Transfer Bonuses

Aeroplan is one of the most versatile Star Alliance programs, and a 20% bonus makes it even better. Transfer 50,000 Chase points to get 60,000 Aeroplan miles — enough for a roundtrip economy flight to Europe or a one-way business class within North America. This is a moderately common bonus size; Aeroplan bonuses from Chase appear a few times a year, usually in the 15-25% range.

A 70% bonus is outstanding and among the largest transfer bonuses you will ever see for IHG. Transfer 50,000 Chase points to get 85,000 IHG points, which is enough for 2 free nights at most Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express properties. Stack this with IHG's 4th-night-free benefit on award stays to stretch your points even further. This size bonus is rare — IHG bonuses above 50% happen only once or twice a year.

This is a targeted offer, so check your Chase account dashboard to confirm eligibility before planning around it. If you qualify, transferring 40,000 Chase points gives you 50,000 United miles — enough for a saver-level domestic roundtrip or a one-way to Hawaii. Targeted United bonuses of 25% are uncommon; most public United bonuses are only 10-15%, making this a strong deal if you see it in your account.

Qantas miles are most useful for booking oneworld partner flights to Australia, New Zealand, and Asia — but they also work for domestic flights on American Airlines. Transfer 60,000 Citi points to get 72,000 Qantas miles, which covers a one-way business class flight from LA to Sydney on Qantas. A 20% Qantas bonus is fairly standard; bonuses of 25-30% do occasionally appear, so this is decent but not a must-jump-on deal.

Capital One already transfers at a reduced 2:1.5 ratio, but the 30% bonus partially closes that gap — 100,000 Capital One miles become 97,500 JAL miles instead of 75,000. JAL miles are excellent for booking oneworld business class to Asia, where 80,000 miles gets you a roundtrip business class from the US to Japan. Bonuses on Capital One to JAL are uncommon, so this is worth considering if you are planning a trip to Asia.

Avios are ideal for short-haul flights — you can book American Airlines domestic flights for as few as 7,500 Avios one-way on routes under 1,150 miles. With this bonus, 100,000 Capital One miles become 90,000 Avios, enough for up to 6 short domestic one-way flights. A 20% bonus from Capital One is moderate; if you primarily want Avios, the Amex 40% bonus running at the same time is a much better deal.

This 40% bonus is notable because Wyndham points can then be transferred onward to airline partners like Avianca LifeMiles at a 5:1 ratio, creating a double-transfer opportunity. Transfer 100,000 Capital One miles to get 105,000 Wyndham points, or use those Wyndham points directly — all Wyndham hotels cost a flat 15,000 points per night, making this enough for 7 free nights at any property from Super 8 to Wyndham Grand. This bonus size is relatively rare from Capital One.

A 40% Avios bonus from Amex is one of the largest we typically see and is well worth taking advantage of. Transfer 50,000 Amex points to get 70,000 Avios — enough for a roundtrip off-peak business class ticket from the US to Europe on British Airways, or up to 9 short-haul domestic AA flights at 7,500 Avios each. Bonuses of 40% on Avios are historically rare, appearing only once or twice per year.

Amex to Hilton already transfers at 1:2, and the 50% bonus bumps that to an effective 1:3 ratio — so 50,000 Amex points become 150,000 Hilton points. That is enough for 2-3 nights at a mid-tier Hilton property or 1-2 nights at a premium resort. Pair this with Hilton's 5th-night-free benefit on award stays for even more value. A 50% Hilton bonus is actually fairly common (it runs several times a year), but the 1:3 rate is still a reasonable deal if you have specific Hilton stays planned.

Emirates Skywards miles let you book one of the most iconic premium products in aviation — the Emirates A380 first class suite with an onboard shower. Transfer 100,000 Amex points to get 130,000 Skywards miles, which puts you close to the 136,500 needed for a one-way first class from New York to Dubai. A 30% Emirates bonus is relatively uncommon and makes a splurge redemption noticeably more affordable.

The best use of Virgin Atlantic miles is booking ANA first class from the US to Japan for 55,000 miles one-way — a flight worth over $20,000. With this 30% bonus, you only need about 42,300 Amex points for that ticket, which is extraordinary value. Virgin bonuses of 30% from Amex appear 2-3 times a year, and this is always one of the most recommended transfer bonus deals in the hobby.

Marriott to airline transfers are generally poor value (3:1 base ratio), but the 30% bonus plus Marriott's built-in 5,000-mile bonus per 60,000 points helps. Transfer 60,000 Marriott points to get 26,000 United miles (20,000 base + 5,000 Marriott bonus + the 30% transfer bonus). This is best for topping off your United account when you are a few thousand miles short of an award, not for large transfers. These Marriott airline bonuses come around a few times a year.

Turkish Miles & Smiles has one of the most generous award charts in the world, especially for roundtrip business class. Transfer 40,000 Citi points to get 50,000 Turkish miles — enough for a roundtrip business class ticket to Europe on any Star Alliance carrier. A 25% bonus on Turkish is moderately common, but the underlying program is so valuable that this is still a deal worth considering for any upcoming international trip.

Even a small 15% bonus on Hyatt is significant because Chase-to-Hyatt is widely considered the single best point transfer in the hobby — Hyatt points average 2+ cents each in value. Transfer 50,000 Chase points to get 57,500 Hyatt points, enough for 2-3 nights at a Category 4 property like a Hyatt Regency. Hyatt transfer bonuses are genuinely rare (once a year or less), so this is worth acting on even at only 15%.

Amex to Marriott transfers at a 1:1.2 base ratio, and the 35% bonus brings it to 1:1.62 — so 50,000 Amex points become 81,000 Marriott points. That is enough for 1-2 nights at a mid-tier Marriott property. Marriott points can also be converted onward to 40+ airline programs at 3:1 (with a 5,000-mile bonus per 60,000), but this double conversion is only worthwhile if you need to top off a specific airline balance. This bonus size is moderate and appears a couple of times per year.