Thanks to its robust portfolio of airline and hotel partners, Capital One Rewards is one of the most lucrative transferable rewards programs on the market. Redeeming Capital One miles is easy, especially with 16 of its 18 partner programs offering a 1:1 transfer ratio. Of course, the best part of the program is its versatility. In addition to gaining access to each travel partner’s airline alliance network, members can book flights, hotels, or car rentals through the Capital One Travel portal.
Capital One miles can also be used to cover travel expenses — in the form of statement credits — or exchanged for gift cards or concert tickets via Capital One Entertainment. Alternatively, they can be put toward Amazon or PayPal purchases when you shop online.
Whether you’re new to the points and miles game or looking for more ways to maximize your Capital One miles, keep this guide to Capital One’s best transfer partners handy.
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The value of Capital One miles
Like other points and miles currencies, you’ll end up getting the highest possible redemption value by transferring Capital One miles to an airline or hotel partner. For 16 out of the 18 partners that have a 1:1 transfer ratio, you’ll earn one point for every mile you switch over.
While Capital One’s website doesn’t officially list any valuation information, One Mile at a Time values Capital One miles at 1.7 cents each. You’ll get a value of one cent per mile by putting them toward flights, hotels, and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel or by redeeming miles for statement credits to cover travel-related charges made with your associated Capital One credit card.
It’s worth noting that certain cardholders — particularly of the Capital One Venture X and Venture X Business® Card — receive a $300 annual travel credit when booking through Capital One Travel. They also have exclusive access to the Premier Collection’s suite of hotels, plus bonus perks like resort credits, complimentary breakfast, and free upgrades – all while having the option to redeem their miles at one cent each.
Since non-travel redemptions such as concert tickets (bookable through Capital One Entertainment) and shopping via online retailers like Amazon and PayPal are typically worth less than one cent per mile, these aren’t generally recommended unless you won’t be traveling anytime soon. It essentially comes down to your specific travel and financial needs to determine the best use of your miles.
Benefits of transferring Capital One miles
For the most flexibility, your best bet is to transfer award miles directly to one of Capital One’s travel partners, which include 15 airlines and three hotel chains. This also opens you up to more flight booking options since each airline has its own alliance partners.
In other words, you’d be able to transfer Capital One miles to Avianca LifeMiles, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, or Air Canada Aeroplan to book trips with United Airlines or other Star Alliance partners.
In the same way, SkyTeam fans could transfer miles to Air France/KLM Flying Blue for flights with partners like Delta Air Lines, while Oneworld enthusiasts could transfer miles to British Airways Executive Club, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Finnair Plus, or Cathay Pacific AsiaMiles to book flights with any of their partners.
Cardmembers also have the option to redeem their miles through the Capital One Travel portal, powered by Hopper, although the redemption rate would be closer to one cent per mile compared to the 1.7 cents per mile in value you’d get by transferring to partners.
Capital One transfer partners overview
With Capital One rewards, you’ll have access to 15 airline partners and three hotel partners, with all but two programs offering a 1:1 transfer ratio. The two exceptions: for every 1,000 miles transferred from Capital One, you’ll receive just 750 EVA Air Infinity MileageLands miles or 500 Accor Live Limitless points.
Unfortunately, Capital One doesn’t publicly release how long it takes award miles to transfer to partners — a representative we reached out to said only that, “the majority of rewards transfers occur instantly, while some may take a few days.” One Mile at a Time reports that nearly half happen instantly, with a few notable exceptions listed below.
Capital One airline transfer partners
Here’s a closer look at how Capital One airline transfer partners, transfer ratios, and how long they can take.
- AeroMexico Rewards — 1:1 transfer ratio (transfers are immediate)
- Air Canada Aeroplan — 1:1 transfer ratio (immediate)
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue — 1:1 transfer ratio (immediate).
- Avianca LifeMiles — 1:1 transfer ratio (immediate).
- British Airways Executive Club — 1:1 transfer ratio (immediate).
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles — 1:1 transfer ratio (transfers take 3–5 days)
- Emirates Skywards — 1:1 transfer ratio (immediate)
- Etihad Guest — 1:1 transfer ratio (12–24 hours)
- EVA Air Infinity MileageLands — 2:1.5 transfer ratio (24–48 hours)
- Finnair Plus — 1:1 transfer ratio (immediate)
- Qantas Frequent Flyer — 1:1 transfer ratio (24–48 hours)
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer — 1:1 transfer ratio (24–48 hours)
- TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go — 1:1 transfer ratio (immediate)
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles — 1:1 transfer ratio (24–48 hours)
- Virgin Red — 1:1 transfer ratio (immediate transfers)
Capital One hotel transfer partners
- Accor Live Limitless — 2:1 transfer ratio (24–48 hours)
- Choice Privileges — 1:1 transfer ratio (immediate transfers)
- Wyndham Rewards — 1:1 transfer ratio (immediate)
Whichever one you choose to go with, make sure you check for award availability through the program’s website first and have a solid plan in mind, as transfers aren’t reversible. Also, be aware of each partner’s airline alliance so you can use those connections to your advantage.
