The 38 Best Ways To Redeem Capital One Miles [For Max Value]

- UPDATED: July 31, 2022 |

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Capital One continues to make headlines in the points game by announcing a slew of new transfer partners for its miles and adjusting ratios for some partners to be even more beneficial. With more banks than ever offering transferable points and miles, it’s now vital to understand the best ways to redeem these different currencies.

Previously, you could only redeem Capital One miles at 1 cent per mile — but now you can get tons more value by transferring to airline or hotel partners for your award redemptions.

This guide is an absolute must-read before you do anything with your Capital One miles, as we’ll focus on demonstrating the value you can get from transferring Capital One miles to airline and hotel partners.

The other way to redeem is as a statement credit (towards a travel purchase) at 1 cent per point — in other words, if you redeem 50,000 miles, you would receive a $500 travel statement credit.

As we will illustrate below, there are now tons of ways to get significantly better value than that.

Let’s get to it!

Table of contents

Earn Capital One Miles
Transfer Capital One Miles to Airline and Hotel Partners
The 38 Best Ways To Use Capital One Miles
Other Transfer Partners
How To Transfer Your Capital One Miles to Transfer Partners
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

Earn Capital One Miles
Transfer Capital One Miles to Airline and Hotel Partners
The 38 Best Ways To Use Capital One Miles
Other Transfer Partners
How To Transfer Your Capital One Miles to Transfer Partners
Final Thoughts

Earn Capital One Miles

This option for redeeming miles has many adventurers and points enthusiasts very excited!

Currently, you can earn Capital One miles from a handful of different credit cards:

Recommended Capital One Cards

Business Owner? Check out our article on the best Capital One business cards that earn Capital One miles.

Transfer Capital One Miles to Airline and Hotel Partners

Capital One currently has a number of airline and hotel transfer partners. Depending on which transfer partner you use, your Capital One miles will transfer at a 2:1, 2:1.5, or 1:1 ratio.

Remember that transfers cannot be undone, so you will need to be certain of your travel plans and award availability before committing.

With Capital One’s transfer partners, you will actually have access to all 3 major airline alliances: Star Alliance, Oneworld, and SkyTeam.

Also, don’t bet on these transfer partners being the only ones — Capital One has been slowly adding more partners over time.

In addition, you will have access to some interesting airlines that don’t partner with any other currency besides Marriott Bonvoy, including Finnair Plus!

Without further ado, here are the Capital One miles transfer partners:

Capital One Transfer Partner	Minimum Transfer	Transfer Ratio (CapOne > Airline/Hotel)	Transfer Time
ALL - Accor Live Limitless	1,000	2:1	Up to 36 hours
Aeromexico Club Premier	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Air Canada Aeroplan	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Avianca LifeMiles	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
British Airways Avios	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles	1,000	1:1	Up to 36 hours
Choice Privileges	1,000	1:1	Up to 24 hours
Emirates Skywards	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Etihad Guest	1,000	1:1	Up to 36 hours
EVA Infinity MileageLands	1,000	2:1.5	Up to 36 hours
Finnair Plus	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Qantas Frequent Flyer	1,000	1:1	Up to 36 hours
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer	1,000	1:1	Up to 36 hours
TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go	1,000	1:1	Almost Instant
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles	1,000	1:1	Up to 24 hours
Virgin Red	1,000	1:1	Unknown
Wyndham Rewards	1,000	1:1	Instant

The 38 Best Ways To Use Capital One Miles

As we talked about above, there are 2 main ways to use Capital One miles:

Statement credit for travel purchases at 1 cent per point
Transfer to airline partners for up to 20 cents per point!

There’s greater flexibility with using the statement credit option since you don’t need to search for award availability and deal with calling airlines and such.

You can technically transfer your Capital One miles to hotel partners, but we don’t recommend this approach due to the low value you will get from hotel partners.

But we’re going to focus on the second method, which will definitely multiply the value you get out of your miles. Your miles are precious, and we should treat them as such!

1. Fly Lufthansa First Class Without Surcharges to Europe (87,000 Miles Transferred to LifeMiles)

Lufthansa Airbus A380 First Class Seat — Lufthansa first class is an awe-inspiring first class product. Image Credit: Greg Stone

Lufthansa first class is, rightfully, on the top of many travelers’ bucket lists. But if you’ve done any research or have experience in award travel to Europe, you’ll know that there are tons of fuel surcharges on flights to Europe.

These fuel surcharges are often deal-breakers for award travelers, because what’s the point of using your miles if you have to pay ~$1,500 on top of that? The way around this is to use a frequent flyer program that doesn’t pass on fuel surcharges.

Since Lufthansa is quite an aspirational first class product, the biggest challenge is in finding award availability.

Remember that Lufthansa first class almost never releases award availability to its partners more than 15 days in advance. This means planning ahead can be difficult.

Here are some example routes you can fly that generally has good availability. All prices are 87,000 Capital One miles one-way transferred to Avianca LifeMiles, plus $31 in taxes and fees:

Chicago (ORD) – Frankfurt (FRA)
New York (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA)
Newark (EWR) – Frankfurt (FRA)

2. Fly Etihad Business Class Without Surcharges to Abu Dhabi (82,500 Miles Transferred to Air Canada)

Etihad Airways Airbus A380 Business Studio Seat — Etihad Airways Airbus A380 Business Studio seat. Image Credit: Greg Stone

Moving your Capital One miles to Air Canada is an excellent way to fly Etihad’s business class between New York and Abu Dhabi.

By transferring 82,500 Capital One miles to your Air Canada account, you’ll end up with 82,500 Aeroplan points — the exact amount you need for your booking! Better yet, Air Canada does not pass on carrier-imposed surcharges on flights with Etihad.

Here are 2 example routes you can take:

London (LHR) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) for 45,000 Capital One miles + ~$45 in taxes and fees
New York (JFK) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) for 82,500 Capital One miles + ~$45 in taxes and fees

3. Fly SWISS Business Class to Europe (63,000 Miles Transferred to LifeMiles)

Swiss Air Business Class — SWISS business class is chic and luxurious. Image Credit: SWISS

Using Avianca LifeMiles is fantastic, especially for Star Alliance redemptions to Europe. It’s one of the only ways to avoid fuel surcharges and still pay reasonable mileage prices to fly to Europe.

Flying on one-way in SWISS business class is another solid way to use your Capital One miles. By transferring just 63,000 Capital One miles to Avianca LifeMiles, you’ll be able to fly from the U.S. to Europe!

Your total taxes and fees will be around $31, which is an excellent way to save big for business class flights to Europe.

Here are some example routes you can take. All prices are 63,000 Capital One miles one-way transferred to Avianca LifeMiles, plus $31 in taxes and fees:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Zurich (ZRH)
Miami (MIA) – Zurich (ZRH)
New York (JFK) – Geneva (GVA)

4. Fly Transcontinental Business Class in the U.S. on United Airlines (25,000 Miles Transferred to LifeMiles)

United Polaris 787-10. Image Credit: Stephen Au

Another fantastic way to use Capital One miles is for transcontinental business-class flights in the U.S. on United Airlines.

Since United has moved away from first class on flagship products in favor of its Polaris business class, award travelers now benefit from business class pricing for award flights.

By transferring 25,000 Capital One miles to LifeMiles, you’ll have enough for a one-way business class flight on United Airlines.

