American Express has partnerships with more than a dozen hotels and airlines, offering cardholders an easy way to score award tickets in economy, first, and business class on the flights of their choosing.
In theory, all you have to do is transfer your Membership Rewards to an affiliated loyalty program and search for award space. But, of course, it’s not that simple. Amex points convert at different ratios depending on the award program, and the transfer time can vary, so you’ll want to do your research before committing.
Here’s everything you need to know about using Membership Rewards with American Express transfer partners.
Table of contents
Which airlines can I transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to?
American Express’s airline transfer partners are:
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- Aeromexico Rewards
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue
- All Nippon Airways Mileage Club
- Avianca LifeMiles
- British Airways Executive Club
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
- Delta SkyMiles
- Emirates Skywards
- Etihad Guest
- HawaiianMiles
- Iberia Plus
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Singapore KrisFlyer
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
American Express airline transfer partners
Transferring Membership Rewards Points to Amex’s airline partners? Read on for the breakdown of each one.
Aer Lingus AerClub
Aer Lingus is Ireland’s flag carrier. While it’s not a member of a major airline alliance, it does have codeshares and interline agreements with members of Oneworld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam. You can transfer Membership Rewards points to AerClub’s Avios at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
Aeromexico Rewards
Aeromexico is Mexico’s national airline and part of the SkyTeam alliance, transferring Amex points at a ratio of 1:1.6 (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
Air Canada Aeroplan
One of many Star Alliance partners, Air Canada is Canada’s national airline, and Aeroplan is its loyalty program. You can transfer Membership Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
Air France-KLM Flying Blue is the joint loyalty program for Air France and KLM, both of which are members of the SkyTeam alliance. Flying Blue points can be converted from American Express Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
ANA Mileage Club
ANA Mileage Club is the loyalty program for ANA All Nippon Airways, a member of Star Alliance. You can transfer Amex points at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
Avianca LifeMiles
Avianca LifeMiles is the loyalty program for Avianca, Colombia’s largest airline and a member of the Star Alliance network. You can transfer Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
British Airways Executive Club
British Airways is a member of the Oneworld alliance, and Executive Club is its rewards program. Those loyalty points, British Airways Avios, convert from Amex Membership Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Asia Miles is Cathay Pacific’s frequent-flier program. Cathay Pacific is part of the Oneworld alliance, and Asia Miles is an Amex Membership Rewards transfer partner at a ratio of 1:1 (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles
Delta is a SkyTeam member, transferring Amex points to SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
Emirates Skywards
Emirates Skywards is the loyalty program for Emirates. It’s not a member of an airline alliance, but does have many codeshare partners. Membership Rewards can be transferred at a ratio of 1:1 (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
Etihad Guest
Etihad Guest is the loyalty program for the Middle East airline Etihad. It’s not part of an alliance but has many codeshare partners, like Emirates. You can transfer points at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
HawaiianMiles
Hawaiian Airlines isn’t a member of an airline alliance, but if you’re looking to redeem points on an award flight to Hawaii — perhaps for a honeymoon? — Membership Rewards transfer to HawaiianMiles at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
Iberia Plus
Part of the Oneworld alliance, Iberia is Spain’s flag carrier, and Membership Rewards transfer to its loyalty program, Iberia Plus, at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
JetBlue TrueBlue
JetBlue TrueBlue is JetBlue’s frequent-flier program. It is not part of an alliance but has agreements and codeshares with many airlines. Amex points can be transferred at a ratio of 250:200 (minimum transfer: 250 points).
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Amex points transfer to the frequent-flier program of Oneworld alliance member Qantas at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 500 points).
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
As the loyalty program of Oneworld alliance member Qatar Airways, Privilege Club accepts Membership Rewards at a transfer ratio of 1:1 (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
Singapore KrisFlyer is the frequent-flier program of Star Alliance member Singapore Airlines, transferring Amex points at a 1:1 ratio (minimum transfer: 1,000 points).
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club partners with the SkyTeam alliance and has direct relationships with other airlines. Amex points convert to Virgin Atlantic at a 3:2 ratio (minimum transfer: 900 points).
American Express hotel transfer partners
The following hotel loyalty programs are Amex transfer partners: Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors, and Marriott Bonvoy. Choice and Marriott points can be converted from Amex Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio, while Hilton’s transfer ratio is 1:2.
American Express transfer bonuses
American Express frequently offers transfer bonuses for its airline and hotel partners, earning you more Amex points for every point you transfer.
How do I transfer my American Express Membership Rewards points?
Here’s what you need to do to transfer Amex points to a partner loyalty program.
First, log in to your American Express Membership Rewards account and navigate to the Transfer Points page.
If you haven’t done so already, you’ll need to link your Membership Rewards account to the loyalty program account.
Then, sort through the list of airline transfer partners, select the one you want, and choose the number of points to transfer.
Follow the instructions to complete the transfer.
Which American Express credit cards earn Membership Rewards points?
The Amex Platinum card and Business Platinum card both earn Membership Rewards points on eligible purchases, as do the Amex Gold, Amex Business Gold, Amex Green, and Amex Blue Business.
Frequently asked questions about transferring American Express points
How many American Express transfer partners are there?
There are 17 Amex airline transfer partners and three hotel transfer partners.
What are the best American Express transfer partners for travel?
The best Amex transfer partners for travel depend on your personal preferences — some people might want to spring for business-class award space, while others may see more value in a fifth-night-free hotel stay.
If you are looking to transfer Membership Rewards for a free flight, be sure to check point.me for real-time award prices to maximize your miles and find the best deal.
Does Amex Gold have transfer partners?
Yes, Amex Gold participates in the Membership Rewards program, allowing cardholders to transfer points to all American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners.
How long do transfers to airline partners take?
For most airline partners, transferring points is instantaneous. But some, like Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, can take up to 48 hours.
Can I transfer my Amex Membership Rewards points to any airline alliance?
Yes, you can transfer your Amex Membership Rewards points to partner airlines in all three alliances. SkyTeam is covered by Air France-KLM, Star Alliance by Avianca, and Oneworld by British Airways, among others.
Can I transfer my Amex points to United Airlines?
You cannot transfer your Amex points directly to United. You can, however, transfer your Amex points to the loyalty programs of Star Alliance partner airlines, like Aeroplan or Avianca LifeMiles, and book United award flights that way.
Can I transfer my Amex points to IHG?
No, IHG is not one of Amex’s Membership Rewards transfer partners.
Can I transfer my Amex points to someone else?
No, you cannot transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to someone else. They can only be transferred into an account in the cardholder’s name.
Should I transfer points to an airline or book my travel through American Express?
Whether you transfer your Membership Rewards to an airline or book award tickets through Amex, both options are an excellent use of your Amex points. Using the Amex portal is often easier but generally won’t give you quite as much value for your points.
Can I combine American Express rewards points from multiple accounts?
Yes, you can combine American Express rewards points across all eligible cards you hold.
What are the best ways to earn American Express Membership Rewards points?
The best way to earn Membership Rewards points is through credit cards on eligible purchases, such as Amex Platinum, Amex Gold, and Amex Green, and keep an eye out for promotions and bonuses that offer additional Membership Rewards.
What’s the best way to redeem American Express Membership Rewards points?
The best way to redeem points is on award tickets for flights with American Express transfer partners. This will generally give you the best value for your points. Just transfer your Membership Rewards points to the frequent flier program of your choice to get started.
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