Jan 17, 2015, 11:52 am
Last edit by: mia
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
Germany: 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?
(The Canadian transfer ratios are listed directly on the Canadian site.)
Q: After I transfer, when will my miles expire at that airline/hotel program? Is there anything I can do to avoid expiration there?
The Miles/Points that Do and Don't Expire wiki lists all of the Amex USA airline/hotel transfer partners and their respective expiration policies.
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 or any other OneWorld carrier redeem through:
American also has partnership outside OneWorld with:
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
Germany: 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.
In the USA version of Membership Rewards the exceptions are:
El AL Israel Airlines: 1,000 points = 20 Matmid points
Hilton®: 1,000 points = 2,000 Honors points (as of 1/11/2018)
JetBlue Airways: 250 points = 200 JetBlue TrueBlue® points
In the USA version of Membership Rewards the exceptions are:
El AL Israel Airlines: 1,000 points = 20 Matmid points
Hilton®: 1,000 points = 2,000 Honors points (as of 1/11/2018)
JetBlue Airways: 250 points = 200 JetBlue TrueBlue® points
Q: After I transfer, when will my miles expire at that airline/hotel program? Is there anything I can do to avoid expiration there?
The Miles/Points that Do and Don't Expire wiki lists all of the Amex USA airline/hotel transfer partners and their respective expiration policies.
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 or any other OneWorld carrier redeem through:
- Asia Miles (Cathay Pacific)
- British Airways
- Iberia Airlines
- Qantas Airways
American also has partnership outside OneWorld with:
- Etihad
To travel on Delta Air Lines or any other SkyTeam carrier redeem through:
- Delta Air Lines (DL permits one-way awards as of 01 JAN 2015, however trips originating in Europe carry additional surcharges; Delta also imposes surcharges on trips using some partner airlines such as China Eastern or China Southern, but notably not on trips involving its European partners (as long as the trip originates outside Europe) or Virgin Australia.)
- AeroMexico
- Alitalia
- FlyingBlue (Air France, KLM, Air Europa, Kenya Airways, Aircalin and Tarom.)
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. See also transatlantic strategy discussion HERE. Read about changes to redemption charts in December 2015 HERE.
- All Nippon Airways. Read about ANA fuel surcharges HERE. Read about changes to partner redemption charts in April 2015 HERE.
- Avianca Airlines
- Singapore Airlines. Read HERE
Read about Singapore Airlines' reciprocal mile conversion arrangement with Virgin Australia HERE.
To travel on Alaska Airlines redeem through:
- BA British Airways
- CX Asia Miles https://www.asiamiles.com/en/earn-mi...irlines#redeem
- EK Emirates https://www.emirates.com/us/english/...-airlines.aspx
- SQ Singapore Airlines https://www.singaporeair.com/saar5/p...s_AwdChart.pdf
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? (2015 - 2021)
Feb 7, 2016, 11:32 am
#346
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460
Agree with Avios for rest of Europe.
I'm jealous Finnair is one of your AMEX transfer options as we in the U.S. don't have that and I'm planning a December trip to Finland, bummer.
I'm jealous Finnair is one of your AMEX transfer options as we in the U.S. don't have that and I'm planning a December trip to Finland, bummer.
Feb 8, 2016, 3:10 pm
#347
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 159
When did the Delta transfer ratio become 1,000 MR to 750 SkyMiles? Everyblog I've read said that it's 1:1. This is based on the link here: http://catalogue.membershiprewards.c...r_participants
am I missing something here?
am I missing something here?
Feb 8, 2016, 3:24 pm
#348
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
When did the Delta transfer ratio become 1,000 MR to 750 SkyMiles? Everyblog I've read said that it's 1:1. This is based on the link here: http://catalogue.membershiprewards.c...r_participants
am I missing something here?
am I missing something here?
Feb 8, 2016, 3:34 pm
#349
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
As bgriff pointed out the link is to the Membership Rewards Canada page. Here are the clues in the URL itself:
http://catalogue.membershiprewards.ca/l2Category.mtw?categoryName=ca_frequent_traveller_participants
http://catalogue.membershiprewards.ca/l2Category.mtw?categoryName=ca_frequent_traveller_participants
Last edited by mia; Feb 19, 2016 at 1:56 pm
Feb 9, 2016, 8:33 am
#350
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YVR to SEA
Posts: 2,532
Given current exchange rates, it's 1 cad to 0.75 delta, or 0.72 USD to 0.75 delta.
