✦ Last updated:
- Amex has 17 airline and 3 hotel transfer partners. Five of them produce nearly all the value: Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada Aeroplan, ANA Mileage Club, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and Singapore KrisFlyer.
- Etihad Guest transfers end permanently on June 30, 2026. If you have a specific Etihad redemption planned, transfer before the deadline. If not, do nothing — Etihad's cancellation policy is one of the worst in the industry.
- Air Canada Aeroplan is devaluing on June 1, 2026 — the single biggest 2026 change. Roughly 85% of pricing bands move up, with longhaul partner business and first class taking the hardest hit.
- The current cents-per-point math: AwardWallet members typically redeem MR points at 1.99 cents apiece. Strategic transfers to airline partners routinely hit 5 to 8 cents per point on premium awards.
- Hotel transfers are mostly traps. Hilton's 1:2 ratio still delivers only ~0.8 cents per Amex point. Marriott is worse. Keep the points liquid for airlines.
If you've spent any time inside the Amex Membership Rewards program, you've seen the standard advice: "transfer to one of 20 partners for outsized value." That advice isn't wrong, but it's not actionable. Twenty partners is a list, not a strategy. And the value distribution across those 20 is anything but even.
The reality is that five Amex transfer partners produce nearly all the value most travelers will ever extract from MR points. The other 15 are situationally useful or actively poor. Once you know which five matter and what each one is genuinely best at, the program becomes dramatically simpler — and your redemptions get dramatically better.
If you're still building your understanding of the foundational program — how MR points work, which cards earn them, and what the welcome bonuses look like — start with our complete Amex Membership Rewards guide. This post is the natural next step: where to actually send the points once you've earned them.
What an Amex Point Is Really Worth
Before talking partners, know your floor and your ceiling. AwardWallet reports its members typically redeem Amex Membership Rewards points for 1.99 cents apiece on average. That's the benchmark. Independent industry valuations from NerdWallet's points and miles team place the value slightly lower at 1.6 cents per point when transferred to partners. Use 1.6 to 2 cents as your average.
The floor — what you'll get if you redeem casually through Amex Travel for cash equivalents — is 1 cent per point. That's the rate for booking flights and hotels through the portal at flat pricing. It's not bad, but it's not the reason these points are valuable.
The ceiling lives in transfers. A well-timed Aeroplan business class redemption to Europe can deliver 5 to 6 cents per point. ANA First Class via Virgin Atlantic, when you can find it, hits 8 cents or more. The gap between casual users (1 cent) and strategic users (5 to 8 cents) is the difference between modest free flights and once-in-a-decade premium-cabin trips. The five partners below are where that gap closes.
The Five Partners That Matter
For most travelers, these are the five Amex transfer partners worth knowing — what each is best at, and roughly what you can do with 50,000 to 100,000 points.
1. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is the Amex partner that opens the most doors. Beyond Virgin's own metal, the program is a transfer hub for ANA, Delta, Air France, KLM, and Korean Air — meaning Amex MR points become Virgin points become award seats on airlines Amex doesn't transfer to directly. The crown jewel is ANA First Class between the U.S. and Tokyo for 55,000 to 85,000 Virgin points one-way depending on departure city, with business class at 47,500 to 60,000 points one-way. The program has seen two devaluations on ANA pricing in the past two years, but it remains one of the highest-value premium-cabin redemptions in points and miles — cash fares routinely run $8,000 to $10,000+.
Virgin's other under-appreciated trick: Delta Air Lines redemptions starting at 7,500 Virgin points one-way on hundreds of short-haul routes, and Delta One business class to Europe (excluding the UK) for 50,000 Virgin points one-way with no carrier surcharges — often dramatically cheaper than using Delta SkyMiles directly. Virgin also runs the most aggressive Amex transfer bonus calendar of any partner — 30% to 40% bonuses appear two to three times a year and are the right moment to load up.
2. Air Canada Aeroplan
Aeroplan is the U.S.-based traveler's best Star Alliance partner. The award chart is fixed (no dynamic pricing on partners), the transfer is 1:1, and the routing rules are the most flexible in points and miles — including a 5,000-point stopover that lets you turn one award into two trips. Lufthansa First from Frankfurt or Munich, ANA business class to Tokyo, EVA to Taipei, Singapore Airlines to Asia — all bookable through Aeroplan.
Critical 2026 timing: Aeroplan is devaluing its award chart on June 1, 2026. Roughly 85% of pricing bands are moving up, with the steepest increases on longhaul partner business and first class — the exact redemptions most U.S. travelers care about. North America to Pacific business class jumps from 87,500 to 102,500 points one-way (a 17.1% increase). North America to Atlantic first class climbs from 140,000 to 165,000 points (a 17.9% increase). If you have a specific Aeroplan redemption in mind, the booking date determines pricing — book before May 31, 2026 and you lock in current rates.
