Credit Card Points Transfer Guide: Airlines & Hotels You Can Book

Credit card points become truly valuable when you transfer them to airline and hotel programs. A 50,000-point balance can be worth ₹25,000 in vouchers OR a ₹1,50,000 business class ticket. The difference? Knowing how to transfer.

Key Insight: Transfer partners turn credit card points into aspirational travel. That's where the real value lies—not in statement credits or vouchers.

Transfer Partner Overview by Bank

HDFC Bank

Program	Transfer Partners
Airlines	Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, British Airways Avios, Air France/KLM, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, InterMiles
Hotels	Marriott Bonvoy, ITC Hotels, Taj Hotels

Axis Bank (Edge Miles)

Program	Transfer Partners
Airlines	Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Etihad Guest, Virgin Atlantic, Vistara CV Points
Hotels	Marriott Bonvoy, ITC Hotels

American Express (MR Points)

Program	Transfer Partners
Airlines	Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways
Hotels	Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors

Transfer Ratios

HDFC Reward Points

Partner	Ratio	Notes
Singapore KrisFlyer	10 RP = 4 miles	Best for Asia-Pacific
British Airways Avios	10 RP = 4 Avios	Good for short-haul
Air France/KLM	10 RP = 4 miles	Europe routes
Marriott Bonvoy	10 RP = 4 points	Hotel stays
Emirates Skywards	10 RP = 4 miles	Middle East routes

Axis Edge Miles

Partner	Ratio	Notes
Air France/KLM	2:1	2 Edge Miles = 1 Flying Blue mile
Etihad Guest	2:1	2 Edge Miles = 1 Etihad mile
Virgin Atlantic	1.5:1	1.5 Edge Miles = 1 Virgin mile
Marriott Bonvoy	5:2	5 Edge Miles = 2 Marriott points
Vistara	Direct	Programme specific

Amex MR Points

Partner	Ratio	Notes
Singapore KrisFlyer	2:1	2 MR = 1 KrisFlyer mile
British Airways	1:1	Direct transfer
Emirates	1:1	Direct transfer
Marriott	3:1	3 MR = 1 Marriott point
Hilton	1:2	1 MR = 2 Hilton points

Best Redemption Values

Airline Sweet Spots (India Departures)

Route	Program	Miles Needed	Cash Price	Value/Mile
DEL-SIN Business	KrisFlyer	62,000	₹1,20,000	₹1.94
BOM-DXB Business	Emirates	45,000	₹75,000	₹1.67
DEL-LHR Business	BA Avios	52,500	₹1,50,000	₹2.86
BLR-BKK Economy	Vistara	12,000	₹18,000	₹1.50

Hotel Sweet Spots

Redemption	Program	Points Needed	Cash Rate	Value/Point
JW Marriott Juhu	Bonvoy	50,000	₹25,000	₹0.50
Westin Goa	Bonvoy	40,000	₹20,000	₹0.50
Taj Mahal Delhi	Taj Inner Circle	Transfer	₹30,000	Variable

How to Transfer Points

HDFC Transfer Process

1. Log in to HDFC NetBanking
2. Go to Cards → Rewards → Redemption
3. Select "Transfer to Partner Program"
4. Choose airline/hotel partner
5. Enter member ID
6. Confirm transfer
7. Points arrive in 2-7 days

Axis Transfer Process

1. Log in to Axis Edge Rewards portal
2. Select "Transfer Partners"
3. Choose airline/hotel
4. Link frequent flyer account
5. Specify transfer amount
6. Confirm
7. Miles arrive in 3-10 days

Amex Transfer Process

1. Log in to Amex India account
2. Go to Membership Rewards
3. Select "Transfer Points"
4. Choose partner
5. Enter member number
6. Transfer
7. Often instant for airlines

Transfer Strategy Tips

1. Transfer When You Have a Booking in Mind

Don't: Transfer points randomly hoping to use them later

Do: Find the flight/hotel you want, then transfer exact amount needed

Why: Programs devalue over time; transferred points may lose value

2. Know Your Point Values

Points Type	Minimum Value	Good Value	Great Value
HDFC RP	₹0.25/pt	₹0.40/pt	₹0.60+/pt
Axis Edge Miles	₹0.50/mile	₹0.75/mile	₹1.00+/mile
Amex MR	₹0.30/pt	₹0.50/pt	₹0.80+/pt

If redemption gives less than "minimum value," use vouchers instead.

