By Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO of The Points King. Last updated: October 10, 2026. Editorial Policy
Yes, you can transfer Amex points. American Express Membership Rewards has 20 Amex transfer partners in October 2026: 16 airlines and 4 hotel programs. Most take points at 1:1 in blocks of 1,000, and a transfer cannot be reversed. Three things changed this year: Cathay Pacific dropped to 5:4 on March 1, Etihad left the list on June 30, and The Leading Hotels of the World joined on July 28.
My company buys Membership Rewards points, so I keep this list current for my own reasons. I will say plainly where I think a transfer makes sense and where it does not. The short version: transfer when there is a specific award seat waiting at the other end, and not before.
Amex Airline Transfer Partners, October 2026
| Program | Ratio (Amex to partner) | Minimum | How long it usually takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus AerClub | 1:1 | 1,000 | Instant |
| Aeromexico Rewards | 1:1.6 | 1,000 | Instant |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 | 1,000 | Instant |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 1:1 | 1,000 | Instant |
| ANA Mileage Club | 1:1 | 1,000 | About 1 day |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 | 1,000 | Instant |
| The British Airways Club (Avios) | 1:1 | 1,000 | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 5:4 | 1,000 | 4 to 8 hours |
| Delta SkyMiles | 1:1, plus a fee | 1,000 | Instant |
| Emirates Skywards | 5:4 | 1,000 | Instant |
| Iberia Club (Avios) | 1:1 | 1,000 | 12 to 24 hours |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 250:200, plus a fee | 250 | Instant |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 1:1 | 500 | Instant |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club (Avios) | 1:1 | 1,000 | 12 to 24 hours |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 | 1,000 | 12 to 24 hours |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1:1 | 1,000 | Instant |
Amex Hotel Transfer Partners
| Program | Ratio (Amex to partner) | Minimum | How long it usually takes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choice Privileges | 1:1 | 1,000 | Instant |
| Hilton Honors | 1:2 | 1,000 | Instant |
| The Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club | 4:1 | 1,000 | Instant in one early test |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1:1 | 1,000 | Instant |
Ratios and minimums are from Upgraded Points’ partner list, updated August 21, 2026. Timings are what Frequent Miler has observed. The stated maximum is 48 hours for most partners and longer for a few, so do not count on “instant” for a seat that may disappear.
Cathay and Emirates are 5:4, JetBlue 250:200, Aeromexico 1:1.6, Hilton 1:2 and Leading Hotels of the World 4:1. Delta and JetBlue transfers also carry a per-point fee. The bonuses shown were running in October 2026 and have end dates in the bonus table on this page.
Who Is Not on the List
American, United, Southwest and Alaska are not Amex transfer partners. Neither are Hyatt and IHG. If one of those is where you want your points to go, the answer is a different bank: see Amex points vs. United miles, transferring Amex points to Hyatt and the Chase transfer partners list.
What Changed in 2025 and 2026
- June 30, 2025: HawaiianMiles was removed.
- September 16, 2025: Emirates Skywards was cut from 1:1 to 5:4.
- March 1, 2026: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles was cut from 1:1 to 5:4, AwardWallet reported.
- June 30, 2026: Etihad Guest was removed, per AwardWallet.
- July 28, 2026: The Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club was added at 4 Amex points to 1, Frequent Miler reported.
The direction of travel matters more than any single change. Between June 2025 and June 2026 American Express lost two airline partners and cut the ratio on two more. Points that sit for years waiting for the perfect trip are exposed to the next change.
Transfer Bonuses Running in October 2026
| Partner | Bonus | You get | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Honors | 30% | 2,600 Hilton points per 1,000 | October 14, 2026 |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 25% | 1,250 miles per 1,000 | October 30 or 31, 2026 (sources differ) |
| Aeromexico Rewards | 20% | 1,920 points per 1,000 | October 30, 2026 |
These are from Frequent Miler’s bonus tracker, read on October 10, 2026. Its log shows about 15 Amex bonuses in the 12 months to September 2026, some of them targeted. A bonus is a reason to transfer sooner only if you already had a use for those miles.
The Rules
- Transfers are final. The Membership Rewards terms say that once you transfer points, the transfer cannot be reversed.
- The account must be yours. The partner account has to be in your name or the name of an Additional Card Member on your account, and you link it before you transfer.
- Blocks of 1,000. Most partners take a minimum of 1,000 points in multiples of 1,000. JetBlue starts at 250 and Qantas at 500.
- A fee on two airlines. Transfers to a U.S. airline carry an excise tax offset fee of $0.0006 per point, up to $99. That applies to Delta and JetBlue only, The Points Guy explains. On 50,000 points it is $30. The cap is reached at 165,000 points.
- Points do not expire while your card account is open and in good standing.
Which Amex Cards Earn Transferable Points
The Platinum Card, the Gold Card and the Green Card earn Membership Rewards points, as do the Business Platinum, Business Gold, Business Green Rewards and Blue Business Plus cards, Thrifty Traveler lists. The Blue Cash cards earn cash back, and the Delta, Hilton and Marriott cards earn those programs’ own points. None of those can be transferred this way. For the two main personal cards side by side, see Amex Platinum vs. Amex Gold.
