Travelers sitting on transferable credit card points have a short August window where transfers buy more hotel and airline currency than usual, led by a 70 percent Chase Ultimate Rewards bonus into IHG One Rewards through August 31.
The practical decision is not whether bonuses exist. It is whether you have a real booking target before the irreversible transfer, and which of the active deadlines still matches your trip.
- Largest hotel bonus: Chase Ultimate Rewards to IHG One Rewards at 70 percent through Aug. 31.
- Largest airline hit: Citi ThankYou to Turkish Miles&Smiles at 40 percent through Aug. 31.
- Avios window: Amex Membership Rewards 30 percent to British Airways, Iberia, or Aer Lingus through Sept. 27.
- Also open: Cap One 15 percent to Avianca Lifemiles (Aug. 31) and Chase 20 percent to Aeroplan (Sept. 30).
- Rule: Transfer only after award space is confirmed. Transfers do not reverse.
What is live right now
According to The Points Guy August transfer bonus table updated Aug. 15, 2026, several major U.S. transferable currencies are paying temporary premiums into hotel and airline partners.
Chase Ultimate Rewards currently posts a 70 percent bonus to IHG One Rewards through August 31, so 1,000 Chase points become 1,700 IHG points during the window. Chase also lists a separate 20 percent bonus to Air Canada Aeroplan through September 30.
American Express Membership Rewards is offering 30 percent into British Airways Club, Iberia Club, or Aer Lingus AerClub through September 27. Those programs share Avios, which can later move between Avios accounts at 1:1 when you need a different carrier inventory.
Citi ThankYou Rewards shows a 40 percent bonus to Turkish Miles&Smiles through August 31 and a 20 percent bonus to Air France-KLM Flying Blue through August 22.
Capital One miles show 15 percent into Avianca Lifemiles through August 31. A multi-program 10 percent Cathay Asia Miles sweetener runs through August 28 for several currencies that partner with Cathay.
Frequent Miler’s current transfer bonus list aligns on the same Chase-to-IHG 70 percent end date of August 31 and the Amex-to-Avios 30 percent window into late September, giving independent corroboration of the load-bearing deadlines.
Why the IHG 70 percent bonus is the traveler headline
A 70 percent hotel transfer premium is rare enough that it changes math for people who already planned an IHG stay. If a cash rate or free-night award was close before the bonus, the same Chase balance can now cover a higher category or a longer stay.
It is still a hotel transfer. IHG dynamic awards, peak resort fees, and property blackouts still apply after the points land. The bonus does not invent award inventory that does not exist.
Transfer only when you can book immediately. Parking a large Chase balance inside IHG without a stay date turns a flexible currency into a narrower one, and you cannot undo the move if the hotel award vanishes.
People who do not stay in IHG brands should treat the 70 percent headline as noise and focus on the airline bonuses that match their actual routes.
Airline windows that still create a booking action
The Amex 30 percent Avios bonus through September 27 is the longest high-value airline window on the board. It can cut the Chase-or-Amex cost of short-haul European awards on British Airways, Iberia, or Aer Lingus when award seats are already open.
Citi’s 40 percent Turkish bonus ends August 31 and only delivers the full stated ratio for cards that unlock Citi’s full transfer partner rates. Holders of lower-tier Citi products can see a weaker baseline ratio, so the headline 40 percent is not automatic for every card in the wallet.
Flying Blue’s 20 percent Citi bonus ends even sooner, on August 22. That is the nearest hard stop for anyone eyeing Air France or KLM awards this month.
Capital One’s 15 percent Lifemiles bonus is smaller but still useful when a Star Alliance routing prices better in Lifemiles than in a native partner program. Chase’s 20 percent Aeroplan bonus through September 30 is the late-month airline option for people who already found Air Canada or partner award space.
How to decide without wasting the window
Start with a real itinerary, not with a bonus percentage. Search the award calendar for the hotel night or flight you actually want, screenshot the price in partner currency, then reverse-calculate how many transferable points you need after the bonus.
If the award is not available today, do not transfer “just in case.” Availability can disappear while your points sit in the wrong program.
Stack only when the rules allow it. Chase’s Aeroplan cardholders may be able to layer a card-specific transfer sweetener on top of the published 20 percent Aeroplan bonus, subject to annual caps and minimum transfer sizes.
Read the card rules before you assume a double stack.
Watch for targeted offers. Some transfer bonuses appear only for selected accounts, so confirm the promotion inside your own Chase, Amex, Citi, or Capital One portal before you move points.
Deadlines that change the order of operations
Work the calendar backward from the nearest useful stop. Flying Blue’s August 22 Citi window is the first airline deadline that can erase a discount if you wait for a weekend research session.
August 31 then clears three large offers at once: Chase to IHG, Citi to Turkish, and Capital One to Lifemiles. That clustering matters if you can only complete one careful award search per evening.
September still holds Amex Avios and Chase Aeroplan. Those later dates are not a reason to ignore August 31 if your stay is an IHG hotel or your routing is Turkish.
They are a second chance for different programs only.
Keep a simple checklist beside the portal: award link, points required before bonus, points required after bonus, and the transfer button you will press only after the first three lines match.
| If you hold… | What to do before the deadline |
|---|---|
| Chase points and an IHG stay ready to book | Price the award, then transfer under the 70 percent bonus by Aug. 31. |
| Amex points and an Avios-priced Europe hop | Confirm seats, then use the 30 percent Avios bonus by Sept. 27. |
| Citi points and a Turkish or Flying Blue award | Check your card’s transfer ratio, then act by Aug. 31 or Aug. 22. |
| Capital One miles and a Lifemiles routing | Verify the 15 percent portal offer and transfer by Aug. 31 if seats hold. |
| No award space yet | Do not transfer. Keep points flexible until inventory appears. |
- Aug. 22: Citi Flying Blue 20 percent bonus ends.
- Aug. 28: Multi-program Cathay 10 percent window ends.
- Aug. 31: Chase-to-IHG 70 percent, Citi-to-Turkish 40 percent, and Cap One Lifemiles 15 percent end.
- Sept. 27: Amex 30 percent Avios window ends.
- Sept. 30: Chase 20 percent Aeroplan bonus ends.
August’s transfer board is useful only when it lowers the cost of a trip you can already book. Treat the percentages as a temporary discount on a confirmed award, not as a reason to empty a flexible points balance into the wrong program.
What is the biggest transfer bonus open in August 2026?
Chase Ultimate Rewards to IHG One Rewards at 70 percent through August 31 is the largest hotel premium currently listed by major roundups.
When does the Amex Avios transfer bonus end?
The 30 percent American Express Membership Rewards bonus to British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus runs through September 27, 2026.
Should I transfer points without a booking?
No. Transfers are irreversible. Confirm award space first, then transfer the exact amount needed.
Do all Citi cards get the full Turkish 40 percent bonus?
Only cards that unlock Citi’s full partner transfer ratio receive the full stated outcome. Check your card’s transfer rate before moving points.
Is the Chase Aeroplan bonus separate from the IHG bonus?
Yes. Chase lists a 70 percent IHG bonus through August 31 and a separate 20 percent Aeroplan bonus through September 30.
