Feb 14, 2017, 7:47 am
Last edit by: beltway
This thread is for discussing the mechanics of points transfer: qualifying Chase cards, eligible partners, and typical speed of transfer. For advice on which partner to transfer to for a given travel goal, see Ultimate Rewards - Which airline/hotel should I transfer points to? and the master threads compiled there.
Holders of non-premium Chase UR cards,
Q. What airline or hotel programs can I transfer UR points into?
A. UR points may be transferred at no charge to these airline programs at a 1:1 exchange rate:
ONEWORLD
Transfers to Amtrak were previously available, but ended permanently on December 8, 2015. See Announcement regarding Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Q. Are transfers instant?
A. In many cases, yes, although transfers to at least one partner (Marriott) may take several days. A summary:
Q: After I transfer, when will my miles expire at that airline/hotel program? Is there anything I can do to avoid expiration there?
The Miles/Points that Do and Don't Expire wiki now lists all of the above Chase UR airline/hotel transfer partners and their respective expiration policies.
Q. Can I transfer to another person's airline or hotel program account?
A. Ultimate Rewards rules explicitly permit transfers to a spouse or domestic partner's frequent traveler account, and prohibit all other transfers. On November 13, 2015, Chase announced the further complication (and perhaps additional restriction) that effective November 15, 2015, as a holder of a UR-earning business card "you can only transfer points to yourself or an owner of the company who is listed as an authorized user on your card account." For discussion of this policy statement and its impacts, see this thread.
Transferring UR points from one household member to another's FF account:
If, for instance, you'd like to transfer UR points from your spouse to your United Airlines account, here are the rules: To transfer directly from [her] UR account to your UA account you would have to be members of the same household -and- you would have to be an Authorized User on [her] Chase card account.
Points can only be transferred to yourself, or one additional household member who is listed as an authorized user on your card account. Once you transfer points to an authorized user, that person will be the only authorized user on your account eligible to receive point transfers.
Combining UR point accounts: To combine points from a UR account with your UR account you would have to be members of the same household. Here are the rules:
You can move your points, but only to another Chase card with Ultimate Rewards belonging to you, or one member of your household. If we suspect that you've engaged in fraudulent activity related to your credit card account or Ultimate Rewards, or that you've misused Ultimate Rewards in any way (for example by buying or selling points, moving or transferring points with or to an ineligible third party or account, or repeatedly opening or otherwise maintaining credit card accounts for the sole purpose of generating rewards) we may temporarily prohibit you from earning points or using points you've already earned. If we believe you've engaged in any of these acts, we'll close your credit card account and you'll lose all your points.
Q. I heard that Chase has closed accounts for unauthorized transfers. What's the story?
A. Those reports involve sharing (aka combining) points from one Ultimate Rewards account to another Ultimate Rewards account. Ultimate Rewards rules explicitly permit combining points with a spouse's or domestic partner's UR account, and prohibit all other internal sharing of UR points. See this thread:
Chase closed my Sapphire Preferred account due to transfers to other UR accounts.
Credit card and rewards accounts may also be closed if Chase decides to close your personal or business bank accounts for any reason.
For the pre-2017 version of this thread, go here.
Q. Can I transfer UR points to airline/hotel programs?
A. Yes, but only from a UR account tied to one of the following premium (i.e., fee-based) Chase cards:
Q. Can I transfer UR points to airline/hotel programs?
A. Yes, but only from a UR account tied to one of the following premium (i.e., fee-based) Chase cards:
- Sapphire Reserve
- Sapphire Preferred
- JP Morgan Reserve
- JP Morgan Palladium (discontinued)
- JP Morgan Select (discontinued)
- INK Preferred
- INK Plus (discontinued)
- INK Bold (discontinued)
Holders of non-premium Chase UR cards,
- Freedom
- Freedom Unlimited
- Freedom Flex
- Sapphire (discontinued; different from Sapphire Preferred)
- INK Cash
- INK Classic (discontinued)
- INK Unlimited
Q. What airline or hotel programs can I transfer UR points into?
A. UR points may be transferred at no charge to these airline programs at a 1:1 exchange rate:
ONEWORLD
- British Airways Executive Club (BA)
- Iberia (IB)
- Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) (AF)
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (VS)
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer (SQ)
- United Airlines MileagePlus (UA)
- Air Canada Aeroplan (AC)
- Chase Aeroplan credit cardmembers get a 10% transfer bonus after transferring 50,000 or more Ultimate Rewards points in a single transaction from an eligible Chase credit card to their Aeroplan account. Maximum of 25,000 bonus points per calendar year. This offer was previously scheduled to end on 12/31/23, but has now been made permanent.
