Transfer Partner Chart: Every Card-to-Airline Transfer, Compared

The transfer partner chart

Rows are airline programs; columns are the five flexible currencies. A check means that currency transfers to that program (typically 1:1). Partners change, so treat this as the strategic map and confirm current terms before transferring.

Which flexible currency transfers to which airline program (typical — confirm current).

Airline program	Alliance	Amex	Chase	Cap One	Citi	Bilt
Air France/KLM Flying Blue	SkyTeam	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Air Canada Aeroplan	Star	✓	✓	✓	—	✓
Avios (BA / Iberia / Qatar)	oneworld	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club	—	✓	✓	✓ (via Virgin Red)	✓	✓
Avianca LifeMiles	Star	✓	—	✓	✓	✓
Turkish Miles&Smiles	Star	—	—	✓	✓	✓
Singapore KrisFlyer	Star	✓	✓	✓	✓	—
ANA Mileage Club	Star	✓	—	—	—	—
Cathay Pacific	oneworld	✓	—	✓	✓	✓
Emirates Skywards	—	✓	—	✓	✓	✓
Etihad Guest	—	—	—	✓	✓	✓
Qantas Frequent Flyer	oneworld	✓	—	✓	✓	—
United MileagePlus	Star	—	✓	—	—	✓
Southwest Rapid Rewards	—	—	✓	—	—	✓
Delta SkyMiles	SkyTeam	✓	—	—	—	—
American AAdvantage	oneworld	—	—	—	✓	—
Alaska Mileage Plan	oneworld	—	—	—	—	✓
JetBlue TrueBlue	—	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

This chart is not exhaustive — programs add and drop partners over time, and a few niche partners are omitted. Always confirm the current list with your card program. For hotels: World of Hyatt is reachable only via Chase (1:1 from Sapphire Reserve, 4:3 from Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Preferred) and Bilt (1:1); Marriott via Amex, Chase, and Bilt; Hilton via Amex (at 1:2); IHG via Chase and Bilt; and Capital One and Citi reach smaller chains (Accor, Choice, Wyndham).

A chart of transfer partners only helps once you hold the currency. If you are working out which card earns a given currency in the first place, our card coverage lists what we have verified about each one — including the annual fee and the programs it reaches.

Most popular transfers

If you just want the high-value moves people make most often:

• Amex → Flying Blue — the go-to for Europe, with frequent Promo Rewards discounts.
• Chase → World of Hyatt: the best hotel value in travel, reachable only through Chase and Bilt among the major currencies; check your card's ratio first (see Hyatt sweet spots).
• Capital One → Turkish — among the cheapest Star Alliance business class to Europe.
• Bilt → Alaska — a rare, high-value airline partner few other currencies reach.
• Amex → ANA — the Amex-exclusive path to ANA business class to Japan.
• Chase → United: US domestic flights and Star Alliance (Bilt transfers to United too).
• Citi → American — the only bank currency that feeds AAdvantage (1:1 from Citi's premium cards; no-annual-fee ThankYou cards transfer at a reduced 1:0.7).
• Citi → Turkish or Avianca — no-surcharge Star business on a budget.

Typical transfer ratios

Nearly every airline transfer is 1:1 — 1,000 card points become 1,000 airline miles. The exceptions to watch: Hilton is 1:2 from Amex (which sounds generous but reflects Hilton's lower point value), a few hotel programs use odd ratios (Accor is unfavorable; Choice can be favorable), JetBlue is sometimes slightly unfavorable, and Citi → American is 1:1 only from the premium ThankYou cards (Strata Elite, Strata Premier, Prestige) — no-annual-fee ThankYou cards transfer at a reduced 1:0.7. Always confirm the current ratio before you move points, since a non-1:1 ratio changes the math entirely.

Typical transfer times

• Instant or near-instant (typical): Flying Blue, Aeroplan, Avios, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore, Emirates, United, Southwest, JetBlue.
• A few hours to ~2 days (typical): ANA, Cathay, Etihad, Marriott, and some others.
• The rule: transfer times change and aren't guaranteed — never transfer against a tight ticketing deadline, and confirm the current timing for your partner before you rely on it.

