Updated April 2026
Best Credit Cards with Transferable Points
Chase vs Amex vs Capital One vs Citi vs Bilt. Transfer partner counts, per-point valuations, and which ecosystem wins for your specific travel patterns.
14 partners
Chase UR
21 partners
Amex MR
15 partners
Capital One
16 partners
Citi TY
Chase Ultimate Rewards
2.0c/pt valuation11 airline partners3 hotel partners
Cards in this ecosystem
Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95)
3x dining, 2x travel, 1x other
Chase Sapphire Reserve ($550)
3x travel+dining, $300 credit
Chase Freedom Unlimited ($0)
1.5x everything, 3x dining/drugstore
Chase Ink Business Preferred ($95)
3x travel, shipping, advertising
Strengths
+Hyatt transfers (best hotel value in travel rewards)
+United MileagePlus (strong domestic/international)
+Southwest Rapid Rewards (domestic, Companion Pass)
+Best travel insurance of any card family
+Easiest earning ecosystem for beginners
Weaknesses
-No Air France/KLM partner (unlike Amex and Capital One)
-Chase rarely offers transfer bonuses
-5/24 rule limits card approval for active applicants
View all transfer partners (14)
Airline partners:
United MileagePlus (1:1)Southwest Rapid Rewards (1:1)British Airways Avios (1:1)Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1)Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1)Flying Blue - Air France/KLM (1:1)Iberia Plus (1:1)Aer Lingus (1:1)Emirates Skywards (1:1)JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1)Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1)
Hotel partners:
World of Hyatt (1:1)IHG One Rewards (1:1)Marriott Bonvoy (1:1)
Amex Membership Rewards
2.0c/pt valuation18 airline partners3 hotel partners
Cards in this ecosystem
Amex Platinum ($895)
5x flights/hotel (Amex Travel), 1x other
Amex Gold ($325)
4x dining, 3x flights, 1x other
Amex Green ($150)
3x travel, dining, transit; 1x other
Strengths
+Largest airline transfer partner list (18 airlines)
+Singapore Airlines (premium cabin sweet spots)
+ANA (best first class value in the world)
+Air France/KLM Flying Blue (regular transfer bonuses)
+Frequent transfer bonuses (20-40% promotions)
+Best Centurion Lounge network
Weaknesses
-No Hyatt transfer partner (unlike Chase)
-5x earning only on Amex Travel bookings (not directly with airlines in most cases)
-$895 Platinum fee requires using many credits
-Lower 1x base earning rate vs Chase's 1.5x (Freedom Unlimited)
View all transfer partners (21)
Airline partners:
Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1)ANA Mileage Club (1:1)Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1)British Airways Avios (1:1)Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1)Delta SkyMiles (1:1)Emirates Skywards (1:1)Etihad Guest (1:1)Hawaiian Miles (1:1)Iberia Plus (1:1)JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1)Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1)Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1)Virgin Atlantic (1:1)Avianca LifeMiles (1:1)Copa ConnectMiles (1:1)Turkish Miles&Smiles (1:1.25)and more
Hotel partners:
Marriott Bonvoy (1:1)Hilton Honors (1:2)Choice Privileges (1:1)
Capital One Miles
1.8c/mi valuation15 airline partners2 hotel partners
Cards in this ecosystem
Capital One Venture X ($395)
10x hotels/cars via portal, 5x flights, 2x other
Capital One Venture ($95)
5x hotels/cars via portal, 2x other
Capital One VentureOne ($0)
1.25x everywhere, 5x via portal
Strengths
+Best 2x everywhere earning rate for a mid-fee card
+Strong international airline lineup (Air France, Turkish, Singapore)
+Capital One Lounge + Priority Pass (Venture X)
+$300 + $180 annual credits on Venture X
+Simple: use miles to erase any travel purchase
Weaknesses
-Fewer domestic airline partners than Chase (no Southwest, no United)
-No Hyatt (unlike Chase)
-Capital One Lounge network still limited (Dallas, Denver, Dulles)
View all transfer partners (17)
Airline partners:
Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1)Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1)Avianca LifeMiles (1:1)British Airways Avios (1:1)Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1)Emirates Skywards (1:1)Etihad Guest (1:1)EVA Air Infinity MileageLands (2:1.5)Finnair Plus (1:1)Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1)Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1)TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go (1:1)Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (1:1)Virgin Red (1:1)Wyndham Rewards (1:1)
Hotel partners:
Wyndham Rewards (1:1)Choice Privileges (1:1)
