Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Transfer Partners

Last updated: July 2026

Four credit card programs transfer points directly to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles: Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Points, Bilt Rewards, and Rove Miles. All four transfer at a 1:1 ratio. Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Wells Fargo Rewards do not transfer to Miles&Smiles directly. This distinction matters because transferring to the wrong intermediary—or assuming a transfer path exists—can waste points or delay bookings.

Miles&Smiles remains one of the more underrated Star Alliance loyalty programs for U.S.-based points collectors. Despite a clunky website and a December 2025 award chart devaluation that hit domestic partner awards hard, the program still offers genuinely strong redemption rates on Turkish Airlines’ own metal, especially in business class to Europe, the Middle East, and beyond.

This guide covers every direct transfer partner, the exact ratios and timing, which major programs don’t connect, the best uses for Miles&Smiles, and the common mistakes that cost people real value.

Key Takeaways

• Four direct transfer partners: Capital One (1:1), Citi ThankYou (1:1), Bilt Rewards (1:1), and Rove Miles (1:1).
• Chase, Amex, and Wells Fargo have no direct transfer path to Miles&Smiles.
• Transfers typically complete in 1–2 business days, so don’t wait until the last minute to book award seats.
• Best uses include Turkish Airlines business class to Istanbul and beyond, plus Star Alliance partner awards on routes where Miles&Smiles pricing undercuts competitors.
• Watch for devaluation risk: Turkish devalued domestic partner awards in December 2025 without notice. Transfer only when you have a specific booking in mind.

Which Programs Are Direct Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Transfer Partners?

Only four U.S. credit card currencies can be transferred directly to Miles&Smiles. Here’s the complete breakdown:

All four direct partners offer a clean 1:1 ratio with no transfer fees. That’s a meaningful advantage—some airline programs only receive points at discounted ratios (e.g., 2:1.5) from certain banks.

Decision rule: If you hold Capital One, Citi, Bilt, or Rove points and want to book Turkish Airlines or certain Star Alliance flights, Miles&Smiles should be on your shortlist. If you primarily earn Chase or Amex points, you’ll need to look at other Star Alliance programs like Air Canada Aeroplan or ANA Mileage Club instead.

For the full picture of which banks connect to which airlines, see the complete credit card transfer partners table.

How Does Each Direct Transfer Partner Work?

Capital One Miles to Turkish Airlines

Capital One Miles transfer 1:1 to Miles&Smiles. This is one of the strongest uses for Capital One miles because Miles&Smiles isn’t accessible from Chase or Amex, giving Capital One cardholders an exclusive advantage in certain booking scenarios.

To initiate a transfer, log in to your Capital One account, navigate to the rewards portal, select Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, and enter your Miles&Smiles membership number. Transfers typically post within 1–2 business days.

For more Capital One transfer options, see the Capital One Miles transfer partners guide.

Citi ThankYou Points to Turkish Airlines

Citi ThankYou points also transfer 1:1. Citi cardholders with a Premier, Prestige, or Custom Cash card (linked to a ThankYou-earning card) can initiate transfers through the ThankYou portal.

One advantage of Citi: the ThankYou program periodically runs transfer bonuses to select partners. While Turkish Airlines bonuses have been rare, they do appear. A 20–30% bonus would dramatically improve the value of a Miles&Smiles redemption. Always check for active promotions before transferring.

Explore all Citi options in the Citi ThankYou transfer partners guide.

Bilt Rewards to Turkish Airlines

Bilt Rewards points transfer 1:1 to Miles&Smiles. Bilt is notable because it’s one of the few programs that lets you earn points on rent payments, making it a unique source of transferable points for renters.

Bilt transfers follow the same 1–2 business day timeline. One consideration: Bilt has a monthly points-earning requirement (you must make at least five transactions per statement period to earn points on rent). Make sure your points are actually posting before planning a transfer.

See all Bilt transfer options in the Bilt Rewards transfer partners guide.

Rove Miles to Turkish Airlines

Rove Miles is a newer transferable points program that also transfers 1:1 to Miles&Smiles. Rove is less widely held than Capital One or Citi, but for cardholders in the program, the Turkish transfer path works identically—1:1 ratio, 1–2 business day processing.

For the full Rove partner list, check the Rove Miles transfer partners guide.

Which Major Programs Do NOT Transfer to Miles&Smiles?

