Hotel Transfer Partners to Airlines
Sometimes we overlook the fact that there are many methods when earning airline frequent flyer points. One of the easiest ways is staying at one of your favourite hotel brands and then transferring your points over to your airline loyalty program.
Below is a list of hotel brands which allow transferable points to frequent flyer programs:
|
Hotel Brand |
Transfer Partners |
Exchange Ratio |
|
| Starwood Preferred Guest
|
Aeroplan/Air Canada | 1:1 | |
| Air Berlin | 1:1 | ||
| Air China Companion | 1:1 | ||
| Air New Zealand | 65:1 | ||
| Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan | 1:1 | ||
| Alitalia Millemiglia | 1:1 | ||
| All Nippon Airways Mileage Club | 1:1 | ||
| American Airlines Aadvantage | 1:1 | ||
| Asia Miles Cathay Pacific/Dragonair | 1:1 | ||
| Asiana Airlines | 1:1 | ||
| British Airways Executive Club | 1:1 | ||
| China Eastern Airlines | 1:1 | ||
| China Southern Airlines Sky Pearl Club | 1:1 | ||
| Delta Air Lines SkyMiles | 1:1 | ||
| Emirates Skywards | 1:1 | ||
| Etihad Airways | 1:1 | ||
| Flying Blue | 1:1 | ||
| Hawaiian Airlines | 1:1 | ||
| Japan Airlines Mileage Bank | 1:1 | ||
| King Club Miles | 1:1 | ||
| LAN LANPASS | 1:2 | ||
| Mexicana Frecuenta | 1:1 | ||
| Miles and More | 1:1 | ||
| Qatar Airways | 1:1 | ||
| Saudi Arabian Airlines Alfursan | 1:1 | ||
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 | ||
| Thai Airways International Royal Orchid Plus | 1:1 | ||
| US Airways Dividend Miles | 1:1 | ||
| United MileagePlus | 2:1 | ||
| VARIG Smiles | 2:1 | ||
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1:1 | ||
| Marriott Rewards
|
United MileagePlus | 8000:2000 | 112000:50000 |
| Aeromexico | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| Aeroplan/Air Canada | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| Alaska | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| American Airlines | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| British Airways | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| Copa Airlines | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| Delta Air Lines | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| Frontier Airlines | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| GOL/Varig | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| Iberia Airlines | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| Virgin Atlantic | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| Aeroflot | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| AirBerlin | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Air China | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Air France KLM | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Alitalia Millemiglia | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| ANA | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Asia Miles | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Asiana Airlines | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Avianca-TACA | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| China Eastern | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| China Southern | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Emirates | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Etihad Airways | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Japana Airlines | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Jet Airways | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| LAN LANPASS | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Lufthansa Miles & More | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Multiplus | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Qantas | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Qatar Airways | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Saudia Airlines | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| TAP Air Portugal | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Turkish Airlines | 10000:1500 | 140000:35000 | |
| Southwest Airlines | 10000:2000 | 140000:50000 | |
| JetBlue Airways | 10000:1000 | 140000:25000 | |
| Virgin America | 10000:1000 | 140000:25000 | |
