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American Express Membership Rewards are a notoriously powerful transferable points currency. But even Amex fans may not realize just how far Amex points can take them. With familiar Amex transfer partners such as Delta SkyMiles and JetBlue TrueBlue, it's easy not to dive deeper into the full list of 17 airline transfer partners.
But, you can potentially stretch your Amex points even further by utilizing lesser well-known partners like Virgin Flying Club or Air Canada Aeroplan to book domestic flights on American, Delta, United, and Alaska.
Let's show you the best ways to redeem Amex Membership Rewards points for domestic flights.
Page Contents
- American Express Membership Rewards Transfer Partners
- Current Amex Card Welcome Offers
- Delta Award Flights From 3,000 Amex Points
- JetBlue Award Flights From 4,750 Amex Points
- American Airlines Award Flights From 6,000 Amex Points
- United Award Flights From 6,000 Amex Points
- Alaska Airlines Award Flights From 6,000 Amex Points
- What is the Excise Tax Offset Fee?
- Final Thoughts
American Express Membership Rewards Transfer Partners
Before we dive into the sweet spots, here's an overview of all 17 Amex Membership Rewards airline transfer partners, their transfer times, and which U.S. airlines each partners with. Amex points transfer to most partners at a 1:1 ratio. The three exceptions are Aeromexico (1:1.6), JetBlue (5:4), and Emirates (5:4):
| Membership Rewards Transfer Partner | Transfer Ratio | ...which you can use to book award flights on: | Transfer Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus AerClub | 1,000 : 1,000 Avios | n/a (for Avios redemptions) | Instant |
| Aeromexico Rewards | 1,000 : 1,600 Points | Delta | Instant |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1,000 : 1,000 Aeroplan Points | United | Instant |
| Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 1,000 : 1,000 Flying Blue Miles | Delta | Instant |
| ANA Mileage Club | 1,000 : 1,000 ANA Miles | United | 1-2 days |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1,000 : 1,000 LifeMiles | United | Instant |
| British Airways Avios | 1,000 : 1,000 Avios | American and Alaska | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific | 1,000 : 1,000 Asia Miles | American and Alaska | 9 hours |
| Delta SkyMiles | 1,000 : 1,000 SkyMiles | Delta | Instant |
| Emirates Skywards | 1,000 : 800 Skywards Miles | United | Instant |
| Etihad Guest | 1,000 : 1,000 Etihad Guest Miles | American | Instant |
| Iberia Plus | 1,000 : 1,000 Iberia Avios | American and Alaska | 1 day |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 250 : 200 TrueBlue Points | JetBlue | Instant |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 500 : 500 Qantas Points | American and Alaska | Instant |
| Qatar Privilege Club | 1,000 : 1,000 Qatar Avios | American and Alaska | Instant |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1,000 : 1,000 KrisFlyer Miles | United and Alaska | 3 hours |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1,000 : 1,000 Virgin Points | Delta | Instant |
Current Amex Card Welcome Offers
Quite a few cards earn Amex Membership Rewards points. Here are some of the top Amex welcome offers:
- American Express Platinum Card®: As High As 175,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- American Express® Gold Card: As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer. You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- American Express® Business Gold Card: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Elevated Welcome Offer: Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 in eligible purchases on the Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
(Terms apply)
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
(Terms apply)
- 4X Membership Rewards® Points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel booked on amextravel.com
- 1X on other eligible purchases
(Terms apply)
- Earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers.
- Earn 2X points on each eligible purchase with U.S. shipping providers.
- 2X earning rates are subject to a cap of $2 million in purchases per calendar year.
Delta Award Flights From 3,000 Amex Points
You can book Delta award flights through four Membership Rewards transfer partners: Delta SkyMiles, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, and (theoretically) Aeromexico Rewards. Of these, the best options are generally Delta SkyMiles and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Book Delta award flights from 3,000 Delta SkyMiles
Thanks to Delta's dynamic award pricing, the cheapest domestic awards you can book with Amex Membership Rewards are through the SkyMiles program. On certain routes and certain dates, you can book domestic flights for as few as 3,000 miles one-way. That price drops as low as 2,500 SkyMiles after the Delta cardmember discount.
Just keep in mind that this pricing typically only applies to basic economy awards — with all of the restrictions that come along with that.
Membership Rewards points transfer to Delta SkyMiles at a 1:1 ratio. However, you'll need to transfer in increments of 1,000 points — meaning you'd need to transfer 3,000 points to book the 2,500-mile award above. You'll also have to pay a pesky excise tax offset fee when transferring points to U.S. airlines like Delta. But more on that later.
Book Delta award flights from 7,500 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points
If you're flying on a route under 500 miles and Delta is charging 7,500 SkyMiles or more, check if an award flight is available through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club. Nonstop Delta award flights under 500 miles cost just 7,500 Virgin points.
