Best Credit Card Transfer Bonuses for January 2025

As we enter January 2025, credit card issuers are offering enticing transfer bonuses, providing an excellent opportunity to maximize the value of your points and miles. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the best credit card transfer bonuses available this month.

Understanding Transfer Bonuses

Transfer bonuses occur when credit card issuers or loyalty programs offer additional points or miles for transferring your existing points to a partner program. For example, a 20% transfer bonus means that for every 1,000 points transferred, you receive an additional 200 points in the partner program. These promotions can significantly enhance the value of your points, especially when planning travel redemptions. If you want to see how the current month stacks up historically — and whether it’s worth waiting for a bigger promo — our historical transfer bonus tracker logs every major issuer bonus we’ve seen so you can benchmark before pulling the trigger.

Top Transfer Bonuses for January 2025

1. Chase Ultimate Rewards to Air Canada Aeroplan

• Bonus: 20% to 30%
• Details: Through January 15, 2025, Chase is offering a transfer bonus to Aeroplan. Cardholders of the Aeroplan® Credit Card receive a 30% bonus, while all other Chase Ultimate Rewards members receive a 20% bonus. This means transferring 10,000 Chase points yields 13,000 Aeroplan points for Aeroplan cardholders and 12,000 points for others.
• Aeroplan Program Highlights: Aeroplan partners with airlines like SWISS, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, and Emirates, offering diverse redemption options for both domestic and international travel. Standout sweet spots include short-haul North American economy from 6,000 points one-way, U.S.–Europe business class on Star Alliance partners from 60,000 points one-way, and U.S.–Japan business class on ANA or United from 75,000–87,500 points. Aeroplan also charges no fuel surcharges on most partners (a notable exception is Lufthansa in premium cabins), which makes the math on those redemptions especially attractive. For a detailed walkthrough of how these redemptions actually play out on real routes, see our guide to navigating Aeroplan redemptions.

2. Chase Ultimate Rewards to Air France-KLM Flying Blue

• Bonus: 20%
• Details: Until January 15, 2025, enjoy a 20% bonus when transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Flying Blue. With this promotion, 10,000 Chase points convert to 12,000 Flying Blue miles.
• Flying Blue Program Highlights: Flying Blue often offers competitive award availability for business class flights between the U.S. and Europe, with redemptions starting as low as 50,000 miles one-way. Keep an eye on the monthly Flying Blue Promo Rewards, which discount specific routes by 20%–50% and stack on top of a Chase transfer bonus — meaning a 50,000-mile Promo Reward could effectively cost you closer to 42,000 Chase points after the 20% bonus. Flying Blue is also a strong choice for Delta domestic economy (from 12,500 miles one-way on partner-operated routes) when Delta’s own SkyMiles pricing is inflated.

3. Chase Ultimate Rewards to IHG One Rewards

• Bonus: 70%
• Details: Through January 15, 2025, Chase is providing a substantial 70% bonus when transferring points to IHG One Rewards. This elevates the transfer rate to 1:1.7, meaning 10,000 Chase points become 17,000 IHG points.
• IHG One Rewards Program Highlights: While IHG points are generally valued lower compared to airline miles (around 0.5 cents each), this significant bonus effectively pushes their transferred value closer to 0.85 cents per Chase point. That’s compelling for specific redemptions like Kimpton and InterContinental properties, where cash rates frequently exceed $400/night and standard award pricing sits at 60,000–70,000 points. The bonus is also useful for topping off an account to hit a Fourth Night Free redemption as a Premier or Premier Business cardholder. Before transferring to any hotel program, though, it’s worth reading why the Chase Points Boost approach often beats a straight hotel transfer — the same logic frequently applies to IHG unless the bonus tips the scales.

