Times to transfer Wells Fargo points

Earlier this year, Wells Fargo significantly enhanced its travel rewards program by adding transfer partners. That means if you have a card that earns Wells Fargo Rewards points, you can now transfer those points to several airlines and hotels, where you can get more value for your points than redeeming them directly through Wells Fargo’s website.

But if you decide to take advantage of Wells Fargo’s transfer partners, how long will it take to transfer your points?

Thankfully, based on our tests, the answer is: not too far.

Related: Why I got the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card – and how I plan to use the welcome bonus

Times to transfer Wells Fargo points

With some programs, transferring points to certain partners may take several days or weeks. This can cause problems if you plan to redeem and the award space disappears before the points reach your account for frequent flyer or hotel awards.

Fortunately, when it comes to Wells Fargo, our tests show that transfers are almost as fast when you transfer points to any of the six transfer partners.

These times are based on our personal experience and should not be taken as hard and fast rules. Your transfer may be faster or slower, but you can use these times as guidelines when planning your recovery.

Related: Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card review: Key earning rates and new transfer partners

Tips for transferring Wells Fargo Rewards points

While most points programs require you to transfer in 1,000 increments, Wells Fargo lets you transfer as little as one point — a handy feature if you’re only a few points away from an airline or hotel reservation.

As with most transferable point currencies, transfers from Wells Fargo to any of its partners are irreversible. We recommend that you have redemption in mind and confirm award availability with your desired airline or hotel before you transfer those hard-earned points.

Several airlines allow you to hold award tickets, and Wells Fargo’s only transfer partner is Air France-KLM Flying Blue. If you plan to use Flying Blue with Wells Fargo points, canceling your award ticket might be a good idea before you start transferring.

Related: Your ultimate guide to how to search for award availability on major airlines

Can you transfer Wells Fargo Rewards points to someone else’s account?

When transferring points to travel partners, Wells Fargo states that “The partner’s loyalty program account must match the name on your credit card.” Therefore, you can only transfer points to your airline and hotel accounts.

However, you can transfer Wells Fargo Rewards points to someone else’s Wells Fargo account if they have a card that earns Wells Fargo Rewards points. Simply select the “Gift to Others” redemption option in your Wells Fargo account.

On the next screen, select “Transfer Points as a Gift,” which allows you to send points directly to someone. You can transfer 1 point this way, and your gift can then transfer their new points to their airline and hotel accounts.

TPG has ensured that these transfers between cardholders process quickly, as do transfers for Wells Fargo’s airline and hotel partners.

Related: Book an award and go faster by combining your points

Is there a fee for transferring Wells Fargo Rewards points?

The good news: Wells Fargo doesn’t charge a transfer fee or sales tax. However, be aware that if you transfer points to airlines and use them to book an award flight, you will likely still need to pay taxes and fees on your ticket.

Which cards earn Wells Fargo Rewards points?

Although Wells Fargo offers many credit cards, including several that earn cash back rewards, you can currently earn transferable Wells Fargo Rewards points with the following cards:

Related: Wells Fargo Autograph vs. Autograph Tour: Should you pay an annual fee to get more benefits?

Bottom line

Wells Fargo’s transfer partners open up many new spending opportunities for cardholders and make it more competitive with points programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Bilt Rewards. Wells Fargo’s list of transfer partners is still very short (and all of its partners work with other issuers), but close transfer times and no minimum transfer amount make it easy to redeem rewards from these partners — and hopefully new partners. will be added soon.

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