Here are the route options we’re talking about:

New York (JFK) – Los Angeles (LAX) for 25,000 Capital One miles + ~$31 in taxes and fees
New York (JFK) – San Francisco (SFO) for 25,000 Capital One miles + ~$31 in taxes and fees
Newark (EWR) – Los Angeles (LAX) for 25,000 Capital One miles + ~$31 in taxes and fees
Newark (EWR) – San Francisco (SFO) for 25,000 Capital One miles + ~$31 in taxes and fees

Hot Tip: This is a fantastic way to try out United Airlines’ brand-new flagship Polaris product on the 787-10. Be sure to book your Polaris flight with the newest widebody seats, direct aisle access, and lie-flat capabilities, or you may be sorely disappointed.

5. Fly to Africa in Business Class on United (78,000 Miles Transferred to LifeMiles)

United Polaris 767-300 — United Polaris class. Image Credit: Chris Hassan

For those interested in travel to Africa, you can rejoice to know that United flies its Polaris class product with direct aisle access, fully lie-flat seats, excellent service, and loads of privacy from Washington, D.C. and Newark!

Here’s the route we are talking about:

Newark (EWR) – Cape Town (CPT) one-way in business class on United Airlines for 78,000 Capital One miles transferred to Avianca LifeMiles, plus $31 in taxes and fees
Newark (EWR) – Johannesburg (JNB) one-way in business class on United Airlines for 78,000 Capital One miles transferred to Avianca LifeMiles, plus $31 in taxes and fees
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Accra (ACC) one-way in business class on United Airlines for 78,000 Capital One miles transferred to Avianca LifeMiles, plus $31 in taxes and fees

6. Fly From Tokyo to New Zealand in Business Class on Air New Zealand (40,000 Miles Transferred to LifeMiles)

Air New Zealand Business Class — Air New Zealand business class. Image Credit: Air New Zealand

Yet another great use of Capital One miles is for flights between North Asia and Australia or New Zealand.

Air New Zealand is an exotic airline that offers a fantastic business class product. You can expect locally-inspired cuisine, a fantastic reverse herringbone layout, totally lie-flat seats, and warm service throughout the flight.

How much is this 10- to 11-hour flight? Only 40,000 Capital One miles transferred to LifeMiles! Here’s a great example route you can take:

Tokyo (NRT) – Auckland (AKL) one-way in business class on Air New Zealand for 40,000 Capital One miles transferred to Avianca LifeMiles, plus $31 in taxes and fees

Hot Tip: The challenge here will be in finding award availability, but it tends to be much better for Air New Zealand flights outside the U.S.

7. Fly From Tokyo to Australia in Business Class on ANA (40,000 Miles Transferred to LifeMiles)

ANA Business Class Seat — ANA business class. Image Credit: Stephen Au

Good news: the same price is valid for flights in the other direction! If you’ve already tried Air New Zealand, you will be pleased to find out that ANA also offers flights between Japan and Australia.

Of course, this slightly shorter flight of ~9 to 10 hours will cost the same as flights to New Zealand! Here’s an example route that you can take:

Tokyo (HND) – Sydney (SYD) one-way in business class on ANA for 40,000 Capital One miles transferred to Avianca LifeMiles plus $31 in taxes and fees

8. Fly From Tokyo to Hong Kong in Business Class on ANA (22,500 Miles Transferred to LifeMiles)

ANA Business Class — This lie-flat ANA business class seat can be yours with some planning! Image Credit: Stephen Au

Let’s pivot for a second to another little-known sweet spot: business class flights within North Asia.

When using LifeMiles, you can fly an astonishing 5 to 6 hours on Star Alliance flights within this region for only 22,500 Capital One miles!

Here’s an example route you can take:

Tokyo (NRT) – Hong Kong (HKG) one-way in business class on ANA for 22,500 Capital One miles transferred to Avianca LifeMiles, plus $31 in taxes and fees

Bottom Line: This is a phenomenal redemption — you’ll be able to spend over 5 hours in a completely lie-flat business class seat for only 22,500 Capital One miles!

9. Fly From Bangkok to New Zealand in Business Class on THAI (40,000 Miles Transferred to LifeMiles)

Thai Airways A380 Silk Class — Thai Airways business class. Image Credit: Thai Airways

The last couple of Capital One mile redemptions with Avianca LifeMiles we’ll discuss are from Southeast Asia to Australia or New Zealand.

We love THAI here because it has a phenomenal hospitality record, particularly in business and first class. However, we wouldn’t normally suggest THAI for business class flights, seeing as how the seating arrangement is typically bizarre and lackluster.

But it’s a totally different story on its 787-9 to Auckland. Great LifeMiles prices coupled with the fact that it’s flying some new business class seats on routes between Bangkok and the South Pacific, and we’d be doing a disservice if we didn’t discuss this.

Thai Airways is flying its brand new 787-9 on some flights between Bangkok (BKK) and Auckland (AKL). This 11- to 12-hour flight in amazing reverse-herringbone business class seats with superb service will run you only 40,000 Capital One miles!

Bangkok (BKK) – Auckland (AKL) one-way in business class on THAI for 40,000 Capital One miles transferred to Avianca LifeMiles, plus $31 in taxes and fees

10. Fly to Hong Kong in American Airlines Flagship Business Class (55,000 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)

American Airlines 787-9 Flagship Business Class seat 4L rear view — American Airlines 787-9 Flagship Business class. Image Credit: Stephen Au

Now we’ll begin discussing transferring your Capital One miles to Etihad Guest. There are a bunch of ways to use Etihad Guest Miles for maximum value.

We’re going to begin this discussion by using Etihad Guest miles to book business and first class flights on American Airlines. American Airlines operates its Flagship Business and Flagship First class on select routes from its main hubs, and one of its focus cities is Hong Kong.

You can fly from Los Angeles to Hong Kong for 55,000 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest.

Here, you can expect one of the best business class hard products out there in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone seat (taxes and fees are very low, too!).

Here’s the route we’re talking about:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Hong Kong (HKG) one-way in Flagship Business class on American Airlines for 55,000 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest, plus ~$87 in taxes and fees

Hot Tip: Be sure to try the American Airlines Flagship Lounge at LAX!

11. Fly to Hong Kong in American Airlines Flagship First Class (67,500 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)

American Airlines Flagship First Class A321T — American Airlines Flagship First class A321T. Image Credit: Stephen Au

We consider American Airlines to have one of the best business class hard products. In first class, the cabin is much more private and service is a bit more refined — but we think the biggest perk of flying AA’s Flagship First class is the ability to access the Flagship Lounge and Flagship First Dining!

This might seem trivial, but these lounges are reputed to be among the best in the world (which is saying a lot for a U.S.-based airline in the face of competition from the likes of Singapore, Emirates, etc.).

Flying to Hong Kong is possible on AA from 2 cities: Los Angeles (LAX) and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW). AA operates the same exact aircraft, so the experience will be consistent.

First class will run at 67,500 Etihad Guest miles transferred from Capital One miles.

Here’s the example route we’re talking about:

Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Hong Kong (HKG) one-way in Flagship First class on American Airlines for 67,500 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest, plus ~$87 in taxes and fees

12. Fly to Europe in American Airlines Flagship Business Class (50,000 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)

American Airlines business class 777 — Etihad provides better redemption rates for business and first-class on American Airlines. Image Credit: American Airlines

Want to fly on AA’s Flagship 777 somewhere else besides Hong Kong?

You’re in luck! AA also flies the 777 from Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR).

As usual, we always suggest business class on AA over first class, simply because the hard product is excellent and you don’t have to shell out very much to try it.