Citi ThankYou Points
1.7c/pt valuation16 airline partners1 hotel partners
Cards in this ecosystem
Citi Strata Premier ($95)
3x travel, dining, groceries, gas; 1x other
Citi Prestige ($495)
5x flights and hotels, 3x dining
Strengths
+Unique access to Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways (business class sweet spots)
+3x on groceries (no other premium card matches this at $95)
+$100 annual hotel credit on Strata Premier
+16 transfer partners, broadest category earning at mid-tier fee
Weaknesses
-No Chase/Amex partners: no Hyatt, no United, no Southwest
-ThankYou points less known = less public data on best redemptions
-Citi customer service historically poor
View all transfer partners (16)
Airline partners:
Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1)Avianca LifeMiles (1:1)Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1:1)Emirates Skywards (1:1)Etihad Guest (1:1)Eva Air (1:1)JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1)Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1)Qatar Airways Privilege Club (1:1)Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1)Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus (1:1)Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (1:1)Virgin Atlantic (1:1)Wyndham Rewards (1:1)and more
Hotel partners:
Wyndham Rewards (1:1)
Which Ecosystem is Best for You?
You want the best hotel value
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Hyatt transfers. 60,000 Chase UR = $1,080+ in Hyatt redemptions. No other program matches Hyatt for hotel point value.
You want to fly business class internationally
Amex Membership Rewards
Singapore Airlines (ANA partnerships), ANA first class awards, and frequent transfer bonuses make Amex MR the best for premium cabin international travel.
You want simplicity with strong earning
Capital One Miles
2x on everything with Venture, no category management needed. Transfer to Air France for Tahiti redemptions or Turkish for short-haul Europe.
You want access to Qatar or Turkish business class
Citi ThankYou Points
Citi is the only major US card program with direct Qatar Airways Privilege Club transfers. Turkish Miles&Smiles has some of the best business class sweet spots in the world.
You pay rent and want free points
Bilt Rewards
The only card that earns points on rent with no transaction fee. Transfers to Hyatt, United, American, and British Airways. Effectively free travel points.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which transferable points program is best?
Chase Ultimate Rewards is the most flexible for US-based travellers: Hyatt transfers are consistently the best value in hotel points, and United/Southwest work well for domestic travel. Amex Membership Rewards has the broadest international airline lineup including Singapore Airlines, ANA, and Air France - better for international business class. Capital One Miles are simplest with strong 2x everywhere earning. Citi ThankYou is best if you want access to Turkish Airlines or Qatar Airways for business class sweet spots.
Can I combine points from different cards?
Within the same ecosystem, yes. Chase UR points from a Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Freedom Unlimited, and Freedom Flex can all be pooled and transferred together from a Sapphire or Ink card account. Amex MR points from Gold and Platinum pool together. Capital One miles across all cards pool together. You cannot combine Chase UR with Amex MR - they are separate currencies from separate issuers.
Are transfer bonuses worth waiting for?
Sometimes, but only if you have a specific redemption in mind. Amex frequently runs 20-40% transfer bonuses to partners like Avianca, Singapore, and British Airways. A 30% bonus to Singapore Airlines makes a business class redemption significantly cheaper in points terms. However, award availability often disappears while you wait for a bonus. Never wait for a bonus if you have a specific flight in mind - transfer immediately when you find good availability.
What is Bilt Rewards and is it worth it?
Bilt Mastercard lets you earn points on rent payments with no transaction fee - unique in the market. Bilt points transfer to 14 programs including Hyatt, United, American, and British Airways. The card has no annual fee. The catch: you must use the card 5+ times per statement period to earn points on rent. For anyone paying $1,500+ per month in rent, Bilt is effectively free travel points with no cost. The transfer partners are strong and include the best ones from Chase's lineup.