--- title: >- Chase Tricks and Workarounds: How to Transfer Points to Airlines That Don’t Partner With Chase description: >- Book American, Delta, or Alaska with Chase Ultimate Rewards points through the right partner, plus Points Boost and pooling tips. date: '2026-10-01' author: Jimmy Yoon category: Insights - Blog Articles Home tags: - Trip Planning - Loyalty Programs - Credit Cards canonical_url: https://www.point.me/insights/chase-tricks-workarounds-how-to-transfer-points-to-airlines-that-dont-partner-with-chase/ source: point.me license: © 2026 point.me. All rights reserved. slug: chase-tricks-workarounds-how-to-transfer-points-to-airlines-that-dont-partner-with-chase id: 4FiwatvJylLlmM3oDqTTfg contentType: article --- # Chase Tricks and Workarounds: How to Transfer Points to Airlines That Don’t Partner With Chase Written by: Jimmy Yoon **Insights - Blog Articles Home** ![Featured image for Chase Points Transfer Partners](https://images.ctfassets.net/alwdzgjlz5qv/xcjlv5U39wwR0bFeCexiE/674bda333f0c15a86c8e77df82c3069e/chase-transfer.jpg?w=1676&fm=webp&q=75) So you have a stash of Chase points, but you really want to fly Alaska or American. What should you do next? Chase doesn't partner with American, Delta, or Alaska, and you can’t transfer your points directly to any of these airlines. You can, however, still fly all three of these airlines with Ultimate Rewards points by moving them to an airline in the same alliance and booking from there. This is simply an indirect strategy for finding the award flights you want. This guide shows you how to do that, and also shows you some tips and tricks that only work with Chase points, like Points Boost, and points pooling across your accounts. **Chase workarounds at a glance:** - Book American through British Airways or Iberia. - Book Delta through Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic. - Book Alaska and Japan Airlines through Avios. - Check Points Boost before you transfer; this can sometimes beat a partner award. - Lean on Chase's direct, highest-profile partners: United and World of Hyatt. - Whenever you’re planning a transfer, search for award space first, then move your points. ### Explore our Chase hub For more on getting real value from your Chase Ultimate Rewards points, dive deeper into our guides. - [Chase Transfer Hub](https://www.point.me/insights/chase-points-transfer-partners/) - [How Much Are Chase Points Worth?](https://www.point.me/insights/how-much-are-chase-points-worth/) - [How to Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards Points](https://www.point.me/insights/how-to-transfer-chase-ultimate-rewards-points-to-airlines/) - [Current Transfer Bonuses](https://www.point.me/insights/current-transfer-bonuses/) ## What to do when you can’t book an airline directly with Chase’s partners Chase's strongest partners are United and World of Hyatt. Its direct transfer gaps include American, Delta, and Alaska. This table illustrates those gaps, and shows you how to fill them using alternate booking strategies. | **What you want to book** | **Transfer Chase points to** | **Transfer Ratio** | **What to watch** | | American Airlines | British Airways, or Iberia | 1:1 | All these programs have different redemption rates and taxes/fees, so it’s best to compare which program offers the best value to you | | Delta | Air France-KLM Flying Blue, or Virgin Atlantic | 1:1 | Flying Blue usually wins on fees; Virgin for Delta One to Europe | | Alaska (Atmos Rewards) | British Airways or Iberia Avios | 1:1 | No direct Atmos transfers; Avios is cheap for short hops | | Japan Airlines | British Airways or Iberia Avios | 1:1 | No direct JAL transfers; book JAL as a oneworld partner award | | Hilton | Not a Chase partner | — | Chase's hotels are Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott | ## Tips and tricks for using Chase points on airlines that aren’t transfer partners Each of these workarounds lets you book flights with your Ultimate Rewards points, as long as you route those points through the right partner. American isn't a Chase partner. But two Chase partners *can* book American flights: the British Airways Club and Iberia. Both use Avios for their miles currency, and both transfer from Chase at a 1:1 ratio. They also price awards much the same way, so the choice often comes down to fare prices and fees. The difference in prices between British Airways and Iberia usually isn’t significant. However, British Airways is usually the program we recommend you try first, as their website and customer service tends to be better. ### Book Delta with Chase points through Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic Chase points cannot transfer to Delta, but those same Delta flights are bookable through SkyTeam alliance airlines, two of which are Chase partners. Air France-KLM Flying Blue (1:1 transfer ratio) is the workhorse partner: it books Delta-operated flights and usually wins on fees. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1 transfer ratio) should be your second option. It’s best for Delta One flights to Europe, where it sometimes prices business class below Flying Blue, but with much higher taxes/fees. Check both: Flying Blue for breadth and lower fees, and Virgin for premium transatlantic seats. Flying Blue and Virgin have access to different seats than can be booked on Delta's own site, so don't assume there isn’t anything available if you don’t immediately find a seat.  ## Book Alaska and Japan Airlines with Chase points through Avios Chase points cannot transfer to Alaska's Atmos Rewards or Japan Airlines directly, but both are Oneworld partners. That means you can use your Chase points to book them through British Airways and Iberia, which both have 1:1 transfer ratios. Distance pricing means that you can grab short West Coast flights on Alaska for relatively few Avios. Booking JAL with Avios is a solid way into economy- and business-class seats to Asia, though JAL's best premium space tends to open very close to departure.  ### You can’t book Hilton with Chase Chase points transfer to three hotel programs, World of Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott. They do not transfer to Hilton. If you want Hilton points through a transfer, you’ll need to earn Amex or Bilt points. Amex transfers to Hilton at a strong 1:2 rate, and Bilt transfers to Hilton at 1:1 ratio. Keep your Chase points for Hyatt. ## Workarounds that are specific to Chase points There are a few points redemption options that are unique to Chase: a portal feature that lets you save, and a way to combine points across your accounts. ### Check Points Boost before you transfer Chase Travel, Chase's own booking site, is worth looking at before you transfer your points anywhere. Normally your points are worth a set amount on the portal, but Chase has a feature called Points Boost that makes them worth more on a rotating selection of flights and hotels. If you carry a premium Chase card, that boost can make your points more valuable than if you’d moved them to an airline. When it does, your flight often counts as a cash fare and not an award ticket, meaning that you can still earn miles and status. The catch? The boost isn't available on every flight, tickets are less flexible in terms of changes or cancellations, and the offers are temporary. Points Boost shows up on a changing set of flights and hotels, so check for it on every trip. Before you transfer your points, price out your trip three ways: as an airline award, as a plain cash ticket, and through Chase Travel (including any applicable boost). Then book whichever one is cheapest. When there’s a boost available, Chase Travel is often the best choice. If it isn’t available, moving your points is typically the best option. ### Combine points across your own Chase accounts Chase lets you move Ultimate Rewards points between your own Chase cards, and to a household member. So points scattered across separate accounts can pool into one balance before you transfer. This matters for two reasons: it lets you reach a balance you couldn't achieve with one card, and it lets you move points onto the card with the better redemption features, like a Sapphire Reserve's higher Hyatt transfer ratio. Pool your points first, then transfer to the airline. ### Want to see what's bookable on Chase's best transfer partners right now? [Search live award availability on point.me for FREE](https://www.point.me/signup/basic) Our search shows you real deals across Chase's transfer partner roster for the next 60 days. ## Before you transfer: habits that protect every booking These best practices apply to everything above and are common across cards. Don’t skip them or you might waste your points. ### Search live award space first Confirm that the award is actually bookable before you move any points, because transfers are one-way and cannot be undone. Most Chase transfers are instant, though a couple, like Singapore KrisFlyer, take up to 72 hours. Either way, award space sells fast, so confirm the seat availability before you move points. Use point.me to see your options across partners and then confirm on the airline’s website. ### Compare partner, portal, and cash Price the trip three ways: as a partner award, as a cash ticket, and through Chase Travel with any Points Boost applied. Transferring your points is the best option when it costs the fewest points, but using the portal with Points Boost often lets you book a full revenue ticket that earns miles and status. That’s a big bonus. See [How Much Are Points Worth?](https://www.point.me/insights/how-much-are-chase-points-worth/) for more. ### Don't fear a worse-than-1:1 ratio Most Chase transfers are 1:1 but what matters is the all-in cost of the seat, not the ratio. A partner with a low-priced award seat beats a full 1:1 transfer somewhere else. ### Time bonuses around your trip, not the other way around Chase runs transfer bonuses occasionally, but a Points Boost is often the more reliable tool. A bonus only helps when you already have a bookable award in mind. Don’t transfer points with the thought that you might use them in the future on an unconfirmed trip. Check [Current Transfer Bonuses](https://www.point.me/insights/current-transfer-bonuses/).  ### Does your card change the math? For Chase, yes. Every Ultimate Rewards card can transfer points to the same partners, but two things shift depending on which card you hold. World of Hyatt transfers at a 4:3 ratio from the Sapphire Preferred and a 1:1 ratio from the Sapphire Reserve family, so a Reserve stretches Hyatt bookings further. Points Boost offers are richer on the premium cards. If you pool points, move them onto your card with the most features and the most flexibility before you transfer, and make sure you choose the card with the better transfer ratio. ## Workarounds to avoid - Don't move points before you've confirmed that your award seat is available. A transfer can't be undone. - Don't rely on buy-and-return tricks, manufactured spending, or payment games. They put your account at risk and don't help you travel. - Don't assume every airline is a direct Chase partner. American, Delta, and Alaska are not direct partners. - Don't transfer to a partner before checking Points Boost, since portal pricing with a boost is sometimes the best choice. - Don't move points off a Sapphire Reserve to a Sapphire Preferred before a Hyatt transfer, since you'd lose the better ratio. ### Frequently asked questions about Chase tricks and workarounds #### Can I book American Airlines with Chase points? Yes, you can book American Airlines flights with Chase points through Avios. Chase can't transfer points directly to American, but the British Airways Club and Iberia, both 1:1, can book American flights. Check Iberia first for lower fees and off-peak pricing, and fall back to British Airways for wider award space availability. Both price flights by distance, so short domestic nonstop flights are cheap. #### Can I book Delta with Chase points? Yes, you can book Delta flights with Chase points through SkyTeam partners. Chase points can transfer to Delta through Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Virgin Atlantic, which both transfer at 1:1. Flying Blue usually has the lowest fees and runs monthly promos; Virgin is good for Delta One flights to Europe. Search the Delta segment in each and confirm availability before transferring. #### How does Points Boost change my decision to transfer? Points Boost lets your points go further on Chase Travel on select flights and hotels. If you hold a premium card, it can often beat the value you’d find in a partner transfer. Because Points Boost offers rotate often, check for a boost on each booking you make. When one appears and beats the partner price, book through the portal. When it doesn't, transfer them to a partner. #### Does my Chase card change the points transfer math? Yes, Chase cards can change the points transfer ratio. World of Hyatt transfers at 4:3 from the Sapphire Preferred but 1:1 from the Sapphire Reserve family, and Points Boost is higher on the premium cards. If you pool points, move them onto your strongest card before you transfer. #### How do I know when transferring is better than cash or the portal? To figure out when transferring is better than cash or the portal, you can price the trip three different ways. The three ways are as a partner award, as cash, and through Chase Travel with any Points Boost. Transfer only when it costs fewer points or opens up a seat you can’t book with cash. When the cash or portal price is lower, take that. ## The Verdict Chase points don’t transfer to American, Delta, or Alaska directly, but it does have some direct partners – British Airways and Iberia Avios – that let you book American, Alaska, and JAL. Flying Blue and Virgin let you book Delta. Check Points Boost before you transfer, and lean on Chase's powerful direct relationships with United and Hyatt. ### point.me take *— Jimmy Yoon, Head of Points Intelligence, point.me* Chase points are one of the strongest and most established transferable currencies out there, and they're an especially good fit if you like flying Star Alliance. The reasoning is that Chase partners with United, Air Canada, and Singapore KrisFlyer, which pretty much covers you for award tickets across Star Alliance airlines. Where I'd set expectations lower is oneworld and SkyTeam. SkyTeam availability is thin, as you rarely see good partner space on Delta, especially in premium cabins. On the Oneworld side you're largely limited to booking through British Airways Club, Iberia Club, and Aer Lingus AerClub, and while those work fine, partner pricing through them could be better. That's the biggest gap I'd flag with Chase. On the plus side, I'd call this a great currency for flexibility. Points boost features give you real leeway when a flight or hotel that is “boosted” works for you, and the World of Hyatt partnership makes it strong for hotels too. ### Learn more about Chase - [How Much Are Chase Points Worth?](https://www.point.me/insights/how-much-are-chase-points-worth/) - [How to Use Chase Points to Book Flights and Travel](https://www.point.me/insights/booking-travel-chase-ultimate-rewards/) - [How to Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards Points](https://www.point.me/insights/how-to-transfer-chase-ultimate-rewards-points-to-airlines/) - [Do Chase Points Expire?](https://www.point.me/insights/do-chase-ultimate-rewards-points-expire/) - [Current Transfer Bonuses](https://www.point.me/insights/current-transfer-bonuses/) ### Ready to put your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to work? [Sign up for point.me and search award availability across every Chase transfer partner.](point.me/signup/basic) See real deals on real dates before you transfer.