3. Target Business/First Class

Economy redemptions rarely beat cash prices. Premium cabins is where the value multiplies:

Class	Typical Value Multiplier
Economy	0.8-1.2x (often worse than cash)
Premium Economy	1.0-1.5x
Business	1.5-3.0x
First	2.0-5.0x

4. Watch for Transfer Bonuses

Banks occasionally run 20-50% transfer bonuses:

• HDFC: 25% extra on KrisFlyer transfers (periodic)
• Amex: 30% extra to Marriott (annual promotions)

Strategy: Accumulate points, wait for bonus, then transfer.

Partner Program Basics

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Best For: Southeast Asia, Australia, USA (Star Alliance)

Benefit	Details
Award chart	Distance-based
Sweet spots	Regional business class
Miles expiry	3 years
Booking	Online, 355 days out

British Airways Avios

Best For: Short-haul, Middle East (Oneworld)

Benefit	Details
Award chart	Distance-based
Sweet spots	Flights under 2,000 miles
Avios expiry	36 months (keep active)
Booking	Online + phone

Air France/KLM Flying Blue

Best For: Europe (SkyTeam)

Benefit	Details
Award chart	Dynamic pricing
Sweet spots	Promo Rewards (monthly deals)
Miles expiry	24 months (keep active)
Booking	Online

Marriott Bonvoy

Best For: Aspirational hotel stays

Benefit	Details
Categories	1-8 (free night awards)
Sweet spots	Category 5-6 properties
Points expiry	24 months (keep active)
5th night free	Book 4 nights, get 5th free

Sample Redemption Scenarios

Scenario 1: HDFC Infinia Holder

Points Balance: 200,000 RP

Option A: Amazon vouchers = ₹50,000

Option B: Transfer to KrisFlyer (80,000 miles) = Singapore Business RT (₹2L value)

Winner: Option B (4x the value)

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Scenario 2: Axis Magnus Holder

Edge Miles Balance: 150,000

Option A: ITC vouchers = ₹45,000

Option B: Transfer to Flying Blue (75,000 miles) = Paris Business RT (₹2.5L value)

Winner: Option B (5.5x the value)

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Scenario 3: Moderate Balance

Points: 50,000 HDFC RP

Option A: ₹12,500 vouchers

Option B: 20,000 KrisFlyer = BLR-SIN Economy RT (₹25,000 value)

Winner: Option B (2x value)

Common Mistakes

1. Transferring without a plan - Points stuck in airline programs can devalue
2. Chasing economy redemptions - Often cheaper to pay cash
3. Ignoring taxes and fees - Some "free" tickets have ₃0k+ in fees
4. Missing transfer bonuses - 25-50% extra miles left on table
5. Not checking award availability first - Transfer then find no seats

Award Availability Tips

Best Times to Find Awards

• 330+ days before travel (as soon as released)
• 2-4 weeks before travel (last-minute releases)
• Tuesdays and Wednesdays typically better

Tools to Use

• Google Flights (cash price comparison)
• ExpertFlyer (award availability alerts)
• AwardLogic (search multiple programs)
• Points.com (transfer rate tracking)

Next Steps

1. Know your points balance - Check all card accounts
2. Pick a redemption goal - Where do you want to go?
3. Research award availability - Can you actually book it?
4. Calculate value - Is transfer worth more than vouchers?
5. Watch for bonuses - Subscribe to bank emails
6. Transfer and book - Don't let transferred miles sit idle

Transfer partners are what separate credit card enthusiasts from casual users. A flight that costs ₹2 lakh in cash for 80,000 points is the dream—and it's achievable with the right strategy.