Airline points are the best (those that can be worth the most). So American Express Membership Rewards points are even better! Because these are transferable points. These bank points can be transferred to 6 different airline rewards programs (including the best one for Canadians, Aeroplan) and to 2 hotel programs.
Amex Membership Rewards points (Amex points for short) are also so easy to get in huge quantities, thanks to the excellent welcome bonuses on 6 cards that are all a must-try for all Canadian travelers (no minimum income requirement)!
A single bonus is enough to taste the extreme luxury of business class travel or get several free flights in economy class! For example, you will get 60,000 Amex points by unlocking the Amex Cobalt Card bonus (by doing the minimum spend at grocery stores at the phenomenal earn rate of 5 pts/$).
With the transfer to Aeroplan, that will give you 60,000 precious Aeroplan points! That’s what I paid for my business class flight that was worth $3000+ (10 hours in a luxurious lie-flat pod seat on Thai Airways), or for 2 roundtrips to Central America in economy class (and with 2 destinations on both tickets).
Here’s everything you need to know about transferring American Express Membership Rewards points.
What are transferable points?
It’s normal to be completely unfamiliar with this! Most people have sadly never redeemed transferable points (and have missed out on loads and loads of potential value).
But if you want to maximize the value of your rewards, it’s very important to understand how it works.
Otherwise, of course, you can always keep it simpler and completely ignore point transfers! That’ll still give you a lot of free travel and it’s great… but it clearly gives you much less free travel. Like EVERYTHING in life, you have the choice between more simple or more lucrative!
Here are the basics of transferable bank points (including Amex points):
- Bank points are transferable to other programs
- The others are called transfer partners
- Points are then governed by the transfer partner rules
- Once transferred, the bank points no longer exist
- And the bank program has nothing to do with anything anymore
- Transfers are one-way
- Completely irreversible
- Speculative transfers (without specific redemptions) are rarely recommended
- Except sometimes during transfer bonus promotions
- Or in certain card closure scenarios
- Airline and hotel points can be worth more
- They often have unlimited value even
- But the value is extremely VARIABLE
- Some redemptions are good, others NOT
- It’s more complicated
- These are rewards of the more LUCRATIVE type
- Transfer rates are not all good
- It depends on each partner
- Just because you can doesn’t mean you should
In short, transferable points can transform certain bank points (like Amex points) into airline points or hotel points.
If you redeem these points well, it can give you a much higher value!
What are American Express Membership Rewards points?
Amex Bank of Canada’s proprietary rewards program is called the Membership Rewards program. Amex Membership Rewards points are the program’s currency.
There are 6 Amex cards that earn these Amex points.
| Best credit cards for Amex MR points |
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 Valuation (BONUS)(≈ 7.8% back on $12k)
Rewards: ≈ $1180
Card fee: $250
Spend required:$12k in 12 mos.
Best for: 72,000 pts + 8 lounge passes and $100 travel credit
 LUCRATIVE
No min. inc.
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Valuation (BONUS) (≈ 8.3% back on $9k)
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $156 ($12.99/mo.)
Spend required:$9k in 12 mos.
Best for: 60,000 pts + 5X earn rate no increased offer
LUCRATIVE
No min. inc.
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Valuation (BONUS) Rewards: ≈ $2101
Card fee: $799
Spend required:spend $10k in 3 mos. &
make 1 purchase in months 14-17
Best for: 110,000 pts + unlimited lounges and $200 travel credit
LUCRATIVE
No min. inc.
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| Terms and conditions apply. Flytrippers editorial opinion only. Financial institutions are not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click "See More" to see most up-to-date information. |
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Best credit cards for Amex MR points |
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LUCRATIVENo min. inc.
Valuation (BONUS)
Rewards: ≈ $1180
Card fee: $250 (≈ 7.8% back on $12k)
Spend required:
$12k in 12 mos.
Best for: 72,000 pts + 8 lounge passes and $100 travel credit
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LUCRATIVENo min. inc.
Valuation (BONUS)
Rewards: ≈ $900
Card fee: $156 ($12.99/mo.) (≈ 8.3% back on $9k)
Spend required:
$9k in 12 mos.
Best for: 60,000 pts + 5X earn rate no increased offer
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LUCRATIVENo min. inc.
Valuation (BONUS)
Rewards: ≈ $2101
Card fee: $799 Spend required:
spend $10k in 3 mos. &
make 1 purchase in months 14-17 Best for: 110,000 pts + unlimited lounges and $200 travel credit
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LUCRATIVENo min. inc.
Valuation (BONUS)
Rewards: ≈ $165
Card fee: $0 (≈ 16.5% back on $1k)
Spend required:
$1k in 3 mos.
