Introduction
When it comes to credit card points, there are some fundamental distinctions between them and airline miles. Credit card points are capable of being transferred to various airline and hotel accounts, making them highly versatile and valuable. This is an area where Membership Rewards points excel.
In this article, we will discuss the various American Express transfer partners available, the process of transferring Membership Rewards to them, and more.
Earning Membership Rewards
There’s no shortage of Membership Rewards points available with American Express. Choose the card or card combination that’ll help you get the most points possible and enjoy the benefits you love.
Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)
Check eligibility for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points (Not available to all applicants). Also for a welcome bonus offer of up to 90,000 points with the Amex Gold card. The current public offer is 60,000 points (not available to all applicants).
For business owners, there is a list of the best Amex business credit cards. To increase earning potential maximize Amex Offers, which grant additional Membership Rewards for your purchases at select merchant outlets.
Amex Airline Transfer Partners
The American Express Membership Rewards program has many airline transfer partners, check transfer rates as not all transfers are done at a 1:1 ratio.
Amex Hotel Transfer Partners
Importantly, Membership Rewards can also be transferred to 3 hotel rewards programs. Check with airline partners before transferring points because transfer ratios are different for all American Airlines. Try our transfer partner tool to find out the points you’ll get when you transfer your Amex Membership Rewards to their partner airlines and hotels.
How To Transfer Membership Rewards
For an easy transfer process decide how many Membership Rewards points you wish to transfer and where before you begin travelling
- Select Earn and Redeem from the menu.
- Select Transfer Points under Redeem.
- Choose your desired airline or hotel transfer partner and select Transfer Points. Link your frequent flyer account to your Membership Rewards account.
- Post linking airline or hotel account to your Membership Rewards account, and confirm the points you wish to transfer keeping in mind that transfers must be made in increments of 1,000.
- Complete the transfer process by confirming the number of points being transferred.
- Book your award flight or stay.
American Express Transfer Bonuses
For high-level redemptions transfer points when there is a bonus for maximising the value.
Amex in past has offered public and targeted transfer bonus offers of 15% to 40%. For example, if you transfer 10,000 points when a specific partner is offering a 40% bonus offer, the worth of your points will be 14,000 points after the transfer.
We suggest do not transfer points for a bonus until you have a specific redemption in mind, rather keep your points in a transferable account (like Amex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, or Marriott Bonvoy)
Booking Travel With the Amex Travel Portal
If you are looking to book an economy flight or hotel, Amex Travel is an excellent option for those wishing to book cash flights. Points are typically valued at 1 cent each, and with the Business Platinum Card®, American Express offers a 35% discount. This discount can be applied to up to one million points per calendar year, making your bookings even more valuable as American Express sometimes offers discounts when paying for flights entirely with points.
Should You Transfer or Book Through Amex?
Amex Travel offers a better value for booking an award ticket through their portal, as it costs 14,636 Membership Rewards points. Compared to transferring 25,000 points to SkyMiles, booking through the portal provides a better value. It is essential to explore the portal and transfer possibilities for economy class reservations to maximize the use of your points.
Other Ways To Use Your Points
You can also use your Membership Rewards points to book hotels through Amex Travel, which charges up to 1 cent per point in value.
You can redeem your Membership Rewards points for gift cards at merchants like Nike and Saks Fifth Avenue. You can also use your Points to shop at Walmart and Amazon. These are all poor uses of your Membership Rewards points. Stick to travel redemptions for the best value.
Combining Membership Rewards From Different Accounts
Typically, when applying for a new Membership Rewards card, it will be automatically linked to an account that earns points. However, if you have multiple Membership Rewards cards, each card can be linked to an account, resulting in points being automatically collected in one location.
One disadvantage of this method is that you cannot transfer points to your spouse’s or significant other’s membership rewards account. However, you may transfer points to any authorized user on your account who has been an authorized user for a minimum of 90 days. This is not an ideal solution, however, it does allow you to assist friends and family in booking award flights.
Redeeming Membership Rewards
Membership Rewards points’ redemption is most beneficial for travel purposes. The best aspect is having many airline travel partners.
Go through the comprehensive list of the best ways to redeem your Membership Rewards for good travel experiences.
Final Considerations
If you’re looking to travel, American Express Membership Rewards (AMR) points are a lifesaver! With so many different ways to get and use them, you can get award flights to pretty much anywhere!