Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer to 14 partners at a 1:1 ratio.
Most people never transfer. They redeem through the portal at 1.25 to 1.5 cents each. That's leaving 2x to 5x value on the table.
Here's the 2026 transfer partner playbook. Every partner, ranked by value, with the specific sweet spots that justify the transfer.
The Tier List
Tier 1 (consistently 3-6 cents per point): Hyatt, United, Air Canada Aeroplan
Tier 2 (situationally 2-4 cents per point): British Airways Avios, Flying Blue (Air France/KLM), Virgin Atlantic
Tier 3 (occasionally useful): Southwest Rapid Rewards, Singapore KrisFlyer, Emirates Skywards
Tier 4 (rarely worth transferring): IHG, Marriott
The rest are too niche to matter for most travelers.
#1: World of Hyatt (The Consistent Winner)
Transfer ratio: 1:1 (1,000 Chase = 1,000 Hyatt points)
Why it's the best: Hyatt points are worth 2 to 6 cents each consistently. A standard night at a Category 4 Hyatt (think Hyatt Regency in a mid-size city) costs 15,000 points. Cash rate: $250-350/night. That's 1.7 to 2.3 cents per point minimum.
The sweet spot: Category 1-4 Hyatt properties where cash rates are inflated due to events or peak season. I booked a Park Hyatt in Tokyo for 30,000 points/night during cherry blossom season. Cash rate: $1,100. That's 3.6 cents per point.
The other sweet spot: all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva and Zilara resorts. 25,000 points per night for a property where cash rates hit $500-800/night including all food and drinks.
Bottom line: if you have Chase points and need a hotel, check Hyatt first. Always.
#2: United MileagePlus (Dynamic But Winnable)
Transfer ratio: 1:1
United shifted to dynamic award pricing in 2023. That means there's no fixed award chart. Prices fluctuate like cash fares. Sound bad? It's actually created opportunities.
The sweet spot: short-haul domestic awards. United regularly prices domestic economy awards at 5,500 to 12,500 miles one-way on routes where cash fares run $180-350. That's 2 to 4 cents per point.
The other sweet spot: partner airline awards on Star Alliance carriers. United still prices some partner awards on a semi-fixed chart. Business class on Lufthansa to Europe: 77,000 miles one-way. On ANA to Japan: 88,000 miles. Cash value of those seats: $3,000-6,000. That's 3.4 to 6.8 cents per point.
How to search: use United.com, filter by "partner airline" on long-haul routes. Availability is better 60-90 days out.
#3: Air Canada Aeroplan (The Dark Horse)
Transfer ratio: 1:1
Aeroplan gets overlooked because it's Canadian. Big mistake. Their award chart covers all Star Alliance partners AND has fixed pricing on many routes.
The sweet spot: business class to Europe on Star Alliance carriers. 70,000 points one-way in business class from anywhere in North America to Europe. Partner availability on Swiss, Lufthansa, TAP, and Turkish is better through Aeroplan than through United.
The other sweet spot: stopovers. Aeroplan lets you add a free stopover on roundtrip awards. Fly to Paris, stop for 3 days, continue to Rome. Same award price. That's two trips for the price of one.
#4: British Airways Avios (Short-Haul King)
Transfer ratio: 1:1
Avios are distance-based. Short flights cost fewer points. This creates absurd value on routes under 1,150 miles.
The sweet spot: domestic one-ways on American Airlines under 1,150 miles. Cost: 7,500 Avios + $5.60 in taxes. Cash price of those same AA flights: $150-300. That's 2 to 4 cents per point with almost no fees.
Routes that work: NYC to Miami. Dallas to Denver. Chicago to DC. LA to San Francisco. Any short AA flight where cash fares are inflated.
The other sweet spot: Japan Airlines business class. Book through Avios at fixed rates. Tokyo to other Asian cities for 25,000-38,000 Avios in business class.
#5: Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
Transfer ratio: 1:1
Flying Blue runs monthly "Promo Rewards" with 25-50% off award flights on specific routes. These promos make certain routes ludicrously cheap.
The sweet spot: promo economy awards to Europe. During promo periods, US to Paris drops to 21,000-30,000 miles one-way in economy. Normal: 40,000+. Cash value of those tickets: $500-800. During promos, you're getting 2.5 to 3.8 cents per point.
Check flyingblue.com on the first of each month for new promo routes.
The Transfer Strategy
Never transfer speculatively. Always:
1. Find the specific award flight or hotel you want to book 2. Confirm availability and pricing in the partner program 3. THEN transfer the exact number of points needed 4. Book immediately after transfer (Chase to most partners: instant)
Chase points sitting in your account are flexible. Once transferred, they're locked into one program. Only transfer when you have a confirmed plan.
The Math That Matters
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders earn 3x on travel and dining. At 3x earning and 3-5 cents per point on transfers, your effective return on travel spending is 9-15% back.
Compare that to a 2% cash back card. It's not close.
The entire Chase transfer partners page lists current partners and ratios.
The Bottom Line
Transfer to Hyatt for hotels. Transfer to United or Aeroplan for flights. Use Avios for short domestic hops. Check Flying Blue promos monthly.
The portal is fine for small bookings. For anything over 20,000 points, transfer to a partner. The value difference is too large to ignore.
For more points strategies, browse Points and Miles. Keep your watchlist updated so we can alert you when award availability opens on routes you care about.