Can You Combine Travel Points From Different Credit Cards?

Travel points, often called miles or rewards, are a form of currency earned from eligible purchases made with credit cards. These points incentivize spending and offer cardholders opportunities to reduce travel expenses like flights, hotel stays, and rental cars. While the concept of earning points is straightforward, combining them across different credit cards or programs involves various methods and specific rules.

Understanding Travel Point Systems

Travel point systems generally fall into two main categories: bank-issued credit card points and co-branded airline/hotel points. Bank-issued points are flexible rewards earned directly from major credit card issuers, such as Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, or Capital One Venture Miles. These programs offer versatility because they partner with a diverse range of airlines and hotels, allowing points to be transferred to various loyalty programs.

In contrast, co-branded points are typically earned within specific airline or hotel loyalty programs, often through credit cards bearing that brand’s name, such as Delta SkyMiles or Marriott Bonvoy. These points are inherently tied to the particular airline or hotel program and are generally redeemed directly with that brand. The fundamental distinction between these two types of points is their inherent flexibility, which directly influences how they can be combined or transferred for travel redemptions.

Methods for Combining Points

One common method for consolidating travel points involves transferring bank-issued flexible points to specific airline or hotel loyalty programs. For example, points earned through Chase Ultimate Rewards can be transferred to partners like United MileagePlus or World of Hyatt, typically at a 1:1 ratio. The process involves logging into the credit card issuer’s rewards portal, selecting the desired travel partner, entering the loyalty program account number, and initiating the transfer.

Some airline and hotel loyalty programs also permit pooling points within the same loyalty program, often through “household accounts.” Programs like British Airways Avios and Air Canada Aeroplan allow multiple members, often family members, to combine their points into a single account for redemption. These programs may have specific requirements, such as members residing at the same address or verifying familial relationships. For example, Aeroplan Family Sharing allows up to eight members to pool points, and any member can redeem from the collective balance.

Transferring points directly to another individual is another way to consolidate rewards, although this is less common and often comes with restrictions. Some programs, like Marriott Bonvoy, allow members to transfer points to other members without a fee, in increments of 1,000 points, up to 100,000 points per year. American Express Membership Rewards restricts transfers to the primary cardholder’s loyalty accounts, with an exception for authorized users on the account for at least 90 days. Capital One allows transfers to any other Capital One cardholder without household restrictions or maximum limits, requiring a phone call to initiate. It is not possible to directly combine points earned from one bank’s credit card program with another, such as merging Chase Ultimate Rewards with American Express Membership Rewards.

Key Considerations for Point Transfers

Understanding transfer ratios is important, as points may not always transfer at a 1:1 value. While many bank programs offer 1:1 transfers to partners like Chase Ultimate Rewards to United or Hyatt, some transfers may result in value dilution, such as a 1:0.5 ratio, meaning fewer miles or points are received. Always verify the transfer ratio before initiating a transfer.

Transfer fees may apply, reducing the overall benefit of consolidating points. Some programs charge a per-point fee or a flat fee for transfers, particularly when transferring points directly between individuals or to certain loyalty programs. American Express charges a fee of $0.0006 per point for transfers to domestic airlines, capped at $99 per transfer.

Many programs impose minimum transfer amounts, requiring a certain number of points to be transferred in a single transaction. These minimums can range from 1,000 to 5,000 points or more, depending on the credit card issuer and loyalty program. Transfers from Bilt Rewards, for instance, require a minimum of 1,000 or 2,000 points depending on membership status.

Transfer processing times vary, ranging from instant transfers to several business days or even a week. While many transfers are instantaneous, others, especially to certain international airline or hotel partners, can take 24 to 72 hours, or occasionally longer. This delay is important for time-sensitive redemptions, where award availability can change rapidly.

Be aware of expiration policies for transferred points. Once points are moved to a partner loyalty program, they become subject to that program’s expiration rules, which can differ from the original issuer’s policy. For example, some transferred points may expire if there is no account activity within a certain period, often 18 to 36 months, or in some cases, as quickly as 90 days.