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Best Transfer Partners for Chase Ultimate Rewards Points in 2026

Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to 14+ airline and hotel partners, often yielding 1.5-2.5 cents per point value - far better than the 1-1.5 cent portal redemption. This comprehensi...

CardClassroom Team February 25, 2026

# Best Transfer Partners for Chase Ultimate Rewards Points in 2026

Last Updated: February 25, 2026

Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred to 14+ airline and hotel partners, often yielding 1.5-2.5 cents per point value - far better than the 1-1.5 cent portal redemption. This comprehensive guide ranks the best transfer partners, shows real redemption examples, and reveals insider strategies for maximum value.

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Quick Rankings: Best Chase Transfer Partners

RankPartnerTypeBest ForTypical ValueSweet Spots
๐Ÿฅ‡World of HyattHotels**Luxury hotels**1.8-2.5ยขCategory 1-4 hotels
๐ŸฅˆSouthwestAirlines**Domestic US**1.4-1.6ยขCompanion Pass combo
๐Ÿฅ‰UnitedAirlines**International**1.5-2.0ยขSaver awards to Europe/Asia
4๏ธโƒฃAir France-KLMAirlines**Europe/Africa**1.5-2.5ยขPromo awards, US-Europe
5๏ธโƒฃSingapore AirlinesAirlines**Premium cabins**2.0-3.0ยขBusiness/First to Asia

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Complete Transfer Partner List

Airlines (10 Partners)

  • United MileagePlus
  • Southwest Rapid Rewards
  • Air France-KLM Flying Blue
  • British Airways Executive Club
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Emirates Skywards
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
  • Iberia Plus
  • Aer Lingus AerClub
  • JetBlue TrueBlue

Hotels (3 Partners)

  • World of Hyatt
  • IHG One Rewards
  • Marriott Bonvoy

Other

Transfer ratio: 1:1 for all partners (1 Chase point = 1 airline mile or hotel point)

Transfer time: Instant to 2-3 days depending on partner

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Detailed Partner Reviews

๐Ÿฅ‡ #1: World of Hyatt - Best Overall Transfer Partner

Why It's #1: Consistently delivers 1.8-2.5ยข per point value with excellent availability.

#### Transfer Details

  • Ratio: 1:1 (1,000 Chase points = 1,000 Hyatt points)
  • Transfer time: Instant
  • Minimum: 1,000 points

#### Award Chart (Points per Night)

CategoryStandardPeakOff-Peak
Category 15,0006,5003,500
Category 28,00010,0006,000
Category 312,00015,0009,000
Category 415,00019,00012,000
Category 520,00025,00016,000
Category 625,00031,00020,000
Category 730,00038,00024,000
Category 840,00050,00032,000

#### Sweet Spots

Category 1-2 Hotels (Best value):

  • 5,000-8,000 points per night
  • Often $150-300/night hotels
  • Value: 2.0-4.0ยข per point
  • Great for extended stays

Examples:

  • Hyatt Place properties: 5,000-8,000 points ($100-200 value)
  • Hyatt House: 8,000-12,000 points ($150-250 value)

Category 3-4 Hotels:

  • 12,000-15,000 points per night
  • $200-400/night properties
  • Value: 1.5-2.5ยข per point

Examples:

  • Hyatt Regency properties: 12,000-15,000 points ($250-400 value)
  • Grand Hyatt: 15,000-20,000 points ($300-500 value)

Category 7-8 Luxury (Peak season):

  • 30,000-40,000 points per night
  • $600-1,500+/night resorts
  • Value: 2.0-3.5ยข+ per point

Examples:

  • Park Hyatt Maldives: 30,000-40,000 points ($800-2,000/night value)
  • Alila Ventana Big Sur: 40,000 points ($1,200+/night value)
  • Park Hyatt Paris: 30,000 points ($700+/night value)

#### Why Hyatt Is Best

Consistent value:

  • Rarely dips below 1.5ยข per point
  • Often 2.0-2.5ยข per point
  • Luxury properties can hit 3ยข+ per point

Good availability:

  • Standard rooms usually bookable
  • Better than Marriott/Hilton for award space
  • Peak/off-peak flexibility

No dynamic pricing (yet):

  • Fixed award chart
  • Predictable redemptions
  • Can plan ahead

Globalist status benefits:

Verdict: Transfer to Hyatt for any hotel redemption. It's almost always the best value.