Award availability is very sparse on this flight, as is the case for many of AA’s Flagship products. Here’s what you’re looking at for this redemption:

Los Angeles (LAX) – London (LHR) one-way in Flagship Business class on American Airlines for 50,000 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest, plus ~$28 in taxes and fees

13. Fly to Europe in American Airlines Flagship First Class (62,500 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)

American Airlines First Class — American Airlines Flagship First class. Image Credit: American Airlines

If you’re intrigued by the idea of flying on the same route as above in first class, then we have some good news. The Etihad Guest award chart for flights on AA continues to amaze us. Why? Because you can fly to London from Los Angeles in first class for not much more than business class!

The cabin is only 8 seats spread across 2 rows in a 1-2-1 configuration, so it’s ridiculously private.

On the flip side, award availability for 2 passengers is nearly impossible to find. Availability for 1 passenger is significantly more doable. Nevertheless, if you’re able to find it, you might want to book now and figure everything out later.

Here’s a great example redemption:

Los Angeles (LAX) – London (LHR) one-way in Flagship First class on American Airlines for 62,500 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest, plus ~$28 in taxes and fees

14. Fly to Brazil in American Airlines Flagship Business Class (50,000 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)

American Airlines 777 Flagship Business Class rear facing seat — American also flies Flagship on the 777 from Miami to Brazil. Image Credit: Chris Hassan

Thinking of more exotic destinations? How about a place like South America?

Booking with Etihad Guest miles on AA flights is still a great use of your Capital One miles. Currently, American Airlines operates a Flagship 777 from New York to São Paulo.

This ~10-hour flight is quite a journey. Here are the route details:

New York (JFK) – São Paulo (GRU) one-way in Flagship Business class on American Airlines for 50,000 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest, plus ~$28 in taxes and fees

Hot Tip: Despite having the same Flagship products, award availability is much better on flights to/from South America than, say, London or Hong Kong.

15. Fly to Argentina in American Airlines Flagship First Class (62,500 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)

American Airlines Admirals Club at Orlando MCO bar stools — Enjoy access to Admirals Clubs and Flagship Lounges when you fly Flagship First class. Image Credit: Chris Hassan

If you want to fly to Argentina, you can also fly AA’s Flagship First class. Here’s a great example:

Miami (MIA) – Buenos Aires (EZE) one-way in Flagship First class on American Airlines for 62,500 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest, plus ~$28 in taxes and fees

Hot Tip: Be sure to check out our step-by-step guides for booking American Airlines business or first class!

16. Fly to New Zealand in Business Class on American Airlines (62,500 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)

American Airlines 787-9 Business Class — Fly American Airlines’ 787-9 in business class to New Zealand! Image Credit: Stephen Au

American Airlines is one of the world’s biggest airlines in terms of many metrics, including the number of planes flown.

Its fantastic long-haul network is not limited to Hong Kong, London, Brazil, and Argentina — it also recently started a 787 Dreamliner service from Los Angeles (LAX) to Auckland (AKL)!

Although not quite as awesome as the Flagship Business class, the 787 business class product is solid, especially if it means you can fly straight to New Zealand without transiting. Here’s the route suggestion and associated costs:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Auckland (AKL) one-way in business class on American Airlines for 62,500 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest, plus ~$52 in taxes and fees

This pricing is phenomenal for travel between the U.S. and the South Pacific, which is a traditionally expensive route.

17. Fly From the East Coast to Europe in Business Class on Brussels Airlines (44,000 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)

Brussels Airlines business class consists of fully lie-flat seats. Image Credit: Brussels Airlines

Let’s talk about some of the other partners you can use Etihad Guest miles with. Etihad Airways partners with tons of airlines, and it employs a different award chart for each airline.

As if this couldn’t get complicated enough, some airlines use a region-based award chart, while others use a distance-based award chart.

In this example, we’ll talk about Brussels Airlines, which offers a fabulous business class product!

Unfortunately, you must fly from eastern North America and choose from 3 airports: New York (JFK), Washington, D.C. (IAD), or Toronto (YYZ).

For 44,000 Etihad Guest miles, which can be transferred from Capital One miles, you can fly one-way to Brussels (BRU) in business class.

This is a fantastic use of points because of the solid business class product and great redemption price. The only issue is that there’s little route flexibility.

Here are the route offerings:

New York (JFK), Washington, D.C. (IAD), or Toronto (YYZ) – Brussels (BRU) one-way in business class on Brussels Airlines for 44,000 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest, plus ~$100 in taxes and fees

18. Fly From the West Coast to Japan in Business Class on ANA (63,000 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)

ANA is a fabulous airline. Its Mileage Club is one of the best frequent flyer programs for round-trip/open-jaw flights in the industry, amazing premium cabin products, and tons of destinations.

Unfortunately, one of the challenges with ANA is booking one-way awards. This is where Etihad Guest comes in.

You can book one-way business class on ANA from the West Coast U.S. to Tokyo using the distance-based award chart.

It’s not a good idea to fly from other areas of the U.S., because the distance-based award chart is such that flying from Houston or New York is significantly more expensive.

For this reason, we suggest flying from either Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo (NRT/HND).

This route will cost 63,000 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest. Taxes and fees will hover at around $150 per person for one-way flights and around $300 for round-trip flights.

19. Fly From New York to Belgrade in Business Class on Air Serbia (64,000 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)

Air Serbia A330 Business Class Seat — Enjoy a lie-flat seat in business class aboard an A330. Image Credit: Air Serbia

Want to fly to Serbia? This next redemption is pretty cool because it’s very niche and is also a solid business class product!

We’re talking about Air Serbia’s business class from New York (JFK) to Belgrade (BEG), the capital of Serbia. For 64,000 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest plus $411 in taxes and fees, you’ll be able to fly nonstop from the U.S. to Serbia in business class.

Notice that taxes and fees are pretty high here, so be mindful of that. This flight is booked at 8 hours 40 minutes, which is a bit of a journey, though not as long as some other flights.

20. Fly From the U.S. to Casablanca in Business Class on Royal Air Maroc (44,000 Points Transferred to Etihad Guest)

Royal Air Maroc business class — Royal Air Maroc’s business class product is a unique way to use your CapOne miles. Image Credit: Royal Air Maroc

Royal Air Maroc is Morocco’s flag carrier, so it makes sense that most of its routes involve the city of Casablanca.

Fun Fact: Did you know that neither Casablanca nor Marrakesh is the capital city of Morocco! It’s actually Rabat.

Though Royal Air Maroc’s current 2-2-2 business class configuration is perfectly satisfactory, the airline actually has reverse herringbone 1-2-1 seating available on its 787-9 Dreamliners! These aren’t deployed on any routes reliably, so be sure to check before booking!

In this case, you can use Etihad Guest miles transferred from Capital One miles to book a one-way flight between the U.S. and Casablanca for an awesome price! How awesome, you might ask?

These routes are what we’re referring to:

New York (JFK) – Casablanca (CMN) one-way in business class on Royal Air Maroc for 44,000 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest, plus just $29 in taxes and fees!
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Casablanca (CMN) one-way in business class on Royal Air Maroc for 44,000 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest, plus just $29 in taxes and fees!

21. Fly From Sri Lanka to Beijing in Business Class on SriLankan Airlines (46,000 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)

Want another sweet redemption? Fly 7 hours between Colombo (CMB) and Beijing (PEK) in SriLankan Airlines’ business class for only 46,000 Capital One miles transferred to Etihad Guest!

