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Want an easy way to make your points work harder for you (aside from using point.me, of course)? Book when there's a credit card transfer bonus...
A transfer bonus is a percentage of extra points an airline gives you when you transfer your points from a certain loyalty program to that airline. It could be 10-15% or as much as 30%, and it can mean parting with a lot fewer points to get the flight you want.
Why are transfer bonuses so great?
Well, as said above, they can help you save quite a few points, so you can spread your points across more redemptions, splash out with an upgraded seat, or go to a place you might not have been able to afford otherwise. Here are just a few recent examples of great fares found on point.me that are made even better with a transfer bonus.
LA to London nonstop in economy for 25,750 points (or 20k with a transfer bonus). This flight would cost around 70k points via your credit card portal.
NYC to Rome with one stop in business class for 50k points (or 40k with a transfer bonus). With a $13k cash value, this flight could be over a million points when booked via a credit card portal.
Manchester to Chicago with one stop in economy for 20k points (or 16k with a transfer bonus) — a flight that would cost over 100k points via the credit card portal.
Munich to DCÂ with one stop in business class for 50k points (or 40k with a transfer bonus). This $7,500 cash fare would be more than 700,000 points via most credit card portals.
Tampa to London nonstop in economy for 30k points (or 24k with a transfer bonus). This flight would cost around 112k points via your credit card portal.
Current Capital One transfer bonuses
Avianca lifemiles: 15% (until February 11)
Current American Express transfer bonuses
None
Current Citi transfer bonuses
None
Current Chase transfer bonuses
None
When you search on point.me, we'll show you any relevant bonus transfers. This way, you can compare apples to apples and know exactly how many points each fare will cost. Join now.
Should you transfer your points when there's a bonus?
It depends. Points transfers are irreversible, so if you've found a great flight and you're ready to book, of course, you should transfer your points and take advantage of the bonus. However, if you don't have a flight in mind, we generally don't recommend transferring your points. One exception to this would be if you frequently use points with that program and feel fairly confident that you'll be able to use the points within the next few weeks. Otherwise, keep them in your credit card account and only transfer them once you're ready to book.
How long do bonus transfer offers last?
It varies, but most cards tend to announce new offers at the start of the month, and they are generally valid for 4 to 8 weeks.
Which bank programs offer transfer bonuses most often?
When we analyzed the transfer bonuses offered by major banks over the last year, we found that American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards offered the most transfer bonuses — nearly double the amount of Capital One and Citi.
Which airline programs offer transfer bonuses most often?
When we analyzed the transfer bonuses offered by airline loyalty programs over the last year, we found that Flying Blue offered the most transfer bonuses by far, and more than 50% more than the program with the second-most frequent bonuses (Virgin Atlantic Flying Club).
What is the most common amount for a transfer bonus?
20% is the most common amount for a transfer bonus, with 30% the next most frequent amount. The highest amount we've seen offered is 50% but that is rare.
Past transfer bonuses
Transfer partner | Loyalty program | Start date | End date | Bonus |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Air Canada Aeroplan | 11/24/2025 | 1/5/2026 | 15% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 11/21/2025 | 12/31/2025 | 40% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 11/21/2025 | 12/5/2025 | 30% |
Capital One | The British Airways Club | 10/27/2025 | 11/21/2025 | 20% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards | 10/27/2025 | 11/6/2025 | 25% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | The British Airways Club | 10/1/2025 | 11/1/2025 | 30% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Aer Lingus Aerclub | 10/1/2025 | 11/1/2025 | 30% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Iberia Plus | 10/1/2025 | 11/1/2025 | 30% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Flying Blue | 10/1/2025 | 11/1/2025 | 20% |
Citi ThankYou Points | Turkish Airlines Miles and Smiles | 9/21/2025 | 10/19/2025 | 50% |
Citi ThankYou Points | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 9/21/2025 | 10/19/2025 | 30% |
Citi ThankYou Points | Avianca lifemiles | 9/21/2025 | 10/19/2025 | 25% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Flying Blue | 9/10/2025 | 10/1/2025 | 20% |
Capital One | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 9/2/2025 | 10/2/2025 | 30% |
Capital One | Avianca lifemiles | 8/1/2025 | 9/1/2025 | 15% |
Bilt | Avianca lifemiles | 8/1/2025 | 8/2/2025 | 20% |
Citi ThankYou Points | Flying Blue | 6/22/2025 | 7/20/2025 | 20% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Air Canada Aeroplan | 6/5/2025 | 7/18/2025 | 20% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Iberia Plus | 6/2/2025 | 7/16/2025 | 30% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Aer Lingus Aerclub | 6/2/2025 | 7/16/2025 | 30% |
American Express Membership Rewards | The British Airways Club | 6/2/2025 | 7/16/2025 | 30% |
Bilt | Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards | 5/1/2025 | 5/2/2025 | 25% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Flying Blue | 5/1/2025 | 6/1/2025 | 25% |
Capital One | Qantas Frequent Flyer | 5/1/2025 | 6/1/2025 | 20% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 5/1/2025 | 6/16/2025 | 25% |
Citi ThankYou Points | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 4/13/2025 | 5/18/2025 | 30% |
Bilt | The British Airways Club | 4/1/2025 | 4/2/2025 | 50% |
Bilt | Aer Lingus Aerclub | 4/1/2025 | 4/2/2025 | 50% |
Bilt | Iberia Plus | 4/1/2025 | 4/2/2025 | 50% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Etihad Guest | 4/1/2025 | 5/1/2025 | 20% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Aeromexico Rewards | 4/1/2025 | 5/1/2025 | 20% |
Citi ThankYou Points | Avianca lifemiles | 3/16/2025 | 4/13/2025 | 25% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | The British Airways Club | 3/1/2025 | 4/1/2025 | 20% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Iberia Plus | 3/1/2025 | 4/1/2025 | 20% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Aer Lingus Aerclub | 3/1/2025 | 4/1/2025 | 20% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 2/24/2025 | 4/1/2025 | 20% |
Citi ThankYou Points | Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 2/16/2025 | 3/16/2025 | 20% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 2/3/2025 | 2/18/2025 | 30% |
Bilt | Avianca lifemiles | 2/1/2025 | 2/3/2025 | 20% |
Bilt | Avianca lifemiles | 2/1/2025 | 2/2/2025 | 20% |
American Express Membership Rewards | JetBlue TrueBlue | 12/9/2024 | 1/1/2025 | 25% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Air Canada Aeroplan | 12/4/2024 | 1/16/2025 | 20% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Flying Blue | 12/4/2024 | 1/16/2025 | 20% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 12/2/2024 | 1/1/2025 | 40% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 12/1/2024 | 1/1/2025 | 30% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 12/1/2024 | 1/1/2025 | 30% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Avianca lifemiles | 11/1/2024 | 12/1/2024 | 15% |
Bilt | The British Airways Club | 11/1/2024 | 11/2/2024 | 50% |
Capital One | The British Airways Club | 11/1/2024 | 12/2/2024 | 20% |
Capital One | The British Airways Club | 11/1/2024 | 12/2/2024 | 20% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Avianca lifemiles | 11/1/2024 | 12/1/2024 | 15% |
Bilt | The British Airways Club | 11/1/2024 | 11/2/2024 | 50% |
Citi ThankYou Points | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 10/20/2024 | 11/17/2024 | 30% |
Citi ThankYou Points | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 10/20/2024 | 11/17/2024 | 30% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 10/15/2024 | 12/1/2024 | 40% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Flying Blue | 10/10/2024 | 11/11/2024 | 20% |
American Express Membership Rewards | Flying Blue | 10/10/2024 | 11/11/2024 | 20% |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | The British Airways Club | 10/1/2024 | 11/1/2024 | 30% |
Learn more about points transfers
