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Amex Membership Rewards Transfer Partners & How To Use Them [2024]

Jarrod West

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Table of Contents

Amex airline transfer partners, amex hotel transfer partners, how to transfer membership rewards, american express transfer bonuses, earning amex membership rewards, booking travel with the amextravel.com portal, other ways to use your points, combining membership rewards from different accounts, redeeming membership rewards, final thoughts.

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If you’re looking for a way to earn lots of points to redeem for some amazing travel, you can’t go wrong with American Express Membership Rewards credit cards. Amex provides a number of ways to earn Membership Rewards points and plenty of fun ways to redeem them for some great flights.

In this post, we’ll show you all of the American Express transfer partners, how to transfer Membership Rewards to these partners, and much more. With this guide in hand, you’ll be ready to book some amazing vacations!

The American Express Membership Rewards program has a ton of airline transfer partners.

Make sure you check the transfer rate (see below) since not all transfers are done at a 1:1 ratio.

Membership Rewards can also be transferred to 3 hotel rewards programs.

Like American Express airline partners, transfer ratios vary (see below), so make sure you check them before transferring.

Hot Tip: Use our transfer partner tool to see how many points you’ll get when you transfer your Amex Membership Rewards to their partner airlines and hotels!

With some Membership Rewards points in your account , it’s time to decide where you want to transfer your points so you can start traveling. Here are the simple steps to make the transfer process easy.

Step 1:  Select Earn and Redeem  from the menu.

Step 2: Select Transfer Points under Redeem .

Step 3: Choose your desired airline or hotel transfer partner and select Transfer Points . If you haven’t already, you will need to link your frequent flyer account to your Membership Rewards account. In the example below, we chose Delta Air Lines.

Step 4:  Once you have linked your airline or hotel account to your Membership Rewards account, choose how many points you would like to transfer. Transfers must be made in increments of 1,000.

Step 5: Confirm the number of points you are transferring and complete the transfer.

Step 6:  Head over to the appropriate airline or hotel program to book your award flight or award stay.

Bottom Line: Transferring Amex points to partners is easy. Just have your loyalty program numbers handy and your Amex card details, and you’ll be good to go!

Transferring your points when there is a bonus is an ideal situation. Getting the most value out of every point you have is the key to getting those high-level redemptions!

Amex has previously offered both public and targeted transfer bonus offers of 15% to 40%. For example, if you were to transfer 10,000 points when a particular partner is offering a 40% bonus offer, your points would be worth 14,000 points after transfer.

However, you shouldn’t transfer points JUST because there is a bonus. It’s best to keep your points in a transferable account (like Amex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, or Marriott Bonvoy) until you have a specific redemption in mind.

American Express provides tons of opportunities to earn Membership Rewards points . Pick the card or combination of cards that will help you earn the most points and get the benefits that matter to you.

Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection ® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card ® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: CLEAR ® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck ® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck ® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

American Express Membership Rewards

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

The American Express ® Gold Card  is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
• $250 annual fee (see rates and fees )
• No lounge access
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards ® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards ® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards ® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

If you’re a business owner, see our list of the best Amex business credit cards .

A fun and easy way to boost your earning potential is to maximize Amex Offers , which grant additional Membership Rewards for your purchases at select merchants.

If you’re booking economy flights or hotels, don’t forget to check out AmexTravel.com , where you can book cash flights with points. Points are generally worth 1 cent each.

With The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express , each point is worth about 1.54 cents when booking on your preselected airline.

The boost is applied in the form of a 35% rebate , so you’ll still need the total points in your account at the time of booking. You can get up to 1 million points rebated per calendar year.

Let’s check out an example (below). If you have the Amex Business Platinum card and Delta Air Lines is your selected airline, this booking will cost 22,516 Membership Rewards points initially.

Once the rebate is applied, American Express will return 7,880 Membership Rewards to your account, which means this booking would actually cost you 14,636 points.

You might have noticed in the example above that the booking is a Membership Rewards Insider Fare .

This can make your bookings through AmexTravel.com even more valuable since American Express sometimes discounts flights if you pay entirely with points .

Should You Transfer or Book Through Amex?

Consider the flights we discussed above. Booking this itinerary through AmexTravel.com costs 14,636 Membership Rewards points, and the booking still earns Delta SkyMiles as a paid fare rather than an award ticket.

If you were to transfer Membership Rewards to Delta and book this same itinerary as an award ticket, you would have to transfer 25,000 points to your SkyMiles account to book it. In this case, booking through the portal would be a much better deal.

This is clearly a time to book through AmexTravel.com rather than transferring points. To ensure you get the most out of your points every time, it’s important to check both the portal and transfer options when booking economy class.

AmexTravel.com also allows you to book hotels at up to 1 cent per point in value through Fine Hotels & Resorts .

You can also redeem your points for gift cards to merchants like Nike, Saks Fifth Avenue , Walmart, or Amazon , or use your points to shop for items from the Membership Rewards site.

Unfortunately, these are generally terrible uses of your hard-earned Membership Rewards points. To get the most value out of them, stick with travel redemptions!

If you have multiple cards that earn Membership Rewards, they can each be linked to the same account so your points will automatically collect in one place.

Generally, when you apply for a new card that earns Membership Rewards points, it will automatically be linked to your account.

One downside is that points cannot be transferred to your spouse or significant other’s Membership Rewards account.

However, you can transfer points to a frequent flyer program owned by any authorized users on your account, as long as they have been an authorized user for at least 90 days .

While this isn’t a perfect solution, it still allows you to help friends and family book award flights.

Using your Membership Rewards points for travel is clearly the best way to use your points.

With so many airline transfer partners and tons of ways to redeem your points, it’s almost overwhelming!

To make the process a bit easier, we’ve compiled a list of the best ways to redeem your Membership Rewards for some amazing travel experiences.