- 20% bonus on transfers ended Jan. 15, 2024
- Aer Lingus (EI)
- Emirates Skywards (EK)
- JetBlue (B6) - 25% bonus on transfers ended on Jan. 10, 2024
- Southwest Rapid Rewards (WN)
- IHG Rewards Club - 60% bonus on transfers through March 1, 2024
- Marriott Bonvoy
- World of Hyatt
Transfers to Amtrak were previously available, but ended permanently on December 8, 2015. See Announcement regarding Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Q. Are transfers instant?
A. In many cases, yes, although transfers to at least one partner (Marriott) may take several days. A summary:
- AC: Variable. Generally posts instantly (as noted in this July 2023 post). On the other hand, a report from August 2021 indicated a delay of 72-96 hours and a June 2023 post reflects a delay of roughly 30 hours.
- BA: usually Instant
- SQ: "Most Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer point transfers process within 2 business days." Several reports suggest it takes 24-48 hours, although there appears to be a lot of variation.
Post #128 reports 7 business days; post #214 reports a turnaround of 2hrs 15mins. NOV 2017 - 24 hours - WN: Normally Instant but see posts starting at #451 about delays
- UA: Normally instant, but see this thread: UR to United transfer is not reliably instant
- AF: Instant
- VS: Instant.
- Hyatt: Occurs within a minute or less (numerous reports)
- IHG:
One business day.Instant on 10/30/19. Instant on 9 March 2022. - Marriott: Transfers "will process by the next business day"; actual experience is approx. 2 business days
- Ritz:
Q: After I transfer, when will my miles expire at that airline/hotel program? Is there anything I can do to avoid expiration there?
The Miles/Points that Do and Don't Expire wiki now lists all of the above Chase UR airline/hotel transfer partners and their respective expiration policies.
Q. Can I transfer to another person's airline or hotel program account?
A. Ultimate Rewards rules explicitly permit transfers to a spouse or domestic partner's frequent traveler account, and prohibit all other transfers. On November 13, 2015, Chase announced the further complication (and perhaps additional restriction) that effective November 15, 2015, as a holder of a UR-earning business card "you can only transfer points to yourself or an owner of the company who is listed as an authorized user on your card account." For discussion of this policy statement and its impacts, see this thread.
Transferring UR points from one household member to another's FF account:
If, for instance, you'd like to transfer UR points from your spouse to your United Airlines account, here are the rules: To transfer directly from [her] UR account to your UA account you would have to be members of the same household -and- you would have to be an Authorized User on [her] Chase card account.
Points can only be transferred to yourself, or one additional household member who is listed as an authorized user on your card account. Once you transfer points to an authorized user, that person will be the only authorized user on your account eligible to receive point transfers.
Combining UR point accounts: To combine points from a UR account with your UR account you would have to be members of the same household. Here are the rules:
You can move your points, but only to another Chase card with Ultimate Rewards belonging to you, or one member of your household. If we suspect that you've engaged in fraudulent activity related to your credit card account or Ultimate Rewards, or that you've misused Ultimate Rewards in any way (for example by buying or selling points, moving or transferring points with or to an ineligible third party or account, or repeatedly opening or otherwise maintaining credit card accounts for the sole purpose of generating rewards) we may temporarily prohibit you from earning points or using points you've already earned. If we believe you've engaged in any of these acts, we'll close your credit card account and you'll lose all your points.
Q. I heard that Chase has closed accounts for unauthorized transfers. What's the story?
A. Those reports involve sharing (aka combining) points from one Ultimate Rewards account to another Ultimate Rewards account. Ultimate Rewards rules explicitly permit combining points with a spouse's or domestic partner's UR account, and prohibit all other internal sharing of UR points. See this thread:
Chase closed my Sapphire Preferred account due to transfers to other UR accounts.
Credit card and rewards accounts may also be closed if Chase decides to close your personal or business bank accounts for any reason.
Ultimate Rewards - Airline and Hotel Transfer Partners, Rules, Timelines, (2017 on)
Feb 13, 2017, 10:22 pm
#32
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 756
The available airlines are:
- British Airways Avios
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue
- Korean Air SkyPass
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Southwest Rapid Rewards
- United MileagePlus
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
If you want Alaska, you need Amex points, then transfer to Virgin America, then transfer again to Alaska.
Feb 14, 2017, 10:59 am
#34
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 8,135
Further discussion should go in the KE forum, not here IMO.
Feb 14, 2017, 11:09 am
#35
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Point taken, but in this example I understand the objective is to travel on Emirates, and Alaska drops out of the discussion because there is no relationship between Chase and AS.