This is where mistakes happen. Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Wells Fargo Rewards do not transfer directly to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles. There is no workaround, no indirect path through a hotel program that makes economic sense, and no “hack” to get Chase or Amex points into Miles&Smiles at a reasonable rate.

If you primarily earn Chase points or Amex points and want to fly Turkish Airlines on an award ticket, your best options are:

• Book through a different Star Alliance program that Chase or Amex does transfer to (e.g., Aeroplan, United MileagePlus, Avianca LifeMiles, or Singapore KrisFlyer).
• Use a portal booking through Chase Travel or Amex Travel, though this typically yields lower cents-per-point value than a well-planned award transfer.

For Chase-specific strategies, see the Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners guide. For Amex, see the Amex Membership Rewards transfer partners guide.

Common mistake: Assuming that because Turkish Airlines is in Star Alliance, any Star Alliance transfer partner can “reach” Miles&Smiles. That’s not how it works. You can book Turkish Airlines flights through other Star Alliance programs (like Aeroplan or United), but the pricing and availability will differ from what Miles&Smiles offers directly.

What About Hotel Transfer Partners?

Miles&Smiles does accept transfers from hotel loyalty programs, but the ratios are poor:

The Marriott transfer works out to roughly 0.33 Miles&Smiles miles per Bonvoy point (or slightly better with the 60,000-point bonus threshold). This is generally a poor use of Marriott points unless you have a very specific redemption in mind and no other source of Miles&Smiles.

Recommendation: Treat hotel transfers as a last resort, not a primary strategy.

What Are the Best Uses of Miles&Smiles Points?

Miles&Smiles shines brightest for Turkish Airlines’ own flights, especially in business class. Here’s where the program delivers the most value:

Turkish Airlines Business Class to Istanbul

This is the flagship sweet spot. Turkish Airlines operates wide-body aircraft with a competitive business class product on routes from major U.S. cities (JFK, IAD, ORD, IAH, LAX, SFO, MIA, ATL, SEA, BOS) to Istanbul (IST).

Approximate business class award pricing (round-trip on Turkish metal):

• U.S. East Coast to Istanbul: ~63,000 miles each way in business
• U.S. West Coast to Istanbul: ~63,000 miles each way in business

These rates can vary based on the specific award chart zone and whether Turkish has adjusted pricing since the December 2025 changes. Always verify current pricing on the Miles&Smiles website before transferring points.

Connections Beyond Istanbul

Istanbul is a major hub connecting to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Central/South Asia. A single Miles&Smiles award can include a connection through IST to destinations like:

• Cape Town, Johannesburg
• Dubai, Doha, Riyadh
• Delhi, Mumbai, Karachi
• Most European capitals

The program’s award chart prices connecting flights through Istanbul competitively, and Turkish’s lounge in Istanbul (the Turkish Airlines Lounge at IST) is consistently rated among the world’s best.

Star Alliance Partner Awards

As a Star Alliance member, Miles&Smiles can be used to book flights on partner airlines, including United, Lufthansa, Swiss, Air Canada, ANA, EVA Air, Singapore Airlines, and others. However, partner award pricing through Miles&Smiles has become less competitive since the December 2025 devaluation, which significantly raised domestic partner award costs.

Before the devaluation, United domestic flights (including to Hawaii) could be booked for as low as 10,000 miles one-way—a genuine sweet spot.

After the devaluation, Domestic partner awards jumped roughly 50%, eliminating that particular value play.

The lesson: Miles & Smiles sweet spots can disappear without warning. Don’t stockpile miles speculatively.

Calculator Example: Is a Transfer Worth It?

Let’s walk through a real-world calculation to determine whether transferring points to Miles&Smiles makes sense for a specific booking.

Scenario: You want to fly business class from New York (JFK) to Istanbul (IST) on Turkish Airlines. You hold 70,000 Capital One miles.

Step 1: Find the award price. Miles&Smiles charges approximately 63,000 miles one-way for business class from the U.S. East Coast to Istanbul on Turkish metal (verify current pricing before transferring).

Step 2: Find the cash price. A one-way Business Class ticket on this route typically costs $2,500–$4,000, depending on the season and the level of advance purchase.

Step 3: Calculate cents per point (CPP). Using a mid-range cash price of $3,200:

CPP = Cash price ÷ Miles required
$3,200 ÷ 63,000 = 5.08 cents per point

Step 4: Evaluate. A CPP of 5.08 is excellent. Most points-and-miles experts consider anything above 2 CPP a good transfer, and above 4 CPP an outstanding one. This redemption clears that bar easily.

