You hold both an Amex and a Chase card, you have points stacking up in each, and one trip to book. Which balance should you spend first? Does one program reach a partner the other cannot? And when does a difference in transfer speed or a quiet transfer fee actually change your decision?
The Chase vs Amex points question rarely comes down to how much a point is worth. By our valuations, Membership Rewards and Ultimate Rewards are both worth about 2 cents each, so neither currency has a baseline edge. The difference is entirely in where each one can go: Amex reaches around 20 partners, Chase around a dozen, and each holds partners the other simply cannot touch.
In this guide, you'll see a side-by-side partner map built from TransferPoints' route data, the partners only one program can reach, how speed and fees differ, and a framework for picking the right balance to spend.
Key Takeaways
- Both currencies are worth about 2¢, so the Chase vs Amex points decision is about destinations, not base value.
- Amex has the wider network (roughly 20 partners) and the exclusives that matter most for international premium cabins: Delta, ANA, Alaska, and Hilton.
- Chase holds the single most valuable hotel partner, World of Hyatt, plus United and Southwest, which Amex cannot reach at all.
- Chase transfers post instantly and carry no fee. Amex transfers vary from instant to several days, and US-airline transfers add a $0.0006-per-point excise fee (capped at $99), as of October 2026.
- Many people keep both. The two networks overlap on only eight partners, so holding each covers gaps the other leaves open.
Same Value, Different Destinations
Before comparing partners, settle the value question, because it is where most comparisons go wrong. People assume one program's points are "worth more." In practice, the flexible value sits at the transfer, not in the currency itself.
| Program | Currency | Our estimated value | What sets the value |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Express | Membership Rewards | 2.0¢ | Which partner you transfer to |
| Chase | Ultimate Rewards | 2.0¢ | Which partner you transfer to |
Both land at the same 2.0¢ estimate on our points valuations page, and both can beat or miss that figure depending on the redemption. A point parked in either account is worth roughly a penny as cash or portal travel. The leverage only appears when you move it to the right airline or hotel, which is why the partner list decides this comparison.
Transfer Partners Compared
Here the two programs genuinely diverge. Eight partners accept transfers from both at a 1:1 ratio, with one exception worth flagging. These are the destinations where your choice of program does not matter much, so you can spend whichever balance is larger.
| Shared partner | Type | Amex ratio | Chase ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Airline | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | Airline | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| British Airways Avios | Airline | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Iberia | Airline | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | Airline | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Virgin Atlantic | Airline | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| JetBlue | Airline | 1:0.8 | 1:1 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Hotel | 1:1 | 1:1 |
JetBlue is the one shared partner where the programs are not equal. Amex transfers at 1:0.8 (10,000 points become 8,000 TrueBlue), while Chase transfers at a full 1:1. If you book JetBlue, spend Chase points and keep the extra 20%.
The Partners Only One Program Can Reach
This is where the comparison is won or lost. Each program holds partners the other cannot reach, and a single exclusive you will actually use can outweigh ten you never touch. The table below lists the partners unique to each side, based on our route data.
| Reachable only from Amex | Reachable only from Chase |
|---|---|
| Delta SkyMiles (1:1) | United MileagePlus (1:1) |
| ANA Mileage Club (1:1) | Southwest Rapid Rewards (1:1) |
| Alaska Mileage Plan (1:1) | World of Hyatt (1:1) |
| Hilton Honors (1:2) | IHG One Rewards (1:1) |
| Aeromexico (1:1.6) | |
| Qantas, Finnair, Etihad, Lufthansa, Emirates, Cathay Pacific |
Three of these exclusives decide most real cases:
- Delta is Amex-only. Amex is the single transferable-points program that reaches Delta SkyMiles, so a Delta flyer who wants to top up a balance needs Membership Rewards.
- World of Hyatt is Chase-only. Hyatt is the most valuable hotel transfer in the game at 1.7¢ per point on our valuations, and Amex cannot reach it. A 50,000-point Hyatt stay is worth about $850 in value, versus roughly $500 as cash.
- ANA and Alaska are Amex-only. Both open low-cost premium-cabin awards that Chase points cannot buy, which matters for aspirational international trips.
Chase also holds United and Southwest alone, the only program pairing those two domestic workhorses with Hyatt. Amex answers with the broadest international spread, including the SkyTeam and oneworld carriers above.
Speed and Fees: Where Chase Pulls Ahead
Partners decide the ceiling, but speed and fees decide the day-of experience. Award seats vanish, so how fast points land, and what the transfer costs, is a real tiebreaker when the destinations are a wash.
| Factor | Chase | Amex |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer speed | Nearly every partner posts instantly | Ranges from instant to 2–7 days by partner |
| US-airline fee | None | $0.0006 per point, capped at $99 |
| Fee applies to | — | Delta and JetBlue transfers |
Chase transfers to its airline partners post instantly, which lets you confirm an award seat first and move points the moment you need them. Amex is a mixed bag: Delta, British Airways, Air Canada, and Iberia are instant, but ANA, Virgin Atlantic, and Singapore often run 24–48 hours, and Alaska can take up to a week.
