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

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Quick details at a glance:

Card Rewards Offer – 1.5% – 5% cash back

Annual Fee – $0

Intro Rewards Bonus – Earn $200 cash back

Here are more detailed features of the Chase Freedom Unlimited®

• Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
• Member FDIC

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Quick details at a glance:

Intro Rewards Bonus – Earn 90,000 bonus points

Annual Fee – $95

Card Rewards Offer – Earn 3 points per $1 in select business categories

Product Type – Business Card

The Ink Business Preferred Credit Card is a prime choice for businesses looking to maximize their travel rewards. Cardholders earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable and phone services, and on advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. All other purchases earn an unlimited 1 point per dollar spent. Points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel through Chase Travel^SM, making this card especially valuable for companies with high travel expenses.

Here are more detailed features of the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

• Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
• Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
• With Zero Liability you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
• Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more – your points don’t expire as long as your account is open
• Points are worth more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠
• Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
• Member FDIC

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Quick details at a glance:

Intro Rewards Bonus – 75,000 bonus points

Card Rewards Offer – 5x on Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, 2x on all other travel

Foreign Trans Fee – $0

Annual Fee – $95

Here are more detailed features of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary points boost – each account anniversary you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Member FDIC

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

Quick details at a glance:

Intro Rewards Bonus – Earn 200,000 bonus points

Annual Fee – $795

Card Rewards Offer – More than $2,500 in annual value

Product Type – Business Card

Here are more detailed features of the Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

• Earn 200,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases in your first 6 months from account opening and with more than $2,500 in annual value, there’s no competition.
• Earn 8x points on Chase Travel℠ for airline tickets, hotels, including The Edit℠, car rentals, cruises, activities and tours.
• Earn 5x total points on Lyft rides through 9/30/27.
• Earn 4x points on flights & hotels booked direct.
• Earn 3x points on social media & search engine advertising.
• Get the most flexible travel credit compared to any other card, with up to $300 in statement credits each anniversary year on travel purchases.
• Enjoy complimentary access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club network and Priority Pass™ Select membership. Two guests may accompany the Primary Cardmember to the lounges free of charge.
• Member FDIC

Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

💳 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, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options 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 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’s travel booking site 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’s travel booking site 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.