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๐Ÿฅˆ #2: Southwest Rapid Rewards - Best Domestic Airline

Why It's Great: Fixed point value (1.4-1.6ยข) + Companion Pass potential.

#### Transfer Details

  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Transfer time: Instant
  • Minimum: 1,000 points

#### How Southwest Points Work

Fixed value:

  • Points worth 1.4-1.6ยข each depending on flight
  • Revenue-based (not award chart)
  • No blackout dates
  • Unlimited seats (if seat available for sale, can book with points)

Example:

  • $300 flight = ~20,000 Southwest points
  • Value: 1.5ยข per point

#### Sweet Spots

Companion Pass (Ultimate sweet spot):

  • Earn 125,000 qualifying points in a calendar year
  • Get Companion Pass for remainder of that year + next full year
  • Your companion flies FREE on all Southwest flights

How to get it:

  1. Transfer 50,000 Chase points โ†’ Southwest
  2. Open Southwest card with 50,000 point bonus
  3. Spend to earn 25,000 more points
  4. Total: 125,000 points = Companion Pass
  5. Every flight is now 2-for-1 for up to 2 years

Value calculation:

  • Pay for one ticket with points
  • Companion flies free
  • Effectively doubles your point value to 3ยข+ per point

Domestic travel:

  • Southwest flies to 100+ US cities
  • No change fees
  • 2 free checked bags
  • Great for families

Examples:

  • NYC to California: 15,000-25,000 points ($200-350 value) = 1.4-1.6ยข
  • Chicago to Florida: 12,000-18,000 points ($150-250 value) = 1.5ยข
  • With Companion Pass: Same cost, 2 people = 3ยข+ per point

#### Best Uses

Domestic family travel:

  • Use Companion Pass for free companion
  • 2 checked bags per person (family of 4 = 8 free bags)
  • No change fees (flexibility)

Last-minute bookings:

  • Southwest doesn't charge more for last-minute
  • Fixed point value
  • Better than United/Delta dynamic pricing

Flexibility:

  • Cancel and get points back (no penalty)
  • Change flights for free
  • Can rebook if price drops (get points refunded)

Verdict: Best for US domestic travel, especially with Companion Pass. Unbeatable for families.

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๐Ÿฅ‰ #3: United MileagePlus - Best International Airline

Why It's Great: Star Alliance access, reasonable awards to Europe/Asia, good availability.

#### Transfer Details

  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Transfer time: Instant
  • Minimum: 1,000 points

#### Award Chart (One-Way Saver Awards)

RouteEconomyBusinessFirst
**US Domestic**8,000-20,00020,000-40,000N/A
**US - Caribbean**17,00035,000N/A
**US - Europe**30,00060,000-77,00088,000+
**US - Asia**35,000-40,00080,000-90,000110,000+
**US - South America**20,00044,000N/A
**US - Australia**40,000-45,00090,000-110,000120,000+

Note: "Saver" availability required for these rates. Standard awards cost more.

#### Sweet Spots

US to Europe (Economy):

  • 30,000 points one-way
  • 60,000 points round-trip
  • $600-1,200 flights
  • Value: 1.5-2.0ยข per point

Examples:

  • NYC to London: 30,000 points one-way ($600+ value)
  • Chicago to Paris: 30,000 points one-way ($700+ value)
  • LA to Frankfurt: 30,000 points one-way ($800+ value)

US to Europe (Business Class):

  • 60,000-77,000 points one-way
  • $2,000-5,000 flights
  • Value: 2.5-4.0ยข+ per point

Examples:

  • NYC to Zurich: 77,000 points ($3,500+ business class)
  • San Francisco to London: 77,000 points ($4,000+ business)

Stopover trick:

  • One free stopover on international round-trips
  • Example: Fly NYC โ†’ London (stay 3 days) โ†’ Paris โ†’ NYC
  • All for one award ticket
  • Essentially 2 trips for price of 1

Star Alliance partners:

