{"id":215107,"date":"2026-01-06T20:00:56","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T20:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/06\/why-all-travelers-should-earn-transferable-credit-card-points-the-points-guy-2\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T20:00:56","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T20:00:56","slug":"why-all-travelers-should-earn-transferable-credit-card-points-the-points-guy-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/06\/why-all-travelers-should-earn-transferable-credit-card-points-the-points-guy-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Why all travelers should earn transferable credit card points – The Points Guy"},"content":{"rendered":"


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If you\u2019re looking to improve your travel game this year, there\u2019s one important strategy you can pursue: Focus on earning (and then redeeming) transferable credit card rewards<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Transferable rewards are, simply put, the most valuable type of currency to earn in the world of points and miles. This is entirely due to their versatility. American Express<\/a>, Bilt<\/a>, Capital One<\/a>, Chase<\/a>, Citi<\/a> and Wells Fargo<\/a> offer rewards credit cards<\/a> that earn points or miles you can transfer to various airline and hotel partners.<\/p>\n

This can be especially valuable when you hope to travel in a premium cabin or want to minimize the number of points or miles you redeem for an award. Instead of being limited to a single airline (and its partners) or one hotel program, you can leverage your rewards to book the best available option for the lowest possible price.<\/p>\n

And if you\u2019re looking to optimize your redemptions this year, learning how to transfer your credit card rewards can be one of the most important steps.<\/p>\n

Here’s why you should focus on transferable rewards \u2014 and which cards to consider.<\/p>\n

Why are transferable points so valuable?<\/h2>\n

In short, transferable points or miles offer flexibility when it\u2019s time to use your rewards to book travel. For example, if you have a large stash of American Airlines AAdvantage miles<\/a>, you can only redeem your miles on American and its partners.<\/p>\n

However, you have many more options if you have a big balance of Chase Ultimate Rewards points<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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<\/div>
SUMMER HULL\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here are just a few:<\/p>\n

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You could also transfer points to World of Hyatt<\/a> for luxurious hotel stays.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re in the driver\u2019s seat, as you can hold on to your hard-earned rewards until you find a specific trip you want to book.<\/p>\n

Related: I was sitting on 150,000 credit card points \u2014 here’s how I got past analysis paralysis to redeem a portion of them<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

When should you transfer points?<\/h2>\n

From flights and hotel stays to gift cards, merchandise and more, there are seemingly infinite ways to use your points. It can be quite complex. While you shouldn\u2019t consider your loyalty program account balances as long-term investments<\/a>, you should <\/em>ensure that you spend your points just as you would hard-earned money: strategically and efficiently. Determining when to transfer points to partners over other redemptions becomes critical.<\/p>\n

When you want to redeem your transferable points for travel, there are several ways to go about it. You can purchase flights and hotel stays through the travel site specific to the bank (like the Chase Travel portal<\/a> or Amex Travel<\/a>), or you can transfer your points to a loyalty program and book based on that program\u2019s award rates. While your end goal is the same \u2014 booking travel using your rewards \u2014 the costs can vary widely.<\/p>\n

For example, when TPG senior editorial director Nick Ewen booked a trip to New Orleans, he wanted to stay at Maison Metier (formerly Maison de la Luz and now part of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection<\/a>). Booking directly with Hyatt would have cost $690.<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/div>
HYATT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Meanwhile, as a Chase Sapphire Reserve\u00ae<\/a><\/span> (see rates and fees<\/a>) cardholder, his points are worth up to 2 cents apiece (depending on the specific redemption) when used through Chase Travel. (See your rewards program agreement for full details.)<\/p>\n

With a slight difference in cash rates, booking directly and through Chase’s portal, he would’ve needed to use nearly 50,000 points for the stay.<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/div>
CHASE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, since he can transfer Chase points to my World of Hyatt account at a 1:1 ratio, he can book that same room for just 29,000 points per night. At a redemption rate of 2.38 cents apiece, he’ll get over TPG’s December 2025 valuation<\/a> of Chase points at 2.05 cents.<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/div>
HYATT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now, it\u2019s worth noting that booking a flight directly with an airline or via a credit card portal means you\u2019d earn miles on that flight, and while this typically isn’t true with hotels, we have seen Chase add this option for select properties<\/a>. Additionally, there’s no guarantee that transferring will give you more value than booking directly.<\/p>\n

