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Transfer bonus calculator
See exactly how many airline miles or hotel points a transfer bonus gets you, or how many bank points to move to cover an award, rounded to the blocks banks actually transfer in.
Check the ratio on your bank's transfer page before moving points. Transfers are one-way and cannot be undone.
Using bonuses well
A bonus is a discount, not a reason
Transfer bonuses come around regularly, often 15% to 40% to a handful of airline and hotel partners at a time. On a 75,000-mile business class award, a 30% bonus saves roughly 17,000 bank points.
The trap is transferring because the bonus is there. Points in a flexible bank currency keep every option open; once they move, they are stuck in one program and exposed to its next devaluation. The best time to use a bonus is when it lines up with award space you have already found.
Before you move points
Three checks
- Seats first. Confirm award space for every traveler on the exact flights before transferring.
- Transfer time. Most partners are instant, but some take days, and space can disappear in the meantime.
- Taxes and surcharges. A cheap award in miles can carry hundreds of dollars in fees. Price the whole ticket.
Want someone to do this for one trip? See how award travel planning works.
Questions
Transfer bonuses, explained
How does a transfer bonus work?
A bank temporarily adds extra airline or hotel points when you move points to one partner. A 30% bonus at a 1:1 ratio turns 10,000 bank points into 13,000 airline miles. The bonus is usually posted with the transfer, though some programs post it later.
Should I transfer points just because there is a bonus?
Only if you have a specific booking in mind. Transfers are one-way, and miles sitting in an airline program can be devalued or expire. A bonus makes a planned transfer cheaper; it does not make an unplanned one a good idea.
Why round up to 1,000 points?
Most banks transfer in 1,000-point blocks, and some programs have a higher minimum. The calculator rounds the points you need up to the block size you choose.
Where do I find current transfer ratios?
On your bank's transfer partner page, which shows the ratio for your card. Ratios differ between banks and sometimes between cards at the same bank, such as Citi's premium and no-fee cards.
Have a trip in mind?
Send a trip brief and I will map the transfers, bonuses and award options worth your points.