Best for: 11,000 pts + no fees but way less value
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LUCRATIVENo min. inc.
Valuation (BONUS)
Rewards: ≈ $713
Card fee: $199 (≈ 6.9% back on $7.5k)
Spend required:
$7.5k in 3 mos.
Best for: 47,500 pts + simpler min. spend structure
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LUCRATIVENo min. inc.
Valuation (BONUS)
Rewards: ≈ $1922
Card fee: $799 (≈ 7.5% back on $15k)
Spend required:
$15k in 3 mos. spend $15k in 3 mos. &
make 1 purchase in months 14-17 Best for: 138,750 pts + unlimited lounges different min. spend
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| Terms and conditions apply. Flytrippers editorial opinion only. Financial institutions are not responsible for maintaining the content on this site. Please click "See More" to see most up-to-date information. |
The American Express Membership Rewards program is by far the best bank rewards program in Canada, with no debate possible. For those who want to MAXIMIZE the value they get!
Thanks to points transfers.
Why transfer American Express Membership Rewards points?
I’ve accumulated hundreds of thousands of Amex points in my name, and also hundreds of thousands of Amex points in my girlfriend’s name.
Exactly 100% of my Amex point redemptions have been transfers. Not 99%… 100%.
No exception. Because I’m passionate about good deals and because I want to maximize to travel more or maximize to save more.
Transfers are the best redemption of Amex points, by far.
What are the American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners?
In Canada, we have very little competition for transferable points. U.S.-issued cards give you so many more options if you’re interested in being more serious in this world.
(I’m speaking at conferences in Vancouver and in Chicago in the next weeks if you want to learn more… or get our upcoming guide by signing up for our free newsletter specifically about travel rewards!)
In short, among Canadian programs, Amex points do have the most transfer partners.
Here are the 8 Amex transfer partners (and the transfer rate):
- Air Canada Aeroplan (1 to 1)
- British Airways Avios (1 to 1)
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (1 to 0.75)
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue (1 to 0.75)
- Delta SkyMiles (1 to 0.75)
- Etihad Guest (1 to 0.75)
- Marriott Bonvoy (1 to 1.2)
- Hilton Honors (1 to 1)
In total, that allows you to redeem your Amex points to book 192 different airlines and 54 different hotel brands.
Here’s the number of airlines/brands bookable with each transfer partner:
- Aeroplan: 48 partner airlines
- Avios: 33 partner airlines
- Asia Miles: 26 partner airlines
- Flying Blue: 36 partner airlines
- SkyMiles: 25 partner airlines
- Etihad Guest: 24 partner airlines
- Marriott: 30 hotel brands
- Hilton: 24 hotel brands
Since available seats at the limited fixed low price are available in limited quantities when you want to redeem airline points of the more lucrative type, it’s very convenient to have plenty of options like this.
It’s easier to find available seats.
What are the best American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners?
To start, it can be relevant to know our very conservative Flytrippers’ Valuation of each point currency. Our Valuation is always for economy class, but in business class it’s about double.
And I’ve also calculated what that gives you in value per Amex point, taking the transfer rate into consideration.
Here’s what that is for each partner:
- Aeroplan: ≈ 1.5¢/pt
- So ≈ 1.5¢/Amex pt (1 to 1)
- Avios: ≈ 1.5¢/pt
- So ≈ 1.5¢/pt Amex (1 to 1)
- Asia Miles: ≈ 1.3¢/pt
- So ≈ 1.0¢/pt Amex (1 to 0.75)
- Flying Blue: ≈ 1.3¢/pt
- So ≈ 1.0¢/pt Amex (1 to 0.75)
- SkyMiles: ≈ 1.1¢/pt
- So ≈ 0.8¢/pt Amex (1 to 0.75)
- Etihad Guest: ≈ 1.2¢/pt
- So ≈ 0.9¢/pt Amex (1 to 0.75)
- Marriott: ≈ 0.9¢/pt
- So ≈ 1.1¢/pt Amex (1 to 1.2)
- Hilton: ≈ 0.5¢/pt
- So ≈ 0.5¢/pt Amex (1 to 1)
But of course, it’s not just the theoretical value that determines how good a program is.
Let’s look briefly at each Amex transfer partner, but we’ll have much more details in the coming weeks. Including concrete examples of specific flights that are the best redemptions of Amex points.
Airline program transfer partners
Airline points are the best, especially if you want to fly in business class.
Aeroplan is by far the best program for Canadians. My hundreds of thousands of Amex points have almost all been transferred to Aeroplan specifically. The near totality of them. It’s also the easiest to maximize for beginners and the one that gives you the most options. You can read the basics of Aeroplan while waiting for our revamped ultimate guide very soon.