Although 500 miles may not sound very far, hundreds of Delta routes fall in this distance band. When we dug into this sweet spot, we at AwardWallet found 460-plus Delta routes bookable for 7,500 Virgin points — including a couple of routes over 500 miles in distance — like Detroit to New York:
Book Delta award flights from 5,000 Air France/KLM Flying Blue miles
Air France and KLM's joint Flying Blue loyalty program is another option for booking Delta flights for fewer miles. Unlike Virgin Atlantic, Air France/KLM doesn't publish an award chart, so prices can fluctuate. But generally, you'll find award rates are cheaper than what Delta is charging in SkyMiles.
For instance, short routes like this one from Detroit (DTW) to Chicago (ORD) can be booked for as low as 5,000 miles each way in economy.
You should also keep in mind that with either Air France/KLM or Virgin Atlantic, you're always booking a Delta Main Cabin award ticket, not basic economy — which makes those award rates even more appealing.
JetBlue Award Flights From 4,750 Amex Points
Some of the cheapest domestic U.S. awards we could find using Amex Membership Rewards points are courtesy of the JetBlue TrueBlue program dynamic award pricing. You can currently score JetBlue flights for as cheap as 3,700 TrueBlue points between San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands:
Within the continental U.S., I'm finding JetBlue flights price as low as 3,900 points — such as between New York (JFK) and Washington D.C. (DCA) or Boston (BOS) and Presque Isle, Maine (PQI):
However, one downside of redeeming Amex points via JetBlue TrueBlue is that the transfer ratio is 5:4. That means you'll only receive 200 TrueBlue points for every 250 Amex points transferred. That means a 3,700-point award would require transferring 4,750 Amex points.
Make sure to factor this math, and the annoying excise tax (more on this in a bit), into your redemption planning.
American Airlines Award Flights From 6,000 Amex Points
While American Airlines isn't an Amex transfer partner, Membership Rewards points collectors can book American award flights through several Amex airline partners (all of which are 1:1 transfer partners).
Book American award flights from 6,000 Etihad Guest miles
Even after devaluations, you can still book American Airlines award flights under 500 miles for just 6,000 Etihad Guest miles in economy or 20,000 in business. That can be useful on dozens of routes where it would be a bit far to drive — such as from Charlotte to Philadelphia. But just be ultra careful of Etihad's award cancellation policy (it's punitive).
However, Etihad Guest award rates increase quickly on longer flights:
- 501-1,000 miles: 12,000 Etihad Guest miles
- 1,001-1,500 miles: 15,000 Etihad Guest miles
- 1,501-2,000 miles: 23,000 Etihad Guest miles
You should also be aware of Etihad Guest's annoying no-notice account suspensions if you redeem points shortly after transferring them in.
Book American award flights from 9,200 Qantas Frequent Flyer miles
Another overseas program that offers niche value for American Airlines flights is Qantas Frequent Flyer. Unfortunately, Qantas updated its award chart in August 2025, with sweeping devaluations for most redemptions. Now, American Airlines flights up to 600 miles in distance cost 9,200 Frequent Flyer miles one-way — although you might strangely see award prices slightly higher than that:
This quickly increases — the next distance band (601-1,200 miles) costs 13,800 miles each way in economy.
Although it might not represent the best rates out there, being able to book an American flight using Amex points is valuable any way you cut it.
Book American award flights from 9,500 Avios
Qatar Privilege Club still offers some niche value on American Airlines awards, even if British Airways devaluations have led to subpar redemptions. Keep in mind that you can easily transfer your Avios between Avios-earning accounts. If you find a great redemption through Qatar, but only have Avios in your British Airways or Iberia account, you're not out of luck.
Nonstop American Airlines award flights up to 650 miles can be booked through Qatar Privilege Club for 9,500 Avios each way (and there are hundreds of such routes):
During transfer bonuses — or if you just have a ton of Avios — longer flights might be a good deal using Qatar Avios. Just remember that you'll need to find a nonstop option to book at these rates:
- 651-1,150 miles: 13,000 Avios
- 1,151-2,000 miles: 14,500 Avios
- 2,001-3,000 miles: 16,000 Avios
Related: The 5 Best Uses of Qatar Airways Avios on Partner Airlines
Book American award flights from 10,000 Cathay Asia Miles
Lastly, you can transfer Membership Rewards to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles to book American Airlines award flights for 10,000 miles in economy or 20,000 in business for flights up to 750 miles in distance:
Note that the distance bands vary with each of the redemption methods we've discussed for booking American Airlines flights through partners. Pay attention to exactly how far your flight is to know which is the best partner. When in doubt, check availability through several partners to see where you find the best deal.
United Award Flights From 6,000 Amex Points
American Express Membership Rewards cardmembers have two great options for redeeming Amex points for short United flights: Air Canada Aeroplan and Avianca LifeMiles. Plus, Singapore Airlines' fixed-rate award pricing can be useful in niche situations.
