Category: Education

Evergreen content that teaches readers how points, miles, loyalty programs, and award travel work. Educational articles explain concepts, processes, and strategies rather than covering current events.

When Does It Make Sense to Buy Points and Miles?
Every so often, airlines and hotels put their points and miles on sale.

If you’ve ever come across one of those promotions, you may have wondered why anyone would spend money buying points instead of simply paying for the trip.

The answer depends on what you’re trying to book.

Most of the time, buying points isn’t necessary. But every now and then, purchasing points or miles can lower the cost of your trip or unlock a flight or hotel that would otherwise cost much more.

Here’s when buying points and miles can make sense, and when it’s probably better to keep your wallet in your pocket.

How Buying Points and Miles Works

Most airline and hotel loyalty programs let members purchase points or miles directly through their websites, though the transaction is often processed by a third party such as Points.com.

Instead of earning points by flying, staying at a hotel, or spending on a travel credit card, you’re just buying the points or miles you need.

Sometimes you’ll pay the standard price. Other times, loyalty programs run limited-time promotions that offer bonus points or discounts, making those purchases much more attractive.

Buying points doesn’t automatically save you money, though. Whether it’s a good deal depends entirely on how you plan to use them.

That’s why the first question shouldn’t be, “Are points on sale?”

It should be, “What am I trying to book?”

MSTUDIOIMAGES / ISTOCK

Search First. Buy Second.

Before purchasing points, make sure the flight or hotel you want is available.

Award availability can change quickly, and buying points before confirming you can use them could leave you with a balance you weren’t planning to keep.

A better approach looks like this:
- Find the flight or hotel you want.
- Compare the cash price with the points price.
- Calculate what it would cost to buy any points you’re missing.
- If buying points costs less than paying cash, it may be worth it.
In other words, buy points for a trip you’re ready to book, not simply because they’re on sale.

PointsYeah makes this process easier by showing live award availability across supported airline and hotel loyalty programs, allowing you to compare your options before deciding whether buying points is worth it.

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More on This: How to Search for Award Flights with PointsYeah

When Buying Points Can Make Sense

Buying points isn’t something you’ll do for every trip, but there are a few situations where it can be worth considering.

You’ve already found the award you want

This is one of the best reasons to buy points.

Imagine a hotel stay costs $400 if you pay cash.

The same stay is available for 15,000 points, and buying those points during a promotion costs $300.

In that case, purchasing the points saves you money while booking the same stay.

How cool is that?

You’re only a few points short

Sometimes you’re on the cusp of a redemption.

If you already have most of the points needed for a flight or hotel stay, buying the remaining amount can be less expensive than paying cash for the entire reservation.

There’s a promotion worth taking advantage of

Airline and hotel loyalty programs regularly offer bonus points or discounts when purchasing points.

A promotion by itself isn’t a reason to buy points, but it can improve the math if you’ve already found the redemption you want.

When You Probably Shouldn’t Buy Points

Buying points isn’t always a good deal. In fact, there are plenty of situations where paying cash or using another redemption option is the better choice.

You may want to skip buying points if:
- You don’t have a specific trip in mind.
- You haven’t confirmed award availability.
- You’re buying simply because there’s a sale.
- The cash price is already competitive.
- You’d need to buy far more points than you actually plan to use.
If you’re not ready to book, it’s usually better to keep your money in your pocket. Once you’ve found the trip you’re ready to book, you can compare the cost of buying points with your other booking options and decide which makes the most sense.

FG TRADE LATIN / ISTOCK

Check Current Promotions

Airline and hotel loyalty programs regularly offer bonus points or discounts when you buy points. Purchasing during one of these promotions will usually get you a better rate than buying at the standard price.

Once you’ve decided buying points makes sense for your trip, the next question is whether there’s a promotion available.

Our Current Promotions to Buy Airline Miles and Hotel Points guide tracks the latest bonus offers and discounts from major airline and hotel loyalty programs.

This makes it easy to see whether you can stretch your money a little further before you buy.
August 26, 2026
How Credit Card Transfer Partners Work

If you’ve ever searched online for ways to use your credit card points, you’ve probably come across advice like, “Transfer your points to an airline partner instead.”

That sounds straightforward enough.

But if you’ve never done it before, it’s also a fair question to ask: What’s an airline partner, and why would I transfer my points there instead of just using them through my credit card?

The answer is pretty simple.

What Is a Credit Card Transfer Partner?

A transfer partner is an airline or hotel loyalty program that accepts transfers from an eligible credit card rewards program.

Think of your credit card points as one currency and airline miles as another. A transfer partner is what allows you to exchange one for the other.

For example, if you have Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can transfer them to programs like United MileagePlus or Air Canada Aeroplan.

Once the transfer is complete, your Chase points become airline miles in that program. And they’re yours to use when you’re ready to book a flight.

The same idea applies to hotels. Lots of credit card rewards programs also let you transfer points to participating hotel loyalty programs.

LORDHENRIVOTON / ISTOCK

Why Do Credit Card Transfer Partners Matter?

Transfer partners matter because they give you choices in how you redeem your rewards. And who doesn’t like choices?

