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10 Best Ways to Redeem 60,000 American Express Membership Rewards Points

Michael McHugh's image
Michael McHugh
Michael McHugh's image

Michael McHugh

Former Content Contributor

63 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 15U.S. States Visited: 32

Michael fell in love with points and miles back in 2014 and since then has built up a vast knowledge of award programs and has striven to show readers how to receive the maximum value when using their...
Edited by: Kellie Jez
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Kellie Jez

Director of Operations & Compliance

1 Published Article, 1166 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 10U.S. States Visited: 20

Kellie’s professional experience has led her to a deep passion for compliance, data reporting, and process improvement. Kellie’s learned the ins and outs of the points and miles world and leads UP’s c...

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

American Express Membership Rewards points are 1 of the 4 major transferable points programs. Amex has a multitude of both Membership Rewards and non-Membership Rewards-earning cards that are currently available on the market.

Similar to Chase Ultimate Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and Citi ThankYou Rewards, I recommend checking out Amex’s Membership Rewards cards to help get you to your next destination using miles and points. Today we’ll discuss the 10 best ways to use Amex points if you’ve collected 60,000 and are ready to travel!

How to Earn Membership Rewards Points

The best way to take advantage of the redemptions below is to focus on Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards, as well as cards that have high welcome bonus offers. By applying for personal or business cards that align with your spending habits, you can easily collect Membership Rewards points in a hurry.

Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)

BEST LOUNGE ACCESS
The Platinum Card® from American ExpressTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card® from American Express

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 points
$1,760
$695
See Pay Over Time APR
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros

  • The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
  • 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per year)
  • 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
  • Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment (airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit)
  • TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
  • Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
  • Access to Amex International Airline Program
  • No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Cons

  • $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
  • Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
  • Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
  • $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
  • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
  • $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
  • $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
  • $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
  • $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
  • Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
  • $695 annual fee.
  • Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

BEST FOR DINING
American Express® Gold CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express® Gold Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months.
60,000 points
$1,320
$250
See Pay Over Time APR
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

The American Express® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros

  • 4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
  • 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
  • 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
  • Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
  • Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash: get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
  • No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
  • Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
  • Access to American Express transfer partners

Cons

  • Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
  • Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
  • Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $250.
  • Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Business owner? See our list of the best Amex business credit cards.

The 10 Best Ways to Use 60,000 Amex Points

If you’re ready to travel the world in style, you’ve come to the right place. From Asia to South America to Hawaii, Membership Rewards points will have you covered!

Amex allows you to redeem points with airline and hotel partners. Many of the American Express airline partners (like Singapore Airlines) also partner with other transferable points programs. If you’re short on Amex points for a particular redemption, consider an airline partner that has multiple transferable point options.

American Express Transfer Partners
American Express Airline Partners. Image Credit: americanexpress.com.

1. Fly Transcontinental Business Class in the U.S. on United Airlines (25,000 Avianca Miles)

United Polaris 787-10 seat
Flying on United Polaris is a great way to try a new product. Image Credit: Stephen Au

Another great sweet-spot has to do with the announcement by United Airlines that they will fly the 787-10 between Newark and Los Angeles/San Francisco (LAX/SFO).

This means that you’ll be able to fly transcontinental on United’s awesome Polaris business class! Their planned schedule is as follows:

  • Newark to San Francisco: Thrice daily
  • Newark to Los Angeles: Twice daily

Trying United Polaris across the U.S. will set you back only 25,000 miles each way!

Hot Tip: Interested in finding out what this product has to offer? Check out our review of United Polaris 787-10 from Los Angeles to Houston!

2. Fly to Brussels in Business Class on Brussels Airlines (44,000 Etihad Miles)

Brussels Airlines business class
Brussels Airlines business class is yet another transatlantic option with your Etihad Miles. Image Credit: brusselsairlines.com.

Etihad Guest has a number of interesting redemptions, including one-way business class from the U.S. to Brussels. Similar to Virgin Atlantic, this program has different award charts for each of its partner airlines.

The Brussels award chart lists the destinations for Brussels Airlines, which are primarily in Europe. North America has 3 nonstop flights on Brussels Airlines (New York, Toronto, and Washington, D.C.). Etihad prices Brussels flights by destination, with the 3 North America stops requiring the same amount of points.

While the chart is limited in terms of North American destinations, at just 44,000 miles one-way, this redemption pairs extremely well with a cheap intra-Europe flight on a low-cost carrier to get to your final destination.

