Which Airlines Allow Transfers from More Than One Program?
TPG reader Hal sent me a message on Facebook to ask about transferring points:
"I'm trying to book a business class flight to Sydney using Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards points. Which airlines will let me transfer from both programs?"
I tend to focus on earning transferable points because they give you access to multiple loyalty programs at once. That creates more opportunities to maximize rewards, since you can choose one airline or hotel over another when it suits your needs — like when there's an award sale, for example. On the flip side, some travel providers partner with more than one of the major transferable points programs, which gives you extra options for booking awards even if you don't have a large balance in any single account.
Hal wants to book an award to Australia, but he needs to pool his points in order to do it. Fortunately, there are several airlines that allow transfers from both Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards. The table below shows airlines that partner with more than one transfer program; transfer ratios are 1:1 except where indicated otherwise (not accounting for the SPG transfer bonus or any other temporary bonuses).
| Airline / Program | Amex | Chase | SPG | Citi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Singapore Airlines | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Virgin Atlantic | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Flying Blue | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Cathay Pacific | √ | √ | √ | |
British Airways | 5:4 | √ | √ | |
Virgin America | 2:1 | √ | 2:1 | |
Etihad | √ | √ | √ | |
Delta | √ | √ | ||
Air Canada | √ | √ | ||
Korean Air | √ | √ | ||
ANA | √ | √ | ||
Emirates | √ | √ | ||
Alitalia | √ | √ | ||
Aeroméxico | √ | √ | ||
Hawaiian | √ | √ | ||
Thai Airways | √ | √ | ||
Qatar Airways | √ | √ | ||
United | √ | 2:1 |
As you can see, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) and British Airways all partner with both Chase and Amex. It's hard to say which option is best without knowing where Hal is flying from or how many points he has available, but I think you can disregard British Airways thanks to the lower Amex transfer ratio and the high cost of long-haul premium awards. (BA is still a great option for booking flights within Australia once you get there.)
Singapore offers a great business-class experience and fairly reasonable award prices. You won't be able to fly nonstop from North America to Australia, and you'll incur some hefty surcharges, but that's the airline I'd choose if I were limited to those four.
If you can't make a round-trip award work by transferring points to a single airline, you could also consider booking two one-way awards through separate programs. For example, you might transfer from Amex to ANA to book an award in one direction, and then transfer from Chase to United to book the return trip.
If you're going to redeem points from various sources, keep in mind that transfer times may differ between programs. Most transfers from Chase are instantaneous, though Singapore is an exception. Meanwhile, transfers from Amex may take up to 36 hours in some cases. Be cautious when availability is limited, since award space could disappear while your points are on the way to your frequent flyer account.
For more on transferable points and booking awards to Australia, check out these posts:
- Should I Earn Airline Miles or Transferable Points?
- How to Use Airline Miles for Award Travel to Sydney
- The Best Premium Seats to Australia and New Zealand
If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees