There are currently 5 transferable point programs with Capital One Miles being the newest of the group. Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy are the 4 other programs.
14 airlines programs partner with Capital One Miles with Finnair as the only program unique to Capital One Miles. However, Finnair is not the program where you’ll find value. Instead, focus on Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca Lifemiles, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Etihad Guest, and Flying Blue.
When the time comes to redeem Capital One Miles with an airline, it’s helpful to know how long it takes to transfer your points. Capital One Miles transfers to Aeroplan are instant, Avianca transfers are instant, Cathay Pacific transfers take 36 hours, Etihad transfers take 36 hours, and Flying Blue transfers are instant.
The airline transfer ratios are another thing to keep your eye on with Capital One Miles. Most of the transfer ratios are 2:1.5 so 1,000 Capital One Miles become 750 airline miles. The transfer ratios for Emirates and Singapore Airlines are 2:1.
To summarize, Capital One Miles provide value when you know which airline partners and award charts to leverage.
Credit Cards to Use to Redeem Capital One Miles:
Capital One has 2 personal and 2 business credit cards that earn transferable Capital One Miles directly with your spend. By aligning your spend with Capital One credit cards that earn the most per dollar spent, you will have more than enough miles for any of these redemptions.
The Capital One Venture and the Capital One VentureOne are the 2 personal credit cards to consider. The Venture has a 100,000-mile welcome offer and would be the one to apply for first.
Capital One Spark Miles for Business and Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business are the 2 business credit cards that earn transferable miles. The Spark Miles for Business has a 50,000 mile welcome offer and is the one to apply for first.
Earning transferable Capital One Miles is the best way to continually receive value. If and when an airline or hotel program has a devaluation, the transferable Miles that you have are not locked up in 1 program.
1. Star Alliance U.S. to Europe
Aeroplan is 1 of a handful of programs that you should look to when flying transatlantic to Europe. The reason is because Aeroplan offers competitive rates, particularly for those looking to fly business class.
With 110,000 Aeroplan miles (147,000 Capital One Miles), you can book a round-trip Star Alliance business class flight from the U.S. to Europe. In addition to the miles, you’ll need to pay $54 in taxes and fees to book an airline with low fees like United Airlines. Expect to pay more taxes and fees when flying a partner like Lufthansa.
Air Canada, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Swiss Air Lines, TAP Air Portugal, and United Airlines are the Star Alliance airline partners with flights across the Atlantic.
Search for Star Alliance award flights on the Aeroplan website. When you find flights that work for you, book the flight directly on Aeroplan. Alternatively, search for Star Alliance flights on the United website, confirm availability on the Aeroplan website, and then book the flight on Aeroplan.
2. Cathay Pacific New York to Vancouver
The Cathay Pacific Asia Miles program isn’t the easiest to understand due to its many award charts and rules. With that said, there is 1 redemption that you should think of when looking to use Capital One Miles.
With 50,000 Asia Miles (67,000 Capital One Miles), you can book a round-trip Cathay Pacific business class flight from New York (JFK) to Vancouver (YVR). You’ll also need to pay $83 in taxes and fees in addition to the miles.
Cathay Pacific is the lone airline that flies this route. However, if you’re looking for more redemption options, check out the best ways to use Cathay Pacific Miles.
Cathay Pacific award flights can be found on the Cathay Pacific website. When you find a flight that works, book the flight directly online.
3. Lufthansa U.S. to Europe
The Avianca Lifemiles program is one of the top programs for Star Alliance partner flights. Avianca has competitive award rates, particularly in premium cabins, that allow you to receive value with your miles.
With 87,000 Lifemiles (116,000 Capital One Miles), you can book a one-way Lufthansa first class flight from the U.S. to Europe. One-way business class flights are also a great deal at 63,000 Lifemiles (84,000 Capital One Miles). In addition to the miles, you’ll need to pay $31 in taxes and fees.
Lufthansa flies to Frankfurt from Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington–Dulles. Lufthansa also flies to Munich from Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington–Dulles.
Search for award flights within 14 days of departure (when Lufthansa releases first class) on the United Airlines website. When you find award availability, search for and book the flight on the Avianca website.
4. Royal Air Maroc U.S. to Morocco
Etihad is another under-the-radar program with upside. Not only can you fly American Airlines at competitive rates, but you receive value with your miles when flying to Morocco.
With 88,000 Etihad miles (118,000 Capital One Miles), you can book a round-trip Royal Air Maroc business class flight from the U.S. to Morocco. You’ll also need to pay $470 in taxes and fees in addition to the miles.
Royal Air Maroc flies to Casablanca from Boston, Miami, New York, and Washington–Dulles. In addition, you can continue on to another city like Lisbon for no additional miles. The reason is because of the way the award chart is currently structured.
Search for award flights on the Royal Air Maroc website, and then call Etihad at 877-690-0767 to confirm award availability and book the award flight.
5. SkyTeam U.S. to Israel
The Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) program lost value in the last few years but that doesn’t mean it should be overlooked. If you’re eyeing a trip to Israel, Flying Blue may be the program to leverage.
With 50,000 Flying Blue miles (67,000 Capital One Miles), you can book a round-trip SkyTeam economy flight from the U.S. to Israel. In addition to the miles, you will need to pay $247 in taxes and fees.
The SkyTeam airlines that fly between the U.S. and Israel include Air Europa, Air France, Alitalia, Delta, and KLM. Keep an eye on the taxes and fees as airlines like Air Europa tend to have higher fees.
Search for award flights on the Air France or KLM websites. When you find an award flight that works, book the flight on the Air France or KLM websites.
Conclusion on How to Redeem Capital One Miles:
Redeeming Capital One Miles with airline partners is the way to unlock the most value with the program. Aeroplan, Avianca, Cathay Pacific, Etihad, and Flying Blue are the partners to look to first when you are ready to use your miles for an award flight.
What about you? How do you redeem Capital One Miles with airline partners? Are there airline partners that provide you with more value than others? Please let me know in the comments below or by sending me an email on my contact page.
Disclaimer: If you click and/or sign up for a credit card through certain links on this site or any of my related social media platforms, I may make a commission from that click-through. The editorial content on this page and the user comments are not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are mine alone.
