Oct 9, 2013, 1:33 pm
Last edit by: gooselee
Q. Where can I find a list of the airline and hotel transfer partners?
Partner airline and hotel programs, transfer ratios, and rules vary by the country where your American Express card is issued:
Australia: Airlines & Hotels
Canada: Airlines & Hotels
International Dollar & Euro Cards: Airlines & Hotels
New Zealand: Airlines & Hotels
UK: Airlines, Hotels
USA: Airlines & Hotels Transfer ratios explained below.
Q. What are the transfer ratios to USA airline and hotel partners?
Q. How long does it typically take to compete a transfer?
MR USA airline and hotel partner transfer times.
Q. How can I use Membership Rewards points to travel on American Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines or other carriers which are not transfer partners?
Membership Rewards (USA) points can be transferred to three or more frequent flyer programs in each of the international alliances. Any program can arrange award travel on flights operated by all members of the same alliance. Points cannot be transferred from one frequent flyer program to another, instead you redeem for a partner award. The number of miles required is determined by the program through which you redeem, not by the airline operating the flights. Programs in the same alliance will require different amounts of miles, and different co-payments, for the same flights. Do not transfer until you understand the full cost of the flights you need. Do not transfer until you have confirmed availability for your specific dates and route.
To travel on American Airlines, US Airways or any other OneWorld carrier redeem through:
To travel on Delta Air Lines or any other SkyTeam carrier redeem through:
To travel on United Airlines or any other Star Alliance carrier redeem through:
To travel on Alaska Airlines redeem through:
Q. Rather than transferring now, can I preserve my Membership Rewards USA points balance without paying any annual fee?
Apply for an American Express Everyday card, and link it to the same Membership Rewards account. You may then close the other cards.
Partner airline and hotel programs, transfer ratios, and rules vary by the country where your American Express card is issued:
Australia: Airlines & Hotels
Canada: Airlines & Hotels
International Dollar & Euro Cards: Airlines & Hotels
New Zealand: Airlines & Hotels
UK: Airlines, Hotels
USA: Airlines & Hotels Transfer ratios explained below.
Q. What are the transfer ratios to USA airline and hotel partners?
For most frequent customer programs, 1,000 Membership Rewards points will equal 1,000 miles, points or credits and must be transferred in 1,000-point increments unless otherwise noted.
The only exceptions are:
JetBlue Airways: 250 points = 200 JetBlue TrueBlue® points; must be transferred in 250-point increments
El AL Israel Airlines: 1,000 points = 20 Matmid points
Starwood Preferred Guest®: 1,000 points = 333 Starpoints®
Hilton®: 1,000 points = 1,500 HHonors™ points
Virgin America: 200 points = 100 Elevate points; must be transferred in 200-point increments
The only exceptions are:
JetBlue Airways: 250 points = 200 JetBlue TrueBlue® points; must be transferred in 250-point increments
El AL Israel Airlines: 1,000 points = 20 Matmid points
Starwood Preferred Guest®: 1,000 points = 333 Starpoints®
Hilton®: 1,000 points = 1,500 HHonors™ points
Virgin America: 200 points = 100 Elevate points; must be transferred in 200-point increments
Q. How long does it typically take to compete a transfer?
MR USA airline and hotel partner transfer times.
Q. How can I use Membership Rewards points to travel on American Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines or other carriers which are not transfer partners?
Membership Rewards (USA) points can be transferred to three or more frequent flyer programs in each of the international alliances. Any program can arrange award travel on flights operated by all members of the same alliance. Points cannot be transferred from one frequent flyer program to another, instead you redeem for a partner award. The number of miles required is determined by the program through which you redeem, not by the airline operating the flights. Programs in the same alliance will require different amounts of miles, and different co-payments, for the same flights. Do not transfer until you understand the full cost of the flights you need. Do not transfer until you have confirmed availability for your specific dates and route.
To travel on American Airlines, US Airways or any other OneWorld carrier redeem through:
- Asia Miles (Cathay Pacific)
- British Airways
- Iberia Airlines
------------------ - El Al is not a OneWorld member, but they do have a rewards partnership with American Airlines, see HERE. Ends October 31, 2014.
- Hawaiian Airlines is not a OneWorld member, but they do have a rewards partnership with American Airlines, see HERE.