A couple notes on the Brussels Airlines Terms and Conditions:

We recommend using United, Aeroplan, or ANA for your award search. Once you locate the flight(s) you want to book, a phone call to Etihad is required. Brussels Airlines flights can be redeemed with Etihad miles by contacting the Etihad Guest Service Center at +1 877-690-0767; they’re open 24 hours a day.

Brussels Airlines serves North America with the following nonstop flights:

  • New York (JFK) – Brussels (BRU)
  • Toronto (YYZ) – Brussels (BRU)
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Brussels (BRU)

3. Fly to Europe in Upper Class on Virgin Atlantic (50,000 KrisFlyer Miles)

Virgin Atlantic A350 Upper Suite seat 4K
Image Credit: Daniel Ross

Singapore Airlines’ loyalty program KrisFlyer is typically known for its premium cabin redemptions (and rightfully so!). What you may not know is that KrisFlyer also has a few other high-value redemptions, including business class from the U.S. to Europe in Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class Cabin.

Virgin Atlantic is not a member of an alliance, so Singapore Airlines has a separate chart solely for the airline. Singapore Airlines also has separate award charts for Alaska Airlines, Virgin Australia, and Star Alliance partners.

The Virgin Atlantic award chart is zoned-based with 7 zones:

  • North Asia (China, Hong Kong)
  • Africa (Nigeria, South Africa)
  • North America (U.S.)
  • Central, South Asia (India)
  • Central America (Mexico, Caribbean)
  • Middle East (United Arab Emirates)
  • Europe (United Kingdom)

The major highlight for premium cabin travelers is the low number of miles required for Upper Class. If economy is more in line with your goals, KrisFlyer prices round-trip Virgin Atlantic economy flights at just 50,000 miles.

There are 2 potential downsides to consider here:

  1. No stopovers are allowed on a one-way award flight
  2. Taxes, surcharges, and fees will be added to the mileage required (keep the carrier-imposed surcharges in mind, particularly for the Upper Class cabin!)

Search for Virgin Atlantic availability on virginatlantic.com first, and then call Singapore Airlines at 213-404-0301 to book the award ticket.

Examples of Virgin Atlantic nonstop flights from London to the U.S. include:

  • Atlanta (ATL) – London (LHR)
  • New York (JFK) – London (LHR)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – London (LHR)

Need help booking? Read our in-depth guide on how to book Virgin Atlantic Upper Class.

Hot Tip:
As one of our readers mentioned on a recent award search, Singapore Airlines agents may not be able to see Virgin Atlantic availability located on ExpertFlyer, Virgin Atlantic, or Delta. Keep this in mind when using miles for this redemption. 

4. Fly to Hong Kong and China in Business Class on American (55,000 Etihad Miles)

As mentioned earlier, Etihad has an award chart for each of their 24 airline partners. American Airlines is one of those partners with particularly solid redemptions for U.S.-based travelers.

The American Airlines award chart is broken down into 8 different regions. North America includes the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and Bermuda, while Asia Zone 1 includes Japan, Korea, and Mongolia.

American Airlines’ chart is zone-based, meaning award flights traveling from any country in your departing zone to any country in your arriving zone will be the same. As an example: all flights from North America to Hong Kong cost 50,000 Etihad miles one-way in business class and 25,000 miles one-way in economy.

In addition to the low amount of miles required, there are a couple other highlights of an American Airlines award: one-way award travel is permitted, and a stopover is allowed as well.

As with other Etihad redemptions, taxes and surcharges are required. We recommend using the ITA Flight Matrix to determine the approximate cost of the taxes, fees, and carrier-imposed surcharges prior to booking.

British Airways and Qantas will provide the best search engine for this redemption. Similar to Brussels Airlines, a phone call to Etihad is required to book American Airlines award flights. You can contact the Etihad Guest Service Center 24 hours a day at +1 (0) 877-690-0767.

Examples of American Airlines nonstop flights to Hong Kong and China include:

  • Dallas (DFW) – Hong Kong (HKG)
  • Chicago (ORD) – Shanghai (PVG)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Beijing (PEK)

Hot Tip: Need help booking? Check out our step-by-step guide on booking American Airlines business class.

5. Fly to Morocco in Business Class on Royal Air Maroc (44,000 Etihad Miles)

Another high-value Etihad redemption to consider is Royal Air Maroc from the U.S. to Morocco. Mirroring Etihad’s other airline partners, Royal Air Maroc uses its own award chart.

The Royal Air Maroc award chart is driven by distance and class of your cabin. We suggest using Great Circle Mapper to determine the distance of your award. For U.S. to Morocco flights, use the 2001 and above portion of the award chart.

