Amex Membership Rewards Transfer Partners (2026): All 20 Partners and the Best Sweet Spots

TL;DR

• American Express lists 20 transfer partners for Membership Rewards in the U.S.: 16 airlines and 4 hotel programs, per Amex’s transfer partners page on November 4, 2026.
• Most partners are 1:1. The exceptions: Hilton is 1:2 and Aeromexico is 1:1.6 (better), while Cathay Pacific, Emirates, and JetBlue are 1:0.8 and Leading Hotels of the World is 1:0.25 (worse).
• Transfers to U.S. airlines (Delta and JetBlue on this list) cost an excise tax offset fee of $0.0006 per point, up to $99, per Amex’s Membership Rewards terms.
• Transfers can’t be reversed, and Amex says they typically take 48 to 72 hours, though some partners are faster or slower.
• Sweet spots worth checking first: Virgin Atlantic on Air France, Aeroplan’s distance chart, Aer Lingus Avios via Dublin, and Flying Blue’s monthly Promo Rewards.

Every ratio and rule below was checked November 4, 2026 on Amex’s public transfer partners page and the U.S. Membership Rewards terms (last updated November 2026). Award prices were checked the same day on each airline’s official chart. To compare every bank’s partners at a glance, see our credit card transfer partners chart.

Which Amex cards earn transferable points?

Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards points can transfer them, including the American Express Gold Card and The Platinum Card from American Express. Amex’s terms note one limit worth knowing: if Amex Rewards Checking or Business Checking is your only Membership Rewards product, your transfer options are “limited to a selection of participating hotel and travel partners.”

The Gold Card is the most common way people build a balance. Amex’s Gold Card page lists a $325 annual fee, 4X points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 a year), and 4X at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 a year). Our Amex Gold Card review covers the rest, and Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred compares it with Chase’s starter card.

All 20 Amex transfer partners and ratios

Ratios are shown the way Amex shows them: Amex points in, partner points out.

Amex’s page also showed a notice icon next to Emirates Skywards on November 4, 2026. Open Emirates’ details in your Amex account before you move points there.

How does this compare with other banks? Chase transfers to 14 partners, and World of Hyatt is not on Amex’s list at all. See our Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners guide and the hotel transfer partners chart to compare side by side.

The U.S. airline fee, in plain numbers

Amex’s terms say: “For points transferred to a U.S. airline loyalty program, you’ll pay an excise tax offset fee ($0.0006 per point, up to $99).” Amex also says you currently cover it with Membership Rewards points at the time of transfer.

The fee is small, but it’s one more reason to transfer only what a specific award needs. International partners like Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, and Flying Blue don’t trigger it.

How to tell if a transfer is a good deal

A transfer only makes sense when it beats the simpler options Amex shows in your account, such as booking through Amex Travel or using Pay with Points. Check those values in your own account, since they can vary by card and redemption.

The math for a transfer:

1. Find the cash price of the exact flight or room.
2. Subtract the taxes and fees you’d still pay on the award (plus the U.S. airline fee, if it applies).
3. Divide by the number of Amex points you’d need to transfer. This matters for partners that aren’t 1:1, like Hilton or Cathay Pacific.

Illustrative example only. A one-way business class seat costs $3,000 in cash. On points it costs 48,500 miles plus $400 in taxes and surcharges. That’s ($3,000 minus $400) divided by 48,500, or about 5.4 cents per point. Our points value calculator does this for you.

Sweet spot 1: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club on Air France

Virgin Atlantic publishes a zone chart for Air France flights on its Air France partner page. One-way prices between East Coast North America (Zone 6, which includes New York, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, and more) and Western and Central Europe (Zone 1):

From Zone 7 (Central and Western U.S., including Texas, Colorado, and California), the same trip is 15,000 off-peak in economy and 77,500 off-peak in business.

Why it’s a sweet spot: Amex transfers to Virgin Atlantic at 1:1, so 48,500 Amex points can cover a one-way business class seat to Paris and beyond on Air France.

Watch out: Virgin says prices exclude “passenger taxes, duties, fee, charges and surcharges,” so expect a cash bill on top. Rewards are only bookable on Air France operated flights, up to 300 days before departure. Price the full cash total before you transfer.

Sweet spot 2: Air Canada Aeroplan’s distance chart

Aeroplan publishes a distance-based chart for its partner airlines. These one-way prices are from Aeroplan’s Flight Reward Chart (dated 2026-08) for “All other partners,” which covers Star Alliance airlines like Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian.

Why it’s a sweet spot: a fixed price for a lie-flat seat on a partner airline, with Amex points at 1:1 and no U.S. airline fee.

Watch out: Aeroplan charges a partner booking fee when a partner airline is on the ticket, and points are based on the actual distance flown, so a long connection can push you into a higher band. Our DC to Berlin on points guide shows how that plays out on a real route.

Sweet spot 3: Aer Lingus Avios via Dublin

Aer Lingus publishes a route chart for Avios. One way between Dublin and Zone 5 cities, including Boston, Chicago, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Toronto, and Washington:

Short hops onward from Dublin are cheap too. Zone 1 cities like Amsterdam, Brussels, and Edinburgh are 4,000 Avios off-peak in economy, and Zone 2 cities like Prague, Seville, and Venice are 6,500 Avios off-peak.

