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This Amex transfer bonus is no longer available. Here's our full list of current transfer bonuses.
American Express is offering a 20% transfer bonus to Etihad Guest when you convert Membership Rewards points — but only for a limited time. This potentially targeted offer gives you the chance to stretch your Amex points further on Etihad-operated flights and partners like American Airlines and JetBlue.
Whether you’re eyeing a quick domestic hop on American or top-notch luxury in Etihad Apartments, here's what you need to know before you transfer your Amex points to Etihad.
Key Terms of This Amex to Etihad Transfer Bonus
- Receive up to a 20% bonus when you transfer American Express Membership Rewards to Etihad Guest. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to transfer Amex points.
- The offer may be targeted. Log into your account to see what your promotion is.
- The promotion is valid for transfers through an unpublished end date.
- The minimum transfer is 1,000 points
- You must be an Etihad Guest member to take part in the promotion.
- The promotion is hardcoded in the transfer, meaning you'll receive the transferred points plus bonus miles in one transaction.
Using Etihad Guest Miles
Etihad's Etihad Guest mileage program has undergone several changes over the past year. First, in March 2023, Etihad standardized its partner award chart, eliminating niche sweet spots for a predictable award chart valid on every partner.
Then, in February 2024, Etihad announced changes to its award chart for Etihad-operated flights. This change was set to debut in June 2024, but Etihad has already implemented the new award pricing.
While these changes have eliminated many of the best uses of Etihad miles, some gems are still available.
Business class to the Middle East for 100k Amex points
For instance, U.S.-based travelers now need to redeem no fewer than 120,000 Etihad Guest miles for Etihad business class between the U.S. and Abu Dhabi. With this transfer bonus, you'll need to transfer 100k Amex Membership Rewards to fly to the Middle East in style. Just note that Etihad will try to upsell you to much much more expensive fares:
Etihad First Class for 134k Amex points
Or, splurge for Etihad's excellent Apartment first class for as few as 160,000 Etihad Guest miles each way — requiring a transfer of 134k Amex points with a 20% transfer bonus.
Just note that the taxes and fees are much higher when booking through Etihad Guest than some partner programs like American Airlines AAdvantage — if you can find Etihad availability through American Airlines.
JetBlue Mint to Europe from 50k Amex points
Etihad Guest miles can also be quite useful on partners. For instance, through Etihad's partnership with JetBlue, you can fly JetBlue Mint to Europe for as few as 60,000 Etihad Guest miles. That requires a transfer of just 50k Amex points to book lay-flat business class to Europe!
American Airlines Flagship Business Class to Sydney for 117k Amex points
If you can plan a trip at the drop of a hat, American Airlines often releases saver award availability on its route from Los Angeles to Sydney. You can book this availability through Etihad Guest for a weirdly specific 139,999 Etihad Guest miles. That requires a transfer of 117k Amex points during this transfer bonus.
Domestic American Airlines awards from 5k Amex points
A more practical use of Etihad Guest miles would be for domestic American Airlines routes. American routes under 500 miles in distance cost just 6,000 Etihad Guest miles. That means you'd only need to transfer 5k Amex points to book a domestic American Airlines flight with a 20% transfer bonus.
Related: Best Ways To Redeem Amex Membership Rewards Points for U.S. Domestic Flights
Etihad Guest Expiration Policy
Before taking advantage of this Amex transfer bonus, keep in mind that Etihad Guest miles do expire! Specifically, Etihad Guest miles expire after 18 months of no qualifying activity for Bronze, Silver, and Gold members. Each eligible miles transaction extends the validity by an additional 18 months. Etihad Guest Platinum members never have to worry about Etihad Guest miles expiration.
There are many ways that members can extend the validity of their mileage balance. These include earning, spending, and buying Etihad miles. However, it's important to note that you can only extend your miles once every month.
Thankfully, U.S.-based members can transfer the following types of points to Etihad Guest to reset their mile expiration. In specific, American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Citi ThankYou Rewards all transfer within an hour at a ratio of 1:1. In addition, you can transfer 3:1 from Marriott Bonvoy (with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 20,000 miles received in your Etihad Guest account.)
Our Take
A 20% transfer bonus to Etihad Guest is a nice surprise — especially given how rare these Amex-to-Etihad bonuses are. That said, Etihad's frequent (and sometimes sudden) program changes mean you should only transfer points if you have a near-term redemption in mind.
If you’re targeted and ready to book one of the remaining sweet spots, this could be a solid deal. Just don’t transfer speculatively — Etihad Guest miles do expire, and the value proposition can change quickly.
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