Maximizing Transfer Bonuses

To fully benefit from these transfer bonuses, consider the following strategies:

• Assess Your Travel Plans: Only transfer points if you have a specific redemption in mind. Transferring without a plan can lead to devaluation or limited availability. If you’re still deciding where you want to go, our roundup of top travel destinations with transfer partners from the USA maps common Chase, Amex, and Capital One partners to the destinations they unlock best.
• Compare Redemption Values: Evaluate the value of points in the partner program versus retaining them in your current program. Sometimes, the original program offers better redemption rates. For example, a 70% bonus to IHG still nets roughly 0.85 cents per Chase point — less than the flat 1.25–1.5 cents you’d get booking the same hotel through the Chase Travel portal with a Sapphire Preferred or Reserve.
• Be Mindful of Transfer Times: Transfers aren’t always instantaneous. Chase to Aeroplan and Flying Blue are typically instant, but transfers can occasionally take up to 24–48 hours. Ensure there’s availability for your desired redemption before initiating the transfer — never speculatively transfer, since transferred points cannot be moved back to Chase.
• Stay Informed: Transfer bonuses are time-sensitive. Mark the expiration dates and act promptly to take advantage of these offers.

Conclusion

January 2025 presents several lucrative transfer bonuses, especially for Chase Ultimate Rewards members. By strategically transferring points to programs like Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, or IHG One Rewards, you can enhance the value of your points and unlock memorable travel experiences. Always align transfers with your travel goals and redemption plans to maximize benefits.

Upcoming Offers Await!

As the month unfolds, look forward to exciting bonus transfers from credit card companies. While January’s deals are enticing, keep an eye on the upcoming promotions that could amplify your travel rewards significantly. Here’s a glimpse into transfer bonuses that merit your attention (and for the full rundown of what actually landed the following month, see my February 2025 transfer bonus guide):

1. American Express Membership Rewards to Delta SkyMiles
– Potential Bonus: Up to 40%
– Details: Expected to commence later this month, this chance can substantially enhance your Delta SkyMiles, making it easier to redeem for flights during busy travel seasons.

2. Capital One Miles to British Airways Avios
– Potential Bonus: 25%
– Details: Capital One is likely to introduce compelling bonuses to Avios amid popular travel months, unlocking exceptional potential for short trips across Europe.

3. Citi ThankYou Points to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
– Potential Bonus: 15%
– Details: Anticipate transfer bonuses that could allow you to earn premium award tickets with Star Alliance partners, making lengthy travels more feasible.

Action Steps: Staying updated and acting swiftly can crucially influence your travel experience. Subscribe for alerts, join loyalty initiatives, and plan your transfers wisely to extract the maximum advantage from every bonus opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best January 2025 transfer bonus in terms of raw value?

The 30% Chase-to-Aeroplan bonus (for Aeroplan cardholders) is generally the highest-value airline bonus this month because Aeroplan has strong Star Alliance sweet spots. The 70% Chase-to-IHG bonus is bigger on paper, but hotel points are worth less per point, so the true value depends on the specific redemption. For airline redemptions with cash rates above 4 cents per mile, Aeroplan usually wins.

How quickly do Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers go through?

Most Chase transfers to airline partners (including Aeroplan and Flying Blue) post instantly. Hotel transfers to IHG, Marriott, and Hyatt are also typically instant. That said, availability can change while you’re transferring, so always confirm the award seat or hotel room is still bookable in the partner program before you hit transfer — points cannot be moved back to Chase once they leave.

Do I need the Aeroplan Chase card to get the 30% bonus?

Yes. The extra 10% (bringing the total to 30% instead of 20%) is reserved for holders of the Aeroplan® Credit Card from Chase. Every other Chase Ultimate Rewards cardholder — Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, Ink Business Preferred, Freedom, etc. — receives the standard 20% bonus through January 15, 2025.

Should I transfer points just because there’s a bonus?

No. Transfer bonuses only add value if you have a redemption in mind that genuinely benefits from the boost. Speculative transfers frequently backfire because airline miles devalue, award availability disappears, and hotel points are locked into a single program. Always price out the specific award, confirm availability, and then transfer the exact amount you need.

Is the 70% Chase-to-IHG bonus actually a good deal?

It can be, but only for the right redemption. At roughly 0.85 cents per Chase point after the bonus, it beats the 1.25 cents you’d get redeeming through Chase Travel with a Sapphire Preferred only when your target IHG stay prices at more than ~1.5 cents per IHG point in cash. That’s realistic at Kimpton, InterContinental, and Vignette properties — less so at Holiday Inn Express, where the cash rate is often too low to justify the transfer.