This flight features an awesome A330 with a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone business class arrangement. As we stated above, this seating arrangement is incredibly private, and the food seems to be decent!

22. Fly to India in Business Class on Air India (85,000 Miles Transferred to Aeroplan)

Air India Executive Class Business — Air India’s business class is known as executive class. Image Credit: Air India

Now that we’ve talked about the 2 most useful Capital One transfer partners in Avianca LifeMiles and Etihad Guest miles, let’s shift over to Air Canada Aeroplan.

Air Canada’s Aeroplan is super useful, particularly for stopovers and “mini round-the-world awards” that we’ll get to later. First, let’s talk about Air India!

This airline doesn’t get a lot of love, but here’s what it offers: no-frills nonstop business class flights to India.

India is pretty far from America, so for someone who values their time highly, it might be worth it to “stick it out” in Air India’s “inferior” business class if it means you avoid the headache of transiting through airports and such.

Air Canada Aeroplan can help serve your needs here. For flights between the U.S. and India, you can transfer 85,000 Capital One miles to Aeroplan to book a one-way business class flight on Air India.

Here are several example routes you can take:

Chicago (ORD) – Delhi (DEL) one-way in business class on Air India for 85,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air Canada Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees
New York (JFK) – Mumbai (BOM) one-way in business class on Air India for 85,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air Canada Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Delhi (DEL) one-way in business class on Air India for 85,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air Canada Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees

23. Fly Lufthansa First Class With a Stopover in Germany on Lufthansa (From 95,000 Miles Transferred to Aeroplan)

Lufthansa Airbus A380 First Class — Lufthansa A380 first class. Image Credit: Greg Stone

The first redemption we talked about was using Avianca LifeMiles to fly Lufthansa first class without surcharges for 87,000 Capital One miles.

With Aeroplan, you will pay as few as 90,000 miles for a one-way first class ticket on Lufthansa, and you can add a stopover on one-way tickets for 5,000 miles!

This is one of the only ways you can get a stopover in Germany on Lufthansa for a great price using Capital One miles.

Here are a few Lufthansa first class itineraries:

Boston (BOS) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Milan (MXP) one-way in Lufthansa first class with a stopover in Frankfurt for 95,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air Canada, plus $46 in taxes and fees
Boston (BOS) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Prague (PRG) one-way in Lufthansa first class with a stopover in Frankfurt for 95,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air Canada, plus $46 in taxes and fees
Chicago (ORD) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Johannesburg (JNB) one-way in Lufthansa first class with a stopover in Frankfurt for 135,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air Canada, plus $46 in taxes and fees

24. Fly to Europe in Business Class with a Stopover in Switzerland on SWISS (75,000 Miles Transferred to Aeroplan)

SWISS Air business throne seat — SWISS business class. Image Credit: SWISS

Here’s another great way to use Aeroplan to your advantage.

The second redemption we talked about in this guide is on SWISS in business class. With Avianca LifeMiles, you can book this for 84,000 Capital One miles. But with Aeroplan, you can book the same flight for 75,000 Capital One miles and add another 5,000 Capital One miles for a stopover!

Also, you will absolutely not need to pay for fuel surcharges! Taxes and fees will be around $46.

Here are several example routes:

Boston (BOS) – Zurich (ZRH) – Venice (VCE) one-way in business class on SWISS with a stopover in Zurich for 75,000 Capital One miles, plus $46 in taxes and fees
Chicago (ORD) – Zurich (ZRH) – Athens (ATH) one-way in business class on SWISS with a stopover in Zurich for 75,000 Capital One miles, plus $46 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Zurich (ZRH) one-way in business class on SWISS for 75,000 Capital One miles, plus $46 in taxes and fees

25. Fly to New Zealand in Business Class on Air New Zealand (From 75,000 Miles Transferred to Aeroplan)

Air New Zealand Business — If you have a chance, you can also try the Air New Zealand 787 Dreamliner business class product! Regardless of what plane you fly, Air New Zealand business class is a fun way to fly nonstop! Image Credit: Air New Zealand

Let’s fly to New Zealand on Air New Zealand!

You can book Air New Zealand’s fabulous business class one-way for as few as 75,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees.

Here are a few great example routes:

Chicago (ORD) – Auckland (AKL) one-way in business class on Air New Zealand’s 777 business class for 85,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan
Houston (IAH) – Auckland (AKL) one-way in business class on Air New Zealand’s 777 business class for 75,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan
San Francisco (SFO) – Auckland (AKL) one-way in business class on Air New Zealand’s 777 business class for 75,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan

26. Fly From Hawaii to Southern South America in Business Class on United Airlines (60,000 Miles Transferred to Aeroplan)

Booking the coveted United Polaris class with lie-flat seats is one of the best ways to use your hard-earned points! Image Credit: United Airlines

Flying from Hawaii to southern South America is significantly cheaper than flying from the continental U.S.

We can take advantage of these generous award prices by piecing together United Airlines flights in business class.

Though not the real Polaris business class, you can still fly comfortably from Hawaii to southern South America for only 60,000 Capital One miles.

Here’s the sole route you can take:

Honolulu (HNL) – Houston (IAH) – Buenos Aires (EZE) one-way in Polaris business class on United Airlines for 60,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan plus $45 in taxes and fees

27. Fly to Asia in Business Class (75,000 Miles Transferred to Aeroplan)

For 75,000 to 85,000 Capital One miles, you can fly one-way from the U.S. to Asia, which includes countries like Taiwan.

Of course, we love EVA Air business class, so this should definitely be on your list.

Here’s a great example route:

Houston (IAH) – Taipei (TPE) one-way in Royal Laurel business class on EVA Air for 75,000 Capital One miles, plus $45 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Taipei (TPE) one-way in Royal Laurel business class on EVA Air for 75,000 Capital One miles, plus $45 in taxes and fees
New York (JFK) – Taipei (TPE) one-way in Royal Laurel business class on EVA Air for 85,000 Capital One miles, plus $45 in taxes and fees

28. Fly to Asia in First Class (110,000 Miles Transferred to Aeroplan)

ANA First Class, Boeing 777, Legroom, NRT>IAH — ANA first class. Image Credit: Alex Miller

Flying to Asia in first class is also a great use of your miles! Traveling in ANA first class would be our go-to option here.

These are some example routes you can take:

Chicago (ORD) – Tokyo (HND) one-way in first class on ANA for 110,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees
New York (JFK) – Tokyo (HND) one-way in first class on ANA for 110,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Tokyo (NRT) one-way in first class on ANA for 110,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees

29. Fly to South Korea in Business Class (75,000 Miles Transferred to Aeroplan)

Enjoy Asiana Airlines business class! Image Credit: Stephen Au

Aeroplan lumps the South Pacific and Asia into 1 main region called the Pacific. After that, a distance-based award chart applies.

These countries include Korea and China.

Here are some example routes you can take:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Seoul (ICN) one-way in business class on Asiana Airlines for 75,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees
New York (JFK) – Seoul (ICN) one-way in business class on Asiana Airlines for 75,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Seoul (ICN) one-way in business class on Asiana Airlines for 75,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees

30. Fly to China Nonstop in First Class (110,000 Miles Transferred to Aeroplan)

Air China Forbidden First Class — Using CapOne miles for a flight in first class on Air China between London and Beijing is a great way to fly. Image Credit: Air China

You can also fly first class to China nonstop using Aeroplan points.

