Historically, Capital One miles could only be redeemed at a fixed value. However, in 2018, Capital One introduced transfer partners as an additional redemption option for some of its cards. Since then, Capital One has added more transfer partners, most of which have a 1:1 transfer ratio. In this guide, we will discuss how to earn Capital One miles and provide an overview of each transfer partner.
To earn Capital One miles, you need to have one of the eligible credit cards. Here are some consumer cards that currently earn transferable Capital One miles:
1. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per dollar on other purchases. You can also earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. The annual fee is $395.
2. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on other purchases. You can earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. The annual fee is $95.
3. Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: Earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 1.25 miles per dollar on other purchases. You can earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. There is no annual fee.
For business cards, here are some options that earn Capital One miles:
1. Capital One Venture X Business: Earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per dollar on other purchases. You can earn 150,000 bonus miles when you spend $30,000 in the first three months. The annual fee is $395.
2. Capital One Spark Miles for Business: Earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 2 miles per dollar on other purchases. You can earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. There is an introductory annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $95 after.
3. Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business: Earn 1.5 miles per dollar on purchases. You can earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. There is no annual fee.
Once you have a card that earns Capital One miles, you can convert cash back from your other Capital One cards into miles. This can be beneficial if you want to boost your stash of Capital One miles.
Capital One currently has more than 15 airline and hotel transfer partners. Here is an overview of each transfer partner and the transfer ratio:
1. Aeromexico Rewards: 1:1 transfer ratio
2. Air Canada Aeroplan: 1:1 transfer ratio
3. Air France-KLM Flying Blue: 1:1 transfer ratio
4. Accor Live Limitless: 2:1 transfer ratio
5. Avianca LifeMiles: 1:1 transfer ratio
6. British Airways Executive Club: 1:1 transfer ratio
7. Cathay Pacific Asia Miles: 1:1 transfer ratio
8. Choice Privileges (only U.S.-based accounts): 1:1 transfer ratio
9. Emirates Skywards: 1:1 transfer ratio
10. Etihad Airways Guest: 1:1 transfer ratio
11. EVA Airways Infinity MileageLands: 4:3 transfer ratio
12. Finnair Plus: 1:1 transfer ratio
13. Qantas Frequent Flyer: 1:1 transfer ratio
14. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: 1:1 transfer ratio
15. TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go: 1:1 transfer ratio
16. Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles: 1:1 transfer ratio
17. Virgin Red: 1:1 transfer ratio
18. Wyndham Rewards: 1:1 transfer ratio
Not all transfers to these partners are immediate, so it’s important to check the transfer times for each partner.
To get the most value from your Capital One miles, it’s important to know which transfer partners offer the best redemption options. Here are some of the best Capital One transfer partners:
1. Air Canada Aeroplan: The Aeroplan loyalty program offers fixed rates for most partner awards and doesn’t pass on carrier-imposed surcharges. You can find excellent value on short-haul awards to Canada and international premium-cabin awards.
2. Avianca LifeMiles: LifeMiles offers cheap redemption rates on Star Alliance partner flights and doesn’t pass on fuel surcharges. You can redeem LifeMiles for Lufthansa first class at a relatively low cost.
3. British Airways Executive Club: British Airways Avios can provide significant value when booking short-haul American Airlines and Alaska Airlines award flights. The distance-based award chart offers many opportunities for maximizing your miles.
In conclusion, Capital One miles can now be redeemed through transfer partners, offering more flexibility and potentially higher value for your miles. By earning Capital One miles through eligible credit cards and choosing the right transfer partners, you can maximize the benefits of the Capital One rewards program.