3. ANA Mileage Club
For business class to Japan, ANA's own program is genuinely unmatched among Star Alliance options. Following ANA's April 2024 devaluation, U.S. to Tokyo round-trip in business class runs 100,000 to 110,000 ANA miles — still meaningfully cheaper than United's 110,000 miles one-way for the same seat. ANA's First Class — including the celebrated "The Suite" and "The Room" products — runs 150,000 to 165,000 miles round-trip for U.S. travelers willing to plan ahead. Cash prices for those tickets routinely exceed $5,500 in business and $10,000+ in first.
Two big 2025 program changes worth knowing about: ANA introduced one-way award bookings on June 24, 2025 (previously round-trip only) — pricing is roughly 50% of round-trip, which is a major flexibility win. And ANA retired its legendary 25,000-mile Round-the-World award in mid-2025, so guides written before then are dangerously outdated. Award availability remains the program's biggest constraint — ANA typically releases just one first class seat per flight and inventory drops 355 days out. For one specific trip to Japan, ANA Mileage Club is the answer; for everything else, Aeroplan or Virgin Atlantic does it better.
4. Air France-KLM Flying Blue
Flying Blue is the everyday workhorse of the five. The standout feature is Promo Rewards — monthly award sales that drop business class to Europe to 50,000 miles one-way (vs. the standard 60,000 to 75,000). Flying Blue also delivers solid economy availability across Europe, including transatlantic economy from 25,000 miles one-way on sale. It's not a glamour program, but it's the one you'll use most often if Europe is in your annual travel rhythm.
Flying Blue also added Etihad as a partner in 2026 — so if you're thinking about Etihad business class from the U.S. and you're worried about the Amex direct-transfer cutoff, Flying Blue is now an alternate path.
5. Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
KrisFlyer is the only sane way to book Singapore Suites and Singapore First Class — Singapore restricts those products to its own KrisFlyer members, with no partner inventory. If you ever want to fly the legendary A380 Suites product, you'll need KrisFlyer miles, and Amex is the cleanest U.S.-based path to them. Singapore Suites on the JFK to Frankfurt to Singapore route currently runs about 97,000 KrisFlyer miles one-way at Saver pricing — a benchmark luxury redemption that no other transferable currency can replicate.
One important note: KrisFlyer ran a meaningful program-wide devaluation effective November 1, 2025, raising most Saver awards by roughly 5% and Advantage awards by 10 to 15%. Premium-cabin Saver redemptions to Asia got 5% more expensive. The math still works for Suites — there's simply no alternative — but factor the new pricing into any KrisFlyer balance you're building. Outside Singapore metal, KrisFlyer's value is more modest. Use it for the Singapore-specific premium-cabin redemptions, and rely on the other four for everything else.
"Twenty transfer partners is a list. Five transfer partners is a strategy. The difference shows up in your redemptions."
ANA First Class via Virgin Atlantic from 55,000 to 85,000 Amex points one-way (depending on departure city). Cash fares routinely run $8,000 to $10,000+.
Two Deadlines Worth Knowing About Right Now
Two timely 2026 changes are reshaping the Amex transfer landscape inside the next eight weeks. Both are worth understanding even if you're not personally affected — the pattern says something about where the program is heading.
Etihad Guest leaves Amex on June 30, 2026
American Express has confirmed that Membership Rewards transfers to Etihad Guest end permanently on June 30, 2026, with the last transferable day being June 29. The current 1:1 transfer ratio holds until then. After the cutoff, Etihad miles can still be earned through Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Citi ThankYou Points — all of which transfer 1:1 to Etihad Guest and have not announced any plans to follow Amex's lead.
Our take: for most readers, this is a non-event. Etihad has one of the most punitive cancellation policies in commercial aviation — cancel a partner award far in advance and you'll lose 25% of the miles. That makes speculative transfers a bad idea. If you have a specific Etihad redemption already in mind, transfer before June 30 to lock in the 1:1 rate. If not, leave the points where they are and use one of the four other strategic partners. Etihad is also still bookable through American AAdvantage — see our AAdvantage 2026 guide for that path.
Aeroplan devalues on June 1, 2026 — book before May 31
This is the bigger story. Aeroplan announced its first major chart devaluation since March 2025, taking effect June 1, 2026. The increases hit hardest exactly where U.S. travelers redeem most: longhaul partner business and first class. Booking date — not travel date — determines which chart applies. Any Aeroplan redemption booked by May 31, 2026 locks in the current pricing, even for travel later in the year.
If you've been sitting on an Aeroplan balance waiting for the right premium-cabin trip, this is the moment. Even if your travel dates aren't fully settled, Aeroplan's change and cancellation fees ($150 plus) are typically much less than the 15,000 to 25,000 points you'd lose by booking after June 1.
