Transferring points from a general pooled program like Ultimate Rewards or Membership Rewards is quite simple, you just log into the portal and click transfer, they'll be in your account in 1-3 days (sometimes instantly). The beauty of these types of programs is that you can pick and choose the program that works the best for your particular trip, you're not locked into only one mileage program. There are 'award sweet spots' in all of the programs, so while one destination may be best with certain miles, a different destination could be best with a completely different type of miles.
Here's a list of all of the good ones for US residents with the airlines you can transfer points to:
Amex: https://www.americanexpress.com/en-gb/re...l/airlines
Capital One: https://www.capitalone.com/learn-grow/mo...tnerships/
Chase: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/redeeming...mum-value/ (You can't access the list from Chase without logging in, so here's a third party listing)
Citi: https://www.thankyou.com/partnerProgramsListing.htm
Marriott: https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/redeem/...o-miles.mi
You won't get cheaper fares by holding a particular points earning credit card, just the opportunity to fly free some of the times. Correct point accumulation is between 1% to about 2-3% in general but there are bonus categories in many programs that you earn more. I don't know how much they matter for most people, for example if restaurants are a 2x multiplier, how much of your budget do you actually spend at restaurants vs. the grocery store, etc.? Bonus categories are nice but don't make or break anything. The ones that are nice are bonus on travel spend, those categories tend to be pretty broad and I personally spend A LOT on travel, so I put a ton of that spend on a Chase Sapphire card. It's definitely not "the best" earner out there, but it's the best one I have in my wallet right now. I eventually will get the Capital One Venture X, but it's an expensive card and you may not utilize the perks enough to justify it. The key on those premium cards is to use some of the perks and maximize the credits you get for various things. I would rate the Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve as the best 2 cards on the US market, followed closely by the Amex Platinum, but that's some serious cash in annual fees if you don't utilize the credits and benefits. Citi stopped applications for their top travel card that was also quite sexy.
Here's a list of all of the good ones for US residents with the airlines you can transfer points to:
Amex: https://www.americanexpress.com/en-gb/re...l/airlines
Capital One: https://www.capitalone.com/learn-grow/mo...tnerships/
Chase: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/redeeming...mum-value/ (You can't access the list from Chase without logging in, so here's a third party listing)
Citi: https://www.thankyou.com/partnerProgramsListing.htm
Marriott: https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/redeem/...o-miles.mi
You won't get cheaper fares by holding a particular points earning credit card, just the opportunity to fly free some of the times. Correct point accumulation is between 1% to about 2-3% in general but there are bonus categories in many programs that you earn more. I don't know how much they matter for most people, for example if restaurants are a 2x multiplier, how much of your budget do you actually spend at restaurants vs. the grocery store, etc.? Bonus categories are nice but don't make or break anything. The ones that are nice are bonus on travel spend, those categories tend to be pretty broad and I personally spend A LOT on travel, so I put a ton of that spend on a Chase Sapphire card. It's definitely not "the best" earner out there, but it's the best one I have in my wallet right now. I eventually will get the Capital One Venture X, but it's an expensive card and you may not utilize the perks enough to justify it. The key on those premium cards is to use some of the perks and maximize the credits you get for various things. I would rate the Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Reserve as the best 2 cards on the US market, followed closely by the Amex Platinum, but that's some serious cash in annual fees if you don't utilize the credits and benefits. Citi stopped applications for their top travel card that was also quite sexy.