How long do AMEX Membership Rewards points transfers take? TravelSort reader Craig writes “How long do AMEX Membership Rewards points transfers to airline partners such as Delta take? I thought most transfers were instant, but it's been 5 hours since I transferred points and no miles yet in my Delta SkyMiles account.”
AMEX Membership Rewards has 19 airline and hotel transfer partners, although some are more useful transfer partners than others (bolded below). While most transfers are 1:1, that is if you transfer 1000 AMEX Membership Rewards points you receive 1000 frequent flyer miles or hotel points, some are not, so I've included those details as well.
AMEX Membership Rewards Transfer Partners, Transfer Ratio and Transfer Times
| Transfer Partner | Transfer Ratio | Official AMEX Transfer Time | Typical Transfer Time |
| Aeromexico | 1000:1000 | Up to 14 days | 2-12 days |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1000:1000 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
| Air France Flying Blue | 1000:1000 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
| Alitalia Millemiglia | 1000:1000 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
| ANA | 1000:1000 | Up to 7 days | 2-3 days |
| British Airways | 250:200 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 1000:1000 | Up to 90 days | 1 day to 1 week |
| Delta SkyMiles | 1000:1000 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
| El Al | 1000:20 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
| Emirates Skywards | 1000:1000 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 1000:1000 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
| Iberia | 250:200 | Up to 7 days | 1-3 days |
| JetBlue True Blue | 250:200 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
| Singapore KrisFlyer | 1000:1000 | Up to 7 days | 1-2 days |
| Virgin America Elevate | 200:100 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1000:1000 | Up to 48 hours | 1-2 days |
| Choice Privileges | 1000:1000 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
| Hilton HHonors | 1000:1500 | Up to 24 hours | Instant |
| SPG | 1000:333 | Up to 48 hours | Instant |
FAQ
Why am I Being Charged an Excise Tax Fee?
AMEX Membership Rewards charges an excise tax offset fee of $0.0006 per point, maximum fee of $99, to offset the federal excise tax AMEX pays when you transfer points to a U.S. based frequent flyer program. As such, the excise tax fee applies to transfers to:
- Delta SkyMiles
- Hawaiian Airlines
- JetBlue True Blue
- Virgin America Elevate
Can Airline Frequent Flyer Miles be Transferred to AMEX Membership Rewards Points?
No; airline miles can't be transferred into AMEX Membership Rewards points, and points transfers (except in the limited circumstance of fraud or inadvertent transfer to an account that isn't yours) cannot be reversed. So double check the account you're transferring to, in order to ensure it's the correct frequent flyer account.
What If My AMEX Points Don't Transfer Instantly to a Program Where They Should?
Call AMEX Membership Rewards at 800-297-3276 to double check that you didn't inadvertently transfer them to a different account than you thought you did.
Help! I Did Transfer Them to a Wrong Account, Which Isn't Mine!
If this happens to you, call AMEX Membership Rewards at the number above to have it corrected. Note that this can take 4-5 business days.
How long has it taken for your recent AMEX Membership Rewards points transfers to partners?
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