| Best Western Rewards
|
Aeromexico | 25:8 | |
| Aeroplan | 5:1 | ||
| Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan | 5:1 | ||
| Asiana | 5:1 | ||
| Southwest | 25:6 | ||
|
|
Aeromexico | 5:4 | |
| Air China | 25:16 | ||
| Air France | 5:2 | ||
| All Nippon Airways | 5:2 | ||
| American Airlines | 5:2 | ||
| Amtrak | 5:2 | ||
| Asia Miles Airways | 5:2 | ||
| Asiana Airlines | 5:2 | ||
| British Airways | 5:2 | ||
| China Airlines | 5:2 | ||
| China Eastern Airlines | 25:16 | ||
| Delta Air Lines | 5:2 | ||
| Emirates Skywards | 5:2 | ||
| Etihad Airways | 5:2 | ||
| Hawaiian Airlines | 5:2 | ||
| Japan Airlines | 5:2 | ||
| Jet Airways | 5:2 | ||
| Korean Air | 5:2 | ||
| LAN Airways | 5:4 | ||
| Lufthansa | 5:2 | ||
| Qantas Airways | 25:12 | ||
| Qatar Airways | 5:2 | ||
| Royal Brunei Airlines | 5:2 | ||
| Singapore Airlines | 5:2 | ||
| Southwest Airlines | 25:12 | ||
| Thai Airways International | 5:2 | ||
| United Airlines | 5:2 | ||
| Virgin Atlantic Airways | 5:3 | ||
| Choice Privileges
|
Aeromexico | 5:1 | |
| Airberlin Topbonus | 5:1 | ||
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 5:1 | ||
| Air New Zealeans | 400:1 | ||
| Alaska Airlines | 5:1 | ||
| American Airlines | 5:1 | ||
| Qantas | 20:3 | ||
| Southwest Airlines | 10:3 | ||
| Spirit | 5:1 | ||
| United Airlines | 5:1 | ||
| Virgin Atlantic Airways | 20:3 | ||
| Le Club Accorhotels
|
Tam Airlines Multiplus Fidelidade | 2:1 | |
| TAP Portugal Victoria | 2:1 | ||
| THAI Airways Royal Orchid Plus | 2:1 | ||
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 2:1 | ||
| Lufthansa Miles & More | 2:1 | ||
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 2:1 | ||
| Air China PhoenixMiles | 5:4 | ||
| British Airways Executive Club | 2:1 | ||
| Iberia Plus | 1:1 | ||
| Qantas Airways Frequent Flyer | 1:1 | ||
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 2:1 | ||
| Airberlin Topbonus | 2:1 | ||
| Air France KLM Flying Blue | 2:1 | ||
| Alitalia MilleMiglia | 2:1 | ||
| China Eastern Miles | 5:4 | ||
| China Southern Sky Pearl Club | 5:4 | ||
| Delta Air Lines SkyMiles | 2:1 | ||
| Emirates Airlines Skywards | 2:1 | ||
| Jet Airways JetPrivilege | 2:1 | ||
| Club Carlson
|
Aeromexico | 10:1 | |
| Air Canada | 10:1 | ||
| Air China | 10:1 | ||
| Air France KLM | 10:1 | ||
| Airberlin | 10:1 | ||
| American Airlines | 10:1 | ||
| British Aiways | 10:1 | ||
| Cathay Pacific | 10:1 | ||
| Czech | 10:1 | ||
| Delta Air Lines | 10:1 | ||
| Emirates | 10:1 | ||
| Etihad | 10:1 | ||
| Frontier Airlines | 10:1 | ||
| Gulf | 10:1 | ||
| Icelandair | 10:1 | ||
| JAL | 10:1 | ||
| Jet | 10:1 | ||
| LAN | 10:1 | ||
| Lufthansa | 10:1 | ||
| SAS | 10:1 | ||
| Singapore Airlines | 10:1 | ||
| Southwest | 10:1 | ||
| United Airlines | 10:1 | ||
| Hilton Honors
|
Aeroflot | 20:3 | |
| Aeromexico | 50:13 | ||
| Air Canada | 10:1 | ||
| Airberlin | 10:1 | ||
| Air China | 10:1 | ||
| Air France KLM | 10:1 | ||
| Air New Zealand | 500:1 | ||
| Alaska Airlines | 10:1 | ||
| ANA | 10:1 | ||
| American Airlines | 20:3 | ||
| Avianca | 10:1 | ||
| British Airways | 10:1 | ||
| Cathay Pacific | 10:1 | ||
| China Southern | 10:1 | ||
| Czech | 10:1 | ||
| Delta Air Line | 10:1 | ||
| Etihad | 10:1 | ||
| Frontier Airlines | 10:1 | ||
| Gulf | 20:3 | ||
| Hawaiian Airlines | 20:3 | ||
| Icelandair | 10:1 | ||
| JAL | 10:1 | ||
| JetBlue | 10:1 | ||
| LAN | 50:13 | ||
| Malaysia | 10:1 | ||
| Mexicana | 20:3 | ||
| Lufthansa | 10:1 | ||
| Olympic | 10:1 | ||
| Qantas | 20:3 | ||
| Qatar Airways | 10:1 | ||
| Saudi | 10:1 | ||
| Singapore Airlines | 10:1 | ||
| South African | 20:3 | ||
| Thai | 10:1 | ||
| United Airlines | 10:1 | ||
| Virgin America | 10:1 | ||
| Virgin Atlantic | 20:3 | ||
| IHG Rewards
|
Aeromexico | 5:1 | |
| Air China | 5:1 | ||
| Air France KLM | 5:1 | ||
| Air New Zealand | 400:1 | ||
| Airberlin | 5:1 | ||
| Alaska Airlines | 5:1 | ||
| Alitalia | 5:1 | ||
| ANA | 5:1 | ||
| American Airlines | 5:1 | ||
| Asiana | 5:1 | ||
| Avianca | 5:1 | ||
| British Airways | 5:1 | ||
| Cathay Pacific | 5:1 | ||
| China Eastern | 5:1 | ||
| China Southern | 5:1 | ||
| Delta | 5:1 | ||