The best Capital One transfer partners
Determining the best Capital One transfer partners is pretty subjective and largely depends on your travel needs, the nearest airport hub, the class you prefer to fly in (economy, premium economy, or business/first), and the airlines or alliances you’re most loyal to. That said, some partners do stand out above the rest.
British Airways Avios or Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, and Etihad Guest for Oneworld and non-alliance flights
Familiarize yourself with airline loyalty programs outside the big three alliances, like Etihad Guest, which has its own range of partners. While you could transfer Capital One miles to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles or British Airways Avios — which can, in turn, be used to book flights with any of their Oneworld partners — you could also transfer them to Etihad Guest and book trips through Air Canada, American Airlines, Air New Zealand, Air France, JetBlue, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), or Korean Air, to name a few.
A recent search for a one-way flight from New York (JFK) to London (LHR) on point.me showed American Airlines as being the cheapest option for a mileage redemption (in terms of award taxes) — in this case, you can transfer Capital One miles to any Oneworld partner (like British Airways or Cathay Pacific) or even Etihad Guest, then use your miles to book an American Airlines flight.
One thing to consider is the amount you’d have to pay in taxes and fees if you were to transfer Capital One miles directly to either British Airways, Cathay Pacific, or Qantas Frequent Flyer — anywhere from $222 to $253 — versus the mere $6 you’d pay for booking through American Airlines.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Air France/KLM Flying Blue for SkyTeam flights
Booking awards on SkyTeam carriers through Air France/KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club can also prove to be a lucrative Capital One miles redemption.
For example, a quick search on point.me for a one-way trip from New York (JFK) to Rome (FCO) showed several options for both programs, as well as for redeeming miles through SkyTeam partner Delta SkyMiles and non-alliance partner Etihad Guest. Again, the major detail to consider here is whether you would rather pay more in miles or taxes and fees.
Otherwise, Air France/KLM Flying Blue is typically a solid bet for redeeming reward flights to Europe from the U.S., especially since it’s a partner of several transferable rewards programs. It’s also worth checking the website for occasional Promo Rewards, which allow you to save even more. With economy flights starting at 20,000 points, premium economy flights starting at 35,000 points, and business-class flights starting at 50,000 each way, it’s no wonder Flying Blue is point.me’s best airline reward program.
Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles for Star Alliance flights
You’ll end up getting a better value by transferring Capital One miles to a Star Alliance partner — in this case, either Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, or Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles — to book flights with carriers like Lufthansa, United Airlines, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines.
That said, there are two things to remember: Your final redemption rate depends on whether you’re traveling from the East Coast or the West Coast of the U.S., as many of these programs rely on distance-based mileage charts to calculate award costs. Second, make sure you check for award availability with your desired Star Alliance partner on United.com before you transfer Capital One miles, as you won’t be able to switch them back over.
A sample point.me search for a one-way flight from Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Athens (ATH) showed redemption options for transferring Capital One miles to Avianca LifeMiles and using them to book via Star Alliance partners like United Airlines, Swiss Air, and Austrian Airlines. In this case, you’d spend 39,000 miles and around $47–$58 in taxes and fees.
Clicking through the results revealed more options to book the same flight through Air Canada Aeroplan, TAP Miles&Go, and Eva Air Infinity Mileagelands, though the taxes and fees are significantly higher than if you booked via United MileagePlus ($25 versus $58–$350).
Other good Capital One transfer partners
Any time you can transfer miles to airlines at a 1:1 ratio is a good thing. So it can still be a lucrative redemption if you’re accumulating points through Aeromexico Rewards (to transfer to another SkyTeam partner) or with Qantas Frequent Flyer, TAP Miles&Go, or Finnair Plus (to transfer to another Oneworld partner).
As for the other airline partners, you’ll need to rack up a significant number of Capital One miles to make a transfer worthwhile. On Emirates, for instance, a round-trip economy Saver flight will run you 60,000 Skywards miles, while a round-trip Flex Plus award ticket costs 100,000 Skywards miles.
And while snagging a free first-class seat on Singapore Airlines might sound tempting, availability is typically limited to the KrisFlyer program, so there’s no easy way to use partners and get around the excessive amount of points you’ll need (228,000 KrisFlyer miles for a round-trip first-class ticket from San Francisco to Singapore, for example). That said, if you have your heart set on flying in premium cabins using points, go for it, especially if you can “pool” your points from other transferable credit card programs.