Step 5: Check taxes and fees. Miles&Smiles awards on Turkish Airlines’ own flights typically carry taxes and fees of $50–$150 on U.S.-to-Istanbul routes. Turkish does not impose heavy fuel surcharges on its own metal for award tickets, which is a meaningful advantage over some European carriers.

Verdict: This transfer is worth it. Transfer 63,000 Capital One miles to Miles&Smiles and book.

For more points valuation tools, visit the Award Travel Hub calculators page.

What Fees, Surcharges, and Pitfalls Should You Know About?

Fuel Surcharges

Turkish Airlines generally does not impose heavy fuel surcharges on award tickets for flights on its own metal. This is a significant advantage. However, if you book Star Alliance partner flights through Miles&Smiles, the surcharge policy depends on the operating carrier. Lufthansa and Swiss, for example, are known for adding substantial fuel surcharges to award tickets.

Rule of thumb: Stick to Turkish Airlines’ own flights when redeeming Miles&Smiles to keep out-of-pocket costs low.

The Website Experience

This is a real barrier. The Miles&Smiles website has a reputation for being difficult to use:

• Login requires a numeric-only password of exactly six digits
• Text message verification is required for most logins
• Award search functionality can be glitchy, sometimes failing to display available inventory
• The interface is not intuitive for first-time users

Workaround: Search for Turkish Airlines award availability on other platforms (like United.com or Aeroplan) to confirm seats exist, then log in to Miles&Smiles to complete the booking. Partner availability doesn’t always match perfectly across platforms, but it gives you a starting point.

Devaluation Risk

Turkish Airlines devalued its award chart in December 2025 without advance notice, raising domestic partner award prices by approximately 50%. This eliminated several popular sweet spots overnight.

Best practice: Never transfer points to Miles&Smiles speculatively. Only transfer when you’ve confirmed award availability and are ready to book. Transfers are irreversible—once points are moved from Capital One, Citi, Bilt, or Rove to Miles&Smiles, they cannot be returned.

Miles Expiration

Miles&Smiles miles expire after 3 years of inactivity. Any earning or redemption activity resets the clock. If you transfer a large balance and don’t use it promptly, set a calendar reminder to avoid losing miles to expiration.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Transferring before confirming availability. Award seats are limited. Always search first, then transfer.
2. Assuming Chase or Amex transfers exist. They don’t. Verify your points currency before planning.
3. Ignoring partner surcharges. Booking Lufthansa through Miles&Smiles can add hundreds of dollars in fuel surcharges.
4. Stockpiling Miles&Smiles speculatively. The December 2025 devaluation proved that sweet spots can vanish overnight.
5. Forgetting the 1–2 day transfer window. If award availability is disappearing fast, the transfer delay could cost you the seat.
6. Not having a Miles&Smiles account set up before you need it. Create your account and verify your login before you find a booking you want. The verification process (SMS codes, numeric passwords) can be frustrating under time pressure.

How to Transfer Points to Miles&Smiles: Step-by-Step

Follow these steps regardless of which credit card program you’re transferring from:

Before you start:

• Create a Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles account at turkishairlines.com
• Note your Miles&Smiles membership number (you’ll need it for the transfer)
• Confirm your name matches exactly between your credit card rewards account and your Miles&Smiles account
• Search for and confirm award availability on your desired route

Transfer process:

1. Log in to your credit card rewards portal (Capital One, Citi ThankYou, Bilt, or Rove)
2. Navigate to the “Transfer Points” or “Transfer Miles” section
3. Select Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles from the partner list
4. Enter your Miles&Smiles membership number
5. Enter the number of points/miles to transfer
6. Confirm the transfer (review the ratio—it should show 1:1)
7. Wait 1–2 business days for the miles to appear in your Miles&Smiles account
8. Log in to Miles&Smiles and book your award ticket

Setup tip: Complete steps 1–3 of this process before you have a time-sensitive booking. Linking your Miles&Smiles account to your credit card portal in advance saves time when availability appears.

How Does Miles&Smiles Compare to Other Star Alliance Programs?

If you want to fly Star Alliance carriers, Miles&Smiles is one of several programs you could use. Here’s how it stacks up for U.S.-based points collectors:

Choose Miles&Smiles if: You hold Capital One, Citi, Bilt, or Rove points and want to fly Turkish Airlines’ own business class, especially to Istanbul or connecting through Istanbul. The low surcharges on TK metal and competitive business class pricing make it a strong pick.