To travel on Delta Air Lines or any other SkyTeam carrier redeem through:
- Delta Air Lines
- AeroMexico
- Alitalia
- FlyingBlue (Air France, KLM, Air Europa, Kenya Airways, Aircalin and Tarom.)
*Note: DL permits one-way awards as of 01 JAN 2015, however trips originating outside of USA carry additional surcharges.
To travel on United Airlines or any other Star Alliance carrier redeem through:
- Aeroplan (Air Canada) No fuel surcharge on flights operated by UA and many other airlines. Read current list HERE.
- All Nippon Airways. Read about ANA fuel surcharges HERE. Read about changes to partner redemption charts in April 2015 HERE.
- Singapore Airlines. Read HERE
Read about Singapore Airlines' reciprocal mile conversion arrangement with Virgin Australia HERE.
To travel on Alaska Airlines redeem through:
- Asia Miles
- British Airways
- Delta Airlines
- Emirates
- FlyingBlue
Q. Rather than transferring now, can I preserve my Membership Rewards USA points balance without paying any annual fee?
Apply for an American Express Everyday card, and link it to the same Membership Rewards account. You may then close the other cards.
Transfer Membership Rewards points to which airline or hotel program? [2008 - 2014]
Jul 15, 2013, 11:19 am
#436
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 29
Hi - I would love some advice on whether there is a better option than Aeroplan. I have about 200k points in Amex MR Canada that I am looking to transfer. (I have another 150k points in Aeroplan) My home airport is YYZ but I can always fly out of anything nearby BUF, JFK, etc. I am looking to book a couple of business seats for a trip to Australia with a stopover in South Africa. I would normally look at Aeroplan for a trip like this with the stopovers, but availability is always brutal. How would some of the other programs compare? Thanks!
Jul 15, 2013, 11:41 am
#437
formerly sahiljain22
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: BOS;NYC;YVR;YYZ;DEL;BOM
Programs: Amex Plat; HH Diamond; SPG Plat; Hyatt Diamond; United 1K; National EE; HSBC Premier
Posts: 532
You can try to see if oneworld (BA is a partner) or alitalia or delta has any availability. Also you can move MR->SPG->a ton of other airlines, but it may be a very poor ratio.
Jul 15, 2013, 12:47 pm
#438
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Charleston, SC, USA
Programs: Avis Pref+, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Life Gold, Honors Silver, IHG Plat via MC.
Posts: 6,786
Farooqm, you're at a disadvantage as a Canadian Amex cardmember because AC is one of the few (if not the only) airline to which Cdn. MR points transfer 1:1 ! Last I checked, most other airlines are 4 Amex : 3 miles!
Jul 15, 2013, 1:16 pm
#439
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,465
Hi - I would love some advice on whether there is a better option than Aeroplan. I have about 200k points in Amex MR Canada that I am looking to transfer. (I have another 150k points in Aeroplan) My home airport is YYZ but I can always fly out of anything nearby BUF, JFK, etc. I am looking to book a couple of business seats for a trip to Australia with a stopover in South Africa. I would normally look at Aeroplan for a trip like this with the stopovers, but availability is always brutal. How would some of the other programs compare? Thanks!
If you drop South Africa, then a lot more options open up from YYZ to Australia. You can go via Europe and SIN.
Jul 15, 2013, 5:39 pm
#440
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, *A Silver
Posts: 4,896
Jul 16, 2013, 9:12 pm
#442
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: In CT,left my heart in Leicester.
Programs: Work in progress.
Posts: 1,237
Read through the last 10 pages and so, and figured I'd throw my question in as well.
I have about 120k points accumulated over the past year from my Amex Biz Plat and I was thinking about renewing but have now decided not to.
Some information:
Located in Hartford,CT and can fly out of BDL, EWR, JFk or BOS.
Primary destination is London.
BUT the twist is that I'd been saving these points to use with KrisFlyer for suite redemption with my girlfriend and since this trip isn't going to happen for another year atleast, I'm very afraid of just parking 120k in a KrisFlyer account.
What do you think? Good idea? Terrible idea?
The other option that I wouldn't mind doing is transferring it to a partner that would let me fly domestic and/or international (to London) with as little surcharges as possible.