Transfer bonus guidance

A transfer bonus temporarily boosts a transfer (typically 15–40%). Amex runs them most often, Capital One and Citi periodically, Chase rarely. A bonus only helps if the award seat is available — so let space lead, and apply the bonus at the moment you book. The full logic is in transfer bonuses explained, and when to move versus wait is in which points should you transfer.

Which currency should you hold?

The chart shows the gaps that make each currency distinct: Chase and Bilt are the only two that reach United, Southwest, and Hyatt; Amex alone reaches ANA and has the broadest overall bench; Capital One and Citi are flight-first (strong on no-surcharge Star, weak on hotels), and Citi alone reaches American; Bilt alone reaches Alaska. For the full head-to-head, see which transferable points are best and Amex vs. Chase.

Common mistakes

• Assuming all currencies share partners. They don't — no United on Amex, no ANA on Chase, no Turkish on either. Check the chart first.
• Assuming every transfer is 1:1. Hilton (1:2) and a few hotels differ — confirm the ratio before moving.
• Transferring against a deadline. Some transfers take a day or two; never cut it close to ticketing.
• Transferring before confirming availability. The cardinal rule — find and confirm the award seat first, because transfers are one-way and permanent.

Where should you transfer?

The chart shows whether your points reach a program; here's which to check first for the destinations people ask about most. Availability comes first — confirm the seat before you move points — and see best transfer partner by destination for the full map.

Japan

Check first: ANA — via Amex, or via Virgin Atlantic from almost any card. Strong alternative: a Star Alliance partner like United or Aeroplan. Why: ANA business is the standout product with low surcharges, and Virgin is the workaround when your points don't reach ANA directly. See Japan on points and the best program for Japan, then search your dates to compare against cash.

Europe

Check first: Flying Blue — the Air France/KLM program, with frequent monthly Promo Rewards discounts. Strong alternative: a no-surcharge Star program, or Iberia for cheap Madrid business. Why: Flying Blue offers the best mix of availability, price, and low surcharges into Paris and Amsterdam. See Italy on points and the best program for Europe business class.

Hawaii

Check first: United or Aeroplan — a modest points sweet spot from the mainland. Strong alternative: Southwest or Alaska, plus a hotel on points. Why: domestic cash fares to Hawaii are sometimes competitive, so compare both before transferring. See Hawaii on points.

The Maldives

Check first: Qatar (via Avios) or Emirates through the Gulf. Strong alternative: Etihad or Singapore. Why: the Gulf carriers reach Malé in style, but the overwater hotel is often the bigger points win — weigh the flight against the stay. See the Maldives on points.

Dubai & the Gulf

Check first: Emirates or Qatar (Qsuite via Avios). Strong alternative: Etihad, or a no-surcharge Star award when fees bite. Why: these are the showpiece cabins — just price Emirates' fuel surcharges before you commit. See Dubai on points and the best program for the Gulf.

Bora Bora & the South Pacific

Check first: Flying Blue to Papeete. Strong alternative: United via a Star Alliance routing. Why: the overwater villa — often a Marriott redemption reachable via Amex — is usually the bigger prize than the flight itself. See Bora Bora on points.

Whichever region you're eyeing, the rule is the same: find the seat first, then transfer — and search it in Beyond Points to compare every program and cash side by side.

The airline programs in depth

Each program has its own sweet spots and surcharge quirks. The standouts: Aeroplan and Avianca (no-surcharge Star), Turkish (cheap Star business), Singapore (Suites), Cathay Asia Miles (distance-based oneworld), and the Avios family (BA, Iberia, Qatar). Match the program to the trip, not the other way around.

How Beyond Points helps

The chart answers "can my points reach this program?" — but the harder questions are which partner books your specific flight cheapest, with the lowest surcharge, and whether it beats cash. Beyond Points weighs the programs your points feed against live cash prices and recommends one, so the chart becomes a booking instead of a spreadsheet.

Conclusion

This chart is the map of the whole transfer landscape: which of your points reach which airline, at what typical ratio and speed. Keep it bookmarked, confirm the current details before you move anything, and use it as the first step — check the chart, decide the partner, confirm the seat, then transfer. Typical — always confirm current partners, ratios, and transfer times before moving points.