  • Book Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, etc.
  • Access to premium cabins
  • Better availability than booking direct

Short-haul economy:

  • US domestic: 8,000 points
  • East Coast to Midwest/Texas: 10,000 points
  • Good value if you don't have Southwest

#### Best Uses

Transatlantic business class:

  • 77,000 points vs $3,000-5,000 cash
  • Excellent value
  • Good availability on United metal

Asia business/first class:

  • 90,000-110,000 points to Asia business
  • $5,000-10,000 cash value
  • Value: 4-6ยข+ per point

Stopover routing:

  • Visit 2 cities for 1 award
  • Maximizes value
  • Great for Europe trips

Verdict: Best airline for international travel, especially to Europe. Star Alliance access is huge.

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4๏ธโƒฃ Air France-KLM Flying Blue - Best for Europe

Why It's Great: Promo awards, good availability, covers Europe and Africa.

#### Transfer Details

  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Transfer time: Instant
  • Minimum: 1,000 points

#### Award Pricing (Variable)

US to Europe (Economy):

  • Off-peak: 21,500-25,000 points one-way
  • Peak: 35,000-50,000 points one-way

US to Europe (Business):

  • Off-peak: 53,000-60,000 points one-way
  • Peak: 85,000-100,000 points one-way

Note: Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing. Prices vary by date/route.

#### Sweet Spots

Promo Rewards (Best value):

  • Monthly rotating discounts (25-50% off)
  • Example: US to Europe economy for 15,000-17,500 points
  • Must book during promo period
  • Insane value when it hits routes you want

US to Europe off-peak:

  • 21,500-25,000 economy one-way
  • Cheaper than United (30,000)
  • Same routes, different alliance (SkyTeam)

Europe to Africa:

  • 12,500-25,000 points economy
  • Good for adding Africa leg to Europe trip
  • Better than other programs

Examples:

  • NYC to Paris: 21,500 points economy ($600 value) = 2.8ยข
  • LA to Amsterdam: 25,000 points economy ($700 value) = 2.8ยข
  • During 25% promo: 16,125 points ($600 value) = 3.7ยข per point!

#### Best Uses

Monthly promo awards:

  • Check every month for deals
  • Book when your route is on sale
  • Can save 25-50% points

SkyTeam partners:

  • Delta, Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air
  • Different alliance than United (fills gaps)
  • Good for Delta domestic if you miss Southwest

Last-minute travel:

  • Sometimes cheaper than United last-minute
  • Dynamic pricing can work in your favor

Verdict: Great for Europe travel, especially during promo periods. Monitor monthly for deals.

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5๏ธโƒฃ Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer - Best Premium Cabins

Why It's Great: World-class business/first class at reasonable rates.

#### Transfer Details

  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Transfer time: Instant to 1-2 days
  • Minimum: 1,000 points

#### Award Chart (One-Way)

RouteEconomyBusinessFirst
**US - Asia**30,000-35,00090,000-95,000120,000-130,000
**US - Europe**30,000-35,00085,000-95,000110,000-125,000
**Asia - Europe**30,00070,00085,000

#### Sweet Spots

Singapore Suites (First Class):

  • A380 with private suites
  • Best first class in the world
  • 130,000 points US to Asia
  • $10,000-20,000 cash price
  • Value: 7-15ยข per point

Singapore Business Class:

  • Consistently rated #1 business class
  • 90,000-95,000 points US to Asia
  • $5,000-8,000 cash price
  • Value: 5-8ยข per point

Star Alliance partners:

  • Book Lufthansa, Swiss, ANA
  • Access to premium cabins
  • Good for Europe routes

Examples:

  • NYC to Singapore Suites: 130,000 points ($15,000+ value) = 11.5ยข per point
  • LA to Tokyo on ANA business: 90,000 points ($6,000 value) = 6.7ยข per point

#### Best Uses

Once-in-a-lifetime splurge:

  • Singapore Suites for honeymoon
  • Best use of Chase points possible
  • Unmatched luxury

Asia business class:

  • Long-haul flights (12-18 hours)
  • Lie-flat beds essential
  • Better than economy for that distance

Star Alliance premium redemptions:

  • ANA, Lufthansa first class
  • Better availability than booking direct

Verdict: Best for premium cabin redemptions. If you want to fly first class, this is how.