We're coming out ahead!
We're coming out ahead!
Feb 9, 2016, 3:22 pm
#351
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: USA
Programs: SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold, Sixt Plat, Avis Prez Club, Hertz Prez Circ, Nat'l EE
Posts: 58
Thanks for the advice. I think I'll mess a bit more with mini-RTW's and see if anything else comes up before pulling the trigger, maybe looking at Krisflyer again too. But it seems like AC is the best redemption. Although I'm only using 310k (155x2) of my current 350k MR balance for this itin.
AUS - IAH: UA 737-800 F/J
<13-hour layover>
IAH - IST: TK 777-300ER J/F
<27-hour overnight stopover>
IST - BKK: TK A330-300 J/F
<destination>
BKK - ZRH: LX A340-300 J (my only segment with a separate F & J class)
<13-hour overnight layover>
ZRH - DUB: LX A321 J/F
<destination>
DUB - CPH: SK A321 J/F
<21-hour overnight layover>
CPH - IAD: SK A330-300 J/F
<17-hour overnight layover>
IAD - AUS: UA 737-900 F/J
Feb 16, 2016, 8:53 pm
#352
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 7
What are the best redemption options for flights to Canada? Specifically, Atlanta to Montreal? Am seeing 15k with Aeroplan miles, however comes with a $150 fuel surcharge. Any other decent options I can look into? Thanks!
Feb 16, 2016, 9:10 pm
#353
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,531
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Can you find low-tier award space on DL?
Originally Posted by xatb
What are the best redemption options for flights to Canada? Specifically, Atlanta to Montreal? Am seeing 15k with Aeroplan miles, however comes with a $150 fuel surcharge. Any other decent options I can look into? Thanks!
Feb 16, 2016, 9:47 pm
#354
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YVR to SEA
Posts: 2,532
25k delta plus 70 in taxes versus 15k Aeroplan plus 150 in taxes (is that cad?) Is a fairly even trade-off
Feb 16, 2016, 10:07 pm
#355
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: USA
Programs: SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold, Sixt Plat, Avis Prez Club, Hertz Prez Circ, Nat'l EE
Posts: 58
Feb 16, 2016, 10:24 pm
#356
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YVR to SEA
Posts: 2,532
First, you can't transfer amex membership rewards to United, and secondly, paying an extra 10k miles closes the gap somewhat. 15k Aeroplan because it's a short haul vs 25k United
Feb 17, 2016, 1:06 am
#357
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: EWR
Posts: 2,112
You can't transfer MR to UA, but you can book UA flights through Aeroplan (assuming availability), which is what haarpquake is getting at
Feb 24, 2016, 6:56 pm
#358
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 530
i keep hearing about $ value "fee" when transferring MR to partners. What is this? is it universal across all partners or just few?
Feb 24, 2016, 9:05 pm
#359
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 52
Need advice - have 290k MR, want to fly business IAD-MAA
Gurus,
I would greatly appreciate your help with this. My bucket list item - travel business class from IAD to MAA at least once in life time.
I have Amex points 185k in one account and 105k in another. I also have around $300 credit in United.
Is there any way to combine these to get business class for my trip?
Thanks!
I would greatly appreciate your help with this. My bucket list item - travel business class from IAD to MAA at least once in life time.
I have Amex points 185k in one account and 105k in another. I also have around $300 credit in United.
Is there any way to combine these to get business class for my trip?
Thanks!
Feb 25, 2016, 12:00 am
#360
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: EWR
Posts: 2,112
Gurus,
I would greatly appreciate your help with this. My bucket list item - travel business class from IAD to MAA at least once in life time.
I have Amex points 185k in one account and 105k in another. I also have around $300 credit in United.
Is there any way to combine these to get business class for my trip?
Thanks!
I would greatly appreciate your help with this. My bucket list item - travel business class from IAD to MAA at least once in life time.
I have Amex points 185k in one account and 105k in another. I also have around $300 credit in United.
Is there any way to combine these to get business class for my trip?
Thanks!