The Partners Worth Skipping
Most Amex transfer partner guides treat all 20 partners with equal seriousness. Most of them don't deserve it. A few of these are worth understanding specifically so you don't accidentally transfer points into a poor deal.
How to Build the Balance You'll Be Transferring
None of these sweet spots matter if you don't have the points to transfer. The Amex MR ecosystem is anchored by two cards most readers will eventually consider: the Amex Gold and the Amex Platinum. They earn the same points, but they're built for different spenders and different stages.
The Amex Gold is the right card for most readers building toward their first big premium-cabin redemption. It carries a $325 annual fee and earns 4x at restaurants worldwide and 4x at U.S. supermarkets (within annual category caps that reset each January). For someone spending $1,500 to $3,000 a month on dining and groceries combined, Gold is the most efficient MR earning machine in the lineup.
The Platinum is a different proposition entirely — it's not really about category multipliers. It's about the welcome bonus, the premium credits stack, and the lounge access. We cover the Platinum decision in detail at the bottom of this guide, after you've seen what the points are actually worth.
The Bottom Line
Amex Membership Rewards becomes a genuinely powerful program the moment you stop treating it as a 20-partner buffet and start treating it as five strategic outlets. Virgin Atlantic for partner premium cabins. Aeroplan for Star Alliance flexibility — booked before June 1. ANA for round-trip Tokyo business class. Flying Blue for Europe and monthly Promo Rewards. Singapore for the Suites product nothing else can book.
The other 15 partners aren't useless, but they're situational. Use them when a specific redemption calls for them. Don't build a strategy around them.
And if you want a personalized path through your specific spending, travel goals, and existing balances, that's the work we do in a 1-on-1 strategy session. Whether you should be building toward Aeroplan stopovers, Virgin Atlantic transfer bonuses, or holding for the next Etihad-style cutoff is a 30-minute conversation, not a 12-month experiment.
The American Express Platinum Card
If you're building a serious Amex Membership Rewards balance — the kind that funds the sweet spots above — the Platinum is the foundation card that makes the math work. The current welcome offer is the largest of any Amex consumer card, and the Platinum is the cleanest path into all 17 airline transfer partners covered in this guide.
- Welcome bonus — up to 175,000 MR points after $12,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months
- 5x on flights booked direct or through Amex Travel (up to $500K per year)
- 5x on prepaid hotels through Amex Travel
- $3,500+ in annual statement credits — Fine Hotels & Resorts, Resy, Walmart+, Uber, lululemon, airline incidentals
- Unlimited Centurion Lounge access plus Priority Pass Select
- Automatic Hilton and Marriott Gold status
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Amex transfer partners in 2026?
Five Amex transfer partners deliver outsized value for most travelers: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (best for ANA First Class to Tokyo at 55,000 to 85,000 points one-way), Air Canada Aeroplan (best for Star Alliance partner business class and stopovers — book before June 1, 2026 to lock in current pricing), ANA Mileage Club (best for round-trip Tokyo business class at 100,000 to 110,000 miles), Air France-KLM Flying Blue (best for European economy and monthly Promo Rewards), and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer (best for Singapore Suites). Most other partners deliver poor value, so building a strategy around these five covers nearly every premium-cabin and high-value award you would realistically book.
When does Amex stop transferring to Etihad Guest?
American Express Membership Rewards transfers to Etihad Guest end permanently on June 30, 2026, with the last transferable day being June 29, 2026. The current 1:1 transfer ratio remains in effect until then. After the cutoff, Etihad Guest miles can still be earned through Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Citi ThankYou Points — all of which transfer 1:1 and have not announced plans to follow Amex's lead. If you have a specific Etihad redemption planned, transfer before the deadline. Otherwise, do not transfer points speculatively, as Etihad has one of the most restrictive cancellation policies in the industry.
What is an Amex Membership Rewards point worth in 2026?
AwardWallet reports its members typically redeem Amex Membership Rewards points for 1.99 cents apiece on average. Independent industry valuations from NerdWallet's points and miles team place the value slightly lower at 1.6 cents per point when transferred to partners. Strategic transfers to airline partners (Virgin Atlantic, Aeroplan, ANA, Flying Blue, Singapore KrisFlyer) for premium-cabin awards routinely deliver 4 to 8+ cents per point. Portal redemptions through Amex Travel typically deliver 1 cent per point.
Should I transfer Amex points to Hilton or Marriott?
Generally no. Hilton transfers at a 1:2 ratio, but because Hilton points are worth approximately 0.4 cents each, the effective value is about 0.8 cents per Amex point — below the 1 cent floor of Amex Travel portal redemptions. Marriott transfers 1:1 but Marriott points are worth roughly 0.7 to 0.8 cents each, again delivering subpar value. The exception is if you have a specific high-value Hilton aspirational property booked where the cash rate is extreme; for everyday hotel stays, the points are better left in MR or transferred to airline partners.