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Other Notable Partners

British Airways Executive Club (Good for Short Flights)

Sweet spot: Short-haul flights in distance-based awards

  • US West Coast to Hawaii: 13,000 points economy, 25,000 business
  • East Coast short hops: 7,500-13,000 points
  • Cheaper than United for short distances

Downside: High fuel surcharges on British Airways flights (avoid)

Best use: American Airlines flights (no fuel surcharges)

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Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (Transatlantic Business)

Sweet spot: US to UK business class

  • 50,000 points one-way business
  • Cheaper than United (77,000)
  • Virgin Upper Class is excellent

Example:

  • NYC to London business: 50,000 points ($3,000+ value) = 6ยข per point

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JetBlue TrueBlue (Domestic + Caribbean)

Sweet spot: East Coast to Caribbean

  • Fixed value ~1.3-1.5ยข per point
  • No blackout dates
  • Great for beach vacations

Example:

  • NYC to Turks & Caicos: 20,000-30,000 points ($300-450 value)

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IHG One Rewards (Budget Hotels)

Sweet spot: Budget hotels globally

  • Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza: 15,000-35,000 points
  • Often $80-150 hotels
  • Value: 0.5-1.0ยข per point (worse than Hyatt)

Verdict: Only transfer if no Hyatt in the area.

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Marriott Bonvoy (Largest Hotel Chain)

Sweet spot: Category 1-5 hotels

  • 7,500-35,000 points per night
  • Value: 0.5-1.0ยข per point (worse than Hyatt)

Downside: Devaluations, dynamic pricing coming

Verdict: Only use if you need Marriott specifically. Hyatt is better.

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Transfer Partner Strategy Guide

When to Transfer vs Portal Booking

Use Chase Travel Portal (1.25-1.5ยข) when:

  • Redemption value is close to portal value
  • You want flexibility (can cancel easily)
  • Award availability is poor
  • You're booking complex itineraries

Transfer to partners when:

  • You can get 1.8ยข+ per point value
  • Award availability exists
  • You're booking premium cabins
  • You want hotel category 1-4 Hyatt

Example:

  • $500 hotel: 33,333 Chase points via portal (1.5ยข) OR 20,000 Hyatt points (2.5ยข value)
  • Transfer to Hyatt saves 13,333 points

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How to Search Award Availability

United:

  1. Go to United.com
  2. Search flights, check "Award travel"
  3. Look for "Saver" awards
  4. See availability before transferring

Hyatt:

  1. Go to Hyatt.com
  2. Search hotel + dates
  3. Select "Use Points"
  4. See points price immediately

Southwest:

  1. Go to Southwest.com
  2. Search flights normally
  3. See points price (automatically shown)

Pro tip: ALWAYS search award availability BEFORE transferring points. Transfers are instant but irreversible.

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Optimal Transfer Ratios

Best value (1.8ยข+ per point):

  • World of Hyatt: 1.8-2.5ยข average
  • Singapore Airlines business/first: 2.0-8.0ยข
  • Virgin Atlantic business: 2.5-6.0ยข

Good value (1.5-1.8ยข per point):

  • United international: 1.5-2.0ยข
  • Southwest with Companion Pass: 1.5-3.0ยข
  • Air France-KLM promos: 1.5-3.7ยข

Okay value (1.2-1.5ยข per point):

  • United domestic: 1.2-1.5ยข
  • Southwest regular: 1.4-1.6ยข
  • JetBlue: 1.3-1.5ยข

Poor value (under 1.2ยข per point):

  • IHG: 0.5-1.0ยข
  • Marriott: 0.5-1.0ยข
  • British Airways with fuel surcharges: 0.5-1.0ยข

Verdict: Aim for 1.5ยข+ per point. Use portal if you can't beat 1.5ยข.