American Express Membership Rewards points are tremendously useful if you want to travel. With so many ways to earn and redeem points, you can book award flights to just about anywhere in the world!

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click  here . For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

What airlines can membership rewards points be used for.

There are multiple different airline and hotel partners that you’re able to transfer your Membership Rewards points to. Refer to our table in the post for the most up-to-date transfer partners!

Can you transfer your Membership Rewards points to another person?

You cannot transfer your Membership Rewards points to anyone else. However, you can transfer your Membership Rewards to someone’s frequent flyer account so long as they are an authorized user on one of your cards and have been so for at least 90 days.

Can you transfer your Membership Rewards between your Amex cards?

American Express pools all of your Membership Rewards points into 1 account, so there is no need to transfer them back and forth between cards.

Can you transfer points from an airline to Membership Rewards points?

You cannot transfer miles or points from an airline to Amex Membership Rewards points. You also cannot get back any Membership Rewards points that you have already transferred to an airline partner — all transfers are final.

Do Membership Rewards points expire?

Your Membership Rewards points will not expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing.

How much are Membership Rewards points worth?

Generally, your Membership Rewards points will be worth 0.6 cents toward cash-back, 1.10 cents when cashing them out into a Charles Schwab investment account (depending on which card you hold), or 2+ cents for redemptions made through transfer partners.

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About Jarrod West

Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.

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The Best AmEx Transfer Partners — and Those to Avoid

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Earning credit card rewards seems like a simple process, right? You make purchases with your card, then you’re awarded points. But what happens when it comes time to spend them? American Express Membership Rewards feature 20 different transfer partners, and not all of them will give you good value.

Here's a look at the best AmEx transfer partners, the value that they provide and which ones you should avoid.

The best AmEx transfer partners

Most of the time, your points will transfer over to American Express travel partners at a 1:1 ratio, meaning that one AmEx point becomes one hotel or airline point. We’ve noted exceptions below. Just keep in mind that NerdWallet currently values AmEx points at 2.8 cents each when transferred to partners, so always make sure you are getting a good value. Here are some of the best AmEx transfer partners:

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Air Canada Aeroplan

Air Canada’s Aeroplan program underwent an overhaul in late 2020, doing away with fuel surcharges on flights and adding the ability to book stopovers for 5,000 points. As a member of the world’s largest airline alliance, Star Alliance , Air Canada has 25 partners where you can redeem your Aeroplan points.

Decent award pricing on saver-level seats will get you to Europe in business class for 60,000 points, making this one of AmEx’s most valuable transfer partners.

For these reasons, among others, Aeroplan points sits near the top of our NerdWallet valuations at a rate of 1.4 cents per point .

ANA Mileage Club

Another member of Star Alliance, ANA is known for its generous partner award chart. Although it’s hampered by the need to book round-trip flights, you can still find your way to and from Europe in business class for a total of 88,000 miles. This is industry-leading, which is one of the reasons ANA miles are our most highly valued with a rate of 2.8 cents per point and one of the best airlines to transfer AmEx points.

» Learn more: Your guide to the ANA Mileage Club

Avianca Lifemiles

As the flag carrier for Colombia, Avianca Airlines is notorious for its clunky website and poor customer service. However, thanks to its generous reward redemptions, we’ve valued Lifemiles at a rate of 1.2 cents per point .

While this is lower than the value we give AmEx points, Avianca is bolstered by the fact that you can book mixed-cabin itineraries on flights. This allows you to save miles on short-haul routes so you can enjoy yourself when it really matters.

Delta Air Lines SkyMiles

Although Delta doesn’t have a ton of sweet spots, it occasionally offers flash sales that’ll give you outsized value for your SkyMiles . And unlike other airlines, you can redeem miles for basic economy flights, thus dropping the costs of your redemptions even lower. If you’re flexible, you can score deals such as Los Angeles to Orlando for as little as 15,000 miles roundtrip, making our valuation of SkyMiles 1.2 cents per point .

» Learn more: Your guide to earning Delta Air Lines SkyMiles

on American Express' website

• 3 points per $1 on eligible travel purchases.

• 3 points per $1 on restaurants worldwide.

• 1 point per $1 on other purchases.

Terms apply.

• 4 points per $1 at restaurant plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.

• 4 points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per year).

• 3 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.

• 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases.

• 5 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 spent per year.

• 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• 2 points per $1 on the first $50,000 in purchases each calendar year.

• 1 point per $1 on purchases above $50,000 in a calendar year.

» See more options: Best American Express cards

• Up to $189 per year in statement credit when you use the card to pay for your Clear membership fee.

• Up to $100 per year in statement credit when you purchase LoungeBuddy passes with your card.

• $120 annual dining credit (available as $10 monthly credits on purchases from select partners).

• Up to $120 a year in Uber Cash ($10 per month).

• Access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, including AmEx's own Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta).

• Credit for the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.

• Hundreds of dollars a year in credits for travel, shopping and entertainment. These include up to $200 a year for incidental fees on an airline you choose, up to $240 for digital entertainment from select providers, and up to $200 a year for Uber. See terms for details.

• Ability to earn American Express Membership Rewards points for a $0 annual fee.

• 0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, and then the ongoing APR of 18.49%-26.49% Variable APR .

• Terms apply.

Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by NerdWallet. The American Express® Green Card is no longer available through NerdWallet. To view rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card , see this page . To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express , see this page . To view rates and fees of The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express , see this page .

Decent AmEx transfer partners

British airways avios.

We don’t value British Airways Avios very highly — they’re worth 1 cent per point. However, British Airways uses a distance-based award chart that shines during short-haul flights.

Avios are also interchangeable with programs from Aer Lingus, Iberia Plus and Qatar Airways. Combined, these programs have transfer partnerships with all the major transferable points currencies, making them exceedingly easy to earn.