Here’s are example routes you can take:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Beijing (PEK) one-way in first class on Air China for 110,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees
New York (JFK) – Beijing (PEK) one-way in first class on Air China for 110,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Beijing (PEK) one-way in first class on Air China for 110,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees

31. Fly to Africa in Business Class (From 85,000 Miles Transferred to Aeroplan)

Turkish Airlines Boeing 787 9 Business Class Flatbed — Turkish Airlines Boeing 787-9 business class. Image Credit: Greg Stone

Aeroplan lumps Africa into the Atlantic zone, along with Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia. There is tons of variety in which flights you can take.

Itineraries that are 6,001 to 8,000 miles in distance will cost 85,000 Aeroplan points in business class, while itineraries greater than 8,000 miles will cost 100,000 Aeroplan points in business class.

Most will be operated by either Lufthansa or South African Airways.

If you can, you might actually want to route through Turkish Airlines or SWISS in lieu of Lufthansa, which has mediocre business class seats.

For as few as 85,000 Capital One miles, you can fly from America to this region. Here are a few great example routes you can take:

New York (JFK) – Istanbul (IST) – Nairobi (NBO) one-way in business class on Turkish Airlines for 85,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Johannesburg (JNB) one-way in business class on Lufthansa for 85,000 Capital One miles transferred to Aeroplan, plus $45 in taxes and fees

As a reminder, you can add a stopover for an additional 5,000 Aeroplan points!

32. Oneworld Complex Multi-Carrier Awards With Asia Miles

Qatar QSuites, 777, Turndown Service with Lie-flat bed — Qatar Airways QSuites. Image Credit: Alex Miller

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles has an incredibly complex series of award charts and routing rules. The gist? Building huge itineraries with 5+ flights on 5+ different airlines in business or first class is ridiculously cheap… if you take the time to understand the program.

You can learn more about Cathay Pacific routing rules, but we won’t go in-depth. We’ll just talk about an exciting example redemption you can make:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Hong Kong (HKG) on American Airlines 777 Flagship Business class
Hong Kong (HKG) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) on Cathay Pacific business class
Singapore (SIN) – Sydney (SYD) on Qantas A330 business class
Sydney (SYD) – Doha (DOH) on Qatar Airways Qsuites
Doha (DOH) – Hong Kong (HKG) on Qatar Airways Qsuites
Hong Kong (HKG) – Osaka (KIX) on Cathay Pacific 777 business class (it flies A330s, too!)
Tokyo (NRT) – Los Angeles (LAX) on Japan Airlines 777 Sky Suite business class

This entire itinerary, flying on 6 different business class products across 6 different countries for almost 65 hours, would only cost 210,000 Capital One miles transferred at a 1:1 ratio to Asia Miles!

Considering the round-trip between Los Angeles and Hong Kong is 150,000 Asia Miles by itself, this is a gigantic steal — almost like highway robbery!

33. Flying Blue Promo Awards

KLM business class — KLM’s older business class doesn’t have direct aisle access at every seat, but it is very comfortable. Image Credit: KLM

Flying Blue’s Promo Awards get a lot of attention. Every month, Air France/KLM releases a small list of routes that will be available for booking with Flying Blue miles for 25% to 50% off!

Most of the routes are economy, but some are actually in business class. Of course, availability is first-come-first-serve, so be on the lookout for these.

34. Fly to Hawaii in Economy on Delta Air Lines (15,000 Miles Transferred to Air France)

Delta Airbus A220 Economy Class Seat with Tray Table Down — Delta Airbus A220 economy class. Image Credit: Greg Stone

If you want to fly to Hawaii for some of the cheapest mileage costs, look at Air France. You can fly on Delta for as few as 15,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France.

Here’s a great example route you can take:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Honolulu (HNL) one-way in economy for 15,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France, plus $10 in taxes and fees

35. Fly on Delta One Suites (From 110,000 Miles Transferred to Air France)

Delta A350 Suite — Try Delta One’s Suites on flights to various cities, including Seoul, Amsterdam, Paris, and Tokyo! Image Credit: Delta

We love Delta One Suites. This fabulous new product has effectively catapulted Delta’s business class product on select flights to the top of the industry.

If you can find Level 1 availability, seriously consider using Air France to book your Delta One Suites.

Though Air France says that Delta One Suites can be booked “from” 85,000 Air France miles, you should realistically expect to pay 110,000 miles each way.

This means you’ll transfer 110,000 Capital One miles each way to book your Delta One Suite. Here are example routes:

Detroit (DTW) – Seoul (ICN) one-way in Delta One Suites for 110,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue, plus $10 in taxes and fees
Minneapolis (MSP) – Tokyo (HND) one-way in Delta One Suites for 110,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue, plus $10 in taxes and fees
New York (JFK) – Amsterdam (AMS) one-way in Delta One Suites for 110,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue, plus $10 in taxes and fees

36. Fly to China in Business Class With Tons of Award Availability on China Eastern (From 115,000 Miles Transferred to Air France)

China Eastern business class. Image Credit: China Eastern

If you’re in a bind and need to travel to Asia but can’t seem to find award availability for any flights in business class, China Eastern is your savior.

It has a solid hard product in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration on its 777, though its soft product has been found somewhat lacking.

Nevertheless, if you want (nearly) guaranteed award availability and a bed to sleep in — look no further.

Again, Air France says business class flights start from 85,000 miles each way, but we find the most realistic number is 115,000 miles.

Here’s a sample route you can take:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Shanghai (PVG) one-way in business class on China Eastern for 115,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue, plus $150 in taxes and fees
New York (JFK) – Shanghai (PVG) one-way in business class on China Eastern for 115,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue, plus $150 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Shanghai (PVG) one-way in business class on China Eastern for 115,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue, plus $150 in taxes and fees

37. Fly to Europe in Business Class on SkyTeam (From 53,000 Miles Transferred to Air France)

Air France new business class — Air France’s new business class aboard the A350. Image Credit: Air France

We’re big fans of the Flying Blue loyalty program that Air France offers. For many connecting flights between the U.S. and Europe, you could need as few as 53,000 Flying Blue miles one-way.

For example, if you tried to fly from Los Angeles to Rome via Paris in Air France business class, it would cost you as few as 53,000 miles.

Here are a couple of great example redemptions you can make:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Paris (CDG) – Rome (FCO) one-way in business class on Air France for only 53,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue, plus ~$270 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Paris (CDG) – Moscow (SVO) one-way in business class on Air France for only 53,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue, plus ~$270 in taxes and fees

38. East Coast to Dubai Round-trip on Emirates: Economy for 45,000 Points or Business for 94,500 Points (Qantas)

Emirates A380 Business Class Aisle Seat — Emirates A380 business class. Image Credit: Cherag Dubash

Emirates is known to have one of the best economy products and a fantastic business class. It is currently not in an alliance and only partners with a handful of airlines, which makes these award redemptions a little tougher to snag.

There are several East Coast cities in this points range that fly direct to Dubai including Boston (BOS), New York (JFK), and Toronto (YYZ). For Emirates award flights, you should reference the first award chart; since the one-way distance is less than 7,000 flown miles, Zone 7 pricing applies.

Hot Tip: Need help booking? Read our guide on how to book Emirates business class using points.

Other Transfer Partners

There are other transfer partners that are technically options here, including Qatar Airways, Finnair, etc.

But we don’t believe there’s much use at all for these transfer partners because their redemption costs are high and/or it’s incredibly difficult to use their frequent flyer programs.

