If youāve ever read our newsletter and thought, āWait, do I even have these points?ā ā youāre not alone. Between banks, airlines, and hotels, every program has its own lingo.
This guide is your āplain-English decoderā for all those currencies, which cards earn them, how they overlap, and why you should care about them (or not).
So the next time you see something like āTransfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic to book ANA First Class,ā youāll know if that actually applies to you.
If you get confused by program names, acronyms, or the sentence ātransfer partners vary by card,ā this page is for you. Bookmark it. Send it to your friends and loved ones.
How to Use This Cheat Sheet
Each section below includes:
The points currency (what your points are technically called)
The ecosystem that issues or commonly transfers into it (banks, co-branded programs)
The cards that earn them
Where you can transfer them
Quick real-world uses (sweet spots, typical award deals)
Pro tips for using these awards (and getting the best value)
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Ecosystem: Chase Bank (Ultimate Rewards)
Who earns them:
Where they go: United MileagePlus, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Avios, Southwest Rapid Rewards, World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, and more.
Example: Transfer points to Hyatt to book the Park Hyatt Paris-VendƓme, or to Aeroplan, or fly United business class to Europe for about 60k points through Aeroplan.
Pro Tip: Combine your Freedom or Ink Cash back with your Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve account to unlock airline and hotel transfers. Otherwise, theyāre stuck as cash-back (which still isnāt a ābadā option, if cash-back is what youāre looking for).
American Express Membership Rewards
Ecosystem: American Express (Membership Rewards)
Who earns them:
Where they go: American Express has the largest transfer network (think ANA, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, and many others).
Example: If youāre eyeing Europe, you can transfer Amex points to Air FranceāKLM and book business-class flights from the U.S. to Europe starting at 60,000 miles one-way (plus low taxes and fees). Just know that prices can climb on peak dates since Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing.
Pro Tip: Amex runs frequent transfer bonuses. When the time comes, a 30% boost to Virgin Atlantic can make things like Delta One seats to Europe cost fewer points.
Capital One Miles
Ecosystem: Capital One
Who earns them:
If youāve got a Capital One cash-back card, you can actually turn those rewards into miles if you also have a Capital One miles-earning card.
For example, if you have the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Spark Cash Plus, you can combine your rewards with a points-earning card to turn your cash back into miles.
Where they go: Capital One miles transfer to Aeroplan, Aeromexico, British Airways, Finnair, Flying Blue, Turkish Miles & Smiles, and Wyndham, among others.
Example: Transfer 15k miles to Turkish Airlines and book a United domestic flight that might otherwise cost more with another program. Or, Aeroplan is another top pick for booking Star Alliance flights, with sweet spots like 6k points for short trips, 25k for U.S. business class, and 60k to Europe (plus the ability to book Emirates flights, too).
Pro Tip: If youād rather keep it simple, you can retroactively cover travel purchases at a fixed rate of one cent per mile. Not glamorous, but easy and instant.
Citi ThankYou Points
Ecosystem: Citi
Who earns them:
Citi Custom CashĀ® Card and Citi Double CashĀ® Card (when linked with a ThankYou points-earning card)
Where they go: Citi points transfer to American Airlines, Avianca LifeMiles, Etihad, Qatar Avios, Turkish Airlines, Choice Hotels, Leading Hotels of the World, and more.
Example: You can book American Airlines flights for as little as 7,500 miles in the U.S. or 22,500 miles to Europe, and itās one of the easiest ways to get solid value from your ThankYou points without any crazy complicated redemptions.
Pro Tip: Citiās partner list changes semi-frequently, so check your cardās benefits page before transferring any large balances. And, Citiās partners overlap with others but not entirely ā itās worth having Citi alongside another ecosystem for better flexibility.
Bilt Rewards
Who earns them:
Where they go: Earn points on rent and transfer to Atmos Rewards, United, Aeroplan, Hyatt, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, and more.
Example: ANAās āThe Suiteā first class is one of the worldās best, and you can book it for as few as 55k Bilt points via Virgin Atlantic. Or, you could book Lufthansa First Class to Europe via Aeroplan (up to 15 days out) starting at 90k Bilt points (and about $70 in fees).