Aer Lingus joins the group of decent transfer partners thanks to its interchangeability with other Avios programs. It also boasts the opportunity to fly from the East Coast to Dublin for 13,000 miles one way, making this sweet spot one of the most valuable for crossing the Atlantic.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

We value Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles at 1.2 cents each thanks to their usability as a member of SkyTeam, where you’ll find flights with partners such as Delta Air Lines, Czech Airlines and Aeromexico. Notably, you can redeem 55,000 miles for a one-way flight in business class to Europe, though you’ll usually be subject to some higher-than-average fees.

» Learn more: The complete guide to Air France-KLM Flying Blue

Emirates Skywards

Emirates Skywards miles are ranked at a value of 0.6 cent per point . Although the airline keeps increasing fuel surcharges, it has also limited the amount of award inventory partners can access. This means that if you’re looking to book its coveted first-class seats, you’ll need to do so directly with the airline or with Qantas Airways.

Etihad Guest

Emirati airline Etihad has maintained the same partner award chart for years, meaning you can get your hands on quite a few sweet spots for redemptions. This includes options with partner American Airlines, with premium transcontinental routes that include lay-flat beds. Using Etihad miles will score you a seat on these Flagship Business routings for 25,000 miles one way.

Iberia Plus Avios

As with Aer Lingus, Qatar Airways and British Airways, Iberia’s Avios can be exchanged interchangeably between these programs. Although Iberia is not a super well-known airline, it does maintain a sweet spot in transatlantic business class by charging as little as 34,000 miles one way for a ticket.

Qantas Airways

Like other airlines, Qantas uses a distance-based award chart for flights, which means you’ll find your best value on short-haul routings. Perhaps the best use of Qantas points is flying with partner Air Tahiti Nui from Los Angeles, where a one-way ticket in economy will cost just 25,200 points.

Singapore Airlines

As a member of Star Alliance, Singapore Airlines has access to flights from carriers such as United Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa and Swiss. While Singapore has recently devalued its award charts, we still value its miles at 1.5 cents each thanks to its decent redemptions on partner airlines, among other reasons.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic is another SkyTeam member. For this, we give Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points a value of 1.8 cents each . Perhaps its best sweet spot is the ability to book business class awards with ANA for 45,000 miles one way.

» Learn more: The guide to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

The worst AmEx transfer partners

AmEx points transfer over to AeroMexico at a 1:1.6 ratio, meaning 1,000 AmEx points becomes 1,600 AeroMexico points. Despite this, AeroMexico has no discernible sweet spots and booking award tickets is best done over the phone.

Cathay Pacific

Embattled airline Cathay Pacific has had a rough few years, cutting its route network significantly amid various issues. Despite this, you can still use your Asia Miles to book a round-the-world ticket for good value if you’re up for the challenge.

» Learn more: Cathay Pacific — what to know

Choice Hotels

The first hotel featured on this list, Choice Hotels makes a poor transfer partner of AmEx, especially since it partners with Citi ThankYou points to give you double the value for your points while it only transfers with AmEx at a 1:1 ratio.

Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian Miles

We value Hawaiian Airlines miles at a solid 1.2 cents each , but still consider the airline to be a bad transfer partner. Without any good sweet spots to mention, you’ll be stuck using your AmEx points for half their value if you transfer to this airline.

» Learn more: Your guide to Hawaiian Airlines

Hilton Honors

AmEx points transfer to Hilton Honors points at a 1:2 ratio, so you’d think they’d be a good option — wouldn’t you? Sadly, no. We value Hilton points at just 0.5 cent per point , so you’d still be redeeming your AmEx points for just 1 cent each when transferring to Hilton. However, you can still get good value out of these transfers if you use your Hilton points exclusively for high-end hotels such as the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, where room rates are always more than $1,000 per night.

» Learn more: What to know about the Conrad Maldives

JetBlue TrueBlue

JetBlue runs its award program on a dynamic pricing system that’s tied to the cash price of your ticket. So while we value JetBlue TrueBlue points at 1.5 cents each , you’ll basically never get more value than that as the points required for a ticket directly correlate to its cost.

Marriott Bonvoy

The last option on this list, Marriott Bonvoy points make a poor transfer partner of American Express. The hotel program recently eliminated its fixed award chart in favor of dynamic pricing, which means your hotel costs can vary dramatically based on demand. Marriott points are valued at 0.8 cent and you can transfer AmEx points over at a 1:1 ratio.

If you want to redeem your AmEx points for good value

We’ve figured out the value of many different point programs. However, airline sweet spots and easy-to-earn miles may make some AmEx transfer partners better than others.

If you’re looking for good uses of your AmEx points, keep an eye out for these best transfer partners — and be sure to avoid those that’ll give you subpar value for your points.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

Guide to American Express transfer partners

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Perhaps one of the most mysterious aspects of credit card award travel is learning how to boost rewards with transfer partners — namely hotel and airfare accommodations. In most cases, transferring your rewards to travel partners provides a higher redemption value than redeeming rewards for statement credits, cash or gift cards.

The American Express Membership Rewards program is one of the most popular award travel ecosystems. It offers a large variety of transfer partners, and its network includes many popular airlines and hotels. If you have an eligible Amex credit card and want to stretch your points value further, redeeming your points through the Amex travel portal or for partner travel should be top of mind.

In this guide, we’ll go over all Amex transfer partners, some pros and cons of transferring points and how to maximize your rewards .

American Express airline partners

Amex’s airline partners typically offer transfers at a 1,000:1,000 (or 1:1) rate. However, many Amex airline partners have alliances that allow you to expand your flight options and, at times, boost the value of your points. It may take some time to connect the dots to find great deals, but if you’re flexible with your dates and destinations, there are plenty of deals that can get well over the 1:1 redemption ratio. And if you’re strategic about your redemptions, your Amex Membership Rewards points value could be 2.0 cents per point or more, according to our points and miles valuations guide .

