Editor’s word: This is a recurring submit, commonly up to date with new data.
Part of what makes transferable factors applications like American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards so nice is the flexibility to transform factors into miles with dozens of airline companions. What makes them even extra enticing is that some issuers supply occasional switch bonuses for doing so.
However, to be able to know whether or not a switch bonus is an effective deal, it helps to have some context. For occasion, a 20% switch bonus to JetBlue TrueBlue would possibly appear to be a good perk, till you be taught that one other bank card issuer was providing a 25% bonus only a few months in the past and can probably accomplish that once more.
For that cause, we thought it could be helpful to compile a listing of all of the airline switch bonuses that the next applications have supplied over the previous ten years:
Which main card issuer affords essentially the most switch bonuses?
American Express takes the cake for providing essentially the most switch bonuses. On our checklist, they’ve the very best numbers of each bonus switch accomplice choices in addition to the frequency of bonus affords.
Capital One and Chase have beefed up their switch bonus alternatives over the previous 18 months, whereas Citi has been the least beneficiant of the 4 main issuers.
Which 12 months has seen essentially the most switch bonuses?
2021 seems to have been the golden 12 months for all 4 applications providing switch bonuses. Still, we’ve seen loads of switch affords since then and are maintaining an eye fixed out for extra affords this 12 months.
The historical past of American Express Membership Rewards switch bonuses
American Express Membership Rewards presently switch to 18 airline companions, resembling Delta SkyMiles and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
Aer Lingus AerClub
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- September 2022: 25%
- September 2021: 40%
- October 2019: 40%
Aeromexico Club Premier
- September 2022: 20%
- September 2021: 25%
- February 2019: 25%
- November 2018: 25%
- March 2015: 20%
Air Canada Aeroplan
- September 2022: 15%
- September 2021: 20%
- December 2019: 10-20%
- May 2019: 10-20%
- November 2018: 20%
- December 2017: 10-20%
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
- November 2022: 25%
- September 2022: 25%
- September 2021: 25%
- December 2020: 30%
- April 2019: 25%
- June 2018: 25%
Avianca LifeMiles
- November 2022: 15%
- September 2022: 15%
- September 2021: 15%
- April 2019: 15%
British Airways Executive Club
- September 2022: 25%
- September 2021: 40%
- October 2019: 40%
- November 2018: 40%
- September 2017: 40%
- October 2016: 50%
- January 2015: 40%
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- December 2020: 25%
- January 2020: 10%
- March 2019: 10-30%
- September 2018: 10-30%
Choice Privileges
Emirates Skywards
Etihad Guest
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
- January 2023: 20%
- September 2022: 20%
- September 2021: 25%
- June 2021: 25%
- June 2018: 25%
- June 2017: 25%
- June 2016: 25%
- December 2015: 25%
- June 2014: 20%
Hilton Honors
- September 2022: 30%
- October 2021: 30%
- June 2021: 40%
- January 2021: 40%
- October 2020: 40%
- December 2019: 50%
Iberia Plus
- September 2021: 40%
- October 2019: 40%
- November 2018: 40%
- December 2016: 50%
- December 2015: 25%
JetBlue TrueBlue
- December 2019: 25%
- June 2019: 40%
- October 2018: 25%
- March 2018: 10-30%
- November 2017: 25%
- May 2017: 25%
- September 2014: 25%
Marriott Bonvoy
- September 2022: 20%
- October 2021: 30%
- June 2021: 40%
- December 2020: 30%
- February 2020: 30%
- June 2019: 40-50%
Qantas Frequent Flyer
- September 2022: 20%
- September 2021: 20%
- February 2020: 20%
- June 2019: 20%
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- September 2022: 30%
- September 2021: 30%
- December 2019: 30%
- July 2019: 30%
- December 2018: 30%
- November 2018: 10-30%
- September 2018: 30%
- November 2017: 30%
- May 2017: 30%
- May 2016: 30%
- April 2015: 25%
- November 2014: 35%
- May 2014: 30%
- November 2013: 30%
The historical past of Capital One switch bonuses
Capital One has improved its rewards program vastly over the previous few years, including new airline and lodge switch companions, together with Turkish Miles & Smiles and Choice Privileges Hotels.
Accor Live Limitless
Aeromexico Club Premier
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
- August 2022: 20%
- September 2021: 30%
- June 2019: 20%
Avianca LifeMiles
- July 2021: 25%
- December 2020: 15%
- July 2019: 25%
- June 2019: 15%
British Airways Executive Club
- November 2022: 20%
- August 2022: 20%
- August 2021: 33%
Emirates Skywards
JetBlue TrueBlue
Virgin Red
- March 2023: 30%
- October 2022: 30%
The historical past of Chase Ultimate Rewards switch bonuses
Although the Ultimate Rewards program launched greater than a decade in the past, switch bonuses have been few and much between. However, Chase has launched extra switch bonuses since 2020.
Aer Lingus AerClub
Air Canada Aeroplan
British Airways Executive Club
- September 2021: 30%
- December 2020: 30%
- June 2019: 30%
Iberia Plus
IHG One Rewards
- August 2022: 50%
- December 2020: 30%
- August 2020: 60%
Marriott Bonvoy
- March 2023: 50%
- November 2022: 40%
- August 2022: 50%
- August 2021: 50%
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
The historical past of Citi ThankYou Rewards switch bonuses
Citi has over a dozen airline companions, together with Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Etihad Guest, and Qantas Frequent Flyer.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
- July 2019: 25%
- August 2018: 30%
Avianca LifeMiles
- March 2023: 20%
- August 2022: 25%
- February 2021: 25%
- July 2019: 25%
- December 2018: 25%
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- January 2020: 15%
- July 2018: 15%
- September 2017: 20%
Etihad Guest
- July 2017: 10%
- July 2016: 25%
- December 2015: 25%
- May 2015: 25%
JetBlue TrueBlue
- May 2018: 30%
- October 2017: 25%
- April 2017: 50%
Qantas Frequent Flyer
- February 2020: 25%
- April 2019: 25%
- June 2016: 15 – 30%
Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- March 2023: 30%
- June 2019: 30%
- October 2018: 30%
- March 2017: 25%
- April 2016: 25%
- August 2015: 25%
Bottom line
Transfer bonuses could make already helpful factors that rather more useful. Before you reap the benefits of one, although, it is very important know whether or not it’s a whole lot, an unusually excessive bonus or one thing prone to be useful to you for an imminent redemption.
If a switch bonus that appeals to you comes round, bookmark this web page and our present switch bonus web page to see the way it compares to previous and present affords. Be certain to analysis concepts about maximizing your factors with the most effective technique potential.
Additional reporting by Emily Thompson and Stella Shon.