__________________________________________________ __________________________
Things that Idon't want to do prefer not to do:
-Don't want to transfer to BA. Already have 100k points there that I haven't touched yet. Don't want any more just sitting there.
-Can't fly BOS-DUB to get to London because I'd need a visa for DUB and it's too much hassle.
Would appreciate any help or suggestions!
Thanks!
I have about 120k points accumulated over the past year from my Amex Biz Plat and I was thinking about renewing but have now decided not to.
Some information:
Located in Hartford,CT and can fly out of BDL, EWR, JFk or BOS.
Primary destination is London.
BUT the twist is that I'd been saving these points to use with KrisFlyer for suite redemption with my girlfriend and since this trip isn't going to happen for another year atleast, I'm very afraid of just parking 120k in a KrisFlyer account.
What do you think? Good idea? Terrible idea?
The other option that I wouldn't mind doing is transferring it to a partner that would let me fly domestic and/or international (to London) with as little surcharges as possible.
__________________________________________________ __________________________
Things that I
-Don't want to transfer to BA. Already have 100k points there that I haven't touched yet. Don't want any more just sitting there.
-Can't fly BOS-DUB to get to London because I'd need a visa for DUB and it's too much hassle.
Would appreciate any help or suggestions!
Thanks!
Jul 16, 2013, 9:27 pm
#443
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 29
Thanks sahiljain22. Does oneworld, alitalia or delta over similar stopovers for their reward programs like aeroplan?
Jul 16, 2013, 9:30 pm
#444
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 29
Thanks Brendan, that is a good point. Do Canadians ever get the transfer bonuses for BA (Oneworld) that I see every so often or is that only for americans?
Jul 16, 2013, 9:32 pm
#445
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 29
I believe you can only go to PER in Australia if you want to stop in South Africa on the way. The best route would be YYZ-JFK-JNB-PER (no YQ), but the availability is very poor on JFK-JNB. I think you can also go YYZ-GRU-JNB-PER, but you'll pay YQ. Another option might be YYZ-ADD-JNB-PER, but not sure if it's valid - may be over MPM.
If you drop South Africa, then a lot more options open up from YYZ to Australia. You can go via Europe and SIN.
If you drop South Africa, then a lot more options open up from YYZ to Australia. You can go via Europe and SIN.
Jul 16, 2013, 9:41 pm
#446
Join Date: May 2008
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: SQ
Posts: 2,704
BA doesn't need stopovers since each flight is priced independently, so you can have as many stopovers as you want.
There's always the points.com transfer - 100k Aeroplan to 84k US Airways - but that's most useful for a 90,000 business class award to Asia without surcharges.
Jul 16, 2013, 10:34 pm
#447
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: *void
Posts: 2,408
Same 1.5x promo happened about 10 month earlier, in May 2012.
If you can wait, maybe it will come around again within the next year or so.
Jul 17, 2013, 2:13 am
#448
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,818
Right now, all I care for is SQ. All my other points (from Chase) goes to United or Hyatt.
MR points to hotel? lol
MR points to hotel? lol
Jul 17, 2013, 2:30 pm
#449
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: USA
Programs: All major programs
Posts: 1,403
Read through the last 10 pages and so, and figured I'd throw my question in as well.
I have about 120k points accumulated over the past year from my Amex Biz Plat and I was thinking about renewing but have now decided not to.
Some information:
---------------------------------
I have about 120k points accumulated over the past year from my Amex Biz Plat and I was thinking about renewing but have now decided not to.
Some information:
---------------------------------
Jul 17, 2013, 3:01 pm
#450
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: In CT,left my heart in Leicester.
Programs: Work in progress.
Posts: 1,237
I suggest looking at DL and AC. DL might work very good for US domestic depending on your location and possible destinations. AFAIK Aeroplan doesn't have fuel surcharges on US/UA. You may want to do further research before transferring. Alternatively u can just downgrade your card to a lower/no annual fee card and preserve your points.
I'm considering ANA or Kris for now. Let's see. I still have some time to decide.
Can't downgrade my card, because it's a business card. Is there a business card with no annual fee that I could downgrade to?
I took a look at the site, but didn't see one.
Last edited by jatink129; Jul 17, 2013 at 3:34 pm