One of the best ways to stretch credit card points is by taking advantage of transfer bonuses. These promotions boost the number of miles or points you receive when transferring to airline and hotel partners, leading to better redemptions. Here’s a breakdown of the best offers for February 2025 and how to use them effectively. If you’re new to the concept, start with our complete points and miles masterclass before deciding whether a transfer bonus makes sense for your goals.
February is historically one of the stronger months for transfer promotions — issuers tend to run offers to nudge cardholders into booking spring and summer award travel. To see how this month stacks up against recent trends, cross-reference our historical transfer bonus tracker, which logs promotions from Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi, and Bilt going back several years.
Chase Ultimate Rewards → Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (30% Bonus)
Promotion Details:
- Bonus: 30% more points when transferring to Virgin Atlantic
- Dates: February 3–17, 2025
- Transfer Ratio: 1,000 Chase points → 1,300 Virgin points
- Eligible cards: Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, Ink Business Preferred, and Ink Business Cash/Unlimited (when paired with a Sapphire or Ink Preferred)
- Best for: Booking Delta One to Europe or ANA First Class
Best Uses of This Bonus
- Delta One Suites to Europe: Virgin Atlantic charges 50,000 points one-way from the U.S. East Coast to Europe in Delta One. With this 30% bonus, you’d only need 39,000 Chase points. Compare that to the ~150,000+ SkyMiles Delta often charges directly, and you’re saving roughly 75% on the same seat.
- ANA First Class to Japan: Virgin Atlantic offers ANA First Class for just 55,000 miles one-way from the West Coast (60,000 from the East Coast). With this bonus, that’s only 42,500 Chase points from LAX to Tokyo — a ticket that typically sells for $15,000+ in cash.
- Delta domestic in Main Cabin: Short-haul Delta flights can be booked from 8,000 Virgin points one-way, which drops to about 6,200 Chase points after the bonus — a strong hedge when cash fares spike during spring break.
- Air France/KLM within Europe: Virgin partners with SkyTeam, so you can also book intra-Europe hops (Paris–Rome, Amsterdam–Athens) for as few as 10,000 Virgin points in economy — around 7,700 Chase points with the bonus.
Things to Consider:
- Fuel Surcharges: Expect $100–$200 in fees when flying Virgin Atlantic metal, but Delta and ANA redemptions have minimal surcharges (typically under $50 in taxes).
- Limited Availability: Delta One seats book up fast—check space before transferring. Use Air France’s Flying Blue site or the Virgin Atlantic search tool to see live Delta award inventory, and call Virgin Atlantic (1-800-365-9500) for ANA seats since those aren’t bookable online.
- Transfer speed: Chase → Virgin is instant in most cases, but occasionally holds for a manual review. Don’t cut it close to the promotion end date on February 17.
Read more about Chase’s transfer bonuses here.
Amex Membership Rewards → Avianca LifeMiles (15% Bonus)
Promotion Details:
- Bonus: 15% more miles when transferring to Avianca LifeMiles
- Dates: Throughout February 2025
- Transfer Ratio: 1,000 Amex points → 1,150 LifeMiles
- Eligible cards: Amex Platinum, Gold, Green, Business Platinum, Business Gold, and any Amex EveryDay card earning Membership Rewards
- Best for: Star Alliance business and first-class flights
Best Uses of This Bonus
- Business Class to Europe: LifeMiles charges 63,000 miles for Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, or Brussels Airlines business class from the U.S. With this bonus, you’d only need 54,800 Amex points. Same seat via United MileagePlus costs 88,000+ miles.
- First Class to Asia: First class on ANA or Lufthansa to Japan normally costs 90,000 LifeMiles one-way. With the bonus, transfer 78,300 Amex points instead. Note: ANA First Class inventory is rarely released to Star Alliance partners; Lufthansa First typically opens 14 days before departure.
- Copa Business to Latin America: 25,000 LifeMiles books Copa business class between the U.S. and Panama or onward to South America — just 21,750 Amex points with the bonus.
- Domestic United flights: LifeMiles prices most domestic United economy awards at 6,500–12,500 miles one-way, meaning short hops can cost as few as 5,700 Amex points after the bonus.
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Things to Consider:
- Booking Can Be Glitchy: LifeMiles’ site sometimes hides award space, so cross-check with United.com or Aeroplan before transferring. If a seat shows on United but not LifeMiles, try clearing cookies, switching browsers, or calling LifeMiles at 1-800-284-2622.
- No Fuel Surcharges: Unlike many programs, LifeMiles does not add high fees for Lufthansa or Swiss flights — total taxes on a transatlantic Lufthansa business ticket are typically under $75.
- Devaluation risk: Avianca has raised award prices multiple times in recent years, often without notice. Only transfer when you’re ready to book.
More details on Amex transfer bonuses.