For instance, you may not think you’d get much use out of transferring points to an airline like British Airways. However, you can use the British Airways Executive Club currency, called Avios, to book flights on all oneworld Alliance carriers. Unfortunately, using Avios on British Airways flights carries substantial fuel surcharges, making your points much less valuable with those flights.

However, if you focus on British Airways partner flights, you can score significant value due to the airline’s distance-based award chart. There are a number of U.S.-based short-haul flights where you may be able to get economy fares starting at just 6,000 points — whereas these same award flights on another airline could cost 20,000 points or more for the same destinations and dates. When you start looking at aspirational travel options like international flights in first or business class, you stand to earn even more value for your points.

Again, it might take a little time to make these connections and understand exactly how the alliances work, but you can garner significant discounts for flights once you get the hang of it.

Here’s the chart of Amex airline partners along with their transfer ratios:

Should you transfer Amex points to an airline partner?

For the most part, transferring Amex points to an airline partner will offer you more value. Here are some pros and cons to consider when transferring points:

• Get higher redemption values for your points
• Some alliance partners can expand route options and potentially boost points value
• Get great deals on first and business class award fares
• Blackout dates and limited availability apply
• Can take up to 48 hours (or longer) to transfer rewards to some transfer partner programs
• Transferring points from your Amex card to a loyalty program is not reversible

American Express hotel partners

Transferring your Amex rewards to hotel partners may not offer as much value as transferring rewards to airline partners, but it can still be a good use of your points (under the right circumstances), and you may find better deals and value for off-peak accommodations.

Here’s a look at Amex’s hotel partners:

Should you transfer Amex points to a hotel partner?

• Can find good deals on hotel bookings depending on your destination and travel dates
• Can use fewer points on a five-night stay since Hilton and Mariott offer the fifth night free on five-night stays (terms apply)
• Could find additional perks and free stays to complement your points if you have hotel elite status or access to Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection
• May not get a great redemption ratio by transferring points to Amex hotel partners
• There may be blackout dates or high prices in peak season that further decrease the value of your points
• Transferring points from your Amex card to a loyalty program can’t be reversed

How to transfer Amex Membership Rewards points

Before making any transfers, you must connect your hotel or airline loyalty account to your Amex account. Note that the name on your loyalty account(s) must match either your name or the name of an authorized user on your credit card account. Once your loyalty program account(s) is linked, you can transfer your Amex points.

• Log in to your American Express account online.
• Under “Rewards,” select “Transfer Points” to see a list of all available American Express transfer partners.
• From here, you can transfer your Amex points to an Amex travel partner. Note that all partners have a set minimum and maximum number of points you can transfer. Typically, you must transfer at least 1,000 points.
• After the estimated transfer timeframe is up (typically after 48 hours), log in to your loyalty program account and complete your desired booking.

How to maximize value when transferring points

If you want to get the most out of your Membership Rewards points, here are a few tips that can help:

• Consider being flexible with your travel destinations and dates to score the best deals.
• Watch out for transfer bonuses through Amex Offers that boost your points value by 20 to 50 percent.
• First, verify that award reservations are available for the dates you’d like to travel (reserve your accommodations first, if possible). Then, transfer your points and make your reservation.
• Check for alternative booking options, like alliances that have distance-based award charts versus dynamic award flight pricing.
• Check award pricing for business and first-class fares for more luxurious travel options at lower rates.
• Be mindful of additional costs, like fuel surcharges (British Airways) and federal excise taxes for transfers to U.S.-based airlines (Delta, JetBlue or Hawaiian).

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American Express has a popular and flexible Membership Rewards program that allows you to use your points for a number of purposes. With Membership Rewards, you can book travel, pay for purchases, find worthwhile experiences, buy gift cards, and more.

On top of that, American Express has travel partners that allow you to transfer your Membership Rewards points to 17 airline partners and three hotel loyalty programs, giving you the chance to fly for free and book free hotel stays.

This is one of the most popular ways to use points, since you have the ability to earn plenty of points using American Express credit cards and then use them wherever you can get the best value.

Amex airline transfer partners

Amex hotel transfer partners, how to transfer amex membership rewards to an airline or hotel partner, are there transfer “rules” i should know, faqs about amex transfer partners, what’s the benefit of using transfer partners over earning points and miles directly for the airline or hotel i want.

If you don’t want to be stuck with one airline loyalty program, you can transfer your American Express points to the following airlines and create a travel itinerary that works best for you.

Most of the airlines require you to transfer points in increments of 1,000. There are two exceptions: JetBlue, which requires increments of 250 points, and Qantas, which allows you transfer in increments of 500.

In terms of value, you can get a 1:1 transfer on most of the partner airlines.  Some airlines, like AeroMexico , give you better more than one point for each point you transfer, but you'll need to look at the redemption costs on the partner airline to see if you're actually getting more value.

You also have to consider factors like where you’re going and what to expect when it comes to booking. Some airlines might require you to jump through additional hoops to book flights using points, depending on the situation.

In some cases, it can make sense to transfer to a member of the same airline alliance for better value and then book using those points. For example, you could use Air Canada points to book a flight to Europe through any Star Alliance partner, such as Lufthansa or United. This could potentially get you a great deal on business class and first class tickets.

If you like to fly in comfort on a long flight or if you want to get more bang for your redemption points, this may be beneficial. For some travelers, being able to upgrade to business class on a trans-Atlantic flight is more valuable than getting a completely free ticket.

You also need to compare awards prices. For example, you might get a 1:1 transfer ratio, but the number of points it takes to redeem points for a flight can be high. For instance, if it takes 40,000 points to fly to Hawaii with one airline and 50,000 points to fly with another, you’ll get a better deal on the first airline.