How To Transfer Your Capital One Miles to Transfer Partners

Step 1: Navigate to the Capital One website and log in to your account.

Capital One Log-In Screen — Capital One login screen. Image Credit: Capital One

Step 2: Click Transfer Miles on the right side of your screen. Type in your frequent flyer number.

Capital One Transfer Miles — Image Credit: Capital One

Step 3: Type in the number of miles to transfer. Click Complete Transfer.

Step 4: Receive confirmation. You can download the confirmation code for your records.

Capital One Transfer Miles Success — Image Credit: Capital One

Final Thoughts

There are tons of ways to redeem Capital One miles for maximum value. When transferring your points, keep the transfer ratio in mind, as it is not always a 1:1 ratio like with Chase Ultimate Rewards.

We focused mostly on Avianca LifeMiles, Etihad Guest, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, and Air Canada Aeroplan here because these airlines provide consistent value with their miles and points.

Good luck redeeming your Capital One miles, and be sure to let us know your best redemptions in the comments below!

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, and Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Featured Image Credit: Cherag Dubash

Frequently asked questions

What are Capital One miles?

Capital One has a points program called Capital One Miles and the points you earn, redeem, and transfer are Capital One miles.

What are Capital One miles worth?

The value of a Capital One mile depends on where you are redeeming your points. You can get a fixed value of 1 cent per point.

Other airline partners of Capital One return a value up to 5 to 10 cents per point!

That’s like getting a $100 ticket for the equivalent of about 1,000 to 2,000 Capital One miles.

If you transfer your miles to ALL Accor Live Limitless, you will get a flat value of €40 (~$49) per 2,000 miles, which is a value of 1.2 cents per point with the 2:1 transfer ratio.

If you transfer your miles to Wyndham Rewards, your value will likely hover around 0.7 to 0.9 cents per mile.

How many Capital One miles do I need to go to Hawaii?

Fly one-way to Hawaii from the U.S. for as few as 20,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue.

How many Capital One miles do I need to go to Europe?

Fly one-way to Europe from the U.S. for as few as 12,500 Capital One miles transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue if you book economy Promo Awards. Without Promo Awards, it will cost 25,000 Capital One miles transferred to Air France/KLM Flying Blue.

Are Capital One miles taxable?

The short answer is no. The IRS and Tax Court decided, alongside Capital One, to treat frequent flyer miles or mileage awards as nontaxable.

How do I transfer Capital One miles to airlines?

To transfer your Capital One miles to partners:

Log in to Capital One.
Click on Rewards Miles just underneath your miles balance.
Click the blue Transfer Miles button on the right.
Type in your frequent flyer number for the program you want to transfer to.
Type the number of points you want to transfer (the default is all your points — don’t make that mistake!).
Click Complete Transfer.

Note: Miles transfers are irreversible! Once you do it, you can’t go back!

How can you earn more Capital One miles?

There are tons of ways to earn Capital One miles, but the big one is through spending on your Capital One miles-earning credit card.

When do Capital One miles post in your account?

You will generally see them pending when your statement closes, but allow up to 1 to 2 billing cycles to post.

If you’re in a hurry, you may call Capital One and speak to a customer representative to convert pending points into posted points. This is generally a “your mileage may vary” situation, but you might get lucky.

If you are desperate, you can also try to escalate to a supervisor.

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About Stephen Au

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Stephen has been privileged to enjoy many premium cabin products and 5-star hotels. As one of the foremost experts in credit cards, over the past 4 years, he has amassed a portfolio of over 70 credit cards, both personal and business. Stephen has personally tested, first-hand, almost every major rewards credit card on the market today, spanning banks such as American Express, Bank of America, Barclays, Brex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, City National Bank, U.S. Bank, and more.

Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.

54 comments

Jung March 7, 2019

It would not be wise to use Aeroplan miles to fly in business class to Asia 1 using 100,000 when another Capital One transfer partner, EVA Air only requires 80,000.

Reply
- Stephen Au March 19, 2019
  
  Hey Jung,
  
  This is incorrect.
  
  EVA Air charges 80,000 miles from Chicago, New York, Boston, and Toronto and 75,000 miles elsewhere from the United States. However, the transfer ratio is 2:1.5. Therefore, you will need 106,667 Capital One Miles to receive 80,000 miles or 100,000 Capital One Miles to receive 75,000 miles.
  
  Furthermore, EVA Air’s award booking system is much more difficult to deal with that Air Canada Aeroplan. With Air Canada Aeroplan, you can complete bookings completely online without having to call anybody. Air Canada Aeroplan’s award search engine is the most robust and it will show nearly all options.
  
  Reply
Patrick April 24, 2019

TPG says that although Oman Air First Class is listed on Etihad Guest, when you call them, you cannot book Oman Air First Class…can you please verify if this is true?

Thanks!
Patrick

Reply
- Stephen Au April 26, 2019
  
  Hey Patrick,
  
  Thanks for reading. You’re correct and we’ve updated our post accordingly.
  
  Reply
Tim May 3, 2019

“Oneworld Complex Multi-Carrier Awards With Asia Miles” … where would you search for this saver space? On AA or BA? Would then transfer to Asia Miles and call in?

Reply
- Stephen Au May 4, 2019
  
  Hey Tim,
  
  You generally want to search for availability using BA. Then, call Asia Miles directly. Thanks for reading!
  
  Reply
Mike May 27, 2019

Do you know of any way to know when a special deal on a transfer is about to happen? I was pleasantly surprised a couple of months ago to see a very short term offer on Emirates, so that instead of 1000 Capital One miles equating to 500 Emirates miles (as normal) it was temporarily 1000 to 1000. Since then it’s back to 1000 = 500, and I see that there have been some short term deals on programs I don’t actually use. I’d love to see another deal on Emirates…

Reply
- Stephen Au May 27, 2019
  
  Hey Mike,
  
  It’s impossible to predict when transfer bonuses will occur. One trend I’ve noticed is that Capital One adds transfer partners and inaugurates them with a transfer bonus. Other than that, there’s no way to predict. Thanks for reading!
  
  Reply
Jossy June 5, 2019

Hi! I am completely new to this points game, but it seems like a fun game to play! I would like to find 3 business seats to Seoul, Tokyo, and Osaka departing from LAX in mid August. Our dates are somewhat flexible. I have around 260k miles on the Venture card. I really only care to be in business for the long haul legs. Where do you think ill get the most value for them? Thanks for your time!!

Reply
- Stephen Au June 7, 2019
  
  Hey Jossy, 260,000 Capital One miles is approximately equivalent to 195,000 airline miles, assuming the 2:1.5 transfer ratio. Unfortunately, this isn’t enough for 3 one-way business class flights. Your best bet is to use 75,000 Aeroplan miles for a one-way flight per person in business class. Your trip is somewhat late in terms of planning for award flights. Usually, people either book award flights ~11 months in advance or 1-2 weeks in advance. Any other time is difficult to find availability. Thanks for reading!
  
  Reply
  - Jossy June 8, 2019
    
    Hi Stephen,
    Thanks for your input!! Maybe I’ll save them and see what Capital One adds in this next year. They don’t expire right? I have Amex points too. Transferring my Amex to ANA would be the best bet for Asia 1, right? Thanks so much!
    
    Reply
    - Stephen Au June 10, 2019
      
      Hey Jossy,
      
      For Tokyo, the best choice is to use Virgin Atlantic miles to book business or preferably first class travel on ANA.
      
