Points earned from card spending can be transferred with flexibility to a number of hotel chains and airlines across different alliances. (cardsfortravel.com)
Sometimes, it is even possible to transfer miles between airlines in different alliances. (mybanktracker.com)
It can really be advantageous if you're able to split up your outbound and inbound routes with different alliances, as you're offered maximum flexibility. (uponarriving.com)