How to know if you’re getting the best value

Whether you’re getting the best value depends, in large part, on what airline you’re most likely to use and the deals it offers for rewards travel. For example, I use Delta a lot because of where I live. Even though JetBlue is often cheaper, I’d have to drive three hours to get a JetBlue flight. Plus, JetBlue doesn’t fly everywhere I like to visit.

Review your preferred airlines rewards program or take a look at what kind of deals you can get based on your route. Even though I use Delta a lot and prefer to transfer my Amex points to that airline, there’s a good chance I’d consider Air France instead if I were flying to Europe. Air France often offers monthly promo awards through its Flying Blue program, so knowing I plan to take a European trip would change the way I evaluate value.

Carefully consider your options before moving forward to ensure you’re accomplishing what you want with your points transfer.

If you want to use your Amex points for hotel redemptions , you can do that as well, with three different hotel rewards programs.

As you can see, you’ll get two Hilton Honors points for each Amex point you transfer. That feels like a great deal, and it might encourage you to focus on Hilton Honors. Indeed, Hilton regularly offers a number of promotions throughout the year, so it can be a great value.

However, Marriott Bonvoy has its own advantages, even though the transfer is only 1:1 from Amex. With Marriott, my experience has been that you often get free upgrades when they’re available, and the amount of points used to redeem a room is generally lower. There’s a little more flexibility with Bonvoy as well when it comes to partners and experiences. Bonvoy has a number of partners where you can use points, and it offers access to a wide variety of additional experiences that can be bought with points when you book travel.

Choice Hotels are often cheaper, so even though you can get a room for fewer points, the dollar value might not be the same. For example, I can get a room for 8,000 points with a Choice hotel when it would normally cost $89 (value of 0.011). However, I recently booked a $350 Marriott room during the week for 15,000 points (value of 0.023). Even though both have a 1:1 transfer rate, the Marriott program got me a better bang for my buck in this case.

As with the airlines, though, what hotel you transfer points to depends on where you want to go, what type of hotel you want to book, and what kind of amenities you want.

Whether you’re getting the best value depends in large part on your own preferences. For example, I prefer Marriott properties because of the amenities and upgrades as well as how easy it is to use points and cash.

On the other hand, Hilton Honors can be a great value because you can use top-rated credit cards to buy your way to Diamond status, which comes with elite benefits and upgrades. If you want to take advantage of that status to add value, transferring points to Hilton might make more sense.

Think about your goals and what makes the most sense based on your preferred program and what it offers. Value has a different meaning for each of us, so it’s important to make your evaluation based on what’s important to you — and whether you get it from your program.

Transferring your points is fairly straightforward. Here’s how it works:

• Log into your Membership Rewards account and select “Travel” from the menu.
• Select “Get Started” and you’ll be able to see your options for transfer partners.
• Make sure you’ve linked your loyalty program to Membership Rewards.
• Choose your preferred linked account.
• Decide how many points you want to transfer. You’ll need to transfer points in increments of 1,000 for most partners.
• Confirm the number of points you’re transferring.
• Complete the transfer.

Once you’re done, you can check your partner account to see that the points are available, and then you can book your travel.

Realize transfers are final and cannot be undone once they’re completed. Before I make a move, I double check that I’ll be able to get the travel I want. In many cases, I just leave my points with Amex Membership Rewards until I’m ready to use them. If I’m 4,000 miles short for the Delta flight I want, that’s when I make the transfer — and only for the miles I need. If I’m wrong about where I want the points, there’s no sending them back.

Additionally, you might pay a small fee to transfer points to airlines — up to $99, depending on how many points you transfer. As a result, I’m more likely to create a strategy that involves earning airline points with a branded card or one of the best travel credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card , which allows you to earn extra points on travel and then redeem them for travel. I try to save the Amex points for hotel stays. 

What airlines are partners with American Express?

Airline partners include:

• Air France/KLM
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Singapore Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

Can I transfer my Amex points to someone else?

You can’t directly send your points to another person. However, if you add someone as an authorized user on your Amex account, you can send your points to their frequent flyer program.

In most cases, it makes sense to focus on adding someone you trust as an authorized user, since they’ll be able to use your account to make purchases.

Can I transfer Amex points to my spouse?

No. American Express doesn’t allow you to transfer points to anyone else — even a spouse.

Can you transfer Delta miles to American Express?

No. While you can transfer Delta SkyMiles to other SkyMiles members, you can’t send your miles to your American Express account and get points.

Which American Express cards have Membership Rewards?

The personal cards that offer access to the Membership Rewards program include:

• American Express ® Gold Card
• American Express ® Green Card

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

• Amex EveryDay ® Credit Card
• Amex EveryDay ® Preferred Credit Card
• Blue from American Express ®

Can you use American Express points to upgrade a flight?

Yes, American Express has a program that allows you to use your points to bid for an upgrade on a reservation you’ve made. However, you will need to wait a few days to see if the airline accepts your bid.

You can also transfer American Express points to an eligible airline and upgrade your seat through the airline’s normal channels.

Do American Express points expire?

Your points won’t expire. However, if you close your linked credit card accounts, you could forfeit your points. If you plan to close your American Express Membership Rewards cards, make sure to spend your points or transfer them to an airline or hotel partner first.

One of the things I like best about Amex Membership Rewards is the flexibility. I can direct the points where they’re most effective. It also means I don’t have to be completely loyal to one company. While I do tend to show loyalty to particular brands, there are times I find better deals elsewhere — and want to take advantage of them.

Additionally, there’s a measure of protection with Membership Rewards. If an airline or hotel chain devalues its rewards, you’re stuck if all your points are in a specific loyalty program. With Amex points, you have the flexibility to focus on a different partner that offers better value.

