One of the biggest perks of travel rewards cards is the ability to transfer your points to airline and hotel partners. Normally, the math is simple… like one Chase Ultimate Rewards point transfers to one United mile or one American Express Membership Rewards point transfers to one Aeroplan point, yada yada.
But every so often, banks give us a big ole kiss on the lips (aka they run limited-time promos where you’ll get extra miles for the same number of points).
That’s a transfer bonus, and it’s one of the easiest ways to squeeze extra value from your points stash.
Instead of moving 10,000 Membership Rewards points and ending up with 10,000 British Airways Avios, a 30% transfer bonus means you’ll get 13,000 Avios. You didn’t earn any extra points, but you just got more for free by transferring during the promo.
Why Do Transfer Bonuses Matter?
Transfer bonuses can mean the difference between “meh value” and an amazing redemption. For example:
A nonstop flight from Miami (MIA) to Nassau (NAS) might usually cost around 7,500 Avios. With a 30% bonus, you’d only need to transfer 6,000 American Express Membership Rewards points to cover it.
Booking business class to Europe might run you around 40,000 Iberia Avios. With a 25% bonus, you’d only transfer about 32,000 points.
Personal example: I recently used just 16,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book two round-trip flights from New York (JFK) to London (LHR) and transferred those points during a 25% bonus to Virgin Atlantic. So in reality, it was just under 13,000 points total.
The catch? Bonuses don’t last super long (usually). They typically last 2 to 6 weeks, and if you transfer without a trip in mind, you risk locking points into a single program you might not use.
💡 Pro Tip: Line up your trip first, then jump when a bonus matches your destination. That way you’re not stuck with miles you can’t use.
Stay on Top of Transfer Bonuses
We keep tabs on all the major promos, so you don’t have to:
Current Transfer Bonuses Guide — Updated whenever an issuer launches a new bonus
Transfer Partner Cheat Sheet — See which partners line up with which banks
Cents Per Point Calculator — Quickly check if a bonus actually makes sense before hitting transfer (and see what value you’ll get!)
Best Cards for Earning Transferable Points
Transfer bonuses only work if you’re earning points that can be transferred. Here are some of our favorite cards that pair perfectly with these promos:
Capital One Venture X Business — Earns 2x on everything and can transfer miles 1:1 to programs like British Airways, Air Canada, and Etihad (during a 30% bonus, those simple 2x miles can turn into 2.6x airline miles toward a redemption).
Chase Sapphire Reserve® — Ability to transfer to Oneworld partners like British Airways or Iberia (a 30% bonus here can make your dining spend translate into nearly 4x points, perfect for American Airlines flights booked via partners).
American Express® Gold Card — Amex also runs bonuses to programs like Virgin Atlantic and Aeroplan (with a 25% bonus, your grocery spend could effectively earn 5x or more airline miles).
Citi Strata Premier® Card — Has generous earning rates on everyday purchases, and points can transfer to more niche partners like American Airlines, Qatar Airways, and more.
These cards help you rack up points, and they let you leverage bonuses into even more value when the timing is right.
Bottom Line
Credit card transfer bonuses are one of the most glorious (yes… I said glorious) ways to stretch your rewards. With the right card and good timing, you can turn everyday spending into increased value toward a future redemption.
Don’t transfer just because a bonus exists, but when one lines up with your travel plans, it’s one of the easiest tricks in the game.
