ADVERTISER DISCLOSURE: The Frugal Tourist is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as MileValue.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
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
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 Partners | Transfer Rate |
|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | 1,000 AMEX Points = 1,000 Avios |
| AeroMexico | 1,000 Points = 1,600 Points |
| Aeroplan | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Points |
| Air France/KLM (Flying Blue) | 1,000 Points = 1,000 FB Miles |
| ANA Mileage Club | 1,000 Points – 1,000 Miles |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1,000 Points = 1,000 LifeMiles |
| British Airways Executive Club | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Avios |
| Cathay Pacific | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Asia Miles |
| Delta | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Miles |
| Emirates Skyward | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Miles |
| Etihad Guest | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Miles |
| Hawaiian | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Miles |
| Iberia Plus | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Avios |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 250 Points = 200 TrueBlue Points |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 500 Points = 500 Qantas Points |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1,000 Points = 1,000 KF Miles |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Virgin Points |
| Hotel Transfer Partners | Transfer Rate |
|---|---|
| Choice Privileges | 1,000 Points = 1,000 Choice Points |
| Hilton Honors | 1,000 Points = 2,000 Hilton Points |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1,000 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 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.
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 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
Transferred American Express Membership Rewards Points to ANA to Redeem Flights on TAP Portugal
Transferred American Express Membership Rewards Points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club to Redeem Flights on ANA
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.