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Real Redemption Examples

Example 1: Family Trip to Hawaii

Trip: Los Angeles to Maui, 7 nights, family of 4

Option A: Portal Booking

  • Flights: $2,000 (4 people)
  • Hotel: $2,800 (7 nights at $400/night)
  • Total: $4,800 = 320,000 Chase points (at 1.5ยข)

Option B: Transfer Partners

  • Flights: Southwest 50,000 points ร— 2 adults = 100,000 points (kids fly free with Companion Pass)
  • Hotel: Hyatt Regency Maui 15,000 points/night ร— 7 = 105,000 points
  • Total: 205,000 Chase points

Savings: 115,000 points saved (36% less)

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Example 2: Honeymoon in Maldives

Trip: Business class flights + luxury resort, 5 nights

Option A: Cash

  • Flights: $10,000 (business class)
  • Hotel: $5,000 (5 nights at $1,000/night)
  • Total: $15,000 cash

Option B: Points

  • Flights: Singapore Airlines 95,000 points ร— 2 = 190,000 points ($10,000 value)
  • Hotel: Park Hyatt Maldives 30,000 points ร— 5 = 150,000 points ($5,000 value)
  • Total: 340,000 Chase points = $15,000 value

Value: 4.4ยข per point average

Points needed:

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Example 3: Weekend NYC Getaway

Trip: 2 nights in New York, 2 people

Option A: Portal

  • Hotel: $600 (2 nights at $300/night)
  • Cost: 40,000 Chase points (at 1.5ยข)

Option B: Hyatt

  • Hyatt Place Manhattan: 12,000 points/night ร— 2 = 24,000 points ($600 value)
  • Cost: 24,000 Chase points

Savings: 16,000 points (40% less)

Value: 2.5ยข per point

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer points back to Chase?

No. All transfers are one-way and permanent. Once transferred, you can't get them back.

Always: Search award availability BEFORE transferring.

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How long do transfers take?

Instant (seconds to minutes):

  • World of Hyatt
  • United
  • Southwest
  • Air France-KLM
  • Virgin Atlantic

1-2 days:

  • Singapore Airlines
  • British Airways
  • Emirates (sometimes)

3-7 days (rare):

  • Marriott (sometimes)
  • IHG (sometimes)

Pro tip: Transfer early if booking time-sensitive travel.

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Is there a minimum transfer amount?

Yes: 1,000 points minimum for all partners.

Note: You can transfer in 1,000-point increments (1,000, 2,000, 3,000, etc.).

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Should I transfer speculatively?

No. Only transfer when you're ready to book.

Why:

  • Transfer partners can devalue
  • Award availability can change
  • You might find a better use later
  • Portal value might improve

Exception: If award space is disappearing and you need to book immediately.

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Bottom Line: Best Transfer Partner Strategy

Our Recommended Approach

For hotels: Always transfer to World of Hyatt

  • Best value (1.8-2.5ยข per point)
  • Excellent availability
  • Consistent redemption value

For domestic US flights: Transfer to Southwest

  • Fixed value (1.4-1.6ยข)
  • Companion Pass potential
  • No blackout dates

For international flights: Transfer to United

  • Best Star Alliance access
  • Good availability
  • Reasonable rates to Europe/Asia

For premium cabins: Transfer to Singapore Airlines

  • Best business/first class
  • Once-in-a-lifetime value
  • 5-8ยข+ per point possible

For Europe: Monitor Air France-KLM promos

  • Monthly deals
  • Can save 25-50% points
  • Good SkyTeam access

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Quick Decision Tree

Need a hotel?

  • Is there a Hyatt? โ†’ Transfer to Hyatt
  • No Hyatt? โ†’ Use Chase portal (1.5ยข)

Need a flight?

  • Domestic US? โ†’ Southwest or United
  • International economy? โ†’ United or Air France-KLM
  • International premium? โ†’ Singapore Airlines or Virgin Atlantic

Not sure yet?

  • DON'T transfer - keep points in Chase
  • Research award availability first
  • Transfer only when ready to book

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Related Articles

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*Disclaimer: Award availability, transfer ratios, and redemption values subject to change without notice. Always verify current award pricing before transferring points. Point values shown are estimates based on typical redemptions.*

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card offers on this site are from companies from which CardClassroom receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, but does not affect our editorial opinions or ratings. Our recommendations are always based on objective analysis.

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