Yesterday I added a new resource page to this site: Amex Transfer Partners. This new page has several (hopefully) useful sections:
Tips
This section has suggestions for when to transfer points, who’s accounts you can transfer to, and more. I expect this section will grow over time in response to reader questions and suggestions.
Best Amex Transfer Partners
This section lists the transfer partners that I think are most worthwhile. The transfer ratio is listed along with suggested best uses.
The Other Transfer Partners
This section rounds out the list of all Amex transfer partners. Just because a partner didn’t make my “Best” list doesn’t mean that there are no reasons to consider them.
Indirect Transfer Partners
This is, to me, the fun section. It’s often possible to transfer Membership Rewards to airline miles to hotel points; or to transfer Membership Rewards to hotel points to airline miles; or…
Many of the ideas in this section aren’t particularly advisable. For example, I wouldn’t recommend transferring 285,000 points into 132,000 United miles + 25,000 Alaska miles, but you could. This section describes how.
Other Resources
We will continue to maintain our Transfer Partner Master List Google Doc which lists all known transfer relationships. But, over time, we will also add additional easier to read pages describing transfer partners for Chase, Citi, SPG, and more. Stay tuned.
Check it out
Please see (and bookmark): Amex Transfer Partners.
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Can you mention YQ when it applies and if known a general amount per ticket example?
That’s a good idea. I’ll have to think about how best to do that
It will be a PITA to update regularly, so I’d suggest finding maybe 2 long haul routes (TATL/TPAC) per partner and only updating twice a year. Maybe add a new column for “Avg YQ” so it doesn’t take a lot of space. I think ExpertFlyer will show YQ for routings, but I don’t subscribe so I’m not sure.
Not a huge deal, but YQ can make or break a deal/routing/award. I know when I first started I’d get excited about an award on BA only to find out a J flight would cost 90k points and $800.
One issue is that it often has more to do with who you fly rather than who’s miles you use. For example, BA charges huge fuel surcharges regardless of whether you book with BA miles, AA miles, Cathay, etc. Meanwhile AA doesn’t charge fuel surcharges even if you book with BA miles.
There are a few special programs (United and Avianca, for example) which never pass along fuel surcharges, but that’s rare
In that case you may have to have a different table strictly for YQ. And maybe a table for transfer partner and one for specific airlines. Ughh, it will be a royal PITA, so maybe cross that whole idea out. Nevermind haha.