American Express Membership Rewards has perhaps the most extensive list of airline transfer partners of any transferable points currency. Transferring credit card points to airline and hotel partners is often the best way to maximize their value, and no program offers more options than Membership Rewards. Below we detail how to earn and redeem your Membership Rewards points with Amex’s transfer partners.
How To Earn Membership Rewards
Regular Spending
Amex cards reward you with points based on your spending, depending on the category of merchant and the type of card. Most cards earn additional points in specific categories and provide one Membership Rewards point per dollar on everything else.
Bonus categories on Amex cards include travel (5 points per dollar with The Platinum Card® from American Express; Terms apply, see rates & fees), restaurants and takeout (4 points per dollar with the American Express® Gold Card; Terms apply, see rates & fees), or transit and rideshare (3 points per dollar with the American Express® Green Card*). Rewards from regular spending are the core rewards from Amex products.
Welcome Bonus
Each Amex card that earns Membership Rewards offers a welcome bonus, ranging from for the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card* all the way up to with The Platinum Card® from American Express.
Earning the welcome bonus requires spending a certain amount of money on the card within the first few months (typically three to six) of opening your account. Our reviews of the current lineup of Amex cards can help you to select the one that is the best fit for you.
Amex welcome bonuses can only be earned once per card per lifetime, so if you have previously had the Amex card you will not be eligible for the welcome bonus.
For many cards, the welcome bonus alone is enough to be redeemed for a flight with multiple airlines. This can provide a big boost as you start to build your Membership Rewards balance.
Refer-a-Friend
Existing Amex cardholders can often earn additional Membership Rewards by referring friends and family for Amex cards. Depending on the card, the person making the referral will be eligible for a bonus of 5,000 to 20,000 or more Membership Rewards. The person receiving the offer may also be eligible for a substantially higher welcome bonus as well, making it a great deal for both.
Referral bonuses are often considered taxable income, which cuts into their value slightly, but they are still attractive if you have family or friends interested in an Amex card.
Amex Offers
Head to the Amex website to participate in the Amex Offers program, which allows you to earn additional Membership Rewards points for purchases you were already thinking about making. If you see an offer you may be able to use, simply click to active the offer before making your purchase.
Depending on the merchant, you may receive additional points, cash back on qualifying purchases or additional perks from the vendor. These offers change regularly, so it may be a good idea to check the website often. You never know when your favorite vendor may appear with the perfect offer.
Amex Airline Transfer Partners
Membership Rewards can be transferred to any of 17 airline partner programs. While points can always be redeemed for flights on the airline operating the program, there are also a myriad of options for flights with the airline’s alliance and codeshare partners. This creates more opportunities to stretch your Membership Rewards points a little further around the globe.
For each transfer partner below, we have mentioned a few highlights of each program and mentioned some potential redemption options that the typical reader may find interesting.
Aer Lingus Aerclub Avios
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: None, but has codeshare agreements with Oneworld and Star Alliance airlines
As Ireland’s second-largest airline (after low-cost carrier Ryanair), Aer Lingus operates an extensive network of flights within Europe from its Dublin hub. However the airline’s long-haul network to North America and beyond is relatively limited. Luckily, its partner airlines help expand its reach beyond Europe.
Aer Lingus, British Airways and Iberia are owned by the International Airlines Group (IAG), along with Vueling. While each IAG airline maintains a separate loyalty program with points known as Avios, it is generally possible to transfer points from one airline’s program to another interchangeably. Forbes Advisor’s guide to maximizing Avios across all IAG-owned airlines is a great source of additional information.
Because of the relatively high fees charged by British Airways on certain flights, Aer Lingus (and Iberia) can often provide a more attractive deal on the exact same flight. Additionally, each airline has slightly different “peak” seasons where flights can cost you more. The flexibility provided by the various IAG airlines make Aer Lingus AerClub an attractive Amex transfer partner.
Aeromexico Club Premier Puntos Premier
Transfer Ratio: 1:1.6
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: SkyTeam
Aeromexico is the flag carrier of its namesake country and offers a wide variety of flights from the U.S. to Latin America. Its Club Premier loyalty program is perhaps best known for its round-the-world (RTW) tickets on the SkyTeam alliance.