Royal Air Maroc requires a low amount of miles for both economy and business class redemptions. A couple of additional positives about this partnership include the ability to book one-way flights as well as a stopover.

When utilizing this redemption, keep in mind 3 items:

  1. Taxes, fees, and surcharges will have to be paid at the time of award ticketing. Based on a recent search, the fuel surcharges will be ~$230 for both economy and business class round-trip flights
  2. Open jaws are not allowed
  3. Royal Air Maroc availability cannot be searched online

To find award availability and book a Royal Air Maroc flight, you will need to contact the Etihad Guest Service Center at +1 (0) 877-690-0767.

Royal Air Maroc has 2 nonstop flights between Morocco the U.S.:

  • New York (JFK) – Casablanca (CMN)
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Casablanca (CMN)

6. Fly to Japan and Korea in Business Class on American Airlines (50,000 Etihad Miles)

It’s time for yet another Etihad redemption: American Airlines flights to Asia. Similar to American Airlines flights to Hong Kong and China, the airline also has nonstop flights to both Japan and Korea at competitive rates.

As a reminder, the American Airlines chart is zone-based, meaning any flight from the U.S. to either country will require the same number of miles. The highlight of this chart is that you are looking at a ~13-hour flight for only 50,000 Membership Rewards points transferred directly to Etihad!

You can head to both British Airways and Qantas to find award availability for American Airlines flights to Asia. Once you locate American Airlines award availability, call the Etihad Guest Service Center at +1 (0) 877-690-0767 to redeem miles for your award flight. Taxes, fees, and surcharges will need to be paid at the time of booking.

Examples of American Airlines flights to Japan and Korea include:

  • Dallas (DFW) – Seoul (ICN)
  • Chicago (ORD) – Narita (NRT)

Hot Tip: We’ve also dug into the best ways you can fly to Japan using points and miles!

7. Fly Between Prague and Seoul in Business Class on Czech Airlines (25,610 Etihad Miles)

Czech Airlines Business Class
Czech Airlines Business Class. Image Credit: Czech Airlines

When I first heard about this redemption, I was extremely skeptical — less than 30,000 Membership Rewards points for a nearly 10-hour flight?!

The Czech Airlines award chart prices are based on the city you’re flying to. Most of the cities in the chart are in Europe, making it extremely easy to miss the last city on the list: Seoul.

This redemption’s obvious highlight is the price compared to other long-haul flights in business class. If economy is more your style, you’re only looking at 12,805 miles one-way to fly from Prague to Seoul!! Another positive within the Czech Airlines award chart is that one-way flights are allowed.

Even with a low mileage requirement, the chart does have a downside to consider. The taxes, fees, and surcharges are required at the time of booking, and can be substantial. Based on a recent search, business class surcharges are ~$394, while economy surcharges are $270.

Czech Airlines is a SkyTeam member, and availability can be searched on klm.com or airfrance.com. When you are ready to book your flight, call the Etihad Guest Service Center at +1 (0) 877-690-0767 to redeem your miles.

Czech Airlines flies nonstop to Seoul on the following route:

  • Prague (PRG) – Seoul (ICN)

8. Fly From Japan to Australia in Business Class on ANA (40,000 Avianca Miles)

ANA Business Class Seat
Enjoy the comfort of ANA business class. Image Credit: Stephen Au

Have you ever wanted to fly ANA business class? Well, you can do so for ridiculously cheap prices using LifeMiles! You’ll fly for almost 10 hours nonstop, and it’ll only cost you 40,000 miles!

ANA flies their 787 Dreamliner, which only has business class, but it’s sure to be comfortable with lie-flat seats and delicious Japanese catering.

You can take ANA’s only flight to Australia on this route:

  1. Tokyo-Haneda (HND) to Sydney (SYD)

Hot Tip: Need help booking? Check out our step-by-step guide to booking ANA business class.

9. Fly to Hawaii in Business Class on United (78,000 KrisFlyer Miles)

United Polaris 787-10
United Polaris 787-10. Image credit: Stephen Au

Singapore Airlines has a solid redemption for United flights to Hawaii with their KrisFlyer program. The North America region includes the U.S. and Canada, but it excludes Hawaii (it’s part of the Hawaii, Central America region). All United flights from the North America region to Hawaii require the same number of points in either business class or economy.

The KrisFlyer Star Alliance award chart is zone-based with 12 zones, and prices are driven by the destination, origin, and class of service you’re flying.

One highlight of the Star Alliance chart is the ability to book one-way flights. When flying United to Hawaii, the main benefit is the fact the taxes, fees, and surcharges should be low, since United doesn’t levy fuel surcharges like other airlines.