Bilt Rewards → Avianca LifeMiles (Up to 100% Bonus on Feb 1st)
Promotion Details:
- Bonus: Up to 100% more miles when transferring to Avianca
- Date: One-day promotion on February 1, 2025 (Bilt’s “Rent Day”)
- Transfer Ratio: Varies by Bilt status; top-tier (Platinum) members get double miles, Gold get 75%, Silver get 50%, Blue get 25%
- Window: Transfers must be initiated between 12:00 AM and 11:59 PM ET on February 1
Because status matters here, it’s worth understanding how Bilt’s tiers work — our complete guide to Bilt Card 2.0 breaks down how to earn on rent and mortgage payments and what it takes to hit each status level.
Best Uses of This Bonus
- Business Class to Europe for 31,500 Points: With a 100% bonus, a 63,000-mile LifeMiles award (Lufthansa/Swiss business, U.S.–Europe) would only need 31,500 Bilt points. That’s one of the cheapest transatlantic business class redemptions available anywhere.
- U.S. Domestic Flights on United: 15,000-mile United economy flights cost just 7,500 Bilt points with the top-tier bonus. Even a 50% bonus makes them 10,000 points — still under most sale fares.
- Turkish Airlines business class to Istanbul: 45,000 LifeMiles one-way in business = as little as 22,500 Bilt points at 100%.
Things to Consider:
- One-Day Promo: You must transfer points on February 1—so check award space beforehand. If a seat is on hold with LifeMiles (they’ll often hold for 3 days), you can transfer on Rent Day and immediately ticket.
- Bonus Varies by Status: Lower-tier Bilt members got a 25–50% bonus, making this less valuable for casual users. Paying rent through Bilt at least 5 times in a statement cycle is the standard requirement to earn points at all.
- Monthly cap: The Rent Day transfer bonus is capped at 100,000 Bilt points transferred per calendar day, so plan large redemptions accordingly.
More details on this Bilt promo.
Should You Transfer?
Transfer bonuses are great, but only if they fit your travel plans. Here are examples of when to transfer and when to wait:
✅ Transfer If:
- You found a business class seat on ANA, Lufthansa, or Swiss and need to book immediately.
- You have a high-value redemption lined up, like Delta One to Europe for just 39,000 Chase points.
- You frequently book flights with a program (e.g., you always use Virgin points for Delta flights).
- Your dates are within a couple of weeks — this is the sweet spot for scarce awards like Lufthansa First. Our guide to booking inside the T-14 window walks through exactly when partner space tends to open.
❌ Don’t Transfer If:
- You’re speculating without a specific booking—points are stuck once transferred and cannot be reversed by Chase, Amex, or Bilt.
- Award space is scarce or unpredictable, like Lufthansa First Class (which only opens close to departure).
- A program has devaluation risks—Avianca LifeMiles sometimes raises redemption rates with little notice.
- The bonus is small (10–15%) and you have flexible cash-fare options. A 15% bonus on a program you rarely use rarely justifies committing the balance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do Chase-to-Virgin Atlantic transfers take?
Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club are typically instant, but a small percentage get flagged for manual review and can take up to 24 hours. Never initiate the transfer on the last day of a bonus promotion in case of a delay.
Can I reverse a transfer if I don’t end up booking?
No. Once points leave Chase, Amex, or Bilt for an airline partner, they belong to that airline and cannot be sent back. This is why holding award space first — and only transferring when you’re ready to ticket — is essential.
Which Bilt status tier do I need to get the full 100% bonus?
The 100% bonus on February 1 is reserved for Bilt Platinum members. Gold members receive 75%, Silver members 50%, and Blue members 25%. Status is based on annual Bilt points earned and, in some cases, spend on the Bilt Mastercard.
Is the 15% Amex-to-LifeMiles bonus worth using?
Only if you have a confirmed redemption in mind. LifeMiles has a history of unannounced award chart increases, so speculatively transferring for a 15% bonus is risky. For sweet spots like 63,000-mile Lufthansa business class from the U.S. to Europe, however, the bonus is a solid discount.
How do I find Delta One award space through Virgin Atlantic?
Search on Air France/KLM’s Flying Blue website or Delta.com directly — any Delta One award seat priced at the “saver” level on Delta.com is generally bookable through Virgin Atlantic. Confirm by searching the same dates on Virgin’s site, and if it appears, transfer your Chase points and book immediately.
Final Thoughts
These transfer bonuses provide huge value for premium cabin redemptions, making business and first-class travel much more accessible. The 30% Chase bonus makes Delta and ANA flights incredibly cheap, while the Amex and Bilt LifeMiles bonuses are perfect for Star Alliance redemptions.
By leveraging these bonuses smartly, you can book luxury travel for fewer points and maximize your credit card rewards. If you missed last month’s opportunities, take a look at our January 2025 transfer bonus roundup to see how February’s offers compare — and to spot which programs tend to repeat promotions month over month.
Which transfer bonus are you taking advantage of this month? Let me know in the comments!
What that balance actually books
Earning the points is the easy part. Whether they turn into a seat depends on flight award space, which no transfer chart or earning guide will tell you. Seats.aero searches every major program at once so you can see what your balance books on real dates.