In the end, it’s about figuring out what provides you with the best value based on your situation and preferences. Figure out how you can get the most points with spending and which credit cards offer the most flexibility and value. Then consider how you can use travel partners to make the most of your Amex Membership Rewards.

Luxury Travel Benefits

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Current Offer

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on purchases on your new card in the first 6 months

Rewards Rate

• 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
• Select your metal card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu
• 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amextravel.com (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and prepaid hotels booked on Amextravel.com
• Access to Centurion and Priority Pass airport lounges
• Select benefits require enrollment.
• High annual fee
• Terms apply

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I swear by my AmEx card with a hefty annual fee. I get tons of travel perks and over $1,000 in credits for Uber, hotels, stores, and more.

• As someone who travels for work, I'm always looking for ways to make travel more cost-efficient.
• Although my  Platinum Card® from American Express charges a $695 annual fee, I find it saves me money.
• In addition to the travel perks, my card gets me over $1,000 in credits for Uber, hotels, and more.

As a full-time, on-the-go content creator, I practically live at airports and am always looking for ways to make my travel experience easier.

From trying out the latest packing cubes to looking for flight deals, I'm all about efficiency and saving money.

That's why it may be surprising to learn that one of my biggest travel game-changers involves spending money with a travel credit card. Like the 41% of Americans with a travel card , I use mine to save money on hotels, flights, and more.

Although the $695 annual fee for my American Express Platinum Card seems steep at first glance, it's actually saved me money in the long run. And, more importantly, it's made my travels much smoother.

Here are just some of The Platinum Card® from American Express benefits I use most often.

My American Express Platinum Card gives me access to the Centurion Lounge

Because I travel frequently, lounge access is important to me. Call me bougie, but I love having a quieter space to sit down and enjoy a meal and a drink before my flight.

As a Platinum cardholder, I can access Centurion and Priority Pass lounges worldwide. Of course, this benefit is only worthwhile if you, like me, enjoy eating and drinking at airports and your home airport has a Centurion Lounge.

With airport restaurants and bars charging sky-high prices for basic food and drink, enjoying complimentary gourmet food in the Centurion Lounge is a treat.

I also get a $200 airline-fee credit

As a Platinum cardholder, I can choose a qualifying airline and enroll to receive up to $200 of statement credit for incidental airline fees each year.

This includes checked bag fees , in-flight purchases, seat assignments, and airport-lounge day passes when I pay for them using my American Express Platinum Card. While these fees might seem small, they add up quickly when traveling frequently.

The $240 digital entertainment credit can be used on things like streaming services and news sites

As a frequent traveler, I rely on digital entertainment, and luckily, my card provides $20 in statement credits each month for some of the most popular digital entertainment services after enrollment.

Peacock, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal are all services that can be reimbursed if I pay for them using my Platinum card.

I always take advantage of the $200 annual hotel credit

With my American Express Platinum Card, I get a one-time $200 statement credit on a pre-paid booking with Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) or The Hotel Collection (THC) through American Express Travel.

I also get perks like a complimentary daily breakfast for two, room upgrades (when available), and a $100 property credit on top of the statement credit. This can generally be used at hotel restaurants or even spas, but can vary based on each property.

I use the FHR benefit each year on a special stay — this year, I stayed at the historic Royal Hawaiian on Waikiki . I received a $200 credit after paying for my room, early check-in and late checkout, free breakfasts, a room upgrade, and a property credit that I used for a nice dinner and drinks at the pool.

With my card, I can get reimbursed for Clear Plus, TSA Precheck, and/or Global Entry

In my opinion, the worst part of the airport experience is going through security. That's why I take every step possible to make things easier for myself.

With my card, I can enroll to get reimbursed for the $100 Global Entry fee, which expedites customs screenings for international arrivals in the U.S. Global Entry also includes TSA PreCheck , which makes the domestic airport-security process quicker.

I also get a $189 statement credit for CLEAR Plus, a paid membership program that uses facial recognition or fingerprints for identity verification at some airports, after enrollment.

I even get credit for Uber Eats and Saks purchases

Another perk of my credit card I can enroll in is a monthly Uber Cash benefit. Each month, $15 is deposited into my Uber account to use on rides — or my favorite, Uber Eats. I also get an extra $20 credit in December.

When I'm traveling and want to stay in, or return from a trip and don't want to hit the grocery store, I'll use the Uber benefit to get delivery using Uber Eats. Just be sure to use the benefit each month, as it doesn't roll over.

I also receive $50 in statement credit from Saks Fifth Avenue every six months after enrollment. I use this for buying gifts or small items, offsetting the cost of a larger purchase, or getting something special for an upcoming trip.

My card covers insurance for rental cars and trip delays

When I use my Platinum card, I don't spend extra money on insurance for rental cars or trip delays.

If I rent a car using my card and enroll in the program, I get secondary rental-car insurance that can cover some damages beyond what my primary insurance would.

I also have peace of mind when it comes to travel delays or interruptions.

If I book a trip with my card and the flight is delayed for more than six hours for a qualifying reason, I can get reimbursed for purchases that resulted from the delay — up to $500 per trip. This could include meals, lodging, and personal items. I hope I'll never need to use it, but it feels good to know I have it.

I find the card pays for itself in benefits

Overall, the benefits I gain from being an American Express Platinum cardholder are worth the $695 annual fee.

Because I travel so often for work, it's nice to know I have access to conveniences like lounges and expedited security programs.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.

Watch: While Delta's business is 'extremely robust,' the airline's marketing chief stays focused on the data

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Earn complimentary hotel stays and elevated perks with amex's celebratory limited-time platinum card offer, from may 9 to sept. 30, amex platinum cardholders can enjoy elevated perks.

