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This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with The Points Guy.
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American Express Membership Rewards Overview
American Express Membership Rewards stands out as one of the top rewards programs thanks to its versatility and value. The points earned through this program are coveted for flexibility, with a roster of 18 airline and three hotel transfer partners. This opens up a vast network of travel opportunities worldwide. Moreover, the multitude of available American Express credit cards provides ample avenues for earning points, each tailored to different lifestyles and spending habits.
However, maximizing the Membership Rewards program requires fully leveraging its transfer partners. If you’re just getting started with travel points and airline miles, you might need guidance with the various transfer partners and how best to save money on travel using Amex points. Here’s a complete guide to the best Membership Rewards partner transfer options:
American Express Membership Rewards Airline Transfer Partners
American Express Membership Rewards boasts an impressive lineup of airline transfer partners, offering cardholders unparalleled flexibility in redeeming their points for travel. With 18 airlines, including global giants like Delta, Emirates, and British Airways, members can seamlessly convert their points into frequent flyer miles.
This extensive network allows for redemptions across various alliances such as Oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance, granting access to an expansive global route network. Whether booking premium cabins for luxury travel experiences or maximizing points for economy flights, American Express Membership Rewards airline transfer partners cater to a broad spectrum of travel preferences and goals, making it a coveted feature among frequent flyers and travel enthusiasts.
- Air Lingus Aerclub
- Aeromexico Rewards
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue
- ANA Mileage Club
- Avianca Lifemiles
- British Airways Executive Club
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Delta SkyMiles
- Emirates Skywards
- Etihad Guest
- Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
- Iberia Plus
- JetBlue TrueBlue (5:4)
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Qatar Airways Privileges Club
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Aer Lingus Aerclub
Aer Lingus Aerclub operates a distance-based award model and provides excellent value for award flights to Dublin. You can secure economy flights from the East Coast for as low as 13,000 Avios each way during off-peak times. Off-peak business flights are also available for a reasonable 50,000 miles each way.
Aeromexico Rewards
AeroMexico Rewards might not always have the most competitive rates for US-to-Mexico flights, but it stands out as a valuable option for partner award flights. For instance, the opportunity to travel between the East Coast and Paris for merely 33,000 miles per way in economy class offers significant value. Given that Amex points transfer to AeroMexico at a ratio of 1:1.6, you’ll need around 21,000 points for this award.
Air Canada Aeroplan
Air Canada Aeroplan is part of the Star Alliance, allowing you to utilize your miles for United flights. The program offers tremendous value on short-haul flights (distances under 600 miles), which start at just 6,000 points each way. Aeroplan is also a great choice for flights to Europe, which start at 35,000 points each way in economy class and 60,000 in business.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
Flying Blue offers exceptional bargains on international award flights. For those eyeing a journey to North Africa, it’s achievable for a mere 15,000 miles each way in economy class or 55,000 miles in business. Additionally, Promo Rewards offers substantial discounts on flights worldwide.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club
If you’ve got an international trip in business class on your bucket list, look no further than ANA Mileage Club. The program has some of the most affordable premium cabin flights available. A round-trip business class ticket from the US to Europe costs just 88,000 miles, while a business class journey to Asia starts at a mere 75,000 miles.
Avianca Lifemiles
Avianca Lifemiles are attainable thanks to a 1:1 transfer partnership with American Express Membership Rewards, making them ideal for booking cheap Star Alliance flights. A notable use for Lifemiles includes 35,000-mile one-way business class flights between New York (JFK) and Lisbon (LIS).
British Airways Executive Club
British Airways Executive Club prices awards by segment and distance, meaning you’ll get the best deals on short-haul, direct flights. Partner flights are often the best value since they generally exclude the high fuel surcharges British Airways adds to long-haul international flights transiting the UK.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles program can be a great way to book Oneworld awards using Amex points. One-way flights to Doha on Qatar Airways’ award-winning QSuites start at 75,000 miles each way.
Delta SkyMiles
Generally, converting Amex points to Delta SkyMiles isn’t the optimal choice due to Delta’s dynamic pricing, often resulting in fluctuating and high redemption rates. Nevertheless, there are instances where you might encounter a reasonably-priced domestic award flight, making it worthwhile to explore availability.
Emirates Skywards
Emirates is celebrated for its opulent in-flight offerings, especially in business and first class. A one-way award from New York (JFK) to Milan (MXP) will cost just 87,000 miles each way.
Etihad Guest
Etihad has raised its award rates in recent years, making transfers to Etihad less desirable. However, booking short-haul awards (flights under 500 miles) still holds value, starting at 7,000 miles each way for economy class.
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
HawaiianMiles can be an excellent choice for exploring the Hawaiian islands through convenient inter-island flights, starting at just 7,500 miles each way in economy class.
Iberia Plus
Iberia Plus is particularly beneficial for traveling to Spain, offering some of the lowest redemption rates. With direct flights from numerous US cities to Spain, this program provides exceptional value.
JetBlue TrueBlue
JetBlue’s comparatively smaller route network can limit redemption choices, especially for travelers seeking international destinations. However, transferring Amex points to JetBlue can make sense if the airline offers the most direct route.
