Chase Ultimate Rewards points are among the most valuable currencies in the travel rewards world—but only if you know how to use them properly. While you can redeem points through the Chase travel portal at 1.25-1.5 cents per point, the real magic happens when you transfer to airline and hotel partners.
This comprehensive guide covers all 14 Chase transfer partners, current bonuses (including the 20% Avios bonus expiring 3/31!), and the best sweet spots for maximum value in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- 14 transfer partners: 11 airlines + 3 hotels give you incredible flexibility
- Current bonus: 20% transfer bonus to British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus through 3/31/26
- Best value: Transfer partners typically deliver 1.5-3+ cents per point vs. 1.25-1.5¢ in the portal
- Transfer speed: Most transfers are instant; Marriott takes 1-2 days
- Transfer ratios: All airline partners are 1:1; hotel ratios vary
How Chase Transfers Work
Before diving into the partners, let’s cover the basics:
Eligible Cards:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR)
- Chase Sapphire Preferred (CSP)
- Chase Ink Business Preferred
- Chase Ink Business Cash (when paired with Sapphire/Ink Preferred)
- Chase Ink Business Unlimited (when paired with Sapphire/Ink Preferred)
- Chase Freedom cards (when paired with Sapphire/Ink Preferred)
Transfer Rules:
- Minimum transfer: 1,000 points
- Transfer increments: 1,000 points
- Most transfers are instant
- Transfers cannot be reversed once initiated
- Points pool between personal and business cards under the same login
Pro Tip: You can combine points from Freedom cards and transfer them to partners—but only if you also have a Sapphire or Ink Business Preferred card. The premium card unlocks transfer capabilities for your entire Chase household.
Current Transfer Bonuses (March 2026)
🔥 Active bonuses ending soon:
| Partner | Bonus | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| British Airways | 20% | March 31, 2026 |
| Iberia Plus | 20% | March 31, 2026 |
| Aer Lingus | 20% | March 31, 2026 |
| Wyndham Rewards | 30% | March 31, 2026 |
The Avios bonuses are particularly valuable because British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus all use the same Avios currency—and it’s one of the best programs for short-haul flights and off-peak partner awards.
All 11 Airline Transfer Partners
Tier 1: Best Value Partners
These partners consistently deliver 2+ cents per point and should be your go-to options:
1. United MileagePlus (1:1 Transfer)
Why it’s great: Direct Chase partner with the most domestic routes, instant transfers, and no fuel surcharges on most awards.
Best sweet spots:
- United Polaris business class to Europe: 60,000 miles
- Economy to Hawaii: 22,500 miles each way
- Domestic economy: Often 12,500-25,000 miles
When to use: Domestic flights, Hawaii, transatlantic business class, and last-minute award space (United releases seats close to departure).
For a deep dive, check our complete United MileagePlus guide.
2. Hyatt (1:1 Transfer)
Why it’s great: Best hotel transfer partner period. Consistently delivers 2+ cents per point at premium properties.
Best sweet spots:
- Category 1-4 hotels: 5,000-15,000 points/night
- Park Hyatt Tokyo: 30,000 points (~$1,200 value)
- Andaz Mayakoba: 25,000 points (~$800 value)
- Hyatt Ziva all-inclusives: 20,000-25,000 points
When to use: Almost always! Hyatt transfers are the single best use of Chase points for hotels.
Learn more in our World of Hyatt guide and Hyatt credit card review.
3. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1 Transfer)
Why it’s great: Amazing partner award charts, especially for ANA and Delta business class.
Best sweet spots:
- ANA business class to Japan: 90,000-95,000 miles roundtrip
- ANA first class to Japan: 110,000-120,000 miles roundtrip
- Delta One to Europe: 50,000 miles one-way
When to use: Booking ANA flights (one of the best ways to fly to Japan), Delta Metal business class, and upper-class to London.
See our full Virgin Atlantic Flying Club guide.
4. Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1 Transfer)
Why it’s great: Excellent Star Alliance partner awards, dynamic pricing sweet spots, and no close-in booking fees.
Best sweet spots:
- EVA Air business class to Asia: 75,000-90,000 points
- Lufthansa first class: Available via partner awards
- Short-haul North America: Often 6,000-12,500 points
When to use: Star Alliance partner awards (EVA, ANA, Lufthansa, Swiss), short domestic hops, and stopover opportunities.
Read our Air Canada Aeroplan guide.
Tier 2: Situationally Excellent
These partners shine for specific routes or situations:
5. British Airways Executive Club (1:1 Transfer)
Why it’s great: Distance-based award chart makes short flights incredibly cheap. Currently at 20% transfer bonus!
Best sweet spots:
- East Coast to Caribbean: 7,500-13,000 Avios
- Domestic flights under 650 miles: 7,500 Avios + low taxes
- Partner flights on JAL, Cathay, Qatar
When to use: Short-haul flights, especially transatlantic positioning on American and flights to the Caribbean.
⚠️ Watch out: BA adds heavy fuel surcharges on their own metal. Use Avios for partner flights to avoid this.
📚 Deep dive: See our complete Avios guide for all the best sweet spots across BA, Iberia, and Aer Lingus.
6. Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1 Transfer)
Why it’s great: Monthly Promo Rewards with 25-50% off select routes. Dynamic pricing means deals pop up.
Best sweet spots:
- Promo Rewards: Business class to Europe for 40,000-50,000 miles
- Economy to Europe: Often 18,000-25,000 miles
- SkyTeam partner awards
When to use: When Promo Rewards are available for your route, or for SkyTeam partner flights.
7. Singapore KrisFlyer (1:1 Transfer)
Why it’s great: Access to Singapore Suites and business class, plus Star Alliance partners.
Best sweet spots:
- Singapore Suites: 92,000 miles one-way
- Singapore business: 65,000-80,000 miles to Asia
- Partner awards on ANA, EVA, Lufthansa
When to use: Singapore Airlines premium cabins and Star Alliance awards when Aeroplan doesn’t have space.
8. Southwest Rapid Rewards (1:1 Transfer)
Why it’s great: No blackout dates, bags fly free, and points go toward Companion Pass.
Best sweet spots:
- Companion Pass qualification (transfers count!)
- Hawaii flights: Often 15,000-30,000 points each way
- Domestic value varies by route
When to use: When portal rates show poor value, or when you’re close to Companion Pass and need to top up.
Our Southwest Companion Pass guide has the full strategy.
Tier 3: Niche Use Cases
9. Iberia Plus (1:1 Transfer)
Why it’s great: Uses Avios currency with sometimes better award rates than BA. Currently at 20% bonus!
Best sweet spots:
- Off-peak business to Spain: Great value
- Partner awards on AA, British Airways
When to use: When award availability favors Iberia pricing over BA.
10. Aer Lingus AerClub (1:1 Transfer)
Why it’s great: Another Avios program with unique transatlantic awards. Currently at 20% bonus!
Best sweet spots:
- Dublin connections to Europe
- Transatlantic business class with lower taxes than BA
When to use: Travel to/through Ireland.
11. Emirates Skywards (1:1 Transfer)
Why it’s great: Access to Emirates first class and business class.
Best sweet spots:
- Emirates first class: 136,000 miles to Dubai
- Emirates business: 108,500 miles to Dubai
When to use: Emirates premium cabin awards when you want the experience.
All 3 Hotel Transfer Partners
World of Hyatt (1:1 Transfer) — BEST VALUE
As covered above, Hyatt is the undisputed champion for hotel transfers. The 1:1 ratio plus Hyatt’s reasonable award chart makes this the go-to option.
IHG One Rewards (1:1 Transfer)
Transfer ratio: 1,000 Chase → 1,000 IHG points
Value assessment: IHG points are worth about 0.5-0.6 cents each, so transfers effectively cut your Chase points value in half. Not recommended unless you have a specific IHG stay in mind and no other options.