For a limited time, American Express is rolling out exclusive benefits and experiences for cardholders of The Platinum Card® from American Express in celebration of the card's 40th anniversary. From May 9 until Sept. 30, 2024, you can get access to a range of perks including complimentary hotel stays and enhanced rewards.

Below,  CNBC Select  has the details on the limited-time Amex Platinum Card offering and how you can take advantage. 

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, 1X points on all other eligible purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Balance transfer fee

Foreign transaction fee, credit needed.

Excellent/Good

See rates and fees , terms apply.

Read our The Platinum Card® from American Express review .

Amex's Platinum Card Anniversary Celebration 

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Platinum Card, American Express is extending a range of perks and benefits to cardholders across travel, dining and retail throughout the summer.

Complimentary third night at select hotels 

While some Amex cards already include a free night award , you can also enjoy a complimentary third night at select hotels when booking through the Amex Travel portal . You'll be able to book at either one of the over 200 Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection properties. 

More Hilton points when you transfer from Amex

From May 9 until May 31, you'll receive 40% more Hilton Honors points than usual when you transfer your Amex Membership Rewards points to the hotel chain's loyalty program (assuming you were a cardholder as of April 20, 2024).

Amex points transfer to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio, so this promotion means that instead of getting 2,000 Hilton Honors points for every 1,000 Amex points transferred, you'll now receive 2,800 Hilton Honors points.

You can use these points to book hotels like the Conrad Los Angeles. Depending on when you book, a room with a deluxe king-sized bed that costs about $500 for a night can be had for about 90,000 Hilton points. If you have your heart set on staying on a specific Hilton property and want to use your points, the 40% boost is a nice perk. But keep in mind that Amex points usually have much more value when redeemed in other ways, such as through travel partners.

Access to select restaurant reservations

Amex is offering "40 Nights of Platinum," where Platinum cardholders can take advantage of reservations exclusive to cardholders at select popular restaurants nationwide through the Global Dining Access by Resy program.

While the Global Dining program is a feature already available to eligible Amex cardholders beyond the Platinum Card, "40 Nights of Platinum" exclusively offers Platinum cardholders with reservation access during specific dates. That means you could get the chance to book a reservation that you otherwise wouldn't have access to on other dates — if you can secure it in time.

Anniversary-themed cocktails and treats at U.S. Centurion Lounges 

Amex Platinum cardholders have access to Centurion Lounges which currently reside in over 14 U.S. locations, including New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The lounge at JFK offers a wealth of features such as an "1850" speakeasy bar and children's room, while the lounge at LAX offers LA-inspired dishes and tranquility rooms. To commemorate the card's 40th anniversary, you can also indulge in specialty treats and cocktails.

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Bottom line

If you're a cardholder of The Platinum Card® from American Express , now's a great time to stock up on points and maximize your benefits. With the offerings provided by Amex, you can make the most of your summer by securing prime restaurant reservations, staying an extra night at a hotel for free or indulging in artisanal cocktails and treats.

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Qatar Airways Privilege Club and American Express Membership Rewards expand partnership to benefit members in the UK

Qatar Airways Privilege Club has expanded its partnership with American Express as the newest Membership Rewards points transfer partner for eligible American Express Cardmembers in the United Kingdom. Eligible American Express Cardmembers can now transfer Membership Rewards points to Avios with Qatar Airways Privilege Club.

In the United Kingdom, American Express Cardmembers can convert one Membership Rewards point to one Avios, with a minimum requirement of 500 Membership Rewards points for the transfer. American Express Cardmembers wishing to transfer their Membership Rewards points to Avios should first ensure that they are enrolled as members with Qatar Airways Privilege Club. The conversion is processed instantly and the transferred Avios are usually immediately reflected in the member’s Privilege Club account balance.

Privilege Club members can choose to redeem their Avios on a wide range of rewards such as award flights with Qatar Airways and  one world® airlines, upgrades, extra baggage, packages with Qatar Airways Holidays, shopping and dining at Qatar Duty Free, accessing Privilege Club Collection, and much more.

Qatar Airways Vice President – Sales Europe, Eric Odone,said: “The expansion of our partnership with American Express offers an exciting opportunity for Privilege Club members in the United Kingdom to collect Avios by transferring Membership Rewards points. It is now easier than ever for our members to instantly convert their Membership Rewards points to Avios and use them for rewards of their choice with Qatar Airways and our partner airlines.”

Qatar Airways announces the launch of flights to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of…

Qatar Airways introduces Privilege Club Collection – A new platform for members to…

Qatar Airways touches down in Düsseldorf, Germany

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American Express and Virgin Atlantic transfer bonus: Get 30% more Virgin points when transferring Membership Rewards points

Looking to travel to Europe? Is an island vacation on your bucket list? Want to take that dream trip for fewer points than you thought you could?

If so, there's good news — for a limited time, American Express Membership Rewards® card members that earn Membership Rewards points can receive a 30% bonus when transferring Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club . Terms apply.

Usually, card members can transfer Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club at a 1:1 ratio, but the 30% bonus available through May 31 means you'll receive 1,300 Virgin points for every 1,000 Membership Rewards points you transfer.

Here's how this transfer bonus works and ways you can use it to travel more for less.

Transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club for a 30% bonus

With access to the most point transfer partners of any major U.S. credit card loyalty program, American Express is the go-to issuer for many travelers. Here are several popular American Express cards that earn transferable Membership Rewards points:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• American Express® Gold Card
• American Express® Business Gold Card

If you have one of these cards or another eligible card that earns American Express Membership Rewards points, you can utilize this transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic. If you aren't yet familiar with how to transfer Membership Rewards points to participating hotel and airline partners, such as Virgin Atlantic, here's a guide to that process .

