How to Use a Points Transfer Bonus

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated July 2026

The short answer: Banks periodically pay a bonus, usually 20 to 40 percent and sometimes higher, on top of the normal one to one rate when you move points to a specific partner. It is real extra value, but only transfer when you have an award in mind, because the points lock to that program the moment they move.

What a transfer bonus is

Most bank points move to airline and hotel partners at a one to one rate. A transfer bonus is a limited-time promotion that pays extra on top of that ratio. A 30 percent bonus turns 10,000 points into 13,000 partner miles, and a 50 percent bonus turns them into 15,000, for the same points out of your account. The bonus is added points, not a coupon you have to claim, so the higher rate applies automatically during the promotion window.

Bonuses rotate by partner and by date. One month it might be 30 percent to Virgin Atlantic, the next 25 percent to Air France-KLM Flying Blue, then nothing for a few weeks. They usually run 30 to 45 days. See transferable points explained for how the underlying transfers work.

Why it is essentially free value

A transfer bonus stretches points you already planned to use. If a business class seat costs 60,000 partner miles, a 30 percent bonus means you move only about 46,000 bank points to cover it, because the bonus tops the balance back up. That is the whole award discounted by the bonus, with no change to how you earned the points. Stacked on a redemption where each point is already worth more than a cent, a bonus pushes the value even higher. This is why a bonus is best treated as an added bonus on a good redemption, not as a reason to redeem in the first place.

Which banks run them, and to which partners

American Express runs the most transfer bonuses of any US issuer, most often to Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, ANA, Avianca LifeMiles, and the hotel programs Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. Chase runs them less often, usually to Virgin Atlantic or another airline. Citi favors Avianca, Qatar, and a rotating cast, and Capital One periodically boosts Avianca, Turkish, and Virgin Red. Because the partners differ by bank, the same trip can be cheaper from one program than another depending on who has a bonus that week.

Confirm the live partner and rate on your bank transfer page before you count on any bonus, since both change. Our airline transfer partners guide maps who transfers where.

How to use one without the trap

The mistake that erases the value is transferring on speculation just to grab the bonus, then finding no award space and being stuck with miles in a program you do not use. Points are one way: once they leave the bank they cannot come back. Always find and hold the award seat first with a tool like seats.aero, then transfer only what the confirmed booking needs, then book right away. A bonus is a reason to act on an award you already wanted, never a reason to move points on a hunch. See how to find award space.

See live bonuses on Cardocrat

Whenever an issuer is running a transfer bonus, Cardocrat lights up that partner inside the ecosystem pages and the ecosystems section on the home page, with the current percentage shown on the partner. If a partner is lit, the bonus is live right now. If nothing is lit for a bank, it has no active bonus at the moment. It is the fastest way to see whether moving points this week comes with extra value.

See exactly what an award costs

Stop guessing at point values. Look up the real award price and live availability for a specific trip before you transfer.

Search award stays on rooms.aero →

Frequently asked questions

What is a credit card transfer bonus?

A limited-time promotion where your bank adds extra points, often 20 to 40 percent and sometimes more, when you transfer to a specific airline or hotel partner. The higher rate applies automatically during the promotion.

Should I transfer points just to get the bonus?

No. Only transfer when you have an award in mind or use that program regularly. Points moved to a partner are locked there and cannot be moved back, so a bonus on miles you never use is worth nothing.

Which bank runs the most transfer bonuses?

American Express, by a wide margin, usually to Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic, ANA, Avianca, Marriott, or Hilton. Chase, Citi, and Capital One run them less often.

How much can a transfer bonus save?

A 30 percent bonus covers a 60,000 mile award with about 46,000 bank points, and a 50 percent bonus covers it with 40,000. The savings scale with the size of the award and the bonus.