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American Express Membership Rewards Points are one of the most sought-after travel currencies among point enthusiasts and frugal tourists like me.

Having Amex Membership Rewards Points provides multiple opportunities to redeem points for discounted flights across various airlines and free hotel stays.

Earning Membership Rewards Points is relatively easy and straightforward – it is typically accumulated through generous welcome offers and regular spending using any of the credit cards below:


Travel Cards that Earn American Express Membership Rewards Points
American Express® Gold Card
American Express® Business Gold Card
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Join Other Points Enthusiasts in Our Free Travel Miles & Points Facebook Group

TRAVEL-MILES-AND-POINTS
Join Our Free Travel Miles & Points Facebook Group


Important: You Need to Have An American Express Card that Earns Membership Rewards Points


To transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to its many travel partners, you need to hold at least one of the travel rewards cards listed in the preceding section.

Without one of these cards, you cannot transfer your American Express Membership Rewards Points to its airline and hotel partners.


No Annual Fee American Express Membership Rewards Card
If the high annual fees of American Express Membership Rewards Points earning cards don’t appeal to you, consider The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (Rates and Fees). This card earns Membership Rewards Points without any annual charges.

American Express Membership Rewards Travel Partners


One of the top benefits of holding American Express Membership Rewards Points is the access it grants to various airline and hotel transfer partners.

American Express currently boasts partnerships with 18 airlines and three hotels, offering many opportunities for discounted flights and free hotel accommodation worldwide.

This blog post lists all of American Express’s travel partners and their transfer rates so you can familiarize yourself with these valuable travel options.


Airline Transfer PartnersTransfer Rate
Aer Lingus1,000 AMEX Points = 1,000 Avios
AeroMexico1,000 Points = 1,600 Points
Aeroplan1,000 Points = 1,000 Points
Air France/KLM (Flying Blue)1,000 Points = 1,000 FB Miles
ANA Mileage Club1,000 Points – 1,000 Miles
Avianca LifeMiles1,000 Points = 1,000 LifeMiles
British Airways Executive Club1,000 Points = 1,000 Avios
Cathay Pacific1,000 Points = 1,000 Asia Miles
Delta1,000 Points = 1,000 Miles
Emirates Skyward1,000 Points = 1,000 Miles
Etihad Guest1,000 Points = 1,000 Miles
Hawaiian1,000 Points = 1,000 Miles
Iberia Plus1,000 Points = 1,000 Avios
JetBlue TrueBlue250 Points = 200 TrueBlue Points
Qantas Frequent Flyer500 Points = 500 Qantas Points
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer1,000 Points = 1,000 KF Miles
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club1,000 Points = 1,000 Virgin Points

Hotel Transfer PartnersTransfer Rate
Choice Privileges1,000 Points = 1,000 Choice Points
Hilton Honors1,000 Points = 2,000 Hilton Points
Marriott Bonvoy1,000 Points = 1,000 Marriott Points

Read This Before You Transfer Your American Express Membership Rewards Points


Ensure award space is available, or your desired hotel room can be booked on points before transferring your American Express Membership Rewards Points to their airline and hotel partners.

Once you’ve transferred your points, there’s no turning back.

It’s a one-way street, so be mindful of this rule – you wouldn’t want your points trapped in a partner account instead of using it for your travels.


Steps on How to Transfer American Express Membership Rewards Points to Travel Partners (Computer)


STEP 1: Log in to Amex and Navigate to Rewards & Benefits



STEP 2: Click the Earn and Redeem Dropdown, then Navigate to Transfer Points



STEP 3: Look for Your Preferred Transfer Partner


Navigate to your preferred transfer partner and click “Show Details” to proceed with the transfer.


Pro-Tips
Ensure that you created a frequent flier or hotel loyalty account before transferring as Amex will require that information.

STEP 4: Enter your Frequent Flier Number


We will use British Airways as an example in this post.

Enter your British Airways account number, then click next.


STEP 5: Indicate the Number of Points You Want to Transfer


Type in the number of points you would like to transfer in 1,000 American Express Membership Rewards Points increments.

The minimum amount that you can transfer is 1,000 points.


Pro-Tips
I usually transfer my points when there is a transfer bonus. In the example below, I transferred 58,000 American Express Membership Rewards Points to British Airways to take advantage of a 30% transfer bonus that was offered during the time of this writing.


STEP 6: Verify the Information


Verify if all the information you entered is correct, then click “Submit Transfer”


STEP 7: Wait for the Miles to Show Up In Your Account


How Long Does It Take for American Express Membership Rewards Points to Transfer to Travel Partners?

In my experience, American Express Membership Rewards Points transfer to their travel partners within 24-48 hours.

However, sometimes transfers can take more than that time, particularly when transferring to ANA.

Nevertheless, I suggest periodically checking your frequent flier or hotel loyalty account after transferring to verify whether the transfer was completed successfully.


STEP 8: Book Your Flight or Hotel Stay


Book your bucket list flight or hotel stay as soon as the American Express Membership Rewards Points enter your account.

TAP Business Class Redeemed Using American Express Membership Rewards Points Transferred to ANA

Transferring American Express Membership Rewards Points to Transfer Partners (Mobile App)


STEP 1: Log in to Your Account On The AMEX Mobile App


After logging in, click “Membership” located at the bottom of the page.


STEP 2: Click “Redeem Rewards”



STEP 3: Navigate to Transfer Points



STEP 4: Select Your Preferred Transfer Partner



STEP 5: Enter Your Partner Account Number


Before transferring your points, sign up for a frequent flier or hotel loyalty account, as American Express will require this information.


STEP 6: Type In the Number of Points You Wish to Transfer


Indicate the number of American Express Membership Rewards Points you would like to transfer to your preferred airline or hotel partner.

Remember that this is a one-way street.

Any points transferred out from American Express can not be reversed, so make sure the award space is available before proceeding with this transfer.


STEP 7: Review and Submit


Review transfer details, then “Submit.”

Reminder to only transfer points when you see award availability.

The transfer process is irreversible – you can not return your points to American Express.


STEP 8: Book Your Flight or Hotel Stay


Run your award search and book your flight or hotel stay using the American Express Membership Rewards Points you just transferred.


Examples of American Express Membership Rewards Redemptions


Transferred American Express Membership Rewards Points to Singapore KrisFlyer


Singapore Airlines Business Class Using American Express Membership Rewards Points

Transferred American Express Membership Rewards Points to ANA to Redeem Flights on TAP Portugal


TAP Business Class Redeemed Using American Express Membership Rewards Points Transferred to ANA

Transferred American Express Membership Rewards Points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club to Redeem Flights on ANA


ANA First Class Using American Express Membership Rewards Points Transferred to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Final Thoughts


Flying for free is my ultimate motivation for accruing travel miles and points from credit cards.

Because of its flexibility, American Express Membership Rewards is a currency I highly recommend you accumulate, whether you aim for premium cabins, discounted airfare, or free hotel stays.

Even though your American Express Membership Rewards Points can be exchanged for cash or gift cards, I recommend redeeming them for travel instead, as that pathway will give you the best bang for your buck.

I hope this blog post gave you a good grasp of American Express Membership Rewards partners and how to transfer your points so you can book your dream trip soon!

EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE – Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. The content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.


The comments section below is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered.