The Transfer Bonuses Worth Your Points This Month (and the Ones to Skip)

A handful of transfer bonuses are live right now, but only a few are actually worth moving your points for. Here is how I rate each one, plus the redemptions that make my two favorites stand out.

The Transfer Bonuses Worth Your Points This Month (and the Ones to Skip)

by Julia Portela

August 7, 2026 Reading Time: 7 min read

There are a lot of transfer bonuses on the board this month, and a bigger percentage does not always mean a better deal. Below I have rated every active bonus from 0 to 3 stars based on how useful it actually is, then broken down my favorites with real redemptions, including a couple I have booked myself.

One quick thing to understand: a couple of these bonuses (like Turkish and Cathay) come from the airline, not the bank, so the extra miles only show up after your points reach the airline, not when you first transfer. I flag those with a ** in the table.

This Month's Bonuses at a Glance

How I Rate Them

A transfer bonus is only good if it gets you closer to a redemption you actually want, at a rate better than your other options. So my stars are not about the size of the bonus. A 70% bonus into a weak currency is still a weak deal, and a 30% bonus into a flexible one can be fantastic. Here is where I would put my own points this month.

Amex to Avios: My Top Pick (3 stars)

This is the one I am most excited about. Amex is giving a 30% bonus to British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus, so 1,000 Amex points becomes 1,300 Avios.

Here is why it is so much bigger than it looks: Avios move for free between British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Finnair, and Qatar Airways. So you are not really transferring to one airline, you are unlocking the whole Avios family.

A redemption I love: you can book Finnair to Vietnam, flying Business Class on Cathay Pacific, for 85,000 Avios, which is only about 66,000 Amex points after the 30% bonus, plus $280.30 in taxes. You just move your Avios from British Airways to Finnair for free.

You can also book flights to the Philippines with Qatar Airways the same way, by moving your British Airways Avios to Qatar for free. I break that process down step by step in this article.

Citi to Turkish: A Business Class Steal (3 stars)

Citi is giving a 40% bonus to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, so 1,000 Citi points becomes 1,400 miles. You do need an eligible Citi card (Strata Elite, Strata Premier, or Prestige).

Turkish is one of the best ways to get to Europe on points. Saver awards start at 65,000 miles, and the 40% bonus means fewer of your Citi points to get there (47k points after the bonus). One heads up: this bonus comes from Turkish, so the extra miles only post after the campaign ends, not the moment you transfer.

I flew Miami to Istanbul to Prague with Turkish and loved every minute of it. They have a chef onboard, and the meal was chef's kiss.

Rove to Qantas: Worth a Look (2 stars)

Rove has a phenomenal lineup of transfer partners, and Qantas is a recent addition. To celebrate, they are running a 50% bonus, so 1,000 Rove miles becomes 1,500 Qantas points. Heads up, this one ends August 14, so it is the most time sensitive on the list.

Qantas opens up a lot of great flights, including Japan Airlines and American Airlines awards. One honest note: Rove also has Japan Airlines as a direct partner, and JAL flights are usually cheaper booked through JAL than through Qantas. So I would use this bonus when you specifically want to fly Qantas metal, or grab a route Qantas prices well.

The Ones I Would Skip

Not every bonus is worth your flexible points. Here are the ones I am passing on:

Citi to Flying Blue, 20% (1 star). For Citi ThankYou points, this just is not exciting. Citi transfers to American Airlines, EVA Air and, in some cases, other strong Asia options at a better value, and those are giants for that part of the world. This one might work if you are set on Europe, but check Turkish Airlines first.

Cathay Pacific, 10% (1 star). 10% is not enough to get points people excited. That said, I have made some really good redemptions on Cathay, to Vietnam and soon Hong Kong, so the airline is great, the bonus just is not.

Chase to IHG, 70% (0 stars). The number looks huge, but IHG points are worth very little each. It is almost always better to buy IHG points on sale than to burn valuable Chase points on them. I explain more in my IHG points post.

Capital One to Avianca, 15% (0 stars). Avianca LifeMiles go on sale constantly, often with a 160% bonus when you buy them directly. So I would not spend your hard earned flexible points here when you can usually just buy the miles cheaper.