Book United award flights from 6,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points
Aeroplan is the cheapest option, charging just 6,000 points for one-way awards up to 500 miles in distance. Flights don't have to be nonstop, but the total flight distance must be under 500 miles to qualify. Longer flights falling in the next distance band (501-1,500 miles) can be reasonable at 10,000 Aeroplan points.
Keep in mind that these are “starting at” points, so you might need to do some digging to find availability. Air Canada lists the median price of these awards as 12,900 points for flights under 500 miles and 13,600 points for flights between 501 and 1,500 miles.
When digging into this sweet spot, we found 680+ United routes bookable for 6,000 Aeroplan points — including a couple of routes right on the 500-mile threshold.
Book United award flights from 9,000 LifeMiles
Unfortunately, thanks to a LifeMiles devaluation, our favorite sweet spot (short-haul United routes for 6,500 LifeMiles) is gone. That said, you can still find nonstop United-operated flights for 10,000 LifeMiles, or 9,000 LifeMiles if you have a LifeMiles+ membership. This even works on short-haul international flights between the U.S. and Canada or Mexico.
Strangely, you can still find 7,500-LifeMile redemptions, but only on connecting itineraries.
These rates can be decreased even further thanks to frequent Amex-to-LifeMiles transfer bonuses.
Book United award flights for 14,000 Singapore KrisFlyer miles
Don't want to worry about how long your flight is? You can book domestic United flights for 14,000 Singapore KrisFlyer miles — no matter the distance. Just keep in mind that Aeroplan and LifeMiles will often be cheaper options.
Alaska Airlines Award Flights From 6,000 Amex Points
Although they are part of the same Oneworld alliance as American, the options for booking Alaska Airlines award flights are slightly different. And following the launch of Atmos Rewards, Alaska slashed many of its airline partnerships, making it more challenging to use Amex points to book award flights.
Book Alaska award flights from 6,000 Avios
When Hawaiian was removed as an Amex transfer partner in June 2025, we lost the best way to book Alaska awards with Amex points. However, you can book Alaska flights using your Iberia Avios at solid rates based on distance traveled.
Flights under 650 miles start at 6,000 in economy. Even long-haul flights remain affordable. One of Alaska's longest routes, Anchorage (ANC) to New York (JFK) comes in around 3,375 miles. This trip would cost just 20,750 Avios in economy or 62,000 Avios in business.
Book Alaska award flights from 10,000 Cathay Asia Miles
Like with American Airlines, you can book Alaska award flights with as few as 10,000 Cathay Asia Miles. For example, fly from Seattle (SEA) to Jackson Hole (JAC) during ski season for 10,000 Asia Miles.
The longer distance band (751-2,750 miles) can be useful on Alaska's routes to Alaska or Mexico. For example, escape from the heat of Las Vegas to Anchorage, Alaska, for just 15,000 Asia Miles.
Related: Maximizing Cathay Pacific Asia Miles: Updated Award Charts and 6 Best Uses
Book Alaska award flights from 11,500 Qantas Frequent Flyer miles
Qantas Frequent Flyer charges a higher award rate for award flights on Alaska than American Airlines. You'll need to pay 11,500 miles for routes up to 600 miles — instead of just 9,200 miles. That puts Qantas in the back of the pack. Longer flights cost even more:
- 601-1,200 miles: 16,100 miles
- 1,201-2,400 miles: 23,000 miles
- 2,401-3,600 miles: 28,200 miles
So, the same flight from Anchorage (ANC) to New York (JFK) that is bookable with just shy of 21,000 Avios would cost 28,200 Qantas Frequent Flyer miles. The only time this would make sense is if you find more availability through Qantas or you can take advantage of a transfer bonus.
What is the Excise Tax Offset Fee?
When you transfer your American Express Membership Rewards to a U.S. airline partner, you have to pay an excise tax offset fee of $0.0006 per point (up to $99). So, this comes into play when you transfer your points to Delta SkyMiles and JetBlue TrueBlue. For now, all of the other airline transfer partners available through Amex are international airlines.
Here's what this looks like in practice. For the JetBlue flight example above, you'll need to transfer 4,750 Membership Rewards points to receive 3,800 TrueBlue points to book the flight from San Juan (SJU) to St. Croix (STX). When you log in to your account to complete the transfer, you'll see the excise tax calculated for you. In this case, you'll pay a fee of $2.85. Keep in mind that this is in addition to the $5.60 taxes you'll pay to JetBlue to book the award ticket.
Final Thoughts
It may take a bit more effort than merely redeeming Membership Rewards for flights in the Amex Travel portal, but your points will go much further by transferring them to Amex’s travel partners. It’s a fantastic way to save Amex points and leverage them for valuable award redemptions.
Even though Amex may not directly partner with airlines like United or American, you can still use Amex points to fly on them by taking advantage of airline alliances. Keep this in mind the next time you need to travel domestically in the U.S. and want to do so on points.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees), American Express® Gold Card (Rates & Fees), and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