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Qantas Frequent Flyer may not have numerous sweet spots, but there are a few great ways to redeem points. You can book an Emirates economy ticket between the East Coast and Dubai for 90,000 miles round-trip.
Qatar Airways Privileges Club
Qatar Airways Privileges Club can be a fantastic choice as well, with a business class ticket between the US and the Middle East costing just 70,000 miles each way. Occasionally, Amex may offer transfer bonuses, making these flights even more affordable.
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
The Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer offers a region-based award chart with excellent rates on certain routes. You can redeem just 40,000 miles round-trip for a United business class award or 25,000 for economy.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Virgin Atlantic provides some of the most affordable economy-class award fares for trips to Europe. Departures from the East begin at a mere 10,000 miles per way.
American Express Membership Rewards Hotel Transfer Partners
Amex Membership Rewards’ trio of hotel transfer partners offers an extensive range of redemption options worldwide. While utilizing points for hotel transfers might not always be optimal within the Amex Membership Rewards program, doing so can make sense for high-end properties or when needing a few extra points for an award. Keep an eye out for occasional transfer bonuses that can elevate the value proposition of these transfers.
- Choice Privileges
- Hilton Honors
- Marriott Bonvoy
Choice Privileges
With over 7,000 hotels worldwide and award nights starting at 8,000 points, Choice Privileges can be a good program to transfer Amex points to. Choice offers reasonable redemption rates for high-tier awards compared to programs like Hilton and Marriott.
Hilton Honors
Standard award nights with Hilton Honors can range from 5,000 to 95,000 points per night. Amex points transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio, so they can be a good option for low-tier awards or for topping off your balance for an upscale stay.
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott is the largest hotel chain worldwide, with over 8,900 properties. Standard award nights range from 10,000 to 100,000 points. Transferring Amex points to Marriott isn’t the best way to maximize them; however, it can be useful for topping off your balance when necessary.
Tips for Maximizing Your Amex Membership Rewards
American Express Membership Rewards are among the most valuable points you can earn. However, following some key strategies can help you get significantly more value out of them. One effective tactic is to leverage transfer bonus promotions for converting points to airline miles or hotel points.
Keep an eye on these bonus offers to help stretch your points further and unlock enhanced travel opportunities. Staying informed on promotions, understanding the value propositions of different redemption options, and strategically planning your redemptions are essential elements to maximizing the value of your American Express Membership Rewards points.
What Are the Best Amex Membership Rewards Transfer Partners?
The best Amex Membership Rewards transfer partners depend on your travel goals. If you’re looking to use points for domestic travel, British Airways Executive Club and Avianca Lifemiles are excellent options. Conversely, if saving for international trips, ANA Mileage Club offers some of the cheapest award flights to Asia and Europe.
How to Transfer Amex Points to Partners
Once you find an award you want to book, see if you can put the award on hold. While most Amex points transfer instantly, a few take up to 48 hours. The last thing you want is to lose out on award flights due to timing issues.
- Log in to your American Express account and look for the “Explore Rewards” link on the right side of the page.
- Scroll down to the “Ready to Redeem” section and click on the “transfer points” tab.
- Select “View all” for a complete Amex transfer partner list.
- Select “show details” next to the program you wish to transfer points to.
- Enter your rewards number for the program you want to transfer to. If your account is already linked, enter the number of points you wish to transfer. The minimum transfer amount is 1,000 points.
- Select “review transfer.” After confirming the information, clicked “submit transfer.”
Credit Cards That Earn Amex Membership Rewards
American Express credit cards present lucrative opportunities to earn Membership Rewards with every purchase. Many Amex travel credit cards offer generous rewards for meeting minimum spending requirements during the initial card membership period. Cardholders can continuously earn points through everyday spending by leveraging category bonuses, allowing rapid accumulation of Membership Rewards.
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $20,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months.
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 points after spending $8,000 in your first six months.
- American Express® Business Gold Card: Earn 100,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months.
- American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 points after spending $6,000 in the first 6 months.
- American Express® Green Card: Earn 40,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 6 months.
- EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express: Earn 15,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 6 months.
- The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express: Earn 10,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first 6 months.
FAQ
Which Amex Cards Allow Transfers to Partners?
Any Amex card that earns points allows transfers to partners. Examples include the Amex Gold, Amex Everyday Preferred, and Amex Platinum Card.
Can I Transfer American Express Points to American Airlines?
You cannot transfer American Express points to American Airlines directly. Nonetheless, you can use Amex points to redeem towards American Airlines flights through the Amex Travel portal.
Can You Use Amex Points on Any Airline?
You can use Amex points on many airlines through the Amex Travel portal, but there are 18 airlines to which you can transfer points directly.
Which Airline Can I Transfer My Amex Points To?
You can transfer Amex points to 18 airlines, including Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Avios, and Delta SkyMiles, among others.
Can You Transfer Amex Points to Someone Else?
Unfortunately, you cannot transfer Amex points to another individual.
* Eligibility and benefit levels vary by Card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Editorial disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain.
This article was first published on Dec 11, 2023, and updated on Apr 26, 2024.