However, in many situations \u2014 especially for premium-cabin flights or luxurious hotel stays \u2014 you can really maximize your redemptions<\/a> this way.<\/p>\n

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\"Emirates<\/div>
BEN SMITHSON\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thankfully, transferring your points or miles is relatively straightforward, and the vast majority of transfers post instantly. Be sure to review our full guide on how to transfer credit card rewards to partner programs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So, what kind of points can you earn to eventually transfer to your favorite airline program? Let\u2019s dive into the five most well-known credit card rewards currencies so you know your options.<\/p>\n

American Express Membership Rewards<\/h2>\n

American Express Membership Rewards<\/a> points are a favorite transferable rewards currency, with a value of 2 cents per point according to TPG\u2019s December 2025 valuations<\/a>. These points can get you some incredible awards thanks to Amex’s array of transfer partners, including ANA Mileage Club<\/a> and Delta SkyMiles<\/a> \u2014 both unique to Amex.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worth noting that American Express offers frequent transfer bonuses<\/a> for its airline and hotel partners, though these are sometimes targeted. So, keep an eye on your account for these offers to pop up.<\/p>\n

With a variety of options to use these points, maximizing Membership Rewards points can feel a bit difficult, so refer to our guide<\/a> if you need help.<\/p>\n

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\"ANA<\/div>
ERIC ROSEN\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Of course, before you redeem American Express points, you first need to earn them. Here are the most popular cards that earn Membership Rewards points:<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget to add Amex Offers<\/a> to your card(s). You can earn thousands of additional bonus points or save money on select purchases.<\/p>\n

Finally, you can also use Rakuten<\/a> to earn bonus points when you buy items online. This online shopping portal<\/a> partners with thousands of retailers to award bonus cash back on your purchases. However, you can elect to earn Membership Rewards points instead<\/a>. You can sign up<\/a> and earn a one-time bonus of $50 by spending at least $50 at participating merchants in the first 90 days of joining.<\/p>\n

Related: The best time to apply for these popular American Express cards based on offer history<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bilt Rewards<\/h2>\n

Bilt Rewards<\/a> allows cardholders to earn Bilt Points for paying rent (up to 100,000 points per calendar year). This is great news since renting can amount to thousands of dollars spent per year<\/a>. Although Bilt Rewards is a relatively new entrant to this competitive space, the program offers an impressive list of transfer partners, including Atmos Rewards<\/a> and World of Hyatt<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Currently, Bilt has one credit card: the Bilt Mastercard\u00ae<\/a><\/span> (no longer accepting new applicants).<\/p>\n

The information for the Bilt Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\"Park<\/div>
ERIC ROSEN\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cardholders earn 1 point per dollar spent on rent (up to 100,000 points per calendar year) without the transaction fee, 2 points per dollar spent on travel (flights, hotels, cruises and rental cars) and 3 points per dollar spent on dining. You need to make at least five transactions each month to earn points. Best of all, the Bilt Mastercard has no annual fee.<\/p>\n

Consistent with the other major programs that have transferable currencies, Bilt Rewards occasionally offers transfer bonuses, often during its monthly Rent Day promotion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Related: Should you use the Bilt Mastercard? Why it could be a game changer for renters<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Capital One miles<\/h2>\n

Capital One has become a strong player in the world of transferable points and miles. While its cards were once primarily associated with straightforward, fixed-value rewards<\/a>, the issuer has expanded its offerings by introducing a broad network of transfer partners \u2014 dramatically increasing the value potential for cardholders.<\/p>\n

Among the standout products is the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card<\/a>, which combines premium travel benefits with the ability to transfer miles to 15-plus airline and hotel partners. Cardholders also enjoy access to Capital One Lounges and a unique dining concept called The Landing, adding further appeal to the portfolio.<\/p>\n

