How Long Does It Take to Transfer American Express Membership Rewards?

American Express Membership Rewards points are among the most versatile loyalty currencies available. Plus, they're quite easy to accumulate if you have cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card in your collection.

While this isn’t your only redemption method, transferring your points to a travel partner usually yields the greatest value. The program includes 17 airline and three hotel partners, with at least one valuable option in each major alliance—SkyTeam, Star Alliance, and Oneworld. Most of Amex's partners offer a 1:1 transfer ratio.

Transfer times differ by partner, so the TPG team frequently tests each one. Failing to allow enough time for transferring points from your Membership Rewards account to your chosen program could leave you in a tough spot. Your experience may vary, but here’s what we’ve discovered.

Transfer Times for American Express Membership Rewards

Keep in mind that the times provided reflect our personal experiences and shouldn’t be viewed as strict guidelines. However, many users have reported similar transfer timelines when moving points from Membership Rewards. Your experience may vary, but these times can serve as useful benchmarks when planning your travels. Instant transfers are always preferred, and Amex generally facilitates this better than competitors like Citi ThankYou Rewards.

Considerations Before Transferring Membership Rewards Points

The biggest risk when transferring points is that award availability might change while you’re waiting for your points to appear in your account. Transfers cannot be undone, so in the worst-case scenario, you could end up with a large number of points in a program that you have little use for, aside from the initially intended award ticket or hotel stay. Here are some tips to help you avoid this predicament:

• Ensure that the name on your Amex credit card exactly matches the name on your loyalty program account.
• Link all your transfer partner accounts to your Membership Rewards account now to avoid delays when you need to make a quick transfer.
• Hold your award reservation before transferring (if possible). Very few programs allow this, but those that do simplify the process significantly.
• Select flights with multiple available award seats to mitigate the risk of someone else booking before your miles arrive. Use tools like ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG's parent company, Red Ventures) to check the number of award seats available on a flight. You can also conduct a search for three or four passengers to see exactly how many seats are open.
• Enhance your chances of securing award space by opting for less popular routes or those starting from non-hub airports, as these generally offer better availability. For instance, consider a transatlantic flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) on American Airlines. For transpacific options, look into All Nippon Airways' flights from San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) in California to Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT).

If your initial flights are no longer available, don’t worry. Award availability fluctuates frequently and can improve significantly as your departure date approaches. Check back regularly and be prepared to act swiftly when seats become available.

Is it possible to transfer Membership Rewards points to another person's account?

Unlike Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou Rewards, American Express does not permit the transfer of Membership Rewards points to other accounts, even for family members residing in the same household. However, there is a workaround: add them as authorized users.

While transferring points to another Amex account isn't possible, you can send points to someone else's travel loyalty account by adding them as an authorized user. American Express permits the addition of authorized users on all its Membership Rewards-earning cards. You can add nearly anyone as an authorized user, even if you don’t share the same address, but you will be accountable for their spending.

The The Platinum Card® from American Express charges an annual fee of $195 to add authorized users (see rates and fees). Along with the ability to transfer points to their loyalty accounts, authorized users enjoy all the card's perks, such as lounge access and hotel elite status. However, if benefits are not a priority and you simply want to transfer points, you can add Gold Card authorized users to your Platinum account at no charge (see rates and fees).

With the American Express® Gold Card, the first five authorized users can be added for free, while any additional users will incur a $35 fee each (see rates and fees). The American Express® Green Card charges $40 annually for each authorized user (see rates and fees).

The information regarding the Amex Green Card has been independently gathered by Dinogo. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or supplied by the card issuer.

Is there a charge for transferring Membership Rewards points?

When transferring points to a U.S. airline, American Express imposes an excise fee of 0.06 cents per point, capped at $99. For instance, transferring 30,000 Membership Rewards points to Delta Air Lines will incur an $18 fee. This is in addition to any taxes and charges the airline may levy when you redeem your miles.

To reduce these fees and get the most out of your Amex points, consider transferring your points to international frequent flyer programs like Avianca LifeMiles or British Airways Executive Club.

How to accumulate Membership Rewards points

You have several excellent options for earning Membership Rewards points across various everyday spending categories such as groceries, dining, and travel. Many of these cards also provide generous welcome bonuses that can significantly enhance your Membership Rewards balance:

• American Express Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on qualifying purchases with your new card in the first six months. Additionally, receive 20% back in statement credits (up to $100) on eligible restaurant purchases worldwide during the first six months.
• American Express Green Card: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases within the first six months of card membership.
• American Express Platinum Card: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases with your new card in the first six months.

The details for The Amex Green Card have been independently gathered by Dinogo. The information on this page has not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

Final thoughts

Most transfers of American Express Membership Rewards points to partners are instantaneous. Even those that take longer usually complete within 48 hours, which is considerably quicker than many other programs. Just remember that the transfer times mentioned above are based on our observations and may differ for each user.

With a diverse range of Membership Rewards transfer partners, identifying the best options can be challenging. Notable opportunities include transferring 50,000 Membership Rewards points to Air France-KLM Flying Blue for a business class flight to Europe on off-peak dates. Transferring to Choice Privileges allows for award stays starting at just 8,000 points, providing excellent value. For more details, check our guide on maximizing the value of Amex points for the best transfer options.