      For Korea, we’d suggest Air Canada Aeroplan for business class (AA miles is cheaper, but with no Korean-based partners and poor AA award availability, you might as well forget using AA miles). If you want first class, consider using Marriott points transferred to Korean Air. Other first class options include Avianca LifeMiles which charges 90,000 each way.
      
      Reply
Soij July 26, 2019

I just redeemed 300K points for cash. Then I read the article. Whoops. It took me 3 years to earn those miles. I’ll do better next time. Great article – thanks.

Reply
Choiboyee July 29, 2019

I have 119,153 Cap One Miles. What’s my best use of them if I am planning a trip from IAD-MNL (10/1/19) & Osaka-IAD (10/15/19)?

I am planning to purchase the one way ticket between MNL and Osaka separately as I hear they are cheap and readily available for under $100.

I would like to fly business or first class and understand that these points would only cover one of the flights (preferably for the flight back home to DC).

I also have 99,374 Barclays points, 38,834 Citi Thank You points and 35,518 United Miles.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Reply
- Andrew Kunesh August 9, 2019
  
  Hello! One option for Osaka – Washington DC is to transfer 100,000 Capital One points to 75,000 Avianca LifeMiles. You can use these miles to fly one-way in business class on partners like United, ANA, Turkish, etc if there’s saver award space. For the outbound, you can transfer 35,000 Citi ThankYou points to LifeMiles to book a one-way economy ticket. Thanks!
  
  Reply
tim August 9, 2019

Hello, it sounds like I would need to know if award travel is available before I transfer miles for a trip—is that correct? Asking because I don’t want to be stuck with Aeroplan or Lifemiles and have no use for them.

Reply
- Andrew Kunesh August 9, 2019
  
  Hi Tim, that’s correct. We always recommend searching for your award ticket before transferring. This gives you the best chance of booking the ticket you want. Plus, it keeps your miles flexible and ensures you’re not stuck with miles you may not have an immediate use for.
  
  Reply
  - Tim August 9, 2019
    
    We have about 800k in miles to use to get from DC to NBO and then TNR, but it sounds like most of these programs have very little availability of award travel, so the miles might just be useless in this case anyway. How risky is it to wait two weeks in advance to try and get award travel? What is the best strategy to try and get these limited awards? TIA!
    
    Reply
    - Andrew Kunesh August 12, 2019
      
      Hey Tim! We generally recommend searching for availability as far out as possible across all of the three alliances (Star Alliance, Oneworld, SkyTeam). Keep checking regularly if you can’t find award space right away. Further, we’ve seen space open at the two-week mark for some airlines (namely Lufthansa), but this can be risky during peak seasons.
      
      Reply
      - Tim August 13, 2019
        
        Thanks! So, Lifemiles vs. Air Alaska vs. Aeroplan…Is one better than the other for getting from the US to Africa?
      - Andrew Kunesh August 13, 2019
        
        No problem, Tim!
        
        Both Alaska MileagePlan and Aeroplan are great for travel to Africa. Alaska partners with Emirates and British Airways, both of whom have solid networks in Africa. On the other hand, Aeroplan partners with Lufthansa, South African Airways, and Brussels Airlines who can easily connect you to the continent.
        
        We recommend using whichever loyalty program has availability on the route you want on the dates you’d like to travel. Don’t be afraid to mix and match points for the inbound and outbound either.
        
        Best of luck planning your trip! Safe travels.
Scott August 26, 2019

If I’m just planning on purchasing an economy class ticket rather than one of these special business class deals you mentioned, I’m confused how transferring my Capital One points to an airline partner at a 2:1.5 ratio rather than using simply redeeming them through Capital One works to my advantage if they’re losing 25% of their value. For example, I currently have 56,000 CapOne points. I’m considering moving them to Flying Blue, but then I’d only have 42,150 points. I looked up a random itinerary, flying one way from JFK>MEX on 1/13, and the amount of points it would cost me (~14,500) would be roughly the same, whether I booked through Capital One or Flying Blue. So all things being equal, wouldn’t I get more bang for my buck not transferring my points? Can you please explain this to me?

Reply
- Stephen Au August 26, 2019
  
  Scott, it is very possible that deeply discounted airplane tickets will be better booked directly on a bank portal such as Capital One. If you are looking to fly economy, you can utilize this method. Unfortunately, if you tried to book business class with the same method, you’d find it would cost upwards of 500,000-1,000,000 points each way.
  
  Reply
  - Ashley Milford February 14, 2020
    
    thanks for the input. I have around 60K capital and trying to find the best usage of them. Wish i had enough for an international trip.
    
    Reply
bob September 4, 2019

OK, on one article on your website it says Brussels Airline from Washington was devalued back in 2017 so it costs 80,000 miles. This article was updated August 2019 and says same flight/graphics/article costs 58,667 Capital One miles. Do you guys fact check each other? Can you find these award flights before you join Etihad program?

Reply
- Stephen Au September 10, 2019
  
  Bob,
  
  The identical business class flights can be booked for different amounts of miles depending on which frequent flyer program. So, whereas the Capital One cost is as little as 58,667 miles, an airline like United charges 70,000 miles each way.
  
  Yes, you can search on United Airlines to find availability and then call Etihad to book.
  
  Reply
Selyne October 23, 2019

Do you have any experience with flying to Japan?
I plan to take a trip with my fiance from late March to early April. We would be departing from Miami, FL and would like to fly into Tokyo and out of Osaka. Do you have any suggestions on whether or not it is best for me to book the trip with my Capital One Venture credit card and use the purchase eraser, or transfer our miles to a partnering airline. If so, any suggestions/experience on which airline?

I am overwhelmed by the abundance of options and don’t know which airline to choose. We currently have 83,000 miles with our Venture card and estimate that we will have 100,000+ by the time we take our trip. We would like to upgrade to the best available seats (Business Class) if possible/within our budget.

We don’t mind using all of our Venture points in order to make this arrangement, plus paying out of pocket another $1,200 each. Is flying business class for us even feasible? Side note: neither of us are members of any airline rewards/loyalty programs.

Reply
- Andrew Kunesh October 23, 2019
  
  Hey Selyne, unfortunately, 100,000 Capital One points isn’t quite enough to book 2 people in business class to Japan. Likewise, there aren’t any good ways to upgrade a paid economy ticket using Capital One points. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!
  
  Reply
Emma October 23, 2019

Great article. We have 400k CapOne Miles and were trying to book 2 ANA business class seats to Tokyo this spring (April/May) from the east coast (JFK or IAD) but it looks like all the J award seats are sold out. Does that sound right?

Any other airlines you would recommend to fly J to TYO? I think our only option would be to transfer to Aeroplan then book from there, but I could be wrong? We’ve never tried to travel back like this.

Reply
- Stephen Au October 23, 2019
  
  Hi Emma,
  
  Thanks for reading! Flying on ANA is most likely your best bet. With the balance of miles you have, it’s important to get the best value for them. If you’d like a service that helps you earn and redeem points for the absolute best possible value, please send me an e-mail at [email protected]
  
  Reply
  - Emma October 23, 2019
    
    Cool! Thanks for responding. If we search on United.com and no business saver award flights show up for the month of April or May is it safe to assume that all those seats have already sold? Or will ANA release more seats as we get closer to those dates? (FYI we are trying to fly out of JFK or IAD)
    
    Reply
    - Stephen Au October 28, 2019
      
      Emma,
      
      That’s not a great assumption to make. When airlines can release award seats can be difficult to predict. After all, if everybody knew, then everybody would be fighting to book these tickets. If you don’t book when the schedule comes out (331-360 days in advance depending on the loyalty program you use), then you might need to explore different ways to find availability.
      