Where the Points Go Furthest
These are published award prices, one way unless noted, with the changes I would want to know about before moving points.
| Partner | Example | Price | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iberia Club | Northeast US to Madrid, business class, off-peak | 40,500 Avios | Raised from 34,000 in May 2025 |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | US to Doha in Qsuite business class | 70,000 Avios | No change reported |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | ANA business class, US West Coast to Japan | 52,500 points | ANA first class awards raised in October 2025 |
| ANA Mileage Club | US to Japan business class, round trip, low season | 100,000 miles | High season raised in June 2025 |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | US to Europe, lowest economy and business prices | 25,000 and 60,000 miles | Split into Light, Standard and Flex awards on September 8, 2026 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | North America to Europe business class, 4,001 to 6,000 miles flown | 70,000 to 75,000 points | Chart raised on June 1, 2026 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | LOT, New York to Warsaw, business class | 69,000 miles | Other partner prices raised around April 2026 |
Sources: The Points Guy’s sweet spots guide (June 22, 2026), Upgraded Points (April 14, 2026), One Mile at a Time on Aeroplan (May 30, 2026) and Thrifty Traveler on LifeMiles (April 24, 2026). Most of these programs raised some of their prices in 2025 or 2026. For the four Avios programs, see Amex points vs. Avios.
What a Point Is Worth if You Do Not Transfer
| Use | Value per point |
|---|---|
| Transfer to partners, The Points Guy estimate, October 2026 | 2.0 cents |
| NerdWallet estimate, October 2026 | 1.3 cents |
| Flights through Amex Travel | 1 cent |
| Prepaid hotels through Amex Travel | 0.7 cents |
| Statement credit | 0.6 cents |
| Gift cards | 0.5 to 1 cent |
The gap between the top two rows and the rest is the reason transfer partners matter. It is also why a transfer you cannot use is costly. More detail is in how much Amex points are worth, Amex points vs. cash back and our guide to using Amex points with popular services.
How to Transfer Amex Points
- Find the award seat first, on the airline’s own site, and confirm you can book it.
- Log in to your Membership Rewards account and open the transfer page.
- Link your frequent flyer or hotel account. The name must match yours or an Additional Card Member’s.
- Enter the number of points, in blocks of 1,000 for most partners, and confirm. For Delta and JetBlue you will see the fee.
- Book as soon as the points arrive. Award seats do not wait.
Should You Transfer?
- You have found a seat and the price beats 1 cent per point by a wide margin: transfer.
- You are transferring “to be ready”: do not. Points are more flexible, and better protected from one program’s price rise, while they are still Amex points.
- There is a bonus but no trip: still no, in my view. A 25% bonus on miles you never use is worth nothing.
- You want a hotel: check the cash rate first. Hilton, Marriott and Choice points are each valued under 1 cent by The Points Guy.
- You fly Delta: the transfer is 1:1 and instant, with the fee. Compare against what Delta charges in miles that day.
If You Have Points You Will Not Use
Brokers, including The Points King, buy Membership Rewards points for cash. Selling Membership Rewards points is against the program’s terms, which say you can’t sell your points and let American Express take points away or cancel your card account. Read the risks of selling miles and points first, then see our page on selling Amex points.
To work out what a transfer gives you, including the Delta and JetBlue fee, use the Amex transfer calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you transfer Amex points to airlines?
Yes. American Express Membership Rewards points transfer to 16 airline programs and 4 hotel programs as of October 2026, most at 1:1.
Can you transfer Amex points to another person?
Not directly. The Membership Rewards terms require the partner loyalty account to be in your name or in the name of an Additional Card Member on your account.
Can you transfer Amex points to United or American?
No. Neither airline is an Amex transfer partner.
Can you transfer Amex points to Hyatt?
No. World of Hyatt is not an Amex partner. Chase and Bilt transfer to Hyatt.
How long do Amex point transfers take?
Many are instant. The stated maximum is 48 hours for most partners, and ANA usually takes about a day.
Is there a fee to transfer Amex points?
Only to U.S. airlines: $0.0006 per point, up to $99, on transfers to Delta and JetBlue.
Can an Amex transfer be reversed?
No. The Membership Rewards terms say a transfer cannot be reversed once it is made.
Do Amex points expire?
Not while your card account is open and in good standing.
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Jun 30, 2025HawaiianMiles removed
-
Sep 16, 2025Emirates Skywards cut from 1:1 to 5:4
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Mar 1, 2026Cathay Pacific Asia Miles cut from 1:1 to 5:4
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Jun 30, 2026Etihad Guest removed
-
Jul 28, 2026Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club addedAt 4 Amex points to 1.
From the What Changed section on this page (AwardWallet, Frequent Miler). Between June 2025 and June 2026 American Express lost two airline partners and cut the ratio on two more, so points that sit for years waiting for the perfect trip are exposed to the next change.
Sources
- American Express: Membership Rewards terms and conditions, April 2026
- American Express: transferring Membership Rewards points FAQ, read October 10, 2026
- Upgraded Points: Amex transfer partners, updated August 21, 2026
- Frequent Miler: Amex transfer partners and times, December 12, 2025
- Frequent Miler: current transfer bonuses, read October 10, 2026
- AwardWallet: Etihad removed as a partner, updated July 1, 2026
- AwardWallet: Cathay Pacific transfer ratio change, updated April 8, 2026
- Frequent Miler: Leading Hotels of the World added, July 28, 2026
- The Points Guy: Amex excise tax offset fee, April 26, 2026
- The Points Guy: Membership Rewards sweet spots, June 22, 2026
- One Mile at a Time: Aeroplan award chart changes, May 30, 2026
- Thrifty Traveler: Avianca LifeMiles price changes, April 24, 2026
- Thrifty Traveler: Flying Blue award changes, September 2026
- NerdWallet: what Amex points are worth, updated October 2, 2026
- The Points Guy: monthly valuations, October 1, 2026