How to Earn More Amex Points

Almost every booking I love this month runs on Amex points, especially the Avios deals. So the bigger your Amex balance, the more of these you can actually book. Here are the current welcome offers:

PREMIUM BEST FOR LOUNGE ACCESS

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Annual fee: $895

WELCOME BONUS

Earn 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $12,000 on eligible purchases in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year)

5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel

1X points on everything else

Noteworthy Perks

• Up to $200 a year in airline incidental fee credits at one qualifying airline
• Up to $600 in prepaid hotel credits, semi-annually ($300 Jan to June, $300 July to Dec) on Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection
• Up to $100 per calendar quarter in credits at U.S. Resy restaurants
• Up to $25 per month on select digital subscriptions (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium and YouTube TV)
• Up to $120 Global Entry credit or $85 TSA PreCheck credit every 4 years
• $15 in monthly Uber Cash for U.S. rides or Uber Eats (an extra $20 in December)
• Up to $120 a year in credits toward an auto-renewing U.S. Uber One membership
• Up to $300 a year at U.S. lululemon (up to $75 per quarter)
• Up to $219 CLEAR Plus credit per calendar year
• Up to $12.95 (plus tax) a month for a Walmart+ membership
• Up to $200 back each calendar year on an Oura Ring purchased through Ouraring.com
• Global Lounge Access: Priority Pass (lounges only) with 2 guests, Centurion Lounges, and Delta Sky Club when flying an eligible Delta flight (10 visits a year, more after $75K annual spend)
• Rental car elite status
• Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• Hilton Honors Gold status
• Leading Hotels of the World Sterling status

Enrollment required for some benefits. Terms apply.

Apply Now

APPLY WITH CONFIDENCE

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

PREMIUM BEST FOR LOUNGE ACCESS

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

Annual fee: $895  ·  APR: 17.74% to 28.49% Variable  ·  Credit recommended: Good to Excellent

WELCOME BONUS

You may be eligible for as high as 300,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $20,000 in eligible purchases in your first 3 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Terms apply.

5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com

2X points on eligible U.S. business categories (hardware, electronics, software and cloud, shipping) and on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million per year

1X points on all other eligible purchases

Noteworthy Perks

• Global Lounge Collection: complimentary access to more than 1,550 airport lounges across 140+ countries, the most of any card issuer as of 01/2026.
• Up to $600 a year in prepaid hotel credits ($300 semi-annually) on Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection through Amex Travel (two-night minimum for The Hotel Collection).
• $200 airline fee credit a year on baggage and incidentals with one selected qualifying airline.
• Up to $200 a year back with Hilton for Business on eligible Hilton purchases. Enrollment required.
• Up to $219 a year in CLEAR Plus credits (subject to auto-renewal).
• Up to $150 a year in Dell Technologies credits, plus a $1,000 credit after $5,000 in eligible spend on the Card. Enrollment required.
• Up to $300 a year in ChatGPT Business credits (subject to auto-renewal). Enrollment required.
• $250 statement credit after $600 or more in Adobe purchases per year. Enrollment required.
• Up to $360 a year in Indeed credits ($90 per quarter). Enrollment required.
• Up to $120 a year in wireless credits ($10 per month with a U.S. wireless provider). Enrollment required.
• No preset spending limit: your buying power adjusts with your spending and payment history.
• Over $4,000 in annual business and travel value after meeting qualifying spend thresholds. Terms apply.

Enrollment required for some benefits. Terms apply.

Apply Now

APPLY WITH CONFIDENCE

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Welcome offers change often and some are targeted, so always check the current offer and terms before you apply.

Support Journey on Points: if these breakdowns help you, applying through our links is the best way to say thanks at no cost to you.

Bottom Line

Ignore the biggest percentages and follow the value. This month, the Amex to Avios 30% bonus and the Citi to Turkish 40% bonus are the two I would actually move points for, because they lead to premium redemptions at a great rate. The Rove to Qantas 50% is worth a look if you move before August 14. The rest I would leave alone. And since the best of these run on Amex points, building that balance is the smartest thing you can do for your next trip.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.