Pro Tip: Pay rent with Bilt to earn points, and pair your Bilt Card with a no-fee card like the Freedom Unlimited to keep everyday spending separate while building travel points on rent.
Wells Fargo Rewards
Ecosystem: Wells Fargo
Who earns them:
Wells Fargo Attune World Elite MastercardĀ®
Wells Fargo Signify Business CashĀ®
Where they go: Wells Fargo Rewards transfer to Flying Blue, Avios, Avianca LifeMiles, JetBlue, and Choice Hotels.
Example: Transfer 60k Wells Fargo Rewards to Flying Blue and book a round-trip Delta or Air France flight over to Europe. Or, you could move 20k points to Choice and snag a stay at an Ascend Collection property in the U.S. for decent value.
Pro Tip: You can freely move rewards between Wells Fargo cards under the same account, so even if you mostly earn cash back with the Wells Fargo Active Cash, you can later pool those rewards into the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey to unlock airline and hotel transfers.
Hotel Programs
Currencies:
Who earns them:
Example: Transfer Chase points to Hyatt for luxury stays, or use Amex points to top off Hilton for free nights at the Waldorf Astoria. Hotel cards earn brand-specific currencies. You canāt transfer between hotels, but you can often top them up from bank currencies. Use Chase points to top off Hyatt or Amex points to boost your Hilton balance ā then book overwater villas in the Maldives or free nights at city hotels like the Grand Hyatt New York.
Pro Tip: Always compare cash prices. If a night costs more than $200, cash might beat points. Over $500? Maybe time to redeem.
Airline-Specific Programs
Currencies:
Who earns them: Typically, co-branded cards like:
Some co-brand cards earn the brandās native points directly (i.e., a Hilton card earns Hilton points).
Example: Use these ecosystems to book award flights within that airline or its partners (e.g., Virgin Atlantic ā ANA, American ā Qatar, United ā Lufthansa).
What it gets you: Award nights or award flights inside that specific loyalty program; sometimes better for last-minute or off-peak bookings.
Pro Tip: Co-branded cards are great for earning within one airline, but bank currencies offer more flexibility for transfers. Even if youāre loyal to one airline, earning through a bank currency gives you flexibility if award rates spike.
š Donāt Miss: Why You Should Focus on Transferable Points Over Airline Miles
Niche and Emerging Currencies
Examples:
Some of these newer players act like āmeta-currencies,ā letting you earn through platforms rather than banks.
Example: Rove is offering 50 to 65x miles per dollar at select hotels, which is enough to rebook your entire stayā¦ several times.
š Learn More: Hereās what we know (and love) about Rove so farā¦
Pro Tip: These newer currencies are fun but slightly unpredictable, so be careful not to hoard large balances.
Pro Tips
Donāt transfer until youāve found availability ā transfers are one-way
Watch for transfer bonuses
Compare points values using our Points Calculator
Keep a small stash of flexible points for spontaneous deals
Bookmark our Transfer Partners Cheat Sheet for quick reference
Quick FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: āCan I transfer points from my card to any airline?ā
A: No ā transfers depend on the points currency and the card. Bank currencies (Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi) are the most flexible because they have multiple airline partners. Co-branded cards typically give you the native currency for one hotel/airline.
Q: āI have a cash-back card ā can I still use miles?ā
A: Maybe. Some cash-back cards convert to travel currency or let you buy travel through a portal. Cash back does not equal transferable points unless the product specifically says so.
Q: āWhich is best for international business class?ā
A: Thereās no single answer here. Chase and Amex transfer partners often have the best premium cabin availability, but timing and route vary. Use our transfer-partners cheat sheet and the calculator to compare as youāre researching.
Bottom Line
You donāt have to memorize every transfer partner or acronym. Phew.
Just know your points language (i.e., Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, or a co-branded card), and youāll instantly know whether any deal we mention applies to you.
If you have a Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, or Bilt card, you hold transferable points that can reach multiple programs.
If you have a co-branded card (like Delta or Hilton), you earn brand-specific points.
Thatās the big differenceā¦ and the whole point of this cheat sheet. š