Capital One transfer partners to be cautious about
For EVA Air, remember that the transfer ratio is 2:1.5 and for every 1,000 Capital One miles transferred, you’ll only get 750 Infinity MileageLands miles. So, there might be better ways to fly a similar route by transferring Capital One miles to another Star Alliance partner.
Again, it all comes down to your personal travel preferences. If flying aboard EVA Air’s Hello Kitty-themed plane is on your travel bucket list, cash those Capital One miles in.
While you won’t get the best value by transferring Capital One miles to hotel partners, you have three options if you’ve got a particular property in mind or want to splurge for a special occasion. Your best bet is to redeem with Wyndham Rewards. Since it’s a partner of Vacasa, you can also rent vacation homes from 15,000 or 30,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night.
Wyndham Rewards and Choice Privileges can both be good options, since Capital One miles transfer at a 1:1 transfer ratio to both programs. Accor Live Limitless, on the other hand, only gives you 500 points for every 1,000 Capital One miles because of its 2:1 transfer ratio.
Tips for maximizing your Capital One miles
According to Capital One’s website, you’ll need to transfer a minimum of 1,000 miles per transaction. Also keep in mind that you’ll need to have (or create) a free loyalty program account with each travel partner before you can transfer your miles over — and the name on it must match the name on your Capital One Rewards account. You can, however, switch your miles over to another Capital One account or user as long as they have an eligible miles-earning card, which would then allow them to transfer miles to their own airline or hotel program account.
Having certain Capital One credit cards can help you rack up miles quickly, especially when you use them to book travel through Capital One Travel. Cardholders also have access to perks like complimentary lounge access, earning bonuses, and other luxury benefits, depending on the card.
Earning Capital One miles
Signing up for any of the following Capital One cards can help you accumulate Capital One Miles in a hurry, especially if you can meet the minimum spend requirement and earn the welcome bonus (from 20,000 to 150,000 miles, depending on the card).
Welcome offers may change, but at the time of writing they were:
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
- Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: Earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening
- Capital One VentureOne Rewards for Good Credit: None.
- Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card: Earn 150,000 bonus miles when you spend $30,000 in the first three months, which is equal to $1,500 in travel.
- Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase. Plus, earn 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,500 in the first three months.
- Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business: Earn 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,500 in the first three months.
Capital One Venture X and Venture cardholders can earn 2X miles for every dollar they spend, while VentureOne cardmembers earn 1.25X miles per dollar on purchases. Those with the Venture X card also have access to a $300 annual travel credit for Capital One Travel bookings, along with a 10,000-mile bonus every anniversary.
Those with the Venture X card can earn 10X miles per dollar when reserving hotels and car rentals through Capital One Travel and 5X miles when booking flights and vacation rentals through the portal. Venture cardholders are able to earn 5X miles per dollar when booking hotels, rental cars, and vacation rentals through Capital One Travell, as can those with the VentureOne (and VentureOne for Good Credit) when reserving hotels and car rentals.
Small business owners may want to consider signing up for the Capital One Spark Miles for Business or Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business cards, which offer the chance to earn 2X miles or 1.5 miles per dollar spent on qualifying purchases, respectively. Both cards also allow you to rack up 5X miles when booking rental cars and hotels through Capital One Travel, while the Spark Miles for Business card throws in additional perks like a $120 credit to cover your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership.
For a higher annual fee, the Venture X Business card comes with a nifty $300 annual travel credit to use when you book via the travel portal, a 10,000-mile anniversary bonus, a TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit, and lounge access. Cardmembers also earn 10X miles on hotels and car rentals, 5X miles on flights booked via Capital One Travel, and score access to The Premier Collection and its associated hotel perks (mentioned above).
Several Capital One Rewards travel partners have transfer partnerships with other popular transferable points programs, such as Citi ThankYou Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and American Express Membership Rewards. That means you could potentially pool your points and miles from Capital One and any of the following program, then transfer them to overlapping airline or hotel partners:
- Citi Prestige (no longer available to new applicants)
- Citi Strata Premier Card
- AT&T Access More
- Citi ThankYou Preferred Card
- Citi Rewards+
- Citi Double Cash Card (cashback is awarded in the form of ThankYou points).
- Citi Custom Cash Card (cashback is awarded in the form of ThankYou points).
- Bilt Mastercard
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card
- Ink Business Preferred Credit Card
- Cash back rewards earned with cards like Chase Freedom Unlimited, Chase Freedom Flex, Ink Business Unlimited, and Ink Business Cash can be converted to Ultimate Rewards points if you also have one of the first three cards.
American Express Membership Rewards
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- American Express Gold Card
- American Express Green Card
- The Business Platinum Card®
- Business Gold Card
- Business Green Rewards Card
- Blue Business Plus Credit Card
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