currency offers a transfer bonus, it is important to run the numbers to determine whether it is worthwhile.
Generally, you won’t want to transfer your points or miles without a specific redemption in mind. After all, a large part of the value of transferable points and miles comes from their flexibility — which you’ll give up the moment you convert them to a partner’s currency. However, a transfer bonus can help you get more value from your points and miles if you use a partner program frequently or plan to redeem soon.