The fee gap is easy to miss. Amex adds an excise-tax offset fee of $0.0006 per point on transfers to US airlines (Delta and JetBlue), capped at $99, as of October 2026. Chase passes no such fee to customers on its Ultimate Rewards transfers. On a JetBlue transfer, the two differences compound:
- 10,000 Amex points → JetBlue: 10,000 × 0.8 = 8,000 TrueBlue, plus a $6 fee.
- 10,000 Chase points → JetBlue: 10,000 × 1 = 10,000 TrueBlue, no fee.
Chase delivers 2,000 more TrueBlue points and skips the charge. On the Amex side, a larger Delta transfer scales the fee: 50,000 points costs $30, 100,000 points costs $60, and anything above 165,000 points hits the $99 ceiling. Model your own numbers below.
Transfer Calculator
Which Program Wins for You
No single answer fits everyone, because the winner depends on where you fly and stay. Use the redemptions you actually make, not partner counts, to break the tie. The framework below maps common profiles to the stronger program.
- Choose Chase if you stay at Hyatt, fly United or Southwest, or you value instant, fee-free transfers above all. Hyatt alone justifies Ultimate Rewards for many travelers.
- Choose Amex if you fly Delta, chase ANA or Alaska premium-cabin awards, use Hilton, or want the widest international network for business and first class.
- Keep both if you can. The networks overlap on just eight partners, so two balances cover far more ground than either alone, and you can play transfer bonuses on whichever side runs one.
For a deeper look at squeezing value from each currency, see our guides on the best way to use Chase points and how much Amex points are worth.
Common Mistakes
Even experienced points holders slip on the same few traps when weighing these two programs. Avoiding them is often worth more than any single transfer.
- Picking by earning rate alone. The card that earns faster is useless if it cannot reach your destination. Decide where you redeem first.
- Forgetting the Amex fee. When you model a Delta or JetBlue transfer, add the excise fee, or your real cost is higher than the ratio suggests.
- Assuming more partners means better. Amex's longer list loses to Chase the moment Hyatt is your goal. Count the partners you will use, not the total.
- Transferring before confirming a seat. Every transfer here is one-way. Search award availability first, then move points, never the reverse.
Compare Both Programs in One Place
The hard part of the Chase vs Amex points decision is that the information is scattered: ratios on one page, transfer times on another, and bonuses announced without warning across both banks. Ratios differ by partner, speed differs by route, and a transfer you cannot reverse rewards a little homework.
TransferPoints keeps the two side by side so you can decide quickly:
- The Amex program page and Chase program page list every partner, ratio, and transfer time for each.
- The transfer calculator shows exactly how many miles a given transfer yields, fee and ratio included.
- The live bonus tracker flags when either bank is running a bonus worth acting on.
- For airline awards, FlightPoints checks whether a seat is actually open before you commit points.
Conclusion
The Chase vs Amex points comparison is not about which penny is bigger, since both currencies value out near 2 cents. It is about reach. Amex gives you the wider international network and sole access to Delta, ANA, Alaska, and Hilton. Chase gives you instant, fee-free transfers and the exclusives most people miss most: Hyatt, United, and Southwest. The mistake to avoid is choosing on earning rate or partner count instead of the handful of redemptions you will actually book.
Because the two overlap on only eight partners, many travelers are best served holding both and spending whichever balance reaches the trip in front of them. When that choice is live, let the data make it. Compare the ratios, times, and any active bonus on TransferPoints before you move a single point, so the transfer you cannot undo is the one you meant to make.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Chase points worth more than Amex points?
No. On our valuations, both Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards are worth about 2 cents per point. Neither currency carries a built-in value advantage. The value you actually get depends on which transfer partner you choose and the specific award you book, not on which bank issued the points.
Can I transfer points between Chase and Amex?
No. Membership Rewards and Ultimate Rewards are separate, competing currencies, and there is no way to move points from one bank to the other. You can only transfer each program's points out to its own airline and hotel partners. That is why the two balances are best thought of as independent tools rather than interchangeable ones.
Does Chase have a transfer fee like Amex?
No. Chase passes no fee to customers on point transfers, including transfers to US airlines such as United and Southwest. Amex charges an excise-tax offset fee of $0.0006 per point, capped at $99, but only on transfers to US carriers Delta and JetBlue, as of October 2026. On international partners, neither program charges a transfer fee.
Which program is better for international business class?
Amex usually wins for international premium cabins because of its wider network and exclusives like ANA and Alaska, both strong for partner first and business class. Chase still competes well through shared partners such as Air Canada Aeroplan and Virgin Atlantic. The better program is whichever one reaches the specific airline with the award seat you want.
Should I get both a Chase and an Amex card for points?
For many frequent travelers, yes. The two networks overlap on only eight partners, so holding both balances covers destinations neither reaches alone, from Hyatt and United on the Chase side to Delta and Hilton on the Amex side. It also lets you act on a transfer bonus whenever either bank runs one, rather than waiting for yours.
How this guide was made: The TransferPoints team researched and drafted this guide with AI assistance. Every transfer ratio, transfer time, fee, and point valuation was checked against official bank sources, reputable points publications, and TransferPoints' own transfer data on October 18, 2026. Spot an error? Email [email protected].