Flying Blue Transfer Partners: Complete Credit Card Guide
Answer: Flying Blue accepts 1:1 transfers from American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, Capital One Venture and Bilt Rewards. Marriott Bonvoy transfers at 3:1 with a 5,000-mile bonus per 60,000 points. Transfers are instant for Amex and Chase, and take up to 24 hours for Citi and Bilt (Rent Day only).
What is a Flying Blue transfer partner?
A Flying Blue transfer partner is a third-party loyalty program, typically a credit card rewards program, that allows members to convert their points into Flying Blue miles. Transfers are one-way: once points become Flying Blue miles, they cannot be returned. Most US-based travellers earn the bulk of their Flying Blue miles through credit card transfers rather than flying, making transfer partners a critical tool for award booking strategy.
Quick facts
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Try the calculator →Comparison: all Flying Blue transfer partners
| Program | Ratio | Min transfer | Time | Typical bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amex Membership Rewards | 1:1 | 1,000 | Instant | 25-30% |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | 1:1 | 1,000 | Instant | Rare (1-2x/year) |
| Citi ThankYou Points | 1:1 | 1,000 | Up to 1 day | 25% |
| Capital One Venture | 1:1 | 1,000 | Up to 4 hours | Occasionally 25% |
| Bilt Rewards | 1:1 | 1,000 | Rent Day only | 100% (rare) |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 3:1 + 5k/60k | 3,000 | 1-2 days | N/A |
For live transfer bonus offers across all programs, see our Flying Blue transfer bonuses tracker.
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American Express Membership Rewards
Amex Membership Rewards is the largest transferable points currency in the US, and Flying Blue is one of its strongest airline partners. Cards that earn Membership Rewards include the Amex Gold (4x on US groceries and dining), Amex Platinum (5x on flights and prepaid hotels), Amex Business Platinum, and Amex EveryDay Preferred. Transfers to Flying Blue post in 1-2 minutes and a 25-30% transfer bonus runs 4-6 times per year. The Amex Platinum welcome bonus alone (typically 80,000-150,000 points) can fund a Business Class trip from the US to Europe.
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Chase Ultimate Rewards is the most flexible US points currency, and Flying Blue joined as a transfer partner in 2018. Eligible cards include the Sapphire Preferred (3x dining, 2x travel), Sapphire Reserve (3x dining and travel), and Ink Business Preferred (3x on the first $150,000 in select business categories). Transfers post instantly for verified accounts. Chase rarely runs transfer bonuses to Flying Blue, but the consistent 1:1 ratio combined with strong everyday earning makes it a workhorse program. Read our dedicated Chase to Flying Blue transfer guide for the full step-by-step.
Citi ThankYou Points
Citi ThankYou Points transfer 1:1 to Flying Blue from the Citi Premier (3x dining, gas, supermarkets, air travel, hotels), Citi Strata Premier (replaced Premier in 2024) and the discontinued Citi Prestige. Transfers process in batches and can take up to 24 hours. Citi runs Flying Blue transfer bonuses about twice per year, typically at 25%. The Citi Premier earns 3x on a wider range of categories than competitors, making it a strong everyday earner for Flying Blue redemptions.
Capital One Venture / Venture X
Capital One Venture and Venture X cardholders can transfer Capital One miles to Flying Blue at a 1:1 ratio. The Venture X (annual fee $395) earns 2x on every purchase and 10x on hotels booked through Capital One Travel. Transfers typically arrive within 4 hours. Capital One runs Flying Blue transfer bonuses occasionally, but they are less frequent than Amex or Citi. The Venture X welcome bonus (75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in 3 months) converts to 75,000 Flying Blue miles - enough for a one-way Business Class redemption from the US to Europe.
Bilt Rewards
Bilt Rewards is the only major rewards program that lets you earn points on rent payments without a fee. Bilt transfers 1:1 to Flying Blue, but only on the 1st of each month (Rent Day). On Rent Day, Bilt also runs random transfer bonuses (sometimes 100% to Flying Blue). The Bilt card earns 1x on rent (up to 100,000 points/year), 3x on dining and 2x on travel. For renters, Bilt is a no-annual-fee way to earn 12,000-100,000 transferable points per year on payments that normally earn nothing.
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy is the only hotel program that transfers to Flying Blue. The base ratio is 3:1 (60,000 Bonvoy = 20,000 miles), but you receive a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred in a single transaction. The effective ratio becomes 60,000 Bonvoy = 25,000 Flying Blue miles, or 1:0.42. This is rarely the best use of Marriott points, which usually deliver more value redeemed for hotel nights. Only consider this when you have a one-time gap to fill in a Flying Blue award and no other transferable points available.
Strategy: when to transfer
- Confirm award availability first. Never transfer speculatively. Search flyingblue.com for your exact dates and confirm saver-level inventory before any transfer.
- Wait for a transfer bonus. A 25% Amex transfer bonus is the difference between a saver award and a standard award. Check our live bonuses tracker monthly.
- Diversify across programs. Holding points in multiple currencies (Amex + Chase + Citi) gives you flexibility. Each program has different earning categories and bonus cycles.
- Compare with cash. Use our miles value calculator to confirm the redemption beats the cash price plus taxes and surcharges.
- Watch for devaluations. Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing. If you see a saver award today, book it - the same flight could cost 30-50% more next week.
Can you transfer Flying Blue miles to Delta or other airlines?
No. This is the single most common Flying Blue question and the answer is unambiguous. Flying Blue transfers are strictly one-way into Flying Blue. You cannot:
- Transfer Flying Blue miles to Delta SkyMiles (even though both are SkyTeam members)
- Transfer Flying Blue miles back to Amex, Chase, Citi or any credit card program
- Transfer Flying Blue miles to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Korean Air SKYPASS, or any other airline program
- Convert Flying Blue miles to cash, gift cards or other currencies
Once miles are in your Flying Blue account they stay there until redeemed for award flights, hotel stays, car rentals, the Flying Blue shop, or pooled with family members. This one-way rule is why we always recommend confirming award availability BEFORE any transfer.
The one partial exception: Flying Blue miles can be used to book Delta flights via the Flying Blue award portal. You keep the miles in your Flying Blue account and spend them on a Delta-operated award flight directly. That is a redemption, not a transfer.
Alternatives to transferring
If you do not have credit card points to transfer, you can earn Flying Blue miles directly via:
- Flying: 4-9 miles per EUR depending on status. See how to earn Flying Blue miles.
- Subscribe to Miles: Recurring monthly purchases at EUR 0.011-0.013 per mile.
- Flying Blue American Express (Europe): Direct co-branded card earning 1.5 miles per EUR.
- Buying miles directly: Only when discounted 75%+. See should you buy Flying Blue miles.
- Hotel partner stays: Hilton, Accor, Marriott earn 500-2,000 miles per stay.