Award availability for these flights can be found on united.com. Once you locate United award availability, search for that same flight on singaporeairlines.com and book the flight online. If the flight doesn’t show on Singapore Airlines, call Singapore Airlines‘ Houston, Los Angeles, New York, or San Francisco offices to book the award.

Examples of nonstop United flights include:

  • Newark (EWR) – Honolulu (HNL)
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Kona (KOA)
  • Chicago (ORD) – Maui (OGG)

Hot Tip: Need help booking? Read our step-by-step guide on how to book United business class flights.

10. Fly to South America in Business Class on American Airlines (50,000 Etihad Miles)

Another American Airlines redemption to consider with Etihad is an award flight to South America. The American Airlines award chart breaks South America into 2 zones, with 20,000 additional Etihad miles required between Zone 1 and Zone 2.

South America Zone 2 includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile (excluding Easter Island), Paraguay, and Uruguay. South America Zone 1 is combined with Central America and includes countries within the northern half of the continent.

The highlights of this redemption are threefold:

  1. One-way flights are allowed
  2. Taxes, fees, and surcharges are reasonable
  3. Stopovers are permitted

For one-way flights from the U.S., the taxes and fees will be ~$30 (based on a recent search from multiple U.S. departure cities and South American arrival cities).

Use the search engines at AA.com, britishairways.com, and qantas.com to find award availability, and then call the Etihad Guest Service Center to book your flight.

Examples of American Airlines flights to South America include:

  • Dallas (DFW) – Buenos Aires (EZE)
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – São Paulo (GRU)

Need help booking? Check out our step-by-step guide on booking AA business class.

Amex Airline Partners

SCROLL FOR MORE
Amex Airline PartnerMin TransferTransfer Ratio
(Amex > Partner)
Transfer Time
Aer Lingus1,0001:1Almost Instant
Aeromexico1,0001:1.62-12 days
Air Canada1,0001:1Almost Instant
ANA1,0001:13 days
Avianca LifeMiles1,0001:1Almost Instant
British Airways1,0001:1Almost Instant
Cathay Pacific1,0001:1Up to 1 Week
Delta Air Lines1,0001:1Almost Instant
Emirates1,0001:1Almost Instant
Etihad Airways1,0001:1Almost Instant
Flying Blue Air France/KLM1,0001:1Almost Instant
Hawaiian1,0001:1Almost Instant
Iberia1,0001:11-3 days
JetBlue2501:0.8Almost Instant
Qantas5001:1Almost Instant
Qatar Airways1,0001:1Almost Instant
Singapore Airlines1,0001:11-2 days
Virgin Atlantic1,0001:11-2 days

Amex Hotel Partners

SCROLL FOR MORE
Amex Hotel PartnerMin TransferTransfer Ratio
(Amex > Partner)
Transfer Time
Choice Privileges1,0001:1Almost Instant
Hilton Honors1,0001:2Almost Instant
Marriott Bonvoy1,0001:1Almost Instant

Final Thoughts

American Express Membership Rewards is a program to consider if you’re looking for great award opportunities, as the value of some of these redemptions is impressive.

Earning transferable Membership Rewards points from both welcome offers and everyday spending will enable you to reach many of these destinations in style.

We’re also huge fans of collecting Membership Rewards points, because the transfer to most airlines is instant and at a 1:1 ratio. Happy redeeming!

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do Amex points work?

American Express Membership Rewards points can be used to to pay for purchases, redeemed for gift cards, cover charges as a statement credit, book travel, transfer to partners (recommended), or shop for experiences/products.

When do my Amex points expire?

Membership Rewards points do not expire as long as you have an Amex Membership Rewards credit card open.

How many Amex points do I need for a flight?

The number of Membership Rewards points will vary depending on the route, cabin, and Amex transfer partner you are using.

Are Amex points worth it?

No question — yes! The ability to fly in a premium cabin to many destinations around the world makes Membership Rewards points extremely valuable.

Are Amex points transferable?

Yes. Membership Rewards points can be transferred to 19 airlines (see above) and 3 hotels. The hotel transfer partners include Choice Hotels, Hilton, and Marriott.

Michael McHugh's image

About Michael McHugh

Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Michael took his first international trip in 2013 with friends to the Bahamas. Although he didn’t travel much in his younger years, on that trip, he caught the travel bug and has been hooked ever since.

Michael first caught wind of the points and miles game in 2014 while at a bar in Washington, DC where the conversation amongst friends was quickly derailed because of an alert on a friend’s phone about a mistake fare.  That’s where the love affair with points and miles began.

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