Imagine you’re planning a trip to London.

You might assume you need to redeem your credit card points through your bank’s travel portal. But if your points can be transferred instead, you may have several different airline loyalty programs that can book the same trip.

In some cases, transferring your points may require fewer points than booking through your bank’s travel portal. If a credit card transfer bonus is available, that number could be even lower.

Having transfer partners gives you more ways to use your points instead of relying on other redemption options, such as booking through your bank’s travel portal, covering purchases on your credit card statement, or redeeming points for gift cards.

Not Every Credit Card Has the Same Transfer Partners

Each credit card rewards program has its own list of airline and hotel transfer partners.

For example, Chase Ultimate Rewards includes United MileagePlus as a transfer partner, while American Express Membership Rewards partners with Delta SkyMiles.

Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Bilt Rewards, U.S. Bank Altitude Rewards, and Wells Fargo Rewards all have their own mix of airline and hotel partners.

If you’re looking for a complete list of transfer partners and instructions for moving your rewards, see our guide on how to convert credit card points to airline miles.

MILADIN PUSICIC / ISTOCK

Search Before You Transfer

One of the most important things to remember is that transferring points is a one-way transaction.

Once your credit card points become airline miles or hotel points, you can’t transfer them back. That’s why it’s always a good idea to search for the award you want before transferring your points.

PointsYeah makes this process easier by showing live award availability across supported airline and hotel loyalty programs.

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Once you’ve found the flight or hotel you want, you can identify the appropriate transfer partner, check for any available transfer bonuses, and transfer only the points you need to complete your booking.

August 13, 2026
What’s a Credit Card Transfer Bonus?
If you’ve ever seen an offer like “Transfer your points and get 25% more Flying Blue miles,” you might have wondered what that actually means in the simplest of terms.

That’s a credit card transfer bonus.

Instead of receiving the normal number of airline miles or hotel points when you transfer rewards, a transfer bonus gives you a little something extra for making the same transfer.

Here’s how transfer bonuses work, when they can be useful, and how to keep track of current offers.

What Is a Credit Card Transfer Bonus?

A credit card transfer bonus is a limited-time promotion that increases the number of airline miles or hotel points you receive when transferring rewards from an eligible credit card program.

For example, imagine you transfer 10,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Air France-KLM Flying Blue.

Under normal circumstances, 10,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points become 10,000 Flying Blue miles.

During a 25% transfer bonus, those same 10,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points become 12,500 Flying Blue miles.

SJO / ISTOCK

You’re transferring the same number of credit card points. The transfer bonus simply gives you more airline miles or hotel points once the transfer is complete.

Those extra miles or points may not sound like much at first, but they can reduce the number of credit card points needed for a trip. And those savings can add up over time.

Which Credit Card Programs Offer Transfer Bonuses?

Transfer bonuses are most commonly offered by flexible rewards programs (credit card rewards that can be transferred to multiple airline and hotel loyalty programs).

These often include:
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Bilt Rewards (typically on the first of the month as part of Rent Day promotions)
- Capital One Miles
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Citi ThankYou Rewards
Each program runs promotions throughout the year, and the participating airline or hotel partners can vary from one offer to the next.

MILORAD KRAVIC / ISTOCK

How to Find Current Transfer Bonuses

Transfer bonuses come and go throughout the year, and each bank runs promotions on its own schedule.

Understandably, keeping track of them across multiple rewards programs can quickly become a chore.

PointsYeah keeps an up-to-date list of current credit card transfer bonuses. This makes it easy to see which bank programs and airline or hotel partners are currently offering promotions.

Even better, when you’re searching for award flights with PointsYeah, eligible transfer bonuses are automatically factored into your search results. That means you can compare your options without having to calculate the bonus yourself.

POINTSYEAH

Should You Transfer Points During a Bonus?

Not necessarily.

A transfer bonus can make an award booking more attractive, but it doesn’t automatically mean you should transfer your points.

Before you do anything with your credit card points, it’s worth considering a few things:
- Is the award flight or hotel actually available?
- Does transferring points cost less than paying cash?
- Are you ready to book?
These questions matter because point transfers can’t be reversed. Once your credit card points become airline miles or hotel points, you can’t transfer them back.

Put differently, a transfer bonus is best viewed as an opportunity and not a reason to book a trip. If you’ve already found the award you want, a bonus can help your points go a little further. If you haven’t, it’s usually better to keep your points where they are until you’re ready to book.
August 13, 2026
How to Convert Credit Card Points to Airline Miles
One of the biggest advantages of earning rewards through a travel credit card is the flexibility you have when it’s time to book travel.

Unlike airline miles, many credit card points can be transferred to multiple airline loyalty programs. Instead of being locked into a single airline, you can choose the program that best suits your trip.

If you’ve never transferred credit card points before, the process is easier than you might think. And once you understand which airline partners your bank works with, transferring your points usually takes only a few minutes.

Here’s how to convert your credit card points into airline miles.

Before You Transfer Your Points

Before transferring a single point, it’s a good idea to search for the award flight you want.

Credit card point transfers are one-way. Once your points become airline miles, you can’t transfer them back to your credit card rewards program.

That’s why it’s usually best to:
- Search for your award flight first.
- Confirm that seats are available.
- Compare the cash price with the points required.
- Transfer only the number of points you need to complete your booking.
PointsYeah makes this process much easier by showing live award availability across supported airline programs.

Search results also identify which transferable credit card currencies can be used for a particular redemption and highlight any applicable transfer bonuses.

ROSSHELEN / ISTOCK

American Express Membership Rewards

American Express airline transfer partners

American Express Membership Rewards points (for US residents) are transferable to the following airline loyalty programs.

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Most Amex transfers process instantly, though transfer times can vary by the airline.

One important exception involves transfers to U.S.-based airline programs such as Delta SkyMiles and JetBlue TrueBlue. American Express charges an excise tax offset fee of 0.06 cents per point transferred (up to a maximum of $99) for these transfers.

While you can use Membership Rewards points to cover the fee at checkout, you’re generally better off paying it with your American Express card and saving your points for travel.

How to transfer American Express Membership Rewards
1. Sign in to your American Express account.
2. Open Rewards & Benefits, then select Transfer Points.
3. Choose your airline loyalty program and link your account if necessary.
4. Enter the number of Membership Rewards points you’d like to transfer.
5. Review the information and confirm your transfer.
Bilt Rewards

Bilt airline transfer partners

Bilt Rewards Points are transferable to the following airline loyalty programs.

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Most Bilt transfers process instantly, though transfer times can vary by the airline.

How to transfer Bilt Rewards
1. Sign in to your Bilt account.
2. Select the Rewards tab.
3. Tap Transfer.
4. Choose your airline partner.
5. Enter the number of points to transfer and confirm.
Capital One Miles

Capital One airline transfer partners

Capital One Miles are transferable to the following airline loyalty programs.

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Most Capital One transfers process instantly, though transfer times can vary by the airline.

How to transfer Capital One Miles
1. Sign in to your Capital One account.
2. Select View Rewards.
3. Choose Transfer Rewards.
4. Select your airline partner.
5. Enter the number of miles you’d like to transfer and confirm.
Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase airline transfer partners

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are transferable to the following airline loyalty programs.

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Most Chase transfers process instantly, though transfer times can vary by the airline.

How to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards
1. Sign in to your Chase account.
2. Open Ultimate Rewards.
3. Select Transfer Points to Partners.
4. Choose your airline loyalty program.
5. Enter the number of points you’d like to transfer and confirm.
Citi ThankYou Rewards

Citi airline transfer partners

Citi ThankYou Rewards points are transferable to the following airline loyalty programs.

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Note: Transfer ratios vary depending on your Citi ThankYou-earning card. Be sure to confirm the transfer ratio that applies to your account before transferring points.

Most Citi transfers process instantly, though transfer times can vary by the airline.

How to transfer Citi ThankYou Rewards
1. Sign in to ThankYou.com.
2. Select Points Transfer.
3. Choose your airline partner.
4. Enter the number of ThankYou points you’d like to transfer.
5. Confirm your transfer.
U.S. Bank Altitude Rewards

U.S. Bank airline transfer partners

U.S. Bank Altitude Rewards points are transferable to the following airline loyalty programs.

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Most U.S. Bank transfers process instantly, though transfer times can vary by the airline.

How to transfer U.S. Bank Altitude Rewards
1. Sign in to your U.S. Bank account.
2. Open your rewards dashboard.
3. Select Transfer Points.
4. Choose your airline loyalty program.
5. Enter the number of points to transfer and confirm.
Wells Fargo Rewards

Wells Fargo airline transfer partners

Wells Fargo Rewards points are transferable to the following airline loyalty programs.

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Most Wells Fargo transfers process instantly, though transfer times can vary by the airline.

How to transfer Wells Fargo Rewards
1. Sign in to your Wells Fargo account.
2. Select Wells Fargo Rewards.
3. Tap See All Options, then Rewards Points Transfer.
4. Choose your airline partner.
5. Enter the number of points you’d like to transfer.
6. Review the information and submit your transfer.
Things to Know Before You Transfer

Transfers are usually final

In most cases, transfers from a credit card rewards program to an airline loyalty account can’t be reversed.

Before transferring your points, make sure you’ve found the award flight you want, and you’re ready to complete the booking.

POIKE / ISTOCK

Transfer times can vary

Most transfers happen within minutes, but not every airline processes transfers at the same speed.

Occasionally, transfers may take several hours or even a few days. And your first transfer to a particular airline loyalty program may also take longer than subsequent transfers, especially if your loyalty account hasn’t been linked before.

While delays are relatively uncommon, they’re worth keeping in mind if you’re booking an award with limited availability.

Transfer bonuses can stretch your points further

Banks periodically offer transfer bonuses that increase the number of airline miles you receive from the same number of credit card points.

For example, a 25% transfer bonus means 10,000 transferable credit card points become 12,500 airline miles instead of the usual 10,000.

Before transferring your points, check our Current Credit Card Transfer Bonuses guide to see whether an active promotion could help you receive more airline miles.
August 13, 2026