Avios is another excellent program. But RBC Avion points, the only other transferable bank points in Canada, are transferable to this program too. So it’s much more strategic to do that and keep your Amex points for Aeroplan or the 5 other transfer partners that are unique to Amex (that aren’t a transfer partner for RBC Avion).
Asia Miles is a good program, though more niche. But RBC Avion points are transferable to Asia Miles at a rate of 1 to 1, so it’s really not a good redemption of Amex points at all.
Flying Blue is another good program. Especially for flights to Europe. The transfer rate is not as good, and Flying Blue often charges higher taxes/fees, but it gives you more options for a popular destination.
SkyMiles is a less interesting program. There are good redemptions obviously, but they’re honestly rare. The nickname of the currency is “SkyPesos,” and that’s meant to be very pejorative.
Etihad Guest also has a few good redemptions. But this program’s change and cancellation policy is arguably the world’s worst, so it’s only for when you’re sure you won’t have to cancel.
Hotel program transfer partners
Hotel points are worth less to start with, so with the transfer rate, it’s rarely a good deal, especially if you want to fly in business class.
Marriott is the best hotel program. The transfer rate means it’s rarely a good redemption of Amex points, but if you aren’t interested in luxury flights, it can be a good redemption during transfer bonus promotions, like the current 30% bonus in September (detailed article coming very soon).
Hilton is an interesting program. But the atrocious transfer rate means it’s almost never a good redemption of Amex points.
What does it look like to transfer American Express Membership Rewards points?
Transferable points like Amex points are really more simple than they seem (like many things in the world of travel rewards).
Here’s a very concrete example:
- You’ve got Amex points
- Earned mostly with huge welcome bonuses
- Not with your daily purchases (if you understand the basics)
- You spot a good redemption of Aeroplan points
- BEFORE you transfer
- To be clear, there are great redemptions
- And there are terrible redemptions, too
- Always just do the math!
- You transfer your Amex points to Aeroplan points
- Amex has nothing to do with anything anymore
- Aeroplan rules now apply
- You can’t revert this transfer
- You redeem your Aeroplan points to book a flight
- Same as with your Aeroplan points from Aeroplan cards
- All your Aeroplan points will be combined
- They’re the same points in the same account
Even though Amex points are transferable to the Air Canada Aeroplan program and it’s almost always the best redemption of Amex points, you should never transfer them in advance!
Because there are other transfer partners that could be better sometimes. IT VARIES! Like everything else in the world of points of the more lucrative type, you just have to do the math. Always. Simple as that!
How to transfer American Express Membership Rewards points?
It’s extremely easy to do, as almost everything in the world of travel rewards is once you know how. And it’s obviously all doable online in a few clicks, as almost everything else in the world of travel rewards.
Here’s exactly how to transfer Amex points:
- Get a card that earns Amex points
- If you don’t have one yet
- The Amex Cobalt Card is the best
- Create an Amex online account on the Amex site
- To do for all your cards
- Create a free account on the transfer partners’ sites
- If you don’t have one yet
- Link your Amex account to your partner accounts on the Amex site
- To do immediately (it can take a few days)
- Do the Amex points transfer on the Amex site
- After spotting a good points redemption
- Redeem your transferred points on the partners’ sites
- The same way as usual
For screenshots of the entire step-by-step process, you can read our detailed article on how to transfer American Express points.
How long do American Express Membership Rewards points transfers take?
If you know the basics of available seats in points of the more lucrative type, you know you have to book quickly. That’s why you should link your accounts right now, so the only wait is that of the point transfer itself.
Fortunately, Amex point transfers to Aeroplan are the fastest. Almost instantaneous, actually. For Marriott too, it’s often instantaneous.
To other programs, it’s a bit longer… but often much shorter than what they say. And anyway, in Canada, most of these points aren’t accessible directly from an airline program credit card, so there’s no alternative to Amex point transfers.
Here’s the timeframe given as an indication for transfers:
- Air Canada Aeroplan: 30 minutes
- British Airways Avios: 5 business days
- Cathay Pacific Asia Miles: 5 business days
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue: 3 business days
- Delta SkyMiles: 30 minutes
- Etihad Guest: 3 business days
- Marriott Bonvoy: 48 hours
- Hilton Honors: 5 business days
Also, when there’s a transfer bonus, the bonus portion can arrive later than the “normal” part of the transfer.
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Summary
Transferring your American Express points to partners is by far the best redemption option. It will give you the potential for unlimited value with 6 airline partners and 2 hotel partners. But of course, you need to redeem those points well, as is always the case for points of the more lucrative type.
What would you like to know about transferring Amex points? Tell us in the comments below.
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Featured image: Amex cards and business class seats (photo credit: Andrew D’Amours/Flytrippers)
