Guide to pooling credit card rewards with family

When it comes to reward redemptions, families and couples may need to do extensive digging to find opportunities for everyone to redeem their rewards in the same way — like for the same flight, for example. It may seem like it’ll take forever to save up enough credit card rewards for just one redemption, let alone two, three or four. That’s where pooling your rewards comes in.

By pooling your rewards, you can earn rewards with multiple cards and then combine all of those rewards onto one account, making it easier to redeem large amounts at once — especially for trips or large purchases.

But leveraging pooled rewards properly, like most things in the rewards world, is a game that comes with rules. Each credit card issuer has different regulations when it comes to sharing rewards with family members. If you want to end up using points or miles for that coveted family vacation of a lifetime (or maybe just to fly everyone out to see grandma over the holidays), you’ll have to learn how your issuer handles these types of redemptions. here’s how you can pool credit card rewards with major issuers:

How to pool credit card rewards based on your rewards program

From Chase’s more lenient transfer options to Amex’s authorized user rules, each credit card rewards program has its own regulations for pooling credit card rewards with family members. These are the rewards programs that are most popular for pooling rewards points

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American Express Membership Rewards

American Express states that Membership Rewards points “aren’t transferable to any other person or account.” This is the case regardless of which credit card you hold.

However, if you have a card like The Platinum Card® from American Express or American Express® Gold Card, you can transfer your Membership Rewards points to Amex airline or hotel transfer partners. You can then pool your newly transferred points together with any additional points you add to your frequent flyer or hotel loyalty accounts.

Even though Amex won’t let you transfer points from card to card, you can still transfer points between cardholders on the same account. This means that you can transfer points to any authorized user on your account, assuming they’ve been added as an authorized user to your card at least 90 days prior to transferring.

In the case of authorized users, the process would work something like this:

1. Link your eligible Amex card to your authorized user’s eligible airline or hotel loyalty account. You can do this by logging into your Amex account and going to their “transfer points” page.
2. Choose the account you want to transfer the points to. By following the prompts, you’ll be able to input the amount you want to transfer and confirm the transfer.
3. Check that your rewards have been processed. You should be able to see the points in your authorized user’s hotel or airline loyalty account, although it might take some time for the transfer to complete. If it doesn’t show up by the next day, reach out to Amex.

This option works for anyone who’s an authorized user on your account, so it isn’t limited to family or household members. Just be sure that you trust whomever you add to your account as an authorized user, as you’ll be responsible for the charges they accrue.

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Eligible Chase cardholders — including those with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card  — can share Chase Ultimate Rewards points with one household member.

However, it’s unclear how Chase chooses to enforce this policy. The Ultimate Rewards program agreements for the Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve state that if Chase suspects you’re misusing the program in any way, such as by “moving or transferring points to an ineligible third party or account,” you may be temporarily prohibited from earning or using points.

While Chase’s policy seems relatively straightforward and generous, it’s best not to push things. Make sure to only transfer points to one member of your household, like a spouse, so you won’t risk losing your points or, even worse, having your account closed.

If you plan to redeem Chase points in the Chase TravelSM portal, points are worth 1.25 cents each with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and 1.5 cents each with the Chase Sapphire Reserve. This means if you hold the Preferred, transferring to a family member in your household that has the Reserve may make Chase travel portal redemptions more lucrative as your points will be worth more.

To combine points with a household member, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your account and go to your Ultimate Rewards dashboard.
2. Click the menu in the top-left corner. Select “Combine Points.”
3. Choose the accounts you’d like to move the points to and from.
4. Follow the prompts and confirm that the points have been moved.

You can also convert credit card rewards like cash back into Ultimate Rewards points by transferring that cash back to your points-earning card. This is especially lucrative for those who like to take advantage of multiple cards from one issuer, such as those who use the Chase trifecta, a group of three cards that allow you to maximize your earnings.

Capital One miles

You can share Capital One miles with family members, friends, or pretty much anyone that has a credit card that earns Capital One miles, such as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

There are no fees or expiration dates to worry about when transferring your miles and you can transfer as many miles as you’d like. You can do this by calling the number on the back of your card or by using a web browser — not the mobile app. Here’s how:

1. Log into your account. Navigate to the rewards tile on the dashboard and click on it.
2. Chose the account you want to transfer rewards from. Scroll down the page until you see the “Move Rewards” option and click that.
3. Chose an account to send rewards to. Choose the amount you want to send and follow the prompts.
4. Confirm that the exchange has been processed. This might take a little while, but if it takes more than a day, reach out to Capital One.

