Current credit card transfer bonuses: Get more from your rewards

If you truly want to maximize your points and miles, periodic transfer bonuses can offer lucrative opportunities for fantastic award redemptions. You can sometimes get significantly more value from your rewards by transferring them to a specific airline or hotel partner during one of these bonuses.

However, these are limited-time offers.

We’ve compiled the transfer bonuses for the major programs with transferable rewards to make tracking these offers easier. Just note that transfer bonuses are sometimes targeted, so some may not be available to you.

Amex Membership Rewards transfer bonus

You can currently transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Etihad Guest. Since Membership Rewards points typically transfer to Etihad Guest at a 1:1 ratio, utilizing this bonus would turn 1,000 points into 1,200 miles; note this offer is targeted. The offer runs through April 4.

How to earn American Express Membership Rewards points

You’ll need Membership Rewards points to maximize Amex transfer bonuses. If you’re looking to earn Membership Rewards points, the following Amex cards could be useful additions to your wallet:

Check the CardMatch tool to see if you’re targeted for an even higher welcome offer (subject to change at any time).

You can also earn extra Membership Rewards points when you enroll in Amex Offers and shop with Rakuten.

Based on TPG’s valuations, Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each, and our tests indicate that they transfer instantly to most programs.

Related: How to redeem American Express Membership Rewards for maximum value

Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer bonus

You can currently transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points with a 25% bonus to Air France-KLM Flying Blue. This promotion will last until April 30.

Since Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Air France-KLM Flying Blue at a 1:1 ratio, this bonus raises the value so that you’d get 1,250 Flying Blue miles for every 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points you transfer.

How to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points

If you want to earn more Chase Ultimate Rewards points, the following cards could make good additions to your wallet:

If you have one (or more) of the above cards, you can combine your Ultimate Rewards points in a single account. Then, you can effectively convert the cash-back earnings on the following cards into fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points:

• Chase Freedom Flex℠: Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year), worth up to $300 cash back.
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Earn up to $750 bonus cash back; earn $350 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
• Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

According to TPG’s valuations, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2.05 cents each when maximized with travel partners. Most Ultimate Rewards transfers will process instantly.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value

Capital One miles transfer bonus

Capital One is currently offering a 30% bonus when transferring miles to Virgin Red. The bonus comes directly from Capital One’s website.

Capital One miles transfer to Virgin Red at a 1:1 ratio, so this bonus makes it so that 1,000 miles would transfer to Virgin Red for 1,300 points.

The promotion runs through April 30.

How to earn Capital One miles

For a future transfer bonus, the following Capital One cards could make good additions to your wallet:

TPG’s valuations peg the value of Capital One miles at 1.85 cents each, and most transfers from Capital One will process instantly.

For more details, check out our guides to the Capital One transfer partners and how to transfer Capital One miles to airline partners.

Related: Cashing in Capital One miles? How to get the maximum value when redeeming miles

Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer bonus

There are currently no transfer bonuses for Citi ThankYou Rewards points.

How to earn Citi ThankYou Rewards points

These Citi credit cards could make useful additions to your wallet for earning Citi ThankYou Rewards points:

• Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees): Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases with your card within three months of account opening.
• Citi Rewards+® Card (see rates and fees): Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 on purchases with your card within three months of account opening. Plus, earn 5 bonus ThankYou Rewards points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions on the Citi travel portal through December 31, 2025. (Note: You must pair this card with a premium Citi ThankYou card to access a full-fledged, transferable ThankYou points account.)

Based on TPG’s valuations, Citi ThankYou Rewards points are worth about 1.8 cents each. However, note that some Citi transfers will not process instantly. So, factor in the transfer time if you’re trying to book an award with scarce availability.

Related: Is Citi ThankYou Rewards the most underappreciated and misunderstood program?

Marriott Bonvoy transfer bonus

Marriott Bonvoy is not running any transfer bonuses at this time.

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points

If you’re looking to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points, the following Marriott Bonvoy cards may be of interest:

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after using your card to spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. The offer ends May 1.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card: Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after using your card to spend $5,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. The offer ends May 1.
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Earn three Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn three free night awards after you use your new card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. Each award can be used for one night at a redemption level at or under 50,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: Earn 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after using your card to spend $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months from account opening.

TPG’s valuations peg the value of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.84 cents each. Before transferring points, review our tests of Marriott transfer times since some airlines take a few days (or even weeks) to receive the points.

Related: How to redeem points with the Marriott Bonvoy program

Should you transfer points?

We only recommend transferring points if you have a short-term plan to use them. Many programs have implemented devaluations over the last few years, so any speculative transfers could be a losing proposition.

Transfers are irreversible, and you don’t want to be stuck with thousands of points in a program you have little use for.

If you don’t have a specific redemption in mind but still want to earn miles, you’re likely better off earning rewards through credit card welcome bonuses and everyday spending.

Bottom line

When a program with a transferable currency offers a transfer bonus, running the numbers is important to see whether it is worthwhile.

Generally, you won’t want to transfer your points without a specific redemption in mind. After all, a large part of the value of transferable points comes from their flexibility — which you’ll give up the moment you convert them to a partner’s currency.

However, if you use the program frequently or plan to redeem soon, a transfer bonus can help you get more value from your points.