Best use: Fourth Night Free benefit stacking, or when cash rates are extremely high.
Marriott Bonvoy (1:1 Transfer)
Transfer ratio: 1,000 Chase → 1,000 Marriott points (but watch for bonuses!)
Value assessment: Marriott points average 0.7-0.9 cents each. Transfers can work during 50%+ bonuses, but generally Hyatt is better.
Best use: When Marriott runs major transfer bonuses (we’ve seen 50-70% historically) or for 5th Night Free on 5-night stays at high-value properties.
How to Calculate if a Transfer is Worth It
Use this simple formula:
Cash price ÷ Points required = Cents per point (CPP)
For example:
- Flight costs $800 cash
- Available for 40,000 United miles
- $800 ÷ 40,000 = 2.0 cents per point
Compare that to:
- Chase portal: 1.25-1.5 CPP value
- Transfer sweet spots: Often 1.5-3+ CPP
Rule of thumb: If you’re getting 1.5+ CPP, the transfer is likely worthwhile. Above 2 CPP is excellent.
Transfer Strategy: When to Transfer vs. Use the Portal
Transfer to partners when:
- You’re booking international business/first class
- Award charts offer known sweet spots (Hyatt, ANA via Virgin, etc.)
- Transfer bonuses are active
- You need specific routing/alliance access
- Cash prices are elevated (holidays, events)
Use the Chase portal when:
- You value simplicity over optimization
- Cash prices are reasonable
- Award availability is poor
- You need to book immediately with no time to check awards
My Top 5 Transfer Recommendations for 2026
Based on current sweet spots and availability:
- United MileagePlus — For domestic travel and Hawaii, plus instant transfers
- Hyatt — For hotels, almost always the best value
- Virgin Atlantic — For ANA business/first class to Japan
- British Airways — For short-haul flights (especially during 20% bonus)
- Air Canada Aeroplan — For Star Alliance flexibility and EVA business class
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do Chase transfers take?
Most airline transfers are instant (within minutes). Marriott transfers take 1-2 business days. I’ve never had a transfer take longer than 24 hours for airlines.
Can I transfer Chase points to someone else’s frequent flyer account?
No. You can only transfer to loyalty accounts in your name or authorized users on your Chase account. However, you can book award tickets for anyone once the miles are in your loyalty account.
Are Chase transfer partners the same as Amex or Citi?
No! Each bank has different partners. Chase has 14 partners, Amex has 21, and Citi has 18. Some overlap (like Virgin Atlantic and Flying Blue), but many are exclusive.
What’s the minimum transfer amount?
1,000 points, and transfers must be in increments of 1,000.
Do transferred points expire?
Yes—once transferred, points follow the rules of the loyalty program. United miles expire after 18 months of inactivity, Hyatt points after 24 months, etc. Keep accounts active to prevent expiration.
Can I transfer points back to Chase after transferring out?
No. Transfers are permanent and cannot be reversed.
Should I speculatively transfer points during a bonus?
Generally, no. Only transfer when you have a specific booking in mind. Points devaluations happen, and you don’t want miles sitting unused in a program that might change its award chart.
Bottom Line
Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers are where the real value lies—often 50-100% more value than the travel portal. The current 20% Avios bonus (ending March 31) makes this an excellent time to book short-haul flights through British Airways.
For most travelers, focus on:
- Hyatt for hotels (almost always best value)
- United for domestic and Hawaii
- Virgin Atlantic for Japan trips
- BA/Iberia/Aer Lingus for short flights and during transfer bonuses
Master these four partners, and you’ll be getting maximum value from every Chase point you earn.
Have questions about a specific transfer or route? Drop a comment below—I’m happy to help you figure out the best use of your points.
💬 Comments
Have questions or thoughts? Join the discussion below!