Credit card miles and points can seem like a confusing grey cloud of currencies, rules, categories, and what have you.
This is especially true when you’re comparing transferable points versus airline-specific miles. And the truth is… transferable miles almost always win out in terms of value and flexibility.
Unlike your middle school boyfriend, who dumped you for no reason… I’m here to tell you why.
Let’s walk through why transferable points are better, which programs to pay attention to, how to use them wisely, and when it does make sense to pick up an airline card instead.
Why Are Transferable Points Better Than Airline Points?
The biggest reason? Flexibility, baby!
When you earn points with a flexible rewards program like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express® Membership Rewards, you’re not locked into one airline or hotel program or restricted by limited award space. Instead, you can transfer your points to dozens of airline and hotel partners, often at a 1:1 ratio, and pick the best deal available.
This lets you:
Shop around for the best award availability
Take advantage of transfer bonuses (more on that shortly)
Avoid award chart devaluations from any one program
Book with different alliances (Star Alliance, Oneworld, SkyTeam, etc.)
Compare that to earning directly with airlines like Delta, United, or Southwest. You might have a decent stash of miles, but you’re at the mercy of one loyalty program and one award chart… or lack thereof.
We love options because we love having power over our points, and transferable points give us just that.
What Point Programs Should You Care About?
There are a select few “heavy hitters” when it comes to transferable rewards programs. And, they each offer unique perks, travel partners, and credit cards to help you earn.
American Express Membership Rewards
Amex offers over 20 airline and hotel transfer partners, including Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Avios, and Singapore KrisFlyer.
Our favorite cards for earning Membership Rewards:
American Express® Gold Card – great for foodies
The Platinum Card® from American Express – ideal for luxury perks (like lounge access)
💡 Take Note: Amex frequently runs transfer bonuses, giving you up to 30% more points when you move to select partners.
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Chase has some of the best all-around value, with 1:1 transfer options to programs like United MileagePlus, Hyatt, and Air France Flying Blue.
Our favorite cards for earning Ultimate Rewards:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – our go-to travel card with 2x on travel and dining
Chase Sapphire Reserve® – for higher earning rates and lounge perks
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card – great for business owners who want to stack points
💡 Pro Tip: You can also pair these with no-annual-fee cards like the Chase Freedom Flex® and Chase Freedom Unlimited® to boost your earnings with everyday purchases.
Capital One Miles
Capital One lets you transfer to more than 15 airlines and hotels, and its miles are incredibly easy to earn.
Our favorite cards for earning Capital One miles:
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card – simple 2x back on everything
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card – premium perks with solid earning and transfer flexibility
Capital One Spark Miles for Business – great for business owners
Capital One even makes it easy to offset your travel purchases directly (and retroactively within the last 90 days) if transferring doesn’t make sense for your trip.
Citi ThankYou® Rewards
Citi’s program flies under the radar, but definitely don’t discount them. You can find some sweet spot redemptions with partners like Turkish Airlines, Avianca Lifemiles, and Qatar Airways.
Our favorite card for earning Citi ThankYou points:
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card – solid rewards across travel, gas, and dining
Bilt Rewards
Bilt is pretty incredible for so many reasons. And since it’s a younger company, they’re constantly making moves for cardholders and members alike. You can earn points by paying rent, and then you can transfer them to United, Emirates, Southwest, and more.
Our favorite card (and the only one) for earning Bilt points:
Bilt Mastercard® – no annual fee, strong transfer partners, and great Rent Day promos
How and When to Transfer Your Points
Once your miles and points wallet looks sexy and solid, it’s time to be strategic about how you use it.
Transferring points is usually straightforward, but knowing when and where to transfer can make a huge difference. All the major transferable programs let you link your loyalty accounts and move points (often in 1,000-point increments) with just a few clicks. But be careful not to transfer blindly. You’ll get the best results when you transfer with a plan, because once they’re transferred, they’re locked into that program.
Transfer Bonuses
This is one of the best-kept secrets in the points world. Sometimes, programs like Amex or Bilt will offer 20% to 30% bonuses to partners like Avios, Aeroplan, or Flying Blue.
That means your 50,000 points could become 65,000 airline miles, and this is where award redemptions get really fun. Think business class, multi-course meals, and champagne, oh my!
Always check our Transfer Partner Cheat Sheet for the latest bonuses.
When It Makes Sense NOT to Transfer
We love points, but sometimes it’s better to just book through a portal or pay with cash and save your stash.
Here’s when it might not be worth transferring:
Award space is super limited, or costs more in points than in dollars
Taxes and fees are outrageously high (hello, British Airways fuel surcharges)
You're chasing elite status and want to earn miles on your flight
You’re booking a cheap fare or using points for hotels, and don’t want to overpay
In other words… know your options, then choose the one that gives you the most value.
When Should You Apply For An Airline-Specific Card
To be clear, we’re not anti airline cards — they absolutely have a place in your wallet if you’re loyal to a certain airline or want elite perks without earning status the hard way.
An airline card might be worth it if:
You want a free checked bag, preferred boarding, or lounge access
You're chasing elite status with a specific airline
You're booking lots of flights and want to maximize earnings with one carrier
There's a big welcome offer you plan to use right away
Airline cards are great for ongoing loyalty. But transferable points? That’s where the long-term value lives.
Some of our favorite airline cards include:
Bottom Line
If you’re serious about using credit card rewards to travel more (and better), you should focus on earning transferable points first.
Cards like the Sapphire Preferred, Amex Gold, Venture X, Citi Premier, and Bilt Card offer incredible flexibility and long-term value.
Start by securing a strong welcome offer, and keep earning on dining, travel, rent, groceries, and pretty much anything and everything. And when you’re ready to redeem, transfer your points to the right partner (bonus or not), and start packing those bags.
