When you think of Amex transfer partners, its airline partners come to mind first. That’s because of the high-value cardmembers receive when transferring points to Amex airline partners. Amex also has hotel partners that you can transfer your points. However, none of these hotel partners are too exciting when compared to World of Hyatt’s partnership with Chase Ultimate Rewards.
There are ways that you can redeem your Amex points other than transferring your points to its travel partners. But, don’t expect to receive a ton of value. Redeeming Amex points for first and business-class award flights is likely to yield the best return with your hard-earned Amex points.
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Best American Express Credit Cards
American Express Membership Rewards is loaded with credit cards that include both personal and business credit cards. Some of my favorite Amex personal credit cards include the Amex Platinum Card, Amex Gold Card, and Amex Green Card. In terms of Amex business credit cards include the Amex Business Platinum Card and Amex Business Gold Card.
The Amex Platinum Card and Amex Business Platinum card both earn 5x points on airfare and come with a slug of travel-related benefits. You earn 4x points at restaurants and US supermarkets with the Amex Gold Card. The Amex Green Card earns 3x points on travel and dining. You earn 4x points on the two categories where you spend the most each month with the Amex Business Gold Card.
American Express Partners
| Transfer Partner | Transfer Time | Transfer Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus AerClub | Instant | 1:1 |
| Aeromexico Club Premier | 24 hours | 1:1.6 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Instant | 1:1 |
| Air France KLM Flying Blue | Instant | 1:1 |
| Alitalia MilleMiglia | Instant | 1:1 |
| All Nippon Airways Mileage Club | 48 hours | 1:1 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 24 hours | 1:1 |
| British Airways Executive Club | Instant | 1:1 |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 48 hours | 1:1 |
| Choice Hotels Choice Privileges | Instant | 1:1 |
| Delta SkyMiles | Instant | 1:1 |
| Emirates Skywards | Instant | 1:1 |
| Etihad Guest | Instant | 1:1 |
| Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles | Instant | 1:1 |
| Hilton Honors | 1:1 | 1:2 |
| Iberia Plus | 48 hours | 1:1 |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | Instant | 1.25:1 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 1:1 | 1:1 |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | Instant | 1:1 |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | Instant | 1:1 |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Instant | 1:1 |
Amex partners with 18 airline and 3 hotel programs as part of its Membership Rewards program. Transfer ratios are driven by the transfer partner but are generally 1:1. As far as transfer times points transfer to most partners instantly. However, point transfers to a few partners can take up to 48 hours to show up in your airline or hotel loyalty account.
Best Amex Transfer Partners
Not all Amex transfer partners are created equal so knowing which partners offer high value is key before transferring your Amex points. Generally speaking, Air Canada Aeroplan, All Nippon Airways Mileage Club, Avianca LifeMiles, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club are considered the top Amex transfer partners.
Examples of ways to redeem your Amex points with these top partners include:
- 60,000-70,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points to fly Austrian/Swiss business class one-way US to Europe
- 75,000 ANA miles to fly ANA business class one-way US to Japan
- 87,000 Avianca LifeMiles to fly Lufthansa first class one-way from the US to Europe
- 57,500 Singapore KrisFlyer miles to fly United business class one-way US to South America
- 55,000-60,000 Virgin Atlantic points to fly ANA first class one-way US to Japan
American Express Lounge Access
Global Lounge Collection, Airspace Lounge, Delta Sky Club (when flying Delta), Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounge, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass Select, and The Centurion Lounge access come complimentary with the Amex Platinum Card and Amex Business Platinum Card. Cardmembers can bring up to two guests for free into the Centurion Lounges through January 31, 2023. Starting February 1, 2023, guests are charged $50 to enter the Centurion Lounge.
Out of these lounges, Delta Sky Club and The Centurion Lounge are the most premium lounges. Cardmembers receive access to Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta. The Centurion Lounge is available to cardmembers no matter the airline that they fly. Centurion Lounges can be found at the following airports: Buenos Aires (EZE), Charlotte (CLT), Dallas (DFW), Delhi (DEL), Denver (DEN), Hong Kong (HKG), Houston (IAH), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), Melbourne (MEL), Mexico City (MEX), Miami (MIA)., Monterrey (MTY), Mumbai (BOM), New York (JFK), New York (LGA), Philadelphia (PHL), Phoenix (PHX), San Francisco (SFO), Sao Paulo (GRU), Seattle (SEA), Stockholm (ARN), and Sydney (SYD).
American Express FAQs
Does Amex have transfer partners?
American Express travel partners include 18 airline partners and 3 hotel partners.
Does Amex partner with Southwest?
Unfortunately, no. Southwest only partners with Chase Ultimate Rewards, among the other Chase transfer partners and Chase airline transfer partners.
How do I transfer from one Amex to another?
Amex does not allow you to transfer your points to another Amex cardmember account. However, you can pool Amex points across multiple accounts that are under your name.
Is American Express partners with American Airlines?
Unfortunately, no. American Airlines only partners with Marriott Bonvoy and has a temporary partnership with Citi ThankYou Rewards.
American Express Membership Rewards Conclusion
One could argue Amex transfer partners airlines are its greatest credit card program asset. In terms of Amex transfer partners hotels, not so much. Chase Ultimate Rewards partnership with World of Hyatt is generally considered the best hotel partnership. What Amex lacks in hotel partnerships more than makes up for in airline partnerships. Air Canada Aeroplan, All Nippon Airways Mileage Club, Avianca LifeMiles, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club are excellent Amex transfer partners that can help you unlock tons of value.
So, what do you think about these transfer partners? Which partners do you like to use the most? Please let me know in the comments below or by sending me an email on my contact page.
Disclaimer: If you click and/or sign up for a credit card through certain links on this site or any of my related social media platforms, I may make a commission from that click-through. The editorial content on this page and the user comments are not provided by any of the companies mentioned and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are mine alone.
