Chase 20% Avios Transfer Bonus March 2026: Best Sweet Spots to Use Your Points

Chase just kicked off March with a solid transfer bonus: 20% extra when you send Ultimate Rewards to any of the three Avios programs — British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus, or Aer Lingus AerClub.

The bonus runs through March 31, 2026, giving you a full month to plan some excellent redemptions.

If you’ve been sitting on Chase points waiting for a good opportunity, this is one worth considering. Avios aren’t always the best transfer partner, but when used strategically, they can deliver some of the best value in the points game.

The Deal at a Glance

Detail	Info
Bonus	20% extra Avios on transfers
Programs	British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus
Dates	March 1-31, 2026
Minimum	1,000 Ultimate Rewards
Transfer Speed	Instant

So if you transfer 100,000 Chase points, you’ll receive 120,000 Avios. That’s a meaningful boost that can make the difference on a premium cabin booking.

Should You Jump on This?

Here’s my honest take: 20% is a good bonus, but it’s not the best we’ve ever seen.

Chase has offered 30% Avios bonuses before (most recently in October 2025). So if you don’t have a specific trip in mind, there’s no urgency to transfer speculatively.

Transfer now if:

You have a specific redemption in mind and can find availability
The 20% bonus makes a booking work that wouldn’t otherwise
You need the points for a trip in the next few months

Wait if:

You’re just transferring to “have Avios in the bank”
You’re hoping for a 30% or 40% bonus later
You don’t have confirmed availability for an award

Remember: Avios don’t expire as long as you have any account activity every 36 months, so there’s less risk in holding them than some programs. But transferred points are non-refundable, so always have a plan.

Best Avios Sweet Spots (Worth Using the Bonus For)

This is where Avios really shine. The program uses distance-based pricing, which creates some incredible short-haul values while being less competitive on long routes.

1. Short-Haul Domestic Flights (6,000 Avios)

British Airways charges just 6,000 Avios one-way for flights under 650 miles — and that includes partner airlines like American.

Best routes:

New York (JFK/LGA) → Boston: 6,000 Avios
Los Angeles → San Francisco: 6,000 Avios
Chicago → Detroit: 6,000 Avios
Dallas → Houston: 6,000 Avios

With the 20% bonus, you’d only need to transfer 5,000 Chase points to get 6,000 Avios. That’s potentially worth $80-150 in flights for 5,000 transferable points — great value.

The catch? Fuel surcharges are minimal on domestic American flights (~$5-10), so the all-in cost stays low.

2. Off-Peak Short-Haul to Europe (13,000 Avios)

If you’re already in Europe, Avios become gold for hopping between cities.

Examples:

London → Dublin: 13,000 Avios off-peak
London → Paris: 13,000 Avios off-peak
Madrid → Lisbon: 13,000 Avios off-peak

Book through Iberia for lower fuel surcharges than British Airways (often just €30-50 vs. €100+).

3. Alaska Airlines Partner Awards

Here’s a lesser-known trick: British Airways can book Alaska Airlines flights using Avios.

For West Coast routes, this is fantastic:

Seattle → San Francisco: 6,000 Avios
Los Angeles → Seattle: 10,000 Avios
Portland → San Diego: 10,000 Avios

Alaska operates excellent service on these routes, and BA’s partner award pricing keeps costs low. Surcharges are minimal since Alaska doesn’t tack on fuel fees.

4. Cathay Pacific to Asia (Business Class)

This one’s for aspirational travelers. You can book Cathay Pacific business class using British Airways Avios:

Los Angeles → Hong Kong: 100,000 Avios (business)
San Francisco → Hong Kong: 100,000 Avios (business)
New York → Hong Kong: 112,500 Avios (business) via London

With the 20% bonus, that LA-Hong Kong business class booking drops to about 83,333 Chase points transferred to get 100,000 Avios.

The catch: High fuel surcharges on BA-metal flights. But partner awards like Cathay often have lower fees ($100-200 vs. $700+ on BA).

