Beginner’s Guide to Bank Card Transfer Partners
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Oh how I love bank card travel rewards! These are the type of points that can be earned from the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve cards, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Citi Premier, and American Express Gold Card…And that isn’t even the full list of cards!
Many people think that the only way to redeem these type of bank card rewards/points toward travel is through the bank’s travel portal (think Expedia within the bank’s website). HOWEVER, bank card reward programs also partner with various airlines and hotels to allow you to convert/transfer their points into other travel programs’ points! And you do NOT need to have that airline or hotel’s credit card to do this! You simply sign up for their free loyalty program through the hotel or airline’s website before you transfer your points!
Why is this such a big deal? Because there are many situations where you get MORE value from your bank card points than you would through the travel portal when you convert points to a partner airline or hotel points program (and then redeem the points through those brands’ websites instead)!
To compare the better redemption option for your points, look up your desired flight or hotel in the travel portal, note how many bank reward points are required. Then select the same or similar partner airline or hotel and search their website to see how many of their program points are required. Note: MOST (but not all) bank rewards transfer 1:1 (transfer ratios are listed on the bank card website). Occasionally, banks offer limited-time bonuses for transfers as well.
So which option did you find requires less points? The bank’s travel portal OR moving your points out to the hotel or airline partner? There’s the answer as to the best option for you!
Here’s a list of the most popular bank card travel rewards and their transfer partner airlines and hotels (as of Sept 1, 2023):
CHASE Ultimate Rewards can be converted into points for the following brands: Jet Blue, Southwest, United, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore, Aer Lingus, Emirates, Air Canada, British Airways, Air France/KLM, Iberia, Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott.
CAPITAL ONE Venture Rewards can be converted to points for the following brands: Aeromexico, Air Canada, Cathay Pacific, Avianca, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad, EVA Air, Finnair, Air France/KLM, Qantas, Singapore, Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Airlines, Accor Hotels, Choice Hotels and Wyndham Hotels.
AMERICAN EXPRESS Membership Rewards can be converted to points for the following brands: Delta, JetBlue, Aer Lingus, Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air France/KLM, ANA, Avianca, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad, Hawaiian, Iberia, Qantas, Singapore, Virgin Atlantic, Choice Hotels, Hilton Hotels, and Marriott Hotels.
CITI Thank You Rewards can be converted to points for the following brands: JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Aeromexico, Air France/KLM, Avianca, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad, EVA Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, Qantas, Accor Hotels, Choice Hotels and Wyndham Hotels.
Transferring points can be performed online and is just a few clicks on the banks’ respective reward pages (I always use a desktop/laptop vs the app). Points can transfer instantly or take a couple of days. Be sure to consider this option next time you are redeeming your points. It may just allow you to stretch those points even further than you anticipated, which means even MORE free travel for you! :)