Just like with Chase, you can convert any cash back you earned with a Capital One card into miles when you transfer those rewards to an eligible card. Also, note that you can’t transfer Capital One miles to anyone else’s airline or hotel loyalty accounts. But since you can easily share Capital One miles for free, this is the best way to pool rewards with family members and beyond.

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Eligible Citi ThankYou Rewards members can transfer up to 100,000 Citi ThankYou points to other members and receive up to 100,000 points in a calendar year (terms and conditions may apply). The person you transfer to doesn’t have to be a family or household member or an authorized user — they just have to possess a Citi ThankYou account.

There’s just one small, yet essential, detail to note: Shared points may only be valid for 90 days after the transfer and then they’ll expire. Ensure that before transferring, you have a selected redemption in mind. This way, the person receiving your points can use or transfer them to one of their loyalty programs well within the 90-day period.

While several Citi cards allow points transfers to other members, you may want to consider transferring points to a card like the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, which offers added options and value when transferring to partner loyalty programs.

Follow these steps to transfer points:

1. Log in to your Citi account.
2. Place your cursor over the “More Ways to Redeem” tab and click “Points Sharing.”
3. Choose your account, the recipient and the number of points to begin sharing.
4. Confirm that the points transfer has gone through.

Best cards for pooling rewards

From family perks and benefits to getting additional value for your rewards, here are some rewards credit cards to consider if you want to pool your rewards and finally get that redemption.

Best for sharing Membership Rewards points

The Platinum Card® from American Express

• Bankrate's view

  The Platinum Card from American Express is a premium travel credit card. Couples and families can benefit from perks like extensive lounge access and higher rewards rates on select prepaid travel bookings through American Express Travel. Although it costs $175 to add an authorized user, you’ll then be able to transfer Amex points to an authorized user’s loyalty programs. The authorized user will also get their own airport lounge membership (handy for larger families), as well as other perks.

Best for sharing Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Bankrate's view

  Although you can pool rewards to both the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve, we recommend considering the Reserve — at least for the recipient. This way, your Chase Ultimate Reward points can be redeemed at a boosted value of 1.5 cents per point through the Chase TravelSM portal.

  In comparison, the Preferred offers a value of 1.25 cents per point for Chase travel redemptions. Plus, since cardholders can earn 3X points on general travel (after earning the $300 credit) and dining purchases, it’s easy to earn a lot of points quickly when you have the Reserve.

Best for sharing Capital One miles

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

• Bankrate's view

  The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a solid card for couples or families who want to pool Capital One miles. Transferring miles between accounts is easy, and you can do so as often as you’d like. Plus, you can add up to four authorized users for free, meaning you can start building up your teen’s credit or add your parents to the card. Authorized users also get their own airport lounge memberships, so larger families can benefit from this, too.

Best for sharing Citi ThankYou points

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

• Bankrate's view

  The Citi Strata Premier Card is ideal for families or couples that mainly focus on everyday spending. With 3X points on restaurant, supermarket, gas station, hotel and air travel purchases, it’s a solid option for families that want to build up points and pool them for a dream trip redemption. You’ll want to transfer Citi ThankYou points to this card, as it has ample options for transferring points to other travel loyalty programs.

The bottom line

Pooling rewards is a relatively easy way for couples, families or household members to reach a redemption. While it does take some organization, planning and reading the fine print, it can all be worth it when you and your family are on the way to the Bahamas or Paris.

But it’s essential to understand the best way to pool your chosen rewards currency. Create a strategy based on your preferred redemptions or rewards currency, then get the right credit cards and follow the rules to make sure you end up pooling in ways that don’t violate any terms or let your hard-earned rewards expire.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about pooling credit card rewards

• Which credit card rewards programs allow you to pool rewards?

  Many credit card programs allow you to pool rewards between your cards. Some of the most popular ones include American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One miles and Citi ThankYou Rewards.
  

• Can you convert cash back into miles or points when pooling rewards?

  Yes, most major issuers allow you to pool your cash back rewards with another card by converting them into points or miles when they get transferred. Issuers typically don’t allow you to do the opposite and transfer miles to a cash back credit card, however.