Transfer miles between programs

In some cases, this can help you save on taxes and fees. In lieu of transferring points directly, airlines allow you to use their miles to book award flights on partner airlines.

For example, as an American Airlines frequent flyer, you can use AAdvantage miles to book a flight on British Airways, and the cost of your ticket will be based on the American Airlines award chart. There are many reasons why you might want to do this.

For example, British Airways will charge you an incredibly high number of points for redemptions in first and business class. A first-class seat on Cathay Pacific between Boston and Hong Kong will cost an astronomic , Avios, but American Airlines will charge you just 67, AAdvantage miles for that same flight.

As you can see, award travelers must consider not only which airline to fly with, but also which points or miles to use.

These programs allow you to transfer points directly into airline frequent flyer programs, usually at a ratio. With each of these programs, you can transfer to airline or hotel partners, but not back. If you really need to transfer miles from one frequent flyer program to another, there are options, but they come at a hefty cost. A much better way to get Aeroplan miles would be to transfer American Express Membership Rewards at a ratio.

The added opportunities and flexibility will help you maximize your travel rewards, so study up! Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. For example, if you get a British Airways-branded credit card, you will still earn British Airways miles only.

But, if you get a Hilton credit card, you will earn Hilton Honors points that you can then transfer to dozens of airline mileage programs depending on the award ticket that you want to book. The actual opportunities vary greatly depending on the country you live in, though, and so, you will have to do a bit of research if you are interested in pursuing this method. Unfortunately — but understandably — airlines do not allow for miles to be directly transferred from their programs to other programs with Avios being the exception to the rule.

And, while you can transfer miles between some airline pairs using Points. As such, for all practical purposes, you should not rely on being able to transfer your miles from one program to another.

Instead, you should pick the program you credit your miles to carefully. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting. Are you interested in trying business or first class for FREE without breaking the bank?

If so, you might want to check out Four Ways to Try Business Class Without Breaking the Bank , and experiment with some of the methods mentioned in it. No, I am not going to tell you how to fly in first class and sip Dom Perignon for free…. But, I am going to introduce you to a couple of ways you can experiment with to try a business class flight without having to spend thousands of dollars. How do I transfer points or miles from my credit card?

You can transfer points or miles through your credit card rewards portal. How long does it usually take to transfer points or miles from a credit card to a frequent-flyer program?

Transfers are often instant. In some cases, transfers may take 24 to 36 hours to complete. How do I book flights on another airline with my miles? You can book flights with the carrier whose miles you have, typically online or by phone.

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