| EI AI | 250:1 | ||
| Emirates | 5:1 | ||
| Etihad | 5:1 | ||
| Gulf | 5:1 | ||
| Hainan | 5:1 | ||
| JAL | 5:1 | ||
| Jet | 5:1 | ||
| JetBlue | 5:1 | ||
| LAN | 5:1 | ||
| Lufthansa | 5:1 | ||
| Malaysia | 20:3 | ||
| Qantas | 5:1 | ||
| Saudia | 5:1 | ||
| Singapore Airlines | 5:1 | ||
| South African | 5:1 | ||
| TAP | 5:1 | ||
| Thai | 5:1 | ||
| United Airlines | 5:1 | ||
| Virgin Atlantic | 5:1 | ||
| Virgin Australia | 5:1 | ||
**Feb 2 Edit: Starwood has added a new Star Alliance partner to their list – Aegean Miles+Bonus at an exchange rate of 1:1.
As you can see, recognizable hotel brands such as Starwood, IHG, Marriott and Hilton have a significant amount of airline transfer partners allowing you to easily manoeuvre your points over to a loyalty program that you frequent. However, with Starwood and Marriott merging, it will be interested to see what changes will come into effect.
Pros and Cons
Although the exchange ratio reveals you may not have the upper hand in this situation, but sometimes exchanging hotel points for frequent flyer miles can be beneficial for the traveler. If you need some quick points to generate enough miles for an upcoming trip, a transfer would be a good idea. From time to time, hotel brands will offer transfer bonus when you exchange in large point amounts.
Your points are about to expire. Sometimes we are busy, there is no opportunity to take a vacation break and accounts are reaching their expiration dates. This would be a good time to transfer your points to an airline partner as this would account for one activity transaction in your account.
Hotel points are about to devalue. No plans have been made for a hotel stay and transferring to a frequent flyer program would give you more value, despite the fact the exchange rate seems much lower when you take that route.
You are not a frequent hotel stayer. You happened to stay at a hotel brand a couple of times, but have no intention of returning. This would be a good indication that you should be transferring your points over to a loyalty program you do frequent so you can redeem your rewards quicker.
Conclusion
The bottom line is, transferring your hotel points to an airline partner gives you much flexibility and options in your choice of earnings. If you know you will need a few extra miles to get you flying on business down the road, transferring hotel to airline becomes extremely lucrative, especially when you take advantage of transfer promotions and bonuses.
You forgot the new Starwood transfer to Aegean Miles+Bonus plan (1:1).
Thank you for the excellent summary. A lot has been made of the Marriott/Starwood merger especially when it comes to transferring hotel points to airline points. When you are a base member of most programs (including Marriott, BW, IHG they transfer at a 5:1 ratio of hotel points to Miles. SPG transfers at 1:1 but you only get 2 hotel points per dollar spent whereas all the programs listed previously give you 10 points per dollar spent. Club Carlson gets you 20 hotel points per dollar spent so 10:1 ratio is the same as the 5:1 ratio at Marriott/IHG/BW. Hilton gives you 10 Hotel points per dollar spent and 1 air mile. Basically they all give you 2 airline miles per dollar spent. As you get Silver, Gold, and Platinum (or whatever the guest program labels it they all go up about the same 15%, 25% , and 50% bonus (ex. SPG 3 points per dollar for Gold and Marriott 15 Hotel points per dollar for Platinum). I am not to worried about the merger because with the Marriott Rewards Program as you exchange greater amounts of hotel points the ratio gets better. For example if you are Marriott Platinum (15 hotels points per dollar) and you exchange 140,000 points (to Alaska, Aeroplan, Delta etc) you get 50,000 airline points. Let’s round this off to a 3:1 ratio so for every dollar spent at a Marriott property (as a platinum member) you can potentially get up to 5 frequent flyer miles. This is actually quite a bit better than the SPG Gold/Platinum as they give you 3 SPG points (1:1 with many FF mile programs so actually 3.75 miles with the 25% conversion bonus with 20K plus converted)