Virgin Atlantic is a member of the SkyTeam alliance , meaning you can earn and redeem points flying with Virgin Atlantic and even use them to fly the carrier's partner airlines, including Delta Air Lines, Air France and KLM. This gives you a vast array of flight options when using points.

Fly to London for just 8,000 transferred points

Unlike many other airlines that make it hard to know what the award price will be ahead of time since redemption rates vary, Virgin Atlantic still uses an award chart separated by route, cabin class and peak or standard (off-peak) season.

Flights to London from the eastern U.S. during the standard season start at 10,000 Virgin points — excluding taxes, fees and carrier-imposed surcharges of around $150 — each way for Economy Classic seats.

This rate applies for flights departing New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Washington, D.C.'s Dulles International Airport (IAD) and arriving at Virgin Atlantic's home at London's Heathrow Airport (LHR). It includes checked baggage, a full-size carry-on and onboard food and beverages. In other words, it's a full-service ticket rather than one that just barely gets you on the plane.

During Amex's 30% transfer bonus offer, you only need to transfer as few as 8,000 American Express Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic to book this 10,000-point Virgin reward flight to London.

Virgin also offers a cabin they call Premium (which may compare to what you might think of as premium economy). Virgin Atlantic Premium is available on all flights to and from North America for guests wanting additional cabin space, a welcome glass of bubbly, elevated meals served on real china, a premium check-in experience and priority boarding.

Flights from the eastern U.S. to London in Virgin Atlantic's Premium cabin start at 17,500 Virgin points (excluding taxes and fees) one-way on standard dates, while flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to LHR in the same cabin cost as little as 27,500 points (plus taxes and fees) each way on standard dates.

At the 17,500-point level, you would only need to transfer 14,000 Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic during the 30% bonus.

Related: Is Virgin Atlantic premium economy worth it on the A330-900neo?

For the ultimate indulgence, there's Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class cabin, which has lie-flat beds, direct aisle access for all passengers, multicourse gourmet dining with Champagne and fine wines, luxurious bedding, and onboard social spaces to unwind and relax.

As you might've guessed, these are the seats we really love.

Upper Class redemptions to London from the eastern U.S. start at 47,500 Virgin points or just 37,000 Membership Rewards points transferred during this promotion, which is a pretty outstanding price for a lie-flat seat across the Atlantic.

Do note that the fees, taxes and surcharges for these tickets come to about $998, so factor that into your decision-making process.

Also, keep in mind that Membership Rewards points can only be transferred in increments of 1,000; therefore, you would need to transfer 37,000 Membership Rewards points to book this 47,500-point award.

How to maximize Membership Rewards points for Virgin flights

Though Virgin Atlantic is based in London, it flies to 32 destinations across five continents. You can connect to destinations in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, India, Nigeria, Israel and even the Maldives, among other locales.

There are plenty of other ways to redeem Virgin points, including:

• A seat on a short-haul Delta-operated flight within North America for as little as 7,500 Virgin points.
• A round-trip first-class seat to Japan in one of All Nippon Airways' fancy suites for just 170,000 points — if paying with cash, this seat typically costs upward of $20,000.
• A Virgin Atlantic reward seat sale for up to 50% off the number of points required for certain award flight routes, such as this flight to Europe that I booked for only 5,000 Virgin points .

Related: How 5,000 credit card points saved me over $650 on a flight to London

Use the Membership Rewards transfer bonus to book an upgrade

Virgin Atlantic has a new plane: the A330-900neo. On it, there are two exclusive Retreat Suites that I've found to be an incredibly luxurious way to cross the Atlantic.

There are sliding doors for maximum privacy, ottomans so you have the option to dine with a friend, high-definition flat-screen TVs and more noteworthy extras you won't find in many business-class cabins.

While you can't book these seats outright with points right now, you can use your Virgin points to book Upper Class seats and then upgrade from there to the Retreat Suites for a surcharge of about $250 per seat if there's availability within 14 days of travel.

The A330-900neo is now flying on select routes from Boston, New York and Tampa to London.

Bottom line

Until May 31, eligible American Express card members can receive a 30% bonus when transferring Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club program.

Before transferring Membership Rewards points, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• You must be enrolled in Virgin Atlantic's Flying Club to participate in this offer.
• Airline tickets are subject to availability, so check this before transferring Membership Rewards points.
• Transfers are usually immediate, but allow up to 48 hours for the transfer to be completed, as you cannot book flights using transferred Membership Rewards points until the transfer is complete.
• Transfers are not reversible and are subject to the terms and conditions of the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club program.

With this Virgin Atlantic points transfer bonus, your travel dreams might be closer than you think.

Terms and conditions:

Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards® program apply. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.

The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo.

You must be an eligible Membership Rewards® Card Member enrolled in Virgin Atlantic Flying Club in order to participate in this offer, visit https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/flying-club.html to enroll. If INVEST for Amex by Vanguard, American Express® Rewards Checking, and/or American Express® Business Checking are your only Membership Rewards® Products, you are not eligible for this offer at this time. American Express is not responsible for availability of flight, accommodations or any other rewards in the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Once you have transferred Membership Rewards points, they become subject to the Terms and Conditions of the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and cannot be transferred back to your Membership Rewards program account. Taxes, fees, charges and surcharges, including airline surcharges, apply on Virgin Atlantic redemption flights and upgrades. See Virgin Atlantic Flying Club Terms and Conditions for details. Individual air carrier restrictions may apply.

Minimum transfer is 1,000 Membership Rewards points. Redeem for this exclusive offer from 12:00 a.m. MT on 4/21/2024 to 11:59 p.m. MT on 5/31/2024 to receive 30% additional Virgin Points. Additional Virgin Points will be awarded at the time of transfer. Generally, transfers are immediate but please allow up to 72 hours for the transfer to be completed. POID: GHVO:0002 ©2024 American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. All rights reserved.