The Travel Boggs

How to Transfer Amex and Chase Points to Airlines (And Get the Most Travel for Your Points)

We’ve talked a lot about why transferring points to airlines beats booking through a credit card travel portal, but the next step is figuring out how to actually do it. Don’t worry, it’s way easier than it sounds! Once you know the process, you’ll wonder why you ever considered paying full price for flights.

How to Earn Points

Step 1: Know Your Transfer Partners

Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to a variety of airline and hotel partners. Some of the most popular airline partners include United, Southwest, British Airways, Air France/KLM, and Singapore Airlines. The standard transfer ratio is usually 1:1, meaning 1,000 Chase points equals 1,000 airline miles. Occasionally, there will be transfer bonuses available, so keep an eye out!

Amex Membership Rewards points also have a long list of airline partners, including Delta, British Airways, Emirates, ANA, Singapore Airlines, and more. Like Chase, most transfer ratios are 1:1, though a few partners have slightly different ratios, and sometimes Amex runs transfer bonuses where you can get extra miles for a limited time.

Pro tip: Always check for transfer bonuses before moving points — it can add 10–40% more value to your points instantly.

Step 2: Link Your Airline Account

Before transferring, make sure you have a frequent flyer account with the airline you want to transfer to. Both Chase and Amex let you save multiple accounts for different airlines as long as each account is associated with an authorized user.

  • On Chase Ultimate Rewards, go to the “Transfer to Travel Partners” section, select your airline, and link your account.
  • On Amex Membership Rewards, go to “Transfer Points,” choose the airline, and enter your frequent flyer number.

Once linked, your points can move directly into that airline account — sometimes instantly, sometimes within a few hours. Always double-check the transfer time if you’re booking an award flight soon.

Step 3: Transfer Your Points

After your accounts are linked, choose how many points you want to transfer. Most transfers are in increments of 1,000 points. Confirm the transfer, and then check your airline account to make sure the points have arrived.

This is where planning ahead really pays off. Once points are in the airline program, you can book award flights at the best possible redemption rates, which are often much better than booking through a credit card portal.

Pro tip: Double-check how many points you actually need before transferring. I’ve accidentally underestimated a transfer during a bonus promotion, and while the first batch went through instantly, the second transfer triggered a review and held up my points for 24–72 hours. Planning carefully up front can save a lot of stress. Don’t repeat my mistake and double-check your math!

Step 4: Book Award Flights

Once points hit your airline account, search for award flights. This is where the real value shows up: you can use points on partner airlines, snag flights that aren’t available on the credit card portal, and sometimes book premium seats for far fewer points.

How to Find Cheap Flights

Step 5: Keep Your Eye Out for Sweet Spots

Each airline program has “sweet spots” — flights or routes where the points redemption value is particularly high. For example, using Singapore Airlines miles for business class to Europe, or Air France/KLM Flying Blue miles for off-peak flights. The key is flexibility: dates, routes, and even airports can dramatically affect how far your points go, so consider looking into surrounding airports if you can!

Why This Is Worth It

The difference is huge. Booking through a credit card travel portal might value your points at 1–1.5 cents each. Transferring to an airline program? Each point can be worth 2, 3, or even 5 cents when redeemed strategically. That’s the difference between paying hundreds in cash and flying business class for a fraction of the price!

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