Feb 24, 2017, 10:44 am
#36
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BWI
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, HH Diamond, UA Gold, WN A-List, Hertz 5*
Posts: 117
Slow (4 biz days and counting) Xfer to Marriott
Just adding a frustrating data point. I requested transfer of points from Chase Ultimate Rewards to my Marriott Rewards account on Saturday, Feb 18th. Like all confirmation emails, mine had this disclaimer:
I was hoping, based on data points here and elsewhere, that my transfer would be complete earlier this week. It's now Friday, Feb 24th, 4 business days (6 calendar days) later, and still nothing.
I called Chase, and the rep I spoke with said that the transfer is still pending on their end due to increased volume. I asked if it was likely to go through this weekend, keeping with their "up to one week" message. She told me that it's possible, but not likely, given that not much happens on the weekend. She said that point transfers can actually take "up to 10 business days" to go through, and apologized that the email had bad information.
In this case, 10 business days would be 16 calendar days, given the US holiday this past Monday. That's certainly not what I think of when I read, "can sometimes take up to one week."
Update : On 2/27, I called Chase again, who said there was nothing they could do but suggested I contact Marriott. I called Marriott, who basically said the same thing. On 2/28, the points landed in my Marriott account. So 6 business days (10 calendar days) after my request.
Most point transfers process instantly. Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® and IHG® Rewards Club point transfers usually process by next business day. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer point transfers process within 2 business days. Based on travel volumes, point transfers can sometimes take up to one week.
I called Chase, and the rep I spoke with said that the transfer is still pending on their end due to increased volume. I asked if it was likely to go through this weekend, keeping with their "up to one week" message. She told me that it's possible, but not likely, given that not much happens on the weekend. She said that point transfers can actually take "up to 10 business days" to go through, and apologized that the email had bad information.
In this case, 10 business days would be 16 calendar days, given the US holiday this past Monday. That's certainly not what I think of when I read, "can sometimes take up to one week."
Update : On 2/27, I called Chase again, who said there was nothing they could do but suggested I contact Marriott. I called Marriott, who basically said the same thing. On 2/28, the points landed in my Marriott account. So 6 business days (10 calendar days) after my request.
Last edited by EricJay; Mar 1, 2017 at 12:39 pm
Feb 27, 2017, 2:03 pm
#37
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 615
question regarding redeeming UR on Singapore Airlines...
I'm interested in taking a flight on SQ from JFK-FRA in the summer - one way business class. The quoted Saver award redemption (with availability) is 54k krisflyer miles. to use UR, I transfer to SQ, wait a couple days to process as krisflyer miles and then redeem the ticket. Then, since I'm redeeming this ticket on the SQ website, I get a 15% discount for redeeming on top of the 54k? Or is the 54k already inclusive of the 15% discount?
I'm interested in taking a flight on SQ from JFK-FRA in the summer - one way business class. The quoted Saver award redemption (with availability) is 54k krisflyer miles. to use UR, I transfer to SQ, wait a couple days to process as krisflyer miles and then redeem the ticket. Then, since I'm redeeming this ticket on the SQ website, I get a 15% discount for redeeming on top of the 54k? Or is the 54k already inclusive of the 15% discount?
Mar 11, 2017, 11:34 pm
#40
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 756
Mar 14, 2017, 6:33 am
#42
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CGK/LAX
Programs: KF,JMB, OZ, SPG,AA,UA,AS
Posts: 1,163
Mar 14, 2017, 7:12 am
#43
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 623
Called this morning and was told it was being escalated within Chase. Points are "gone" from Chase's system but the transfer isn't showing as complete on their system either.
BA is saying they don't see anything. Redeeming this on a random short-haul flight with plenty of availability 3 months out so I think I'll be fine, but very frustrating.
BA is saying they don't see anything. Redeeming this on a random short-haul flight with plenty of availability 3 months out so I think I'll be fine, but very frustrating.
Mar 16, 2017, 8:56 pm
#44
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 53
Dealing with the same issue currently. Put in my transfer several hours ago to make a time-sensitive booking and still showing nothing on BA. Chase wasn't able to halt the transfer and BA was completely useless. (It can take 24 - 48 hours, give us a call back after then.) At this point I'm pretty much convinced these points are just going to be parked in my Avios account for the future and of no use for the current booking I was considering.
Mar 17, 2017, 6:18 am
#45
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 623
Dealing with the same issue currently. Put in my transfer several hours ago to make a time-sensitive booking and still showing nothing on BA. Chase wasn't able to halt the transfer and BA was completely useless. (It can take 24 - 48 hours, give us a call back after then.) At this point I'm pretty much convinced these points are just going to be parked in my Avios account for the future and of no use for the current booking I was considering.
