Maximizing travel rewards through airline and hotel loyalty programs

Guide to Transfer Partners: Chase vs American Express vs Capital One

When it comes to flexible travel rewards, few programs offer as much versatility as Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, and Capital One Miles/Rewards. One of the most powerful features of these programs is the ability to transfer points to various airline and hotel loyalty programs, enabling frequent travelers to unlock significant value.

In this guide, we’ll break down each issuer’s transfer partners, compare their offerings, and highlight the common partners as well as exclusive opportunities.

✈️ Airline Transfer Partners Overview

🏨 Hotel Transfer Partners Overview

🔁 Transfer Ratios (General Guide)

🏦 Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners

Chase points are widely regarded for their simplicity and strong travel partnerships.

✈️ Airlines:

• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France/KLM Flying Blue
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards
• United MileagePlus
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• Aer Lingus AerClub

🏨 Hotels:

• World of Hyatt
• IHG One Rewards
• Marriott Bonvoy

Strengths:

• 1:1 transfer ratios
• Access to Hyatt (high-value hotel redemptions)
• United and Southwest exclusivity

💳 American Express Membership Rewards Transfer Partners

Amex offers the largest variety of airline partners and some hotel options, although transfer ratios can vary.

✈️ Airlines:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Aeromexico
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France/KLM
• ANA Mileage Club
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Delta SkyMiles (Exclusive to Amex)
• Emirates
• Etihad
• EVA Air
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Iberia
• JetBlue
• Qantas
• Qatar
• Singapore Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

🏨 Hotels:

• Hilton Honors (1:2 ratio)
• Marriott Bonvoy
• Choice Privileges

Strengths:

• Largest selection of airline partners
• Access to premium international airlines
• Often runs transfer bonuses

🏁 Capital One Miles Transfer Partners

Capital One has rapidly improved its program, now offering many 1:1 transfer partners.

✈️ Airlines:

• Aeromexico
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Cathay Pacific
• Emirates
• Etihad
• Finnair
• Flyingblue
• Qantas
• Singapore Airlines
• Turkish Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic
• TAP Air Portugal

🏨 Hotels:

• Choice Privileges
• Wyndham Rewards

Strengths:

• Growing list of partners
• Strong international airline focus
• Simpler earning via flat-rate cashback-like earning model

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Annual Fee: $95	Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase-or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card – Learn More
Rates & Fees

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card No Annual Fee!	LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn $300 in travel bonuses. Enjoy $100 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening – that’s equal to $300 in travel $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase-or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card – Learn More
Rates & Fees

Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Capital One Spark Miles for Business Annual Fee: $0 intro for first year; $95 after that	Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won’t expire for the life of the account Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One’s travel booking site Transfer your miles to 15+ travel loyalty programs Redeem your miles instantly for any travel-related purchases, from flights and hotels to ride-sharing services Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $95 after that Free employee cards which also earn unlimited 2X miles from their purchases Capital One Spark Miles for Business – Learn More
Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Annual Fee: $395	Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority PassTM lounges, after enrollment Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more-you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card – Learn More
Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture X Business
Capital One Venture X Business Annual Fee: $395	Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere-with no limits or category restrictions Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs Every year, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority PassTM lounges, after enrollment Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month Capital One Venture X Business – Learn More
Rates & Fees

🔍 Shared Airline Transfer Partners

Key Insights:

• Air France/KLM: Ideal for transatlantic awards.
• Singapore KrisFlyer: Best for luxury flights (e.g., Singapore Suites).
• Avianca LifeMiles: Great for Star Alliance redemptions (Amex/Capital One).

These shared partners can provide flexibility when planning redemptions and make it easier to top off balances by transferring from multiple cards.

🧳 Shared Hotel Transfer Partners

Key Insights:

• World of Hyatt (Chase): Top value for luxury stays.
• Hilton Honors (Amex): Best for aspirational resorts.
• Wyndham (Capital One): World’s Largest Hotel Franchisor.

Only Marriott is common across two, while other hotel partners remain exclusive.

Airlines vs. Hotels

• Airlines:
  • Airline transfers often provide the highest potential value, especially for premium cabin redemptions.
  • Flexibility in booking flights across different alliances.
• Hotels:
  • Hotel transfers can offer excellent value for luxury stays.
  • Redemption values can vary significantly depending on the hotel program.

🧠 Tips for Maximizing Value

• Check for Transfer Bonuses: Amex often offers limited-time bonuses when transferring to specific partners.
• Compare Award Charts: Some partners charge fewer points for the same routes—e.g., Virgin Atlantic for ANA business class.
• Use Points for Premium Flights: First and business class redemptions generally offer the highest cent-per-point value.
• Combine Programs: Use overlapping partners to pool miles faster (e.g., Aeroplan via Amex or Capital One).

✅ Conclusion: Which Program is Best for You?

Each program offers great value, and the best choice depends on your travel goals:

• Chase is ideal if you value Hyatt and domestic carriers like United and Southwest. Best for domestic travel and easy hotel redemptions
• Amex offers unmatched airline variety and frequent transfer bonuses. Ideal for luxury travel due to partnerships like ANA and Emirates.
• Capital One strikes a balance, with growing transfer options and simplicity. Highly flexible with budget-conscious hotel options.