Why it’s a sweet spot: Amex transfers to Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, and Qatar Airways at 1:1, and all four use Avios, so one Amex balance opens several Avios programs.

Watch out: taxes and carrier charges are extra, and off-peak dates matter a lot. Find the seat first, then transfer.

Sweet spot 4: Flying Blue Promo Rewards

Flying Blue, the Air France and KLM program, runs monthly Promo Rewards with discounted award prices on selected routes. Amex transfers to Flying Blue at 1:1. We cover the current month’s routes in Flying Blue’s November promo awards.

Watch out: Flying Blue awards come with taxes and carrier surcharges paid in cash, and promo routes change every month. Only transfer once you’ve found a promo seat on your dates.

Hotels: Hilton at 1:2, and when to skip hotel transfers

Hilton is the Amex hotel partner most people use, because 1,000 Amex points become 2,000 Hilton points. That doubling doesn’t automatically make it a good deal, since Hilton prices awards in its own points. Do the math with the Amex points you’d transfer. As an illustration only, a night priced at 60,000 Hilton points would take 30,000 Amex points.

Marriott Bonvoy and Choice Privileges are 1:1. Leading Hotels of the World is 1,000 to 250, which is hard to make work. For every hotel partner, compare the Amex points needed with the cash rate. If the result is close to what Amex Travel or Pay with Points gives you, the simpler option is usually fine. Our hotel transfer partners chart compares Amex’s hotel options with Chase, Capital One, Citi, and Bilt.

The other airline partners: when they’re worth it

• Delta SkyMiles. Handy if you fly Delta, but Delta doesn’t publish an award chart, and the U.S. airline fee applies. Compare the miles price with the cash fare before moving points.
• ANA Mileage Club, avianca lifemiles, Singapore KrisFlyer, Qantas, and Qatar Airways. Each can be useful for specific routes and partner airlines. Search the award and the full cash total on the partner’s own site first.
• Aeromexico at 1:1.6. The ratio looks generous, but Aeromexico prices its awards in its own points. Judge it by the Amex points needed for your flight.
• Cathay Pacific and Emirates at 1:0.8, JetBlue at 250:200. You lose a fifth of your points on the way in, so these need an unusually good award to make sense.

New to airline programs? Best Airline Miles for Beginners is a good starting point.

How to transfer Amex points, step by step

From Amex’s Membership Rewards terms:

1. Find award space first. Search the partner’s site and confirm the seat or room is bookable.
2. Link your partner account. Amex says you must link your loyalty account before transferring, and it must be in your name or an Additional Card Member’s name. An Additional Card must be issued at least 90 days before you link that person’s account.
3. Choose the amount. In most cases the minimum is 1,000 points, in multiples of 1,000.
4. Wait for the points to post. Amex says transfers typically take 48 to 72 hours, but some programs delay posting. Make sure the transfer is complete before you book.
5. Book on the partner’s site.

One more detail from the terms: if you book a flight with miles, it isn’t charged to your Amex card, so card-based travel insurance and protections may not apply.

Mistakes to avoid

• Transferring speculatively. Points sitting with Amex stay flexible. Points in one airline program don’t.
• Forgetting the ratio. For Hilton, Aeromexico, Cathay, Emirates, JetBlue, and Leading Hotels, divide by Amex points, not partner points.
• Ignoring surcharges. Virgin Atlantic, Aer Lingus, British Airways, and Flying Blue awards can come with sizable cash charges.
• Skipping the name check. Your partner account has to be in your name or an Additional Card Member’s name, or you can’t link it.

FAQ

How many transfer partners does Amex have?

Twenty in the U.S.: 16 airlines and 4 hotel programs, per Amex’s transfer partners page on November 4, 2026.

Does Amex transfer to Hyatt?

No. World of Hyatt isn’t on Amex’s list. Chase and Bilt transfer to Hyatt; see our Chase transfer partners guide and Should You Transfer Bilt Points to Hyatt Before 2027?.

Is there a fee to transfer Amex points?

Only for U.S. airlines. Amex charges an excise tax offset fee of $0.0006 per point, up to $99. On this list, that means Delta and JetBlue.

How long do Amex transfers take?

Amex says typically 48 to 72 hours, though some programs post faster or slower.

What’s the best use of Amex points?

For flights, start with Virgin Atlantic on Air France, Aeroplan’s chart, and Aer Lingus off-peak. Always compare with what Amex Travel or Pay with Points offers in your account.

Bottom line

Don’t have an Amex card that earns Membership Rewards yet? Compare options in Best Travel Credit Cards and the current offers in Best Credit Card Welcome Bonuses.

Amex transfer bonuses and airline promos come and go fast. To hear about the good ones each week, join Points & Miles Weekly, our free newsletter.

The Points Quest

Points Quest is educational content only, not personalized financial advice. Transfer partners, ratios, fees, and transfer rules were checked on americanexpress.com (the Membership Rewards transfer page and U.S. program terms) on November 4, 2026. Gold Card details were checked on Amex’s Gold Card page the same day. Award prices were checked the same day on Virgin Atlantic’s Air France partner page, Air Canada Aeroplan’s Flight Reward Chart, and Aer Lingus’s Avios route chart. All can change at any time, and award availability is never guaranteed. Point values are estimates. Advertiser Disclosure