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)
Oct 5, 2016, 11:26 am
#556
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
There is no sensible way to combine Membership Rewards points with United miles because UA is not an MR transfer partner. You can redeem MR points for travel on UA (as explained in the Wikipost at the top of this thread), but you cannot pool with United miles.
Opening a frequent flyer account has no affect on your credit score.
Opening a frequent flyer account has no affect on your credit score.
Oct 5, 2016, 11:53 am
#557
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 36
There is no sensible way to combine Membership Rewards points with United miles because UA is not an MR transfer partner. You can redeem MR points for travel on UA (as explained in the Wikipost at the top of this thread), but you cannot pool with United miles.
Opening a frequent flyer account has no affect on your credit score.
Opening a frequent flyer account has no affect on your credit score.
I've read a lot about Avios, it seems like it's a very popular program in this forum. But when I check its official website, it seems like the point can only be spent on British Airway. Hmm...that's not very good when most of my travels are domestic.
Oct 5, 2016, 12:08 pm
#558
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Are you looking at British Airways' site ( ba.com ) or at the British retail site ( avios.com )? Avios can be redeemed for travel on British Airways, on all One World alliance airlines including American Airlines, and on BA's other partner airlines including Alaska Airlines.
Read here, with particular attention to the first half dozen posts. The information is dense, you'll need to spend some time:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...os-2016-a.html
Read here, with particular attention to the first half dozen posts. The information is dense, you'll need to spend some time:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...os-2016-a.html
Oct 5, 2016, 12:58 pm
#559
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 36
Are you looking at British Airways' site ( ba.com ) or at the British retail site ( avios.com )? Avios can be redeemed for travel on British Airways, on all One World alliance airlines including American Airlines, and on BA's other partner airlines including Alaska Airlines.
Read here, with particular attention to the first half dozen posts. The information is dense, you'll need to spend some time:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...os-2016-a.html
Read here, with particular attention to the first half dozen posts. The information is dense, you'll need to spend some time:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...os-2016-a.html
Oct 5, 2016, 1:09 pm
#560
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 36
Just to make sure I am doing this right. Is this the correct link to join Avios?
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...w/public/en_gb
Assuming reward points from American Express can be transferred to this later?
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...w/public/en_gb
Assuming reward points from American Express can be transferred to this later?
Oct 5, 2016, 2:27 pm
#561
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Oct 5, 2016, 3:11 pm
#563
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
You might even want to think about whether airline miles or hotel points redemptions would work better for you. (If you mostly travel domestically, it could be that your hotel expenses are actually higher than your airline expenses, but of course that depends on very specifically where you travel.)
Oct 10, 2016, 11:25 am
#564
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 36
In case you're not aware, there should be no reason you'd need to use these points now. if you have (or get) an Amex Everyday card, with no annual fee, you can still transfer any time you want, and you can keep (and gradually grow) your Membership Rewards points until you have time to learn about all the options and figure out what makes sense for you, even if that takes months or years.
You might even want to think about whether airline miles or hotel points redemptions would work better for you. (If you mostly travel domestically, it could be that your hotel expenses are actually higher than your airline expenses, but of course that depends on very specifically where you travel.)
You might even want to think about whether airline miles or hotel points redemptions would work better for you. (If you mostly travel domestically, it could be that your hotel expenses are actually higher than your airline expenses, but of course that depends on very specifically where you travel.)
Oct 10, 2016, 11:31 am
#565
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
You need an AAdvantage account to accumulate and redeem AA miles, but not to look for award flight availability. If you have (example) BAEC points you must book through ba.com (or by phone with BAEC) even if another airline operates the flights.
Oct 20, 2016, 12:56 pm
#566
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA/AA
Posts: 1,741
Just noticed that AirBnb gift cards have disappeared as an Amex redemption option.
Oct 25, 2016, 1:13 am
#567
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: PHL
Posts: 94
Curious if anyone can recall any good transfer bonus offers around the late year holiday season in the past few years?
I have 105K MR and my Amex Biz Gold hits the renewal mark mid-December.
I'd like to cancel the card, so i'm looking for the best transfer scenario for my situation in which I cannot anticipate any specific travel in the next 12 months (too many things going on).
Appreciate any input as to "what you would do"?
Other points I have: 500K Chase UR, 125K Southwest, 90K AA, and < 25-30k in IHG and Marriott.
I thought that BA Avios offer (250=300?) was going to last longer. Mis-read the dates. Doh.
I have 105K MR and my Amex Biz Gold hits the renewal mark mid-December.
I'd like to cancel the card, so i'm looking for the best transfer scenario for my situation in which I cannot anticipate any specific travel in the next 12 months (too many things going on).
Appreciate any input as to "what you would do"?
Other points I have: 500K Chase UR, 125K Southwest, 90K AA, and < 25-30k in IHG and Marriott.
I thought that BA Avios offer (250=300?) was going to last longer. Mis-read the dates. Doh.
Oct 25, 2016, 7:41 am
#568
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
See this Wikipost for a history of transfer bonuses.
No need to transfer if you apply for a free Everyday card which will preserve your balance.
Oct 25, 2016, 9:25 am
#569
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: PHL
Posts: 94
See this Announcement for a list of current bonuses.
See this Wikipost for a history of transfer bonuses.
No need to transfer if you apply for a free Everyday card which will preserve your balance.
See this Wikipost for a history of transfer bonuses.
No need to transfer if you apply for a free Everyday card which will preserve your balance.
I guess I'm mistaken. I haven't had many Amex cards --- I was under impression you needed a 'premiere' type card to transfer points to the partners? I do have the Amex Bluecash everyday no fee card which I will be keeping obviously, so then I should be good and at some point in the future I can transfer to the transfer partners having just the bluecash?
I don't know why I thought or read something about it being akin to the Freedom/Sapphire basic/premiere point usage structure.
Thanks mia!
Oct 25, 2016, 9:30 am
#570
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Your Blue Cash card will not preserve the points, it does not participate in Membership Rewards.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...day-cards.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...nup-bonus.html