Reading Time: 3 minIn the last edition of Transfer Partners 101, I gave you a handful of tips on the best ways to use your points to redeem for flights and hotels. This included important basics to get you on your way to real value, like understanding the difference between dynamic pricing and award charts, and knowing exactly when to move over your points.
In the second edition, let’s look at some of my favorite ways to redeem transferable points. This covers major transfer partners like Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt. Use it as inspiration for planning your next big points redemption.
I live on the East Coast, so trips to Europe are a relatively quick jaunt — but they’re not short enough for me to fly coach.
I use Air Canada Aeroplan’s distance-based award chart to cross the Atlantic in comfort, where flights from the U.S. to Europe that clock in at 4,000 miles or less in distance cost just 60,000 Aeroplan points on most of Air Canada’s partners.
This includes airlines like Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, and United. From the East Coast, popular routes like Newark (EWR) to London Heathrow (LHR) and Boston (BOS) to Frankfurt (FRA) fall into this price band.
You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One miles, and Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Air Canada Aeroplan.
World of Hyatt is one of the few hotel loyalty programs with a standard award chart. Hotels are divided into eight categories, each with off-peak, standard, and peak prices, depending on when you book. Category 1 hotels start at just 3,500 points off-peak — one of the best deals in any major hotel program.
I’ve booked a handful of off-peak Category 1 stays over the years, usually on road trips or at an airport hotel before an early flight home. One good example is the Hyatt Place Charlotte Airport Billy Graham Parkway, which offered a pleasant stay and a free shuttle to the airport.
You’re not limited to airport hotels, though. You can find Category 1 properties in mid-sized cities worldwide, including the newly opened Hyatt Place Krakow in Poland.
Bilt Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to World of Hyatt.
Alaska Airlines' Atmos Rewards program prices flights within the Americas for as little as 4,500 miles when you fly with partners like American Airlines and Porter. You’ll find the lowest price on flights that cover 700 miles or less, though there are some exceptions to this rule.
For example, one route I fly often — Newark (EWR) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) — clocks in at 719 miles in distance, but still costs just 4,500 miles in economy or 9,000 miles in domestic first class.
You can transfer Bilt Rewards points to Alaska Airlines' Atmos Rewards program (formerly Mileage Plan).
From low-cost domestic flights to high-end business class seats, there’s no shortage of great ways to redeem your transferable points.
These three examples are just a jumping-off point.
