Which Travel Programs Are Transfer Partners for BOTH American Express and Chase Points?

With people starting to again plan trips but perhaps facing some wounded wallets, credit card points can be a great tool to help make those travel wishes become a reality.

American Express and Chase are a couple of heavyweights in the travel rewards credit card world. And that’s especially the case with their products offering transferrable points. (American Express’ Membership Rewards and Chase’s Ultimate Rewards.) These cards are helpful because you’re not necessarily “locked in” to one loyalty program.

For example, you can’t transfer Delta SkyMiles to another program. You have to use them for redemptions offered only by Delta.

Having transferrable points gives you a lot more travel options. Maybe your preferred airline constantly devalues its partner redemptions. Then you discover a different carrier offers a better awards deal to a dream destination. If you don’t have the points to pay for the other airline’s great rewards points, then you’re kinda stuck.

That’s where cards such as American Express® Membership Rewards® and Chase Ultimate Rewards® come in. Both offer decent lists of airline and hotel partners to whom points can be transferred on (generally) a 1:1 basis. And they overlap in nearly 10 different programs.

Let’s take a look.

American Express and Chase Travel Partners

Here’s a handy-dandy little chart that shows both company’s travel program partners.

Airline Loyalty Program  Partners

	American Express® Membership Rewards®	Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Aer Lingus AerClub	√	√
AeroMexico Club Premier	√
Air Canada Aeroplan	√
Air France-KLM Flying Blue	√	√
Alitalia Millemiglia	√
ANA Mileage Club	√
Avianca LifeMiles	√
British Airways Executive Club	√	√
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles	√
Delta SkyMiles	√
Emirates Skywards	√	√
Ethiad Guest	√
Hawaiian Airlines	√
Iberia Plus	√	√
JetBlue True Blue	√	√
Qantas Frequent Flyer	√
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer	√	√
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards		√
United Airlines MileagePlus		√
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club	√	√

Which Airline Programs Accept Both Amex and Chase Points?

Eight airline loyalty programs are travel partners for both American Express® Membership Rewards® and Chase Ultimate Rewards®. They are:

• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue True Blue
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

So if you want to score a nice vacation on, say, Virgin Atlantic, it could be worth getting a couple of Chase Ultimate Rewards® cards and American Express® Membership Rewards® cards. You can pool your points and make a fun trip even more possible. (And probably cheaper than paying cash, assuming your everyday expenses can meet the minimum requirements for welcome offers.)

You’ll probably need a place to stay during your trip, so let’s see which hotels the programs support.

For what it’s worth: Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Emirates Skywards, JetBlue TrueBlue, Qantas Frequent Flyer, and Singapore KrisFlyer are also Capital One transfer partners.

Hotel Loyalty Program Partners

	American Express® Membership Rewards®	Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Choice Hotels Privileges	√
Hilton Honors	√
IHG Rewardss		√
Marriott Bonvoy	√	√
World of Hyatt		√

Which Hotels Programs Accept Both Amex and Chase Points?

There’s only one instance of overlap in this category: Marriott Bonvoy. (Both Amex and Chase offer co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, as well.)

But between the two card issues, you’re pretty much covered for most major hotel chains.

So What Are the Best Amex and Chase Credit Cards to Have?

As always, it comes down to your personal budget, spending habits, and travel goals.

The transferrable points cards I personally hold and regularly use for spending are:

• American Express® Gold Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Chase Freedom Flex℠ (No annual fee — and quarterly 5X bonus categories)
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (No annual fee)

I have both the The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. Unless there’s am Amex Offer one of them, I rarely use the cards for everyday spending. They’re much better for statement credits and travel benefits. (Although I do love the Platinum Card® from American Express‘ 5X on purchased made directly with airlines and the Business Platinum Card® from American Express‘ 35% Pay With Points rebate.)

Final Approach

Points with transferrable credit cards offer much more flexibility than co-branded hotel and airline cards. Points can be redeemed for cash, transferred to air partners, or used to book points-earning trips through a card issue’s travel service.

Amex’s Membership Rewards and Chase’s Ultimate Rewards are a couple of major players who offer some great credit cards with plenty of travel partners. And using both Amex and Chase in tandem might accelerate your travel goals — and save you some money.

To see the rates and fees for the American Express cards featured above, please visit the following links:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express (See Rates and Fees)
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (See Rates and Fees)
• American Express® Gold Card (See Rates and Fees)