The Capital One Venture X Business<\/a> card builds on this momentum by catering to small-business owners, pairing a lucrative welcome bonus with valuable ongoing rewards and travel perks.<\/p>\n

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\"Capital<\/div>
ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Popular Capital One transfer partners<\/a> include Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles and British Airways Club. There are also occasional transfer bonuses.<\/p>\n

Here are the cards that currently earn transferable Capital One miles:<\/p>\n

The information for the Capital One Spark Miles Select has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.<\/em><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re sitting on a stash of Capital One miles, transferring them to airline partners can unlock some great awards. For full details on these options, check out our guides on how to transfer Capital One miles<\/a> and when it makes sense to transfer<\/a> instead of redeeming at a fixed value.<\/p>\n

Related: Tips and tricks to get maximum value from your Capital One miles<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Chase Ultimate Rewards<\/h2>\n

Chase doesn\u2019t have as many transfer partners as American Express, but Ultimate Rewards points are still quite valuable.<\/p>\n

You can transfer these points to 10 airline and three hotel partners, all at a 1:1 ratio. These include Air Canada Aeroplan, United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt.<\/p>\n

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\"United<\/div>
ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here are the cards that earn fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points:<\/p>\n

The information for the Ink Business Preferred has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.<\/em><\/p>\n

You can also maximize earning rewards on other personal and business cards and convert cash back to points<\/a> using one of the four cards above.<\/p>\n

Related: The power of the Chase Trifecta<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Citi ThankYou Rewards<\/h2>\n

Citi also has a transferable currency with its ThankYou Rewards program<\/a>. While most of Citi\u2019s transfer partners are international carriers, the issuer has now added American Airlines AAdvantage<\/a> to its program, which creates even more value.<\/p>\n

Either way, leveraging alliances and partnerships can help you get tremendous value from your points. For example, you can use a program like Avianca LifeMiles to fly on United or a program like Virgin Atlantic Flying Club to fly on Delta.<\/p>\n

Transfer ratios between Citi ThankYou and its partners depend on the card you hold. Citi has offered transfer bonuses to a handful of its partners in the past, including Avianca and Virgin Atlantic.<\/p>\n

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\"American<\/div>
KYLE OLSEN\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You’ll receive higher ratios \u2014 as well as the ability to transfer to AA \u2014 with the following cards:<\/p>\n

The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.<\/em><\/p>\n

That said, like with Chase Ultimate Rewards, you can combine your Citi ThankYou Rewards points in a single account for select products, allowing you to effectively \u201cconvert\u201d your fixed-value earnings from cards like the Citi Strata\u2120 Card<\/a><\/span> (see rates and fees<\/a>) or Citi Double Cash\u00ae Card<\/a><\/span> (see rates and fees<\/a>) into fully transferable ThankYou points.<\/p>\n

Related: Redeeming Citi ThankYou points for maximum value<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Wells Fargo Rewards<\/h2>\n

Wells Fargo Rewards<\/a> is a newer entrant in the realm of transferable credit card currencies, with a modest list of partners<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With only two cards that earn transferable points, the program is small but offers significant potential \u2014 and likely has more room to grow. Those cards are:<\/p>\n

Related: Why the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card took home a trophy at the most recent TPG Awards<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bottom line<\/h2>\n

Earning and redeeming points takes effort, but transferring them to airline and hotel partners is the key to unlocking maximum value. It stretches your rewards far beyond fixed-rate options and gives you flexibility \u2014 especially for last-minute or premium bookings.<\/p>\n

For the top options that make this possible, see our guide to the best travel credit cards<\/a> with transferable rewards.<\/p>\n

Related: 10 easiest credit card welcome bonuses to earn<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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If you\u2019re looking to improve your travel game this year, there\u2019s one important strategy you can pursue: Focus on earning (and then redeeming) transferable credit card rewards. Transferable rewards are, simply put, the most valuable type of currency to earn in the world of points and miles. This is entirely due to their versatility. American […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":215108,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-215107","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=215107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215107\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/215108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=215107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=215107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=215107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}