5. Japan Airlines Partner Awards

BA can also book Japan Airlines using Avios:

New York → Tokyo: 96,000 Avios (business class)
Los Angeles → Tokyo: 75,000 Avios (business class)

JAL operates a superb business class product on these routes. With the transfer bonus, that’s 62,500 Chase points for LA-Tokyo in business.

Be aware: JAL availability for partner bookings can be tough, especially compared to booking through Alaska or AA. But when you find it, the value is solid.

6. Aer Lingus Transatlantic (Off-Peak)

Aer Lingus offers some genuinely good transatlantic pricing from the US East Coast:

Off-peak business class:

Boston → Dublin: 50,000 Avios (business)
New York → Dublin: 50,000 Avios (business)

Off-peak economy:

East Coast → Dublin: 13,000 Avios

Ireland makes a perfect gateway to Europe, and Aer Lingus flies direct from tons of US cities. Fuel surcharges are modest compared to BA.

Pro tip: Book through Aer Lingus AerClub directly for the best pricing on their own flights. Chase transfers to all three Avios programs at the same rate.

Where Avios Aren’t Great

To be fair, here’s where I’d skip Avios:

Long-haul British Airways flights: The fuel surcharges are brutal — sometimes $500-800 roundtrip in economy. You’re better off using Alaska miles for partners or other programs entirely.

Premium cabins on BA metal: Same surcharge problem. First class sounds great until you see $1,200 in fees on top of your “free” award.

One-way positioning flights in Europe: EasyJet or Ryanair are often €20-30 cash. Don’t waste Avios on something that costs pocket change.

How to Transfer Chase Points to Avios

Here’s the step-by-step:

Log into Chase Ultimate Rewards at chase.com (use a Sapphire or Ink card)
Click “Transfer to Travel Partners” in the left sidebar
Select British Airways, Iberia, or Aer Lingus — all show the 20% bonus right now
Enter the amount to transfer — minimum 1,000 points
Confirm the transfer — it’s instant to all Avios programs
Log into the receiving program to verify the points arrived

Important: Make sure your Avios account name matches your Chase profile exactly. Mismatches can delay transfers (though Chase-to-Avios is usually instant regardless).

If you don’t have an Avios account yet, create one at ba.com, iberia.com, or aerlingus.com before starting the transfer.

Which Avios Program Should You Use?

All three programs (BA, Iberia, Aer Lingus) charge the same rates for the same flights — the award charts are unified.

But there are differences in fees and availability:

Program	Best For
British Airways	Largest route network, most availability, but highest fees
Iberia	Spanish routes, lower fees on Iberia metal
Aer Lingus	Ireland/US routes, lowest fees of the three

My recommendation: For most US-based travelers, having points in BA Executive Club gives you the most flexibility. But if you’re booking Aer Lingus specifically, transfer there directly.

You can move Avios between programs through “Combine My Avios” on ba.com, but it takes a few days. Easier to transfer to the right program upfront.

Combining With Other Bonuses

March 2026 has several other transfer bonuses running:

Bilt → Japan Airlines: Up to 125% (Rent Day, March 1 only)
Amex → Avianca LifeMiles: 15% through March 28
Citi → Wyndham: 25% through March 21

If you’re flush with Chase points and considering multiple transfers, the Avios bonus is a safe, flexible choice. Avios don’t have award charts changing constantly, and the program is stable.

The Bottom Line

This 20% Chase → Avios transfer bonus is solid — not spectacular, but worth acting on if you have a trip in mind.

Best uses:

Short domestic AA flights (6,000-10,000 Avios)
Alaska partner flights from the West Coast
Aer Lingus business class to Ireland
Partner awards on JAL or Cathay (when you find availability)

Skip it for long-haul BA flights with massive fuel surcharges.

Have a specific redemption in mind before you transfer. These points are non-refundable once they leave Chase.