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]
Aug 10, 2013, 8:59 pm
#466
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 244
The obvious opportunity is transfer to BA, use those to book a one-way J award from SF-Europe for you. Use AA miles to book a one-way J award on same itinerary for your wife. Then use either AA or UA miles to book one-ways back for both of you.
But your best redemption value would be to get your MR up to 68,000. Then transfer those to ANA, and use the ANA miles to book on UA any itinerary up to 9,000 miles. That looks pretty easy from EWR/JFK to Europe and you could also get to most of Western Europe from ORD in less than 9,000 miles round trip. Book that RT in J for 68K. Then book a domestic RT award with your UA or AA miles to get from SFO - ORD/EWR/JFK for 25K in Y. For your wife, use UA or AA miles to get her on the same itinerary as you. If you can do this, you are spending 68K MR and saving yourself 75K UA/AA miles vs a 100K J RT award with UA/AA. Granted you have to sit in Y, for the domestic leg (and your wife won't have to!), but you could spring for domestic J for 50K, just would lower the redemption value.
Or, you could even better that if you decide to go to one of the very western cities in Europe (anything you can get to from NYC area in under 3,500 miles - Dublin, Shannon, London, Lisbon only I believe). Since that would keep you under 7000 miles RT from NYC, the ANA award in J would cost only 63K. Then use AA/UA to book domestic award to get from SFO-NYC. 63K MR saves you 75K UA/AA. If you value UA/AA at 1.5cpm, then your MR are getting 1.79cpm!
But your best redemption value would be to get your MR up to 68,000. Then transfer those to ANA, and use the ANA miles to book on UA any itinerary up to 9,000 miles. That looks pretty easy from EWR/JFK to Europe and you could also get to most of Western Europe from ORD in less than 9,000 miles round trip. Book that RT in J for 68K. Then book a domestic RT award with your UA or AA miles to get from SFO - ORD/EWR/JFK for 25K in Y. For your wife, use UA or AA miles to get her on the same itinerary as you. If you can do this, you are spending 68K MR and saving yourself 75K UA/AA miles vs a 100K J RT award with UA/AA. Granted you have to sit in Y, for the domestic leg (and your wife won't have to!), but you could spring for domestic J for 50K, just would lower the redemption value.
Or, you could even better that if you decide to go to one of the very western cities in Europe (anything you can get to from NYC area in under 3,500 miles - Dublin, Shannon, London, Lisbon only I believe). Since that would keep you under 7000 miles RT from NYC, the ANA award in J would cost only 63K. Then use AA/UA to book domestic award to get from SFO-NYC. 63K MR saves you 75K UA/AA. If you value UA/AA at 1.5cpm, then your MR are getting 1.79cpm!
Consider yourself bookmarked!
Aug 10, 2013, 9:17 pm
#467
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CLT
Programs: AA, UA, BA, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,074
Wow! I bow to your knowledge! :-)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/search.php
Consider yourself bookmarked!
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/search.php
Consider yourself bookmarked!
Aug 11, 2013, 4:10 am
#468
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
2/ I see some direct flight from Atlanta to Barcelona on AirFrance, or via Paris or Amsterdam, but I am not able to find an award ticket with open jaw on flyingblue directly - is it possible?
General question - I see flights on Flyingblue ATL-BCN-ATL for 50K points + around 200 euros in fees - will I get the same using delta skymiles?
General question - I see flights on Flyingblue ATL-BCN-ATL for 50K points + around 200 euros in fees - will I get the same using delta skymiles?
Aug 11, 2013, 3:30 pm
#469
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, *A Silver
Posts: 4,896
Hi all, I'm looking to redeem an award flight but don't know which airline to transfer MR points to...
1. Flying from EWR or DTW to PEK or TSN, either or is fine.
2. Only have MR points.
3. Looking to pay as little fuel surcharges as possible.
4. Looking to book in biz or first.
5. Looking to use fewest points possible (so no UA, because their award ticket would be 120K points).
Any recommendations? Are CX and AA my only choices?
1. Flying from EWR or DTW to PEK or TSN, either or is fine.
2. Only have MR points.
3. Looking to pay as little fuel surcharges as possible.
4. Looking to book in biz or first.
5. Looking to use fewest points possible (so no UA, because their award ticket would be 120K points).
Any recommendations? Are CX and AA my only choices?
