Sep 19, 2014, 7:20 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Membership Rewards (USA) points can be transferred to airline and hotel accounts in the name of the primary cardholder -or- the name of a supplementary cardholder on any card account linked to the same Membership Rewards account. You only need to request a supplementary card. It need not ever be given to the cardholder, nor used for any purchases. American Express will not issue cards for children under age 13.

Bear in mind that American Express (USA) generally limits customers to four credit cards, plus an unspecified number of charge cards. Most of the cards which can be used to add free supplementary cardholders are credit cards, choose one that you actually want to use,

These products allow you to add free Supplementary cardholders:

PERSONAL CARD ACCOUNTS

Premier Rewards Gold charge card. $175 fee for primary card, up to five free supplementary cards.
Mercedes-Benz credit card. $95 fee for primary card, free supplementary cards.
Everyday Preferred credit card. $95 fee for primary card, free supplementary cards.
Everyday credit card. No fee for primary or supplementary cards.
Blue from American Express credit card. No fee for primary or supplementary cards, but this card participates in Membership Rewards Express. Express points are not eligible for transfer unless you also hold a card participating in the full Membership Rewards program. Caution: Blue Cash, Blue Cash Everyday, Blue Cash Preferred, Blue Sky and Blue Sky Preferred do not participate in Membership Rewards, and supplementary cardholders are not eligible to receive transfers.

SMALL BUSINESS CARD ACCOUNTS

Business Gold Rewards charge card. $175 fee for the primary card, $50 for the first supplementary card, but additional supplementary cards are free.
Blue for Business credit card. No fee for primary card or supplementary cards, but this card participates in Membership Rewards Express. Express points are not eligible for transfer unless you also hold a card participating in the full Membership Rewards program. This is the best Membership Rewards card for general spending because it earns a 30% annual bonus on all spending.

AMEX (USA) kills ability to transfer MR to non-account holder's airline or hotel acct

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Jan 9, 2015, 3:33 pm

#76

bizum

Join Date: Feb 2012

Posts: 371

Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

Alas, Emirates is different. They will only permit transfers from one credit card account to each frequent flyer account. I will search for the relevant thread, and post a link later.

See post 197 in this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22493837-post197.html

This thread is a bit confusing at the outset, but the outcome is the same:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...mex-cards.html

No worries, thanks for your help. I should have known that's implied on EK's site when they say, "Any subsequent change to the nominated Emirates Skywards membership account number is not allowed."

Jan 12, 2015, 10:20 pm

#77

bizum

Join Date: Feb 2012

Posts: 371

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

Actually, if I am just going to use the miles for upgrades - then the miles dont need to be in my account right? After reading thru flyertalk, sounds like I could just transfer his miles into his own Skywards and then upgrade my flights using his miles.

Jan 14, 2015, 3:20 pm

#78

bobert24

Join Date: Apr 2007

Posts: 1,857

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

Solution: make the family member a Supplementary Cardholder (authorized user) on one of your card accounts. (It must be a card which earns Membership Rewards.) You will then be able to link their frequent flyer accounts to your Membership Rewards account. There is no requirement that the Supplementary card ever be used.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

I have created a Wikipost outlining the card types which can be used to add free supplementary cards for spouses, children over 15, parents, other relatives, friends or associates.

Very useful information. One question/example for clarification:

If I were to add my wife as an AU on my Everyday card, I would obviously then be able to transfer my MR points to her FF accounts. But would she also be able to transfer her MR points (earned from other cards) to my FF accounts?

It sounds like the answer is no - we would both have to add each other as AUs in order for this to work. Am I understanding this correctly? I hope not, but I'm not sure.

Jan 14, 2015, 3:28 pm

#79

mia

Moderator

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: Miami, Mpls & London

Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold

Posts: 48,955

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobert24

.... would she also be able to transfer her MR points (earned from other cards) to my FF accounts?

No, you need to hold a supplementary card on one of her accounts.

Mar 12, 2015, 9:54 am

#80

tylorcl

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: China

Programs: UA,DL,CZ

Posts: 860

MR points can no longer be transferred to someone else's FF account?

One of my friend tried to use his MR account to transfer some point into my FF account. But there is no way to enter another person's name.

Has Amex changed the rules for transferring the points? Since when did it change the rule?

Mar 12, 2015, 9:57 am

#81

mia

Moderator

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: Miami, Mpls & London

Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold

Posts: 48,955

Quote:

Originally Posted by tylorcl

when did it change the rule?