      Reply
Emma October 24, 2019

Thanks! Sorry – not clear on your service. Does it guarantee that you’ll be able to help us book tickets to Tokyo April/May 2020 from IAD or JFK?

Reply
- Andrew Kunesh October 24, 2019
  
  Hey Emma,
  
  Thanks for reaching out! Booking a IAD/JFK-NRT/HND ticket requires that there’s award space available from the partner you choose to book with. We cannot guarantee that this will be available — instead, you have to search for the award ticket regularly. Once you find a ticket that works for you, you can transfer your points and book.
  
  Best of luck!
  
  Reply
Emma October 24, 2019

I see now. Thanks!

What about JAL? Is there some way we can transfer all these CapOne miles to book 2 business seats on JAL out of BOS (our home airport) to TYO? Or even with all the partners/alliances would this not be a possibility? Tried to search on your site but couldn’t find an answer.

Reply
- Stephen Au October 28, 2019
  
  Hi Emma,
  
  There are a few ways, but I wouldn’t transfer points out unless you saw availability and were ready to book.Capital One has 15 airline transfer partners in all, so you should have a chance at finding something if you look hard enough! Thanks for reading.
  
  Reply
Joyce November 22, 2019

RE: 10. Fly to Hong Kong in American Airlines Flagship Business Class (73,333 Miles Transferred to Etihad Guest)
I am planning to fly one way from HK to LAX and I am short the number of miles required. I only have about 60K miles, can I purchase Etihad miles to meet the 73,333 needed? Do you think I have a chance to find seats in December?

Reply
- Andrew Kunesh November 25, 2019
  
  Hey Joyce, you can purchase Etihad Guest points on Etihad’s website. Note that the 73,333 number is taking the 2:1.5 transfer ratio into account. The award costs 55,000 Etihad points, so you’ll only need to purchase 10,000 Etihad points as your current 60,000 Capital One points are worth 45,000 Etihad points.
  
  Make sure to check American’s website for award space before you transfer or buy miles. I’m not 100% sure if you’ll be able to find award seats on such short notice, but it’s worth a look!
  
  Reply
Jason Andrews December 13, 2019

Capital one does not apply a statement credit at 1:1, it’s 2:1. Therefore if you have 80,000 miles you will only get a statement credit of 400. Unless you use the travel eraser which erases only travel purchases at 1:1.

Reply
- Jarrod West December 13, 2019
  
  Hi Jason,
  
  The post was referencing statement credits for travel purchases which, as you’ve mentioned, is at a rate of 1:1. I’ve edited the post to make that fact more clear.
  
  Thanks for reading!
  
  Reply
Aiden December 27, 2019

Great info! We have 220k Alaska points that we want to get 4 one way tickets from SFO to MLE on business. If this is not enough, what other route would you recommend? We also have 400k points from chase that we’re considering transfer to another airlines for our return flights. What would be the best redemption for this? Thank you for your time!

Reply
- Jarrod West December 28, 2019
  
  Hi Aiden,
  
  You would need 62.5k Alaska miles per person for a one-way business class ticket from SFO to MLE, so 250k total. As for the return flight with Ultimate Reward points, a good option would be to go through United, which would cost 85k points per ticket, 340k total.
  
  Thanks for reading!
  
  Reply
Matt Cornwall February 12, 2020

Hi There!
Completely new to the mileage transfer game. I have about 86000 cap one miles. Looking to fly from Seattle to PUJ this July. What is my best option for mileage transfer? Additionally, do i need to call the airlines prior to booking and transferring points to make sure its available for rewards usage? I’m assuming I’d also need to open a rewards account with the airline of choice.

Reply
- Stephen Au February 18, 2020
  
  Hi Matt,
  
  If you want to go from Seattle to Punta Cana, you’ll need to fly one of the big 3 U.S. carriers. You can transfer points to Aeroplan or Avianca LifeMiles if you want to fly United. You can transfer points to Asia Miles or Qantas if you want to fly American. You can transfer points to Air France/KLM Flying Blue or Aeromexico Club Premier if you want to fly Delta.
  
  You need to find availability first through the exact frequent flyer program you’re transferring to because the availability isn’t the same across all partners.
  
  Award holds aren’t permitted for these situations.
  
  Reply
M.A. March 25, 2021

Hi and thanks for your article!

I have a technical question as a relative newbie to the travel miles scene.

I’d like to book a flight to Cancun or Merida, Mexico. How do I transfer my Capital One points to Aviance LifeMiles, for example, to then fly United to Cancun/Merida? I’ve only ever redeemed miles on the credit card’s travel portal.

I’d love to move up to this ‘next level,’ of transferring miles.

Thanks again!

Reply
- Jarrod West March 26, 2021
  
  Hi M.A.,
  
  Thanks for the kind words! For a detailed breakdown, check out our post on Capital One transfer partners and how to use them!
  
  Reply
Gerard May 19, 2021

Quick question, what is the best transfer to travel from the east coast to Madrid, Spain? IAD is my preferred airport.

Reply
- Jarrod West May 21, 2021
  
  Hi Gerard,
  
  Are you planning to fly Economy? With Capital One Miles, your best bets would be to transfer them to Cathay Pacific thanks to the 1:1 transfer rate, and the award ticket should cost around 22k miles each way, pending that there is award availability for your dates.
  
  Reply
Tara February 9, 2022

Thank you! It’s a learning curve! We booked 4 economy tickets four our 20 something kids- now we’re trying to book 2 standard economy so we can pay to upgrade or use points to upgrade. We’re 7 months out from travel- but every time I try to book our 2- it says ‘price went up’ pay more- just wondering if we should just transfer our 200k miles to life miles and use those to upgrade on tickets we purchase? Newark to Edinburgh…thanks!

Reply
- Stephen Au February 15, 2022
  
  Hi Tara,
  
  I’m assuming you’re referring to the nonstop flight on United Airlines from Newark (EWR) to Edinburgh (EDI). These flights aren’t easy to book with Capital One miles because of the way United releases availability to partner frequent flyer programs like Avianca LifeMiles.
  
  What we’d encourage you to do is find nonstop availability on United.com that says 70,000 to 80,000 per person on United’s website. Those exact flights should be available on LifeMiles.com. After you find a 70 or 80k flight on United, go ahead and REPEAT that same search on LifeMiles. You should be able to pull up the correct flights and book it using Capital One miles.
  
  Reply
Alex May 29, 2022

Hi – I’m trying to book round trip from SFO to EZE using capital one points for this September (business class preferred). Any advice?

Reply
- Jarrod West June 6, 2022
  
  Hi Alex,
  
  Check out our guide on the best ways to fly to Argentina with points and miles.
  
  Reply
Livetotravel June 17, 2022

Hi. Thanks for your article and tips. Trying to book a business flight from LAX to ICN at the end of March 2023. I have Capital One Venture X card with about 100k points. I signed up for Aeroplan but their business class starts at over 200k points. Am I doing something wrong?

Reply
- Jarrod West August 1, 2022
  
  Hi Livetotravel,
  
  It is likely that you were seeing awards through Air Canada directly instead of its partners. Read through our guide on the best ways to fly to South Korea with points and miles for booking options.
  
  Reply