Understanding Airline & Hotel Transfer Bonuses – When to Move Your Points

Getting an extra buck for your reward points is a sweet feeling, so why not keep an eye out for these opportunities? Transfer bonuses are one of the best ways to stretch your credit card points and get more value when moving them to airline and hotel loyalty programs.

These bonuses tend to happen every year for some programs and once in a blue moon for major programs, so knowing when to transfer is key. Let’s break it all down.

What Are Airline & Hotel Transfer Bonuses?

Banks and loyalty programs periodically offer extra bonuses when converting credit card points into airline miles or hotel points.

For example: HDFC Infinia & Diners Black: Transfer to British Airways Avios with a 30% bonus.  American Express Platinum & Centurion: Transfer to Marriott Bonvoy with a 10% bonus (Live until April 16, 2025). Air India Maharaja Club: Bonus up to 50% extra miles on transfers from partner banks.

These bonuses boost your redemptions, whether you’re flying business class or booking a luxury hotel stay.

✈️ Key Airline & Hotel Transfer Partners for Indian Credit Cards

Bank/Card	Frequent Flyer Programs Available	Hotel Loyalty Programs	Typical Transfer Ratio
HDFC Infinia / Diners Black	British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Emirates, Air India	Marriott Bonvoy, Accor Live Limitless	1:1
American Express Platinum / Gold	Singapore Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Air France-KLM	Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors	1:1
Axis Magnus / Reserve	Air France-KLM, Air Asia, Turkish Airlines, Air Canada, SpiceJet	Marriott Bonvoy	5:4
ICICI Emeralde Private Metal	Air India (More coming soon)	None yet	1:1
Yes Bank	None of the major programs	None	N/A

📌 When Should You Transfer Your Points?

✅ 1️⃣ When a High-Value Bonus Is Available If a transfer bonus is 30% or higher, and you already have a redemption plan, it’s a great time to transfer.

Example:

• If Air India Maharaja Club is offering a bonus of up to 50%, your 100,000 points can become 150,000 Maharaja Points, making your next redemption much cheaper.
  

✅ 2️⃣ When You Have a Confirmed Redemption in Mind Never blindly transfer points just because a bonus exists.

• Instead, check availability for the flights or hotels you want.

• Lock in your booking before transferring points.
  

Example:

• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Saver Award seats go fast—so check availability first!

✅ 3️⃣ When Your Bank’s Points Are Expiring Some credit card points expire, while airline and hotel miles (in some programs) last longer.

Example:

• HDFC Infinia & Diners Black points expire in 3 years

• Marriott Bonvoy points can be extended with any account activity

Transferring before expiry can save your points.

🚨 When Should You NOT Transfer?

❌ 1️⃣ When You Don’t Have a Specific Redemption Plan

• Transferring points without a plan means you lose flexibility.

• Some airline and hotel programs expire points faster than credit card programs.
  

Example:

• Some airline programs have policies that change frequently, so always check before transferring.
  

❌ 2️⃣ When the Program Might Devalue

• Airlines and hotels increase redemption rates over time, reducing your miles/points’ value.

• If you transfer now but redeem later at a higher rate, you lose value.
  

Example:

• Qatar Airways Avios recently increased business class redemption costs on some routes.

• Marriott Bonvoy moved to dynamic pricing, making aspirational stays unpredictable.
  

❌ 3️⃣ When You Need Cash-Equivalent Redemptions

• If you prefer cashback or travel vouchers, keeping your points in the bank program may be better.

• HDFC SmartBuy and ICICI iShop let you redeem points at ₹1 per point—which could be better than transferring in some cases.

Latest Transfer Bonus Offers for Indian Credit Cards (March 2025)

Air India Maharaja Club – Up to 50% Bonus (Limited Time Offer)

Air India is offering bonus points on transfers from credit card partners. You can move in a minimum of 5,000 points into your Maharaja Club account and receive a tiered bonus:

Transferred Points	Bonus %
5,000 – 25,000	10% Bonus
25,001 – 50,000	20% Bonus
50,001 – 75,000	30% Bonus
75,001 – 100,000	40% Bonus
100,000+	50% Bonus

Eligible partner banks: ✅ ICICI Bank ✅ HSBC ✅ SBI Aurum Card ✅ SBI MILES Cards ✅ SBI Air India Credit Card ✅ HDFC Bank ✅ DBS

📅 Offer valid for one transfer per bank partner.

🏨 Marriott Bonvoy – 10% Bonus (Valid Until April 16, 2025)

From February 17 to April 16, 2025, American Express cardholders can get a 10% bonus on Marriott Bonvoy points when transferring Membership Rewards points.

• Maximum Bonus: 25,000 points

• Eligible Cards: Amex Platinum & Centurion

• Excludes: Amex Gold & MRCC cards
  

📌 Great for aspirational redemptions at properties like The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and W Hotels.

🔮 Future of Airline & Hotel Transfer Bonuses in India

With more Indians flying internationally and redeeming points for luxury stays, we expect: 📈 More banks adding transfer partners (ICICI will expand soon) 📈 More transfer bonuses to attract premium customers 📉 Airline & hotel programs devaluing miles/points – making timing your transfers even more critical

🎯 MaxMyCard Verdict – Should You Transfer?

✅ Transfer when there’s a high bonus AND you have a planned redemption. ✅ Use airline miles for premium cabin flights, not economy tickets. ✅ Use hotel points for aspirational stays, not regular cash bookings. ✅ Keep an eye on program devaluations.

🚀 Best Upcoming Bonus (as of March 2025): Air India Maharaja Club – Up to 50% Bonus (Live now).

💬 What’s Your Strategy?

Do you transfer points when a bonus appears, or do you prefer keeping them flexible? Let us know in the comments!