RTW tickets in economy cost 224,000 Premier Points or 352,000 in business class. Because of the 1:1.6 transfer ratio from American Express, this means you would need 140,000 or 220,000 points, respectively. These tickets allow for up to 15 stopovers while flying either east or west, an amazing value if you are looking to circumnavigate the globe.
Air Canada Aeroplan Points
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: Star Alliance
Air Canada’s Aeroplan program offers a fantastic worldwide network through its own flights and those of its Star Alliance partners. Connecting flights through Toronto and Montreal are on the route to Europe and Asia from many U.S. cities.
Aeroplan redemption prices are determined by a combination of a zone-based system and a distance-based one. On longer routes, it is often possible to find a better redemption through another transfer partner.
One of the best features of Aeroplan’s program is the ability to add a stopover on an one-way trip for 5,000 extra Aeroplan points. Though no stopovers are allowed in Canada or the U.S., this feature can enable you to stop in Paris on your way to Berlin for only slightly more miles. It recently became possible to book itineraries with stopovers online through Air Canada’s website (previously they had to be booked over the phone), which makes this a great way to maximize your points.
Air France/KLM Flying Blue Miles
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: SkyTeam
Flying Blue is the joint loyalty program of Air France/KLM, two airlines with an extensive worldwide network of their own, extended further by their participation in the SkyTeam alliance. Unlike Avios, where British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia each operate a separate loyalty program, Flying Blue points are stored in a single account that you can use when flying with either airline.
The Flying Blue program uses a dynamic pricing model, meaning that the price of your award ticket varies based on demand. It is worth checking in advance before transferring your membership rewards to the program.
To potentially save up to 50% of the cost of your flight, you should keep an eye on the Flying Blue Promo Rewards program. This program offers discounted award redemptions and is a great way to stretch your mile. Deals from the U.S. to Europe are relatively frequent, so keep an eye out for your home airport.
ANA Mileage Club Miles
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: Star Alliance
ANA Mileage Club award tickets can allow for some creative routings across the airline and its Star Alliance partners. It uses a zone-based award chart, which varies depending on the season. You can find the details on the seasons in our Ultimate Guide to the Mileage Club program.
Stopovers (visiting an additional city on the way to your final destination) and open-jaws (returning from a different city than you initially traveled to) are permitted on award tickets. This may allow you to visit additional cities on longer trips for no additional cost. However, ANA only offers round-trip award tickets, so you will need to return to the region where you started.
Avianca LifeMiles
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: Star Alliance
Transferring your Membership Rewards to Avianca’s LifeMiles program can be an excellent option for U.S.-based frequent flyers. Flights within the same region (e.g. the domestic flights within the U.S.) cost 7,500 LifeMiles or less. This can be useful for flying to smaller airports on Avianca’s Star Alliance partner United Airlines. United flies to many vacation destinations and smaller airports like Aspen (ASE) and West Yellowstone (WYS) that are often very expensive to buy with cash.
British Airways Executive Club Avios
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: Oneworld
For both its own flights and those of its Oneworld partners, British Airways charges for award tickets based on the distance flown. This can lead to some attractive deals on flights that are relatively short but would otherwise be expensive to buy with cash.
British Airways is known for charging high fees on flights to, from or through the U.K. These additional fees alone can often rival the cost of a cash ticket. Often the best value with British Airways is to use its points for flights on partner airlines that do not pass through the U.K. For more pointers on the best ways to spend your Avios, check out Forbes Advisor’s Guide.
British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia are all owned by the International Airlines Group (IAG), along with Vueling. While each IAG airline maintains a separate loyalty program with points known as Avios, it is generally possible to transfer points from one airline’s program to another without penalty. Forbes Advisor’s guide to maximizing Avios points across all IAG-owned airlines is a great source of additional information on combining your points from IAG airlines.
IAG also holds a 25% stake in Qatar Airlines. While it is not possible to transfer Amex Membership Rewards points directly to Qatar Airlines, British Airways allows points to be converted to Qatar Privilege Club at a 1:1 ratio. This can provide some interesting redemption options for flights to the Asia Pacific region.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: Oneworld
Oneworld Member Cathay Pacific is based in Hong Kong and operates an extensive long-haul network. It is the best Oneworld carrier for flights to Mainland China and is also a convenient choice for flying from the West Coast of the U.S. to Hong Kong. These miles can be used for the “Oneworld Multi-Carrier Award” tickets, which are similar to a RTW ticket, but distance based and without the typical requirements to cross an ocean or fly in a particular direction.