Choose a different program if: You primarily earn Chase or Amex points, want maximum Star Alliance flexibility, or need to book domestic U.S. flights (where Aeroplan or United often price better post-devaluation).

For more on booking across alliances, see the Star Alliance award booking guide or the broader airline alliances overview.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards to Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles?

No. Chase Ultimate Rewards does not have a direct transfer partnership with Miles&Smiles. If you hold Chase points and want to fly Turkish Airlines, book through a Chase-connected Star Alliance program like Aeroplan or United MileagePlus instead.

Can I transfer Amex Membership Rewards to Miles&Smiles?

No. Amex Membership Rewards does not transfer to Miles&Smiles. Amex cardholders can access Star Alliance flights through ANA Mileage Club, Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, or Singapore KrisFlyer.

What is the transfer ratio from Capital One to Turkish Airlines?

Capital One Miles can be transferred to Miles&Smiles at a 1:1 ratio. 10,000 Capital One miles become 10,000 Miles&Smiles miles. There is no transfer fee.

How long do transfers to Miles&Smiles take?

Transfers from Capital One, Citi, Bilt, and Rove typically complete within 1–2 business days. Occasionally, transfers post faster, but plan for the full two-day window, especially if award availability is limited.

Are Miles&Smiles transfers reversible?

No. Once you transfer points from any credit card program to Miles&Smiles, the transfer is permanent. You cannot move miles back to your credit card currency. Only transfer when you have a confirmed redemption plan.

Does Turkish Airlines charge fuel surcharges on award tickets?

On Turkish Airlines’ own flights, fuel surcharges on award tickets are generally low (taxes and fees typically $50–$150 on transatlantic routes). However, booking partner airlines like Lufthansa or Swiss through Miles&Smiles can result in significant surcharges, sometimes exceeding $500 round-trip.

Do Miles&Smiles miles expire?

Yes. Miles expire after 3 years of account inactivity. Any earning or redemption activity resets the expiration clock. If you have a dormant balance, even a small points transfer will keep your miles alive.

Can I book United flights with Miles&Smiles?

Yes. As Star Alliance partners, Miles&Smiles can be used to book United-operated flights. However, after the December 2025 devaluation, domestic United awards through Miles&Smiles cost significantly more than they used to. Compare pricing through United MileagePlus or Aeroplan before committing.

Is there a transfer bonus to Miles&Smiles right now?

Transfer bonuses to Miles&Smiles are uncommon but do occasionally appear, primarily through Citi ThankYou. Check your credit card portal for current promotions before initiating a transfer—a 20–30% bonus can meaningfully improve your redemption value.

What is the Miles&Smiles numeric password requirement?

Miles&Smiles requires a password exactly 6 digits, numeric only. This is unusual and catches many first-time users off guard. You’ll also need to verify via SMS each time you log in from a new device.

Can I use Miles&Smiles for hotel bookings?

Miles&Smiles is primarily an airline loyalty program. While Turkish Airlines does offer some non-flight redemption options, the value is almost always worse than using miles for flights. Stick to flight redemptions for the best cents-per-point return.

How do I create a Miles&Smiles account?

Visit turkishairlines.com and sign up for a free Miles&Smiles membership. You’ll need your full legal name (matching your passport), email address, and a phone number for SMS verification. Set up your account well before you need to book—the process can be slow, and the verification steps add friction.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles is a focused, high-value transfer partner for holders of Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Points, Bilt Rewards, and Rove Miles. The 1:1 transfer ratio across all four programs, combined with Turkish Airlines’ competitive business class award pricing and low fuel surcharges on its own metal, makes Miles&Smiles a program worth knowing—even if you don’t use it often.

Here’s what to do now:

1. Create your Miles&Smiles account at turkishairlines.com if you don’t have one. Verify your login and save your membership number.
2. Link your account in your Capital One, Citi, Bilt, or Rove portal so transfers are ready to go when you find availability.
3. Search before you transfer. Use the Miles&Smiles website (or cross-reference on United.com or Aeroplan) to confirm that award seats exist on your desired route and date.
4. Transfer only what you need. Transfers are irreversible, and devaluations happen without warning.
5. Prioritize Turkish Airlines’ own flights for the best combination of low surcharges, good availability, and competitive award pricing.

For a broader view of where your points can go, explore the full bank transfer partners directory or browse all airline program guides.

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