This was the rule for a long time. They began to enforce it in June, 2014.

Mar 12, 2015, 10:11 am

#82

tylorcl

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: China

Programs: UA,DL,CZ

Posts: 860

Quote:

Originally Posted by mia

This was the rule for a long time. They began to enforce it in June, 2014.

But someone successfully did this a few months ago. Not sure when they enforce it.

BTW, What about the MR transfer in other region? the same rule?

Mar 12, 2015, 11:26 am

#83

mia

Moderator

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: Miami, Mpls & London

Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold

Posts: 48,955

Quote:

Originally Posted by tylorcl

But someone successfully did this a few months ago. Not sure when they enforce it.

BTW, What about the MR transfer in other region? the same rule?

There is a simple workaround, you can transfer to people who hold supplementary cards on any of your cards linked to the same Membership Rewards account.

I recall one report of a person making a transfer to someone else's airline account by telephone. It could happen again, but I would not plan on it.

Each Membership Rewards program has its own partners and rules. This pertains to cards issued in the USA, but in general the programs in other countries have never permitted transfer to others' airline or hotel accounts. Some permit transfer to others' Membership Rewards account, for a fee.

Apr 13, 2015, 10:38 am

#84

Steelsnow

Join Date: Jan 2012

Location: STS

Posts: 34

Thanks for all of your work here mia. You can now add a no fee green card AU to a business plat. card directly online - it shows up as the first option (along with adding them as a gold or plat.). Good for those who are maxed out on 4 credit cards and are trying to transfer / close out a charge card.

Apr 13, 2015, 7:12 pm

#85

ual902

Join Date: Oct 2007

Posts: 589

Can I transfer from My Amex Platinum MR to my sisters Singapore KrisFlyer account, we have the same last name and the same billing address?.

If no, any work around with the Amex Platinum? I didn't see anything in the wiki.

Apr 13, 2015, 10:43 pm

#86

mysterym

Join Date: Jan 2010

Posts: 698

Quote:

Originally Posted by ual902

Yes, read the thread. I mentioned one workaround in post #63.

Apr 14, 2015, 9:24 pm

#87

ual902

Join Date: Oct 2007

Posts: 589

Quote:

Originally Posted by hytekjosh

Another solution: add the supplementary user, cancel after the transfer. No fees will be charged.

Does work around work for transfers to:

SQ KF
AC Aeroplan
BA Avios

Thanks-

Apr 15, 2015, 7:24 am

#88

mia

Moderator

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: Miami, Mpls & London

Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold

Posts: 48,955

Quote:

Originally Posted by ual902

Does work around work for transfers to:

Membership Rewards rules permit transfers to the frequent flyer account of anyone who holds a supplementary card on any card account linked to your Membership Rewards account. The only airline program which does not accept transfers from supplementary cardholders is Emirates.

Adding, and promptly cancelling, a supplementary card is a solution if you need to make a one-time transfer. If you need to make transfers ongoing there are better solutions, still free, but a bit more involved. We would need to know which American Express cards you hold, and how long you intend to keep them, in order to suggest a specific plan.

Apr 15, 2015, 9:21 am

#89

rbw5t

Join Date: Aug 2012

Posts: 544

Hi all -- I'm a relative newbie, so just want to confirm that I'm on the right track, and that the following plan should generally work...

I'm looking for a bunch of BA miles, with the hope of doing Boston to Dublin on Aer Lingus if I can find availability. Otherwise, I think they will be generally useful for short haul flights (although I do currently have a SW companion pass, which is helpful too).

I'm thinking I can get one Amex Premier Rewards Gold in my name, with 50K membership rewards points for a $1k spend. I'll plan to do the same for my wife, but have myself as an authorized user with a supplemental card. I should be able to transfer 50K points from each of our accounts to my BA account then right? Plus, I'll plan to open a Chase BA account, for another 50k miles for a $2k spend. So, all told, I think I can get 150k BA miles with only a $4k spend and no initial annual fee. Does that all sound right to people?

Thanks!

Apr 15, 2015, 9:26 am

#90

mia

Moderator

Join Date: Jun 2003

Location: Miami, Mpls & London

Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold

Posts: 48,955

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbw5t

... one Amex Premier Rewards Gold in my name, ... I'll plan to do the same for my wife, but have myself as an authorized user with a supplemental card. I should be able to transfer 50K points from each of our accounts to my BA account then right?

Correct.