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: SkyTeam
Delta’s own enormous network stretches to every continent except Antarctica, and its SkyTeam partners help it to reach every corner of the globe.
Delta’s pricing is dynamic meaning that it varies depending on demand for a particular flight and date. The airline’s search engine provides a convenient way to search for the cheapest dates on Delta and its partners. Staying flexible with your exact travel dates and booking well in advance will help you secure the best deal. Delta SkyMiles is a high-value program with a variety of redemptions for you to put your Membership Rewards points to work.
Emirates Skywards Miles
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: None
The Emirates Skywards program can provide excellent value and flexibility when redeeming your Amex Membership Rewards. While Emirates is not part of one of the major alliances, it has a partnership with Flydubai, Qantas and codeshares with a large number of airlines.
The Emirates Miles Calculator can help you figure out the cost of your routing and compare to other possible transfer partners. With round-trip economy-class tickets from the U.S. to Dubai at between 70,000 and 85,000 Skywards miles, it is not the cheapest redemption option but may beat some other programs on both cost and speed.
Etihad Guest Miles
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: None
Etihad Guest is the rewards program of Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways. Award tickets flying on Etihad itself are often expensive, so it can be a good idea to redeem these awards on its partner airlines. These partners include American Airlines, ANA and Royal Air Maroc, and awards are often cheaper than if you booked with the airline itself. Unfortunately, it is not currently possible to book award tickets on partner airlines online. You will need to search for award availability on another site, then call Etihad to book the ticket.
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: None
Hawaiian Airlines has a small but convenient network connecting its namesake state to the West Coast and Pacific U.S. However, HawaiianMiles may not be the best way to get to your next vacation. The airline uses a simple award chart, but with flights to the West Coast starting at 17,500 miles each way, it may be better to transfer your Membership Rewards to British Airways and use Avios to book the ticket, where it should cost you around 13,000 points.
Iberia Plus Avios
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: Oneworld
As mentioned above, Iberia is not only a OneWorld member, but also owned by IAG along with British Airways, Aer Lingus and Vueling. This creates a wide network of airlines where you transfer and redeem your Membership Rewards points.
Iberia Plus is a separate loyalty program from the other IAG-owned airlines, but also calls its points Avios. Avios can be transferred and combined between your accounts with each airline. While British Airways is notorious for charging significant surcharges on award tickets, Iberia does not engage in this. Often this makes it a great value for flights via their Madrid hub, especially in business class.
Iberia uses a similar distance-based award chart to the other Avios-earning programs, with peak and off-peak seasons determining the price of the ticket. The seasonal dates are slightly different for each airline, which can make it worthwhile to check several other programs before booking.
JetBlue TrueBlue Points
Transfer Ratio: 1:0.8 (250:200)
Minimum Transfer: 250
Transfer Increment: 250
Alliance: None
JetBlue’s TrueBlue program ties the value of points to the cash price of the ticket. Generally, the value you receive for your Membership Rewards here will be lower than you could get through another program.
JetBlue is not part of any of the three airline alliances, but TrueBlue points can be redeemed on Hawaiian Airlines. However, it may be a better choice to transfer your Membership Rewards points to Hawaiian Airlines directly rather than booking through JetBlue.
Qantas Frequent Flyer Points
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 500
Transfer Increment: 500
Alliance: Oneworld
Australia-based Qantas has a well-loved frequent flyer program, but it is famously difficult to find award availability on Qantas-operated flights. A more realistic option is to redeem Qantas miles on one of Qantas’ many partners, which include Oneworld members American Airlines and British Airways, as well as non-alliance partners like Fiji Airways and El Al Israel.
Using Qantas points on American Airlines is often cheaper than using AAdvantage miles. For example Miami to Grand Cayman is typically 12,500 AAdvantage miles one-way but would only cost 10,000 Qantas points. Similarly attractive redemptions could be possible on short flights to smaller airports or vacation destinations.
Other “sweet spots” in the Qantas award chart include flights to South America on American and LATAM and business class to Israel on El Al.
