When and How to Transfer Credit Card Rewards Points To Get The Most Value

Learn when it’s worth transferring credit card points — and how to avoid costly mistakes that waste your rewards.

When should you transfer your credit card points to an airline or hotel loyalty program? What are your options if you no longer want to pay the annual fee on a travel card you’ve held for years? Hosts Meghan Coyle and Sally French discuss how to get the most value from your travel rewards and what to do when a credit card no longer fits your needs. But first, they break down the latest travel headlines, including free Wi-Fi rolling out on American, Delta, and United flights, how to prepare for the fast-approaching Real ID deadline, a $40 status match deal between Southwest and Frontier, and how demand for international flights and premium seats is shaping airline strategies.

Then, Meghan and Sally discuss point transfer strategies, with tips and tricks on comparing portal vs. partner redemptions, understanding transfer ratios and bonuses, and choosing the right partner based on your destination. Then, Meghan and Sally discuss how to keep your credit history intact when a card’s annual fee no longer feels worth it. They explore how to downgrade a card, when to ask for a retention offer, and what to expect when calling your issuer to explore product changes.

This show references limited-time offers from the following programs:

• Chase Ultimate Rewards® (expires April 30, 2025)
• American Express Membership Rewards (expires April 30, 2025)
• Citi ThankYou® Points (expires May 17, 2025)

For up-to-date offers, see NerdWallet’s list of current transfer bonuses: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/credit-card-transfer-bonuses 

Card benefits, terms and fees can change. For the most up-to-date information about cards mentioned in this episode, read our review:

• American Express Gold Card Review: https://www.nerdwallet.com/reviews/credit-cards/american-express-premier-rewards-gold 

Here are links to resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Real ID Alternatives Travelers Might Already Have: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/the-real-id-alternatives-travelers-might-already-have 
• How Much Are Travel Points and Miles Worth in 2025? https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/travel/airline-miles-and-hotel-points-valuations 
• Sign up for NerdWallet’s new free travel newsletter by April 30, 2025, and you’ll be entered to win a FREE 1:1 travel strategy coaching session: https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel-newsletter 

In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: credit card point transfers, best travel transfer partners, airline point transfer bonuses, hotel point transfer bonuses, how to downgrade a credit card, keeping credit history, avoiding credit card annual fees, travel portal vs transfer partner, how much are credit card points worth, best points redemptions, credit card reward strategies, transfer bonus deadlines, NerdWallet point valuations, what is a transfer ratio, credit card sweet spots, how to book flights with points, hotel loyalty programs, how to book hotels with points, airline alliances and point transfers, free airline Wi-Fi trends, Real ID flight deadline, Points Path Chrome plugin, and award flight search tools.

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