Want an easy way to make your points work harder for you (aside from using point.me, of course)? Book when there’s a credit card transfer bonus.
A transfer bonus is a percentage of extra points an airline gives you when you transfer your points from a certain loyalty program to that airline. It could be 10-15% or as much as 30%, and it can mean parting with a lot fewer points to get the flight you want.
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Why are transfer bonuses so great?
Well, as said above, they can help you save quite a few points, so you can spread your points across more redemptions, splash out with an upgraded seat, or go to a place you might not have been able to afford otherwise. Here are just a few recent examples of great fares found on point.me that are made even better with a transfer bonus.
- LA to London nonstop in economy for 25,750 points (or 20k with a transfer bonus). This flight would cost around 70k points via your credit card portal.
- NYC to Rome with one stop in business class for 50k points (or 40k with a transfer bonus). With a $13k cash value, this flight could be over a million points when booked via a credit card portal.
- Manchester to Chicago with one stop in economy for 20k points (or 16k with a transfer bonus) — a flight that would cost over 100k points via the credit card portal.
- Munich to DC with one stop in business class for 50k points (or 40k with a transfer bonus). This $7,500 cash fare would be more than 700,000 points via most credit card portals.
- Tampa to London nonstop in economy for 30k points (or 24k with a transfer bonus). This flight would cost around 112k points via your credit card portal.
Current Capital One transfer bonuses
- British Airways Executive Club: 20% bonus
Current American Express transfer bonuses
Amex has several transfer bonuses right now that help you get more from your Amex points:
- Flying Blue: 20% bonus
- Aviance LifeMiles: 15% bonus
Current Citi transfer bonuses
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 30% bonus
Current Chase transfer bonuses
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club: 40% bonus
When you search on point.me, we’ll show you any relevant bonus transfers. This way, you can compare apples to apples and know exactly how many points each fare will cost. Join now.
Should you transfer your points when there’s a bonus?
It depends. Points transfers are irreversible, so if you’ve found a great flight and you’re ready to book, of course, you should transfer your points and take advantage of the bonus. However, if you don’t have a flight in mind, we generally don’t recommend transferring your points. One exception to this would be if you frequently use points with that program and feel fairly confident that you’ll be able to use the points within the next few weeks. Otherwise, keep them in your credit card account and only transfer them once you’re ready to book.
How long do bonus transfer offers last?
It varies, but most cards tend to announce new offers at the start of the month, and they are generally valid for 4 to 8 weeks.
Learn more about points transfers
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