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: Star Alliance
Singapore Airlines is known for its high-quality long-haul flights, but as a Star Alliance member, the redemption options span the globe. When booking a full price award ticket (known as an Advantage Award), a stopover of up to 30 days is permitted in each direction, meaning you could have an opportunity to visit Singapore for free on your way to your next vacation.
One advantage to transferring your points to KrisFlyer is the airline’s low-cost redemptions for domestic flights on United Airlines. A round-trip business class ticket within North America costs a fixed 56,000 miles. With United the price for a transcontinental flight could be 60,000 miles each way or even more with dynamic pricing.
Virgin Atlantic FlyingClub Virgin Points
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Alliance: None (future SkyTeam member)
Majority owned by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, Virgin Atlantic is known for its distinctive livery and customer service. Transferring Membership Rewards to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points can be lucrative if you are interested in transatlantic trips between the east coast of the US and Europe. These redemptions cost 20,000 to 30,000 Virgin points each way in Upper Class (Virgin’s business class product). Other airlines charge similar prices in economy, making this a fantastic redemption if you can find availability.
Virgin Atlantic is independent of the three major alliances, although it will be joining SkyTeam in early 2023. It has exploited this independence to partner strategically with airlines like ANA, Delta, Singapore and KLM to offer a broader range of flights around the world. Using your Virgin points on ANA can be a deal—90,000 points for a round-trip flight from the U.S. to Japan in business class is an excellent deal.
Amex Hotel Transfer Partners
American Express offers the opportunity to transfer your Membership Rewards points to three different hotel loyalty programs. Relative to the cost of paying cash for a night’s stay, it is often a less attractive deal than the airline partners mentioned above.
Choice Privileges Rewards Points
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Choice Hotels, a popular worldwide chain of discount hotels, is the owner of brands including Quality Inn, EconoLodge and Cambria Hotels. Redeeming Membership Rewards points for nights in its hotels is rarely the best value.
For example, the Comfort Inn in Los Angeles below would cost 30,000 Choice Rewards points (transferred from Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio), but paying cash for a night’s stay would cost $298. At around 1 cent per point, this represents a low value for your points compared to the other redemption options listed in this article.
Hilton Honors Points
Transfer Ratio: 1:2
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Hilton’s Honors program prices its awards based on demand for the particular hotel and date, but can be a better deal if you are traveling outside of the peak season. You will receive 2,000 Hilton Honors points for each 1,000 Membership Rewards transferred, but this is often not enough to overcome the high price of award nights at Hilton properties.
Typically Hilton points can be redeemed for a value of 0.5 cents each, which is a value of 1 cent per Membership Rewards point after the 2:1 transfer ratio. Similar to Choice Hotels, this is often a poor value point redemption, and you may be better off taking your Membership Rewards points elsewhere.
Marriott Bonvoy Points
Transfer Ratio: 1:1
Minimum Transfer: 1,000
Transfer Increment: 1,000
Marriott’s Bonvoy loyalty program is shared across the group’s various brands, including Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton, Westin and several more. Bonvoy has moved to a dynamic pricing model where redemption prices are based on demand.
Like the other hotel transfer partners for Membership Rewards, transferring to hotel programs is often a poor value relative to airlines. However, transferring a handful of points could be worthwhile if you need just a few more points for a free night at one of Marriott’s properties.
Amex Transfer Bonuses
Amex routinely offers transfer bonuses that can help you further maximize the value of your rewards. This can provide a boost of 10% to 50% towards your next flight. For example, the same 1,000 Membership Rewards Points could convert (during a promotion) to 1,250 Avios at British Airways with a 25% bonus, reducing the cost of your next trip.
The transfer bonuses with Membership rewards enhance the value of your points relative to competing programs. Chase, Citi and CapitalOne offer transfer bonuses less frequently, making Amex Membership Rewards more flexible and valuable compared to competing programs.
How To Use Amex Points
Transfering your Amex Membership Rewards Points to partner airlines is simple and straightforward. After navigating to the points transfer page and logging into your account, you will be able to see a list of transfer partners, including any transfer bonuses that may be available. After adding your loyalty program number to link your accounts, you are a few clicks away from transferring the chosen number of Membership Rewards to your partner of choice.
For each partner Amex notes the typical transfer time, but it can often be faster. For most transfer partners, the loyalty points or miles will appear in your airline account virtually instantaneously, allowing you to book immediately.
To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.
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