Sep 19, 2014, 7:20 am
Last edit by: HookemHorns
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
SMALL BUSINESS CARD ACCOUNTS
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
May 2, 2016, 6:27 pm
#136
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 268
AMEX MR Points transfer to spouse
I wanted to transfer the AMEX Membership points to my wife account. I have AMEX Platinum card and wanted to add her as an authorized user. I chatted with the customer service and they told me it cost $175 for additional users . How do I avoid paying additional fees by adding her to my account? Please help.
Thanks.
Thanks.
May 2, 2016, 6:35 pm
#137
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
I wanted to transfer the AMEX Membership points to my wife account. I have AMEX Platinum card and wanted to add her as an authorized user. I chatted with the customer service and they told me it cost $175 for additional users . How do I avoid paying additional fees by adding her to my account? Please help.
Thanks.
Thanks.
May 2, 2016, 7:00 pm
#138
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,956
You cannot transfer points from your Membership Rewards account to your wife's Membership Rewards account, even if she is holds a Supplementary Card on your account. You can transfer to one of her airline or hotel accounts. Is that what you are trying to do? (You can do this for no more than $45, and probably at no cost, depending on how quickly you need to transfer.)
Last edited by mia; May 2, 2016 at 7:10 pm
May 2, 2016, 7:37 pm
#140
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,956
If they will not issue a free Green Card on the account:
2. Apply for a free Everyday credit card, and request a supplementary Everyday card in your wife's name. When you activate the cards verify that they are linked to the same Membership Rewards account as your existing card (this is normal), and you should be able to link your wife's Ethihad account immediately.
Caution: Ethihad is a new partner. It is possible that they will not accept transfers from supplementary cardholders, even though American Express permits it. I have no reason to think this will be the case, but I would make an initial 1,000 point transfer to verify that everything works as expected.
May 20, 2016, 11:40 am
#142
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,717
Transfer MR pts to AU: specific scenario
I have a couple of AUs on my Plat card. I have linked their FFPs to my Plat/MR acct. Let's say I cancel the Plat card, so they will no longer be AUs, but I get another flavor of Plat to preserve the points, but I don't add any AU. Would I still be able to transfer to the AU FFPs that were linked before?
May 20, 2016, 1:04 pm
#143
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,956
Probably. I have some of ms mia's frequent flyer accounts linked to my Membership Rewards account, and vice versa, but we do not hold Supplementary Cards on each others' accounts. These were linked before American Express made the software change to enforce this policy. I expect that the links would also survive in the circumstance that you describe, but you would not be able to link additional frequent flyer accounts for the same person.
Jul 28, 2016, 8:37 am
#145
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: USA
Programs: All major programs
Posts: 1,403
You can transfer as soon as the AU is added over phone. I usually take care of it in the same phone call.
Sep 20, 2016, 2:45 pm
#148
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 118
Successful MR transfer
Earlier this summer I was able to transfer MR to a family member's DL account. There was no linked DL number in my MR profile, and I simply added their number. There was no blockage anywhere in the transfer process, from initiating it through paying the small fee through confirmation. Would not have concerned me if the transfer had been declined. But it went through, and the transfer showed up as miles in the family member's accout instantly. flyertalk tends to use strong words like "killed or dead", did the same thing with the "once in a lifetime" signup bonus which I disproved over 9 months ago with the PRG. And now this, "AMEX kills ability" which is another untrue statement.
Oct 26, 2016, 9:20 am
#149
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA Executive Platinum
Posts: 1,932
I need to top up both my and my wife's DL account with 12K miles each. I have enough MR for both of us, she doesn't have any. The only AMEX either of us has is my Plat and an SPG biz. I know I can't transfer directly to her DL account. It seems like my options are to either open an Everyday for myself and make her an AU, or open an Everyday for her and earn and use the signup bonus, which will take a month or two. Am I missing any other options? Thanks for your help!
Oct 26, 2016, 9:41 am
#150
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 818
I need to top up both my and my wife's DL account with 12K miles each. I have enough MR for both of us, she doesn't have any. The only AMEX either of us has is my Plat and an SPG biz. I know I can't transfer directly to her DL account. It seems like my options are to either open an Everyday for myself and make her an AU, or open an Everyday for her and earn and use the signup bonus, which will take a month or two. Am I missing any other options? Thanks for your help!