Aug 11, 2013, 4:07 pm
#470
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 21
Since I can transfer to both programs from Amex with 1:1 ratio, what's the point of transferring it to Delta? 45K does not justify the difference in fees, and yet I constantly see this reference in blogs, that the best way to book a flight in Europe with Amex is with Delta skymiles.
Aug 11, 2013, 7:30 pm
#471
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, *A Silver
Posts: 4,896
Hi all, I'm looking to redeem an award flight but don't know which airline to transfer MR points to...
1. Flying from EWR or DTW to PEK or TSN, either or is fine.
2. Only have MR points.
3. Looking to pay as little fuel surcharges as possible.
4. Looking to book in biz or first.
5. Looking to use fewest points possible (so no UA, because their award ticket would be 120K points).
Any recommendations? Are CX and AA my only choices?
1. Flying from EWR or DTW to PEK or TSN, either or is fine.
2. Only have MR points.
3. Looking to pay as little fuel surcharges as possible.
4. Looking to book in biz or first.
5. Looking to use fewest points possible (so no UA, because their award ticket would be 120K points).
Any recommendations? Are CX and AA my only choices?
Aug 11, 2013, 11:09 pm
#472
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: In CT,left my heart in Leicester.
Programs: Work in progress.
Posts: 1,237
Aug 13, 2013, 6:34 am
#473
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, *A Silver
Posts: 4,896
Aug 13, 2013, 8:27 am
#475
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
If you have dates in mind it makes sense to begin by checking to see which airlines have award seat availability. You might do with with a tool like this one:
http://beta.awardtravelr.com/
Last edited by mia; Aug 13, 2013 at 9:16 am
Aug 13, 2013, 8:33 am
#476
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, *A Silver
Posts: 4,896
The mileage required is determined by the program through which you redeem, not by the airlines operating the flights. The amount UA would require is irrelevant, because you cannot transfer to UA, but you you may be able to fly on UA.
If you have dates in mind it makes sense to begin by checking to see which airlines have award seat availability. You might do with with a tool like this one:
http://beta.awardtravelr.com/
If you have dates in mind it makes sense to begin by checking to see which airlines have award seat availability. You might do with with a tool like this one:
http://beta.awardtravelr.com/
Last edited by TOMFORD; Aug 13, 2013 at 8:38 am
Aug 13, 2013, 9:15 am
#477
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Aug 13, 2013, 11:22 am
#478
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, *A Silver
Posts: 4,896
I believe the site shows only award seat inventory, not seats available for purchase with money. I suggest looking in the Travel Tools forum for more information about that site and similar search products.
Aug 13, 2013, 12:19 pm
#479
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 5
Hi, I am pretty new to the points game and was looking for some advice.
Trying to obtain to two flights to Morocco (CMN) from PIT.....
The points I have right now are:
80K MR Rewards
50k Delta
40K United
50K US
What is the best way to use MR for this kind of reward?
Thanks.
Trying to obtain to two flights to Morocco (CMN) from PIT.....
The points I have right now are:
80K MR Rewards
50k Delta
40K United
50K US
What is the best way to use MR for this kind of reward?
Thanks.
Aug 13, 2013, 1:31 pm
#480
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Welcome to Flyertalk.
If you want to make only a single connection you will most likely need to fly from PIT to somewhere in Europe and then connect to CMN. Royal Air Maroc flies from NYC to CMN, but they are not a member of any any of three airline alliances.
I see that Delta flies nonstop from PIT to CDG (Paris) where you could connect with Air France for the flight to Morocco. The entire trip could be booked with Delta Skymiles. The challenge will be finding award seats available at the lowest redemption level. Have you searched for award seats on delta.com ?
Do any other airlines fly nonstop from PIT to anywhere in Europe?
DO NOT TRANSFER Membership Rewards points to Delta or any other program until you have verified availability of award seats for your specific date and route. Availability of seats for purchase with money tells you nothing about award seat availability.
If you want to make only a single connection you will most likely need to fly from PIT to somewhere in Europe and then connect to CMN. Royal Air Maroc flies from NYC to CMN, but they are not a member of any any of three airline alliances.
I see that Delta flies nonstop from PIT to CDG (Paris) where you could connect with Air France for the flight to Morocco. The entire trip could be booked with Delta Skymiles. The challenge will be finding award seats available at the lowest redemption level. Have you searched for award seats on delta.com ?
Do any other airlines fly nonstop from PIT to anywhere in Europe?
DO NOT TRANSFER Membership Rewards points to Delta or any other program until you have verified availability of award seats for your specific date and route. Availability of seats for purchase with money tells you nothing about award seat availability.