Amex Membership Rewards Transfer Partners 2026

Miles & Points transfer map for roamingcactus.com, as of September 27, 2026 (PT). Linking rules, increments, and irreversible transfers follow Amex Membership Rewards terms. AwardWallet reported an Avios end clock of 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on September 27, 2026 (AwardWallet’s timezone, not an Amex public-page clock). Hilton-through-October-14 status and the post-Etihad roster should be re-checked on the live Amex transfer screen and a current bonus roundup before you transfer.

At a Glance: Amex Transfer Partners 2026 — roster after the Avios bonus

Real-World Examples

TL;DR – Verdict

Last updated: September 27, 2026 (PT).

Introduction

As of September 27, 2026 (PT), this is an evergreen partners guide, not a bonus-deadline map. The Avios 30% window has closed. Hilton Honors 30% through October 14, 2026 still appears in September 2026 lists and should be confirmed on your transfer screen.

Hilton elevated math, when it shows: 1,000 → 2,600 versus base 1:2. Avios is no longer on a 30% bonus as of September 27, 2026. Check your Amex transfer UI for whatever ratio is actually offered to you.

Soft eligibility is real. Amex transfer bonuses can be targeted or gated; Hilton is more often described that way than Avios. Traveling for Miles reports accounts seeing 20% or no Hilton bonus alongside the headline 30%. Before you move points, check the elevated ratio in your Amex transfer UI; that is the single practical gate that matters more than any roundup table.

The other 2026 change still confusing readers: Etihad Guest is no longer a U.S. Membership Rewards miles transfer partner. Transfers ended June 30, 2026. Pay with Points on Amex Travel for Etihad cash fares may still appear; that is not the same as transferring Membership Rewards into Etihad Guest miles. Leaders Club joined the hotel side around July 28, 2026 at 4:1 (1,000 → 250), a steep face ratio and a separate decision from any hotel bonus that may still be showing.

Default decision rule per Amex’s transfer FAQ and The Points Guy: do not transfer without a specific redemption in mind. Transfers cannot be reversed. Award pricing and availability can change. Travel after a bonus end date is fine if the transfer itself completes by the deadline.

Below: the closed Avios 30% window, the Hilton bonus still listed through October 14, when a transfer is actually worth making, the post-Etihad 2026 roster with tables, transfer mechanics from Amex terms, then a short conclusion and FAQ.

Past: Amex Transfer Bonus Avios 30% (Ended September 27, 2026)

U.S. American Express Membership Rewards offered a 30% transfer bonus to three Avios programs — British Airways Club, Iberia Club/Plus, and Aer Lingus AerClub — through September 27, 2026. That offer has ended. NerdWallet frames the window as starting August 3, 2026. Aer Lingus is in that three-partner set.

Base ratio: 1:1 (1,000 Membership Rewards → 1,000 Avios). During the expired 30% bonus the ratio was 1:1.3 (1,000 → 1,300 Avios). Standard transfers are 1:1 unless a new bonus is showing. Worked examples from the expired 30% ratio only: 10,000 → 13,000; 50,000 → 65,000; 54,000 → 70,200. While that bonus was live, it was typically reflected at transfer time, with no separate registration step. Transfers usually move in a 1,000-point minimum and 1,000-point increments. AwardWallet cites a single-transfer Avios maximum of 999,000 (AwardWallet reporting, not an Amex public-page term).

AwardWallet reported the end clock as 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on September 27, 2026. That window is closed; no Avios-bonus buffer remains. The Points Guy lists British Airways and Aer Lingus as often instant and Iberia up to 48 hours. Frequent Miler puts Iberia around 12–24 hours. AwardWallet notes promo-period transfers may take up to 72 hours.

After Avios land in one program, Combine My Avios can often move balances 1:1 among British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Qatar Privilege Club, Finnair Plus, and other programs named in The Points Guy’s Avios coverage. Some hops may require British Airways first. That is why the first-hop partner still matters for booking access and surcharge exposure even during a bonus.

The Avios 30% window ended September 27, 2026. Waiting for a future higher Avios percentage is speculation. Historical larger bonuses are context, not a promise of the next offer.

Full “should I transfer” framing sits in When to Transfer (No Avios Bonus Clock) below. Roster context, including partners without a live bonus, is in the 2026 roster section.

Still Listed: Hilton Honors 30% Through October 14

Separately, a 30% transfer bonus to Hilton Honors still appears in September 2026 roundups through October 14, 2026, and is often described as targeted. Confirm the ratio on the live Amex screen before moving points. Base: 1:2 (1,000 Membership Rewards → 2,000 Hilton). With 30%: 1:2.6 (1,000 → 2,600 Hilton Honors).

Targeting matters more here. Traveling for Miles reports both 20% and 30% variants in the wild around early September, plus accounts that see no bonus. Hilton is more often described as targeted than the Avios corridor. Doctor of Credit leans cautious: generally not worth draining flexible Membership Rewards into Hilton on valuation alone, except when you are topping off a specific booked or bookable stay.

Relative to Avios: there is no Avios-bonus deadline left. Hilton, if the elevated ratio is showing, has been listed through October 14. Do not drain Membership Rewards into Hilton unless a specific stay needs the points and an elevated ratio is actually showing. As of September 27, 2026 (PT), September bonus lists still name Hilton through October 14; they no longer describe Avios 30% as a reason to rush.

Hilton pill: 1,000 → 2,600 through Oct 14 · may be targeted · best framed as a top-off tool, not a default Membership Rewards dump.

When to Transfer (No Avios Bonus Clock)

This is a redemption-first decision tree, not a “transfer everything while there is a bonus” pitch.

Priority 1 — Avios only if an award is ready

There is no live Avios bonus deadline. Transfer to Avios only after award space and taxes/fees are locked, at whatever ratio your Amex screen shows. Partner choice still matters. The Points Guy frames Aer Lingus for Ireland-focused metal, Iberia for Spain and often lower surcharges, and British Airways for the broadest platform among the three (including some American Airlines / Alaska and Qatar Qsuite booking paths). Illustrative award prices from August/September 2026 articles are examples, not live inventory guarantees. Build a timing buffer for Iberia and for any promo-period delay.

Priority 2 — Hilton only for a booked stay top-off

Use the elevated 1:2.6 Hilton ratio when you need Hilton points for a specific stay and the math beats earning or buying Hilton another way. Do not drain flexible Membership Rewards into Hilton on valuation alone; Doctor of Credit frames that caution clearly. Because Avios 30% has ended, Hilton is the only remaