Credit Card Transfer Bonus Tracker (2026)
Historical patterns and active transfer bonuses across major bank-to-airline transfer pairs. When to wait for a bonus, when to transfer immediately.
Why transfer bonuses matter
A 30% transfer bonus turns 50,000 Chase UR into 65,000 Virgin Atlantic miles. That's the difference between affording a redemption with miles to spare and falling short. For travelers with flexible timing, waiting for a bonus can effectively reduce the cost of an award redemption by 20-30%.
Transfer bonuses run on predictable patterns. This tracker shows what to expect for each bank-to-airline pair.
Historical bonus patterns by program pair
Note: these are historical patterns, not promises. Specific bonuses may run or skip in any given year.
| Bank | Airline | Typical Bonus | Frequency | Best Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase UR | Virgin Atlantic | 25-30% | 2-3× per year | Q1 (Jan-Mar) + Q4 (Oct-Dec) | One of the most predictable bonuses — Chase runs Virgin bonuses regularly |
| Chase UR | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 25-30% | 2× per year | Spring + Fall | Promo Awards already built-in; transfer bonus stacks for further savings |
| Chase UR | British Airways Avios | 25-30% | 1-2× per year | Variable | BA bonuses often align with company promotions |
| Chase UR | Hyatt | 20-25% | Rare (1× per year) | Rare | Hyatt bonuses are uncommon since Chase already transfers 1:1 |
| Chase UR | Iberia Plus | 25-30% | 1-2× per year | Variable | Combined with off-peak: 26K Avios for 34K business class becomes effectively 21K UR |
| Chase UR | Singapore KrisFlyer | 25% | 1× per year | Spring | Singapore bonuses occasional but meaningful for Suites |
| Amex MR | Virgin Atlantic | 25-30% | 3-4× per year | Year-round rotating | Amex's most-frequent transfer bonus partner |
| Amex MR | Delta SkyMiles | 30% | 2-3× per year | Q1 + Q4 | Useful for flash-sale Delta One redemptions |
| Amex MR | ANA Mileage Club | 30% | 1-2× per year | Variable | Rare but transformational — 65K MR becomes 85K ANA = ANA business RT |
| Amex MR | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 25-30% | 3-4× per year | Year-round | Frequent partner for promotional bonuses |
| Amex MR | Avianca LifeMiles | 20-25% | 2× per year | Variable | Useful for buy-mile bonuses combined |
| Amex MR | British Airways Avios | 25% | 2× per year | Q2 + Q4 | Important for Iberia 34K via Avios pool transfers |
| Amex MR | Iberia Plus | 25-30% | 1-2× per year | Variable | Direct Amex-to-Iberia 30% bonus = 34K business for ~26K MR |
| Capital One | Turkish Miles&Smiles | 30-40% | 1-2× per year | Variable | Most impactful Capital One bonus — 45K Turkish business becomes ~32-35K Cap One |
| Capital One | Air Canada Aeroplan | 20-30% | 1-2× per year | Variable | 60K Aeroplan business becomes ~46-50K Cap One |
| Capital One | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 20-25% | 1-2× per year | Variable | Combined with Promo Awards for double discount |
| Capital One | Virgin Atlantic | 20-25% | 1-2× per year | Variable | Useful for Delta One and ANA First redemptions |
| Capital One | Avianca LifeMiles | 20-25% | Multiple per year | Year-round | Capital One's most frequent LifeMiles bonus |
| Citi TY | American AAdvantage | 20-25% | 1× per year | Variable | Citi-to-AA bonuses are rare but meaningful for Qsuite redemptions |
| Citi TY | Turkish Miles&Smiles | 30% | 1× per year | Variable | Combined with Citi base earning makes Turkish 45K achievable |
| Citi TY | Virgin Atlantic | 25% | 1× per year | Variable | Useful for ANA First Class redemptions via Virgin |
| Citi TY | Singapore KrisFlyer | 20-25% | 1× per year | Variable | Useful for Singapore Suites |
| Citi TY | Avianca LifeMiles | 25% | 1-2× per year | Variable | Worth waiting for if you have a Star Alliance redemption planned |
| Bilt | Hyatt | 100% (limited) | Periodic Rent Day specials | 1st of certain months | Bilt Rent Day bonuses reach 100%+ on rotating partners — including Hyatt occasionally |
| Bilt | Alaska | 50-100% (variable) | Rent Day specials | 1st of months | Critical for Cathay First Class redemptions |
| Bilt | American AAdvantage | 100% (Rent Day) | Periodic | Variable Rent Day | Effectively buys AA miles at half the normal cost |
| Bilt | Turkish Miles&Smiles | 50-100% | Periodic | Rent Day | Best path to cheap Star Alliance business class |
How to use this tracker
- Plan ahead: If you know you want to redeem ANA First in 6 months, watch Amex's MR bonus calendar. A 30% Amex-to-Virgin bonus drops 110K Virgin from 110K MR to ~85K MR.
- Set alerts: Subscribe to each bank's loyalty newsletter. Most bonuses are announced 5-10 days before they go live.
- Don't speculate transfer: Only transfer when you have a specific redemption identified. Bonus or no bonus.
- Combine bonuses: Some bonuses stack — e.g., Capital One transfer to Air France during Flying Blue Promo Awards = double discount.
Seasonal patterns
- Q1 (Jan-Mar): Chase UR runs frequent bonuses to Virgin Atlantic, Air France, BA Avios. Capital One occasional Turkish bonuses.
- Q2 (Apr-Jun): Amex MR bonuses to Air France, Virgin Atlantic. Citi TY occasional bonuses.
- Q3 (Jul-Sep): Chase UR fall bonuses begin. Bilt Rent Day bonuses heat up for back-to-school season.
- Q4 (Oct-Dec): Chase UR frequently runs end-of-year bonuses to Virgin Atlantic, Air France. Amex MR runs holiday-season bonuses.
Where to track active bonuses
For real-time bonus alerts:
- Chase: chase.com/ultimate-rewards/transfer-partners — check the "Transfer Bonus" callout on the page
- Amex: americanexpress.com/membership-rewards — Email subscribers get bonus alerts first
- Capital One: capitalone.com/rewards/transfer — Sign up for transfer bonus emails
- Citi: citi.com/thankyou — Email subscribers preferred for bonus alerts
- Bilt: biltrewards.com/transfer-bonuses — Rent Day bonuses appear on the 1st of each month
- Industry trackers: Doctor of Credit, frequent miler, Reddit r/awardtravel often share bonus alerts
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when a transfer bonus is running?
Subscribe to each bank's loyalty email list. Bonuses typically appear with 5-10 days of lead time before they go live. Industry blogs (frequent miler, the points guy) usually post bonus alerts within hours of announcement.
Should I transfer points to a partner without a bonus?
Generally no. Hold flexible bank points until you have either: (1) a specific redemption identified that you need to book immediately, or (2) a bonus is running to the program you want. Speculative transfers lock you into the program even if rules change.
What's the highest transfer bonus ever offered?
Capital One has run 40-50% bonuses to Turkish Miles&Smiles. Bilt's Rent Day bonuses occasionally reach 100% to specific partners. Most bonuses are 20-30%.
Can I cancel a transfer if a bonus appears the next day?
Generally no. Transfers are usually instantaneous and non-reversible. This is why patience pays — wait for the bonus before transferring.
Find availability before transferring
Use AwardLocker to confirm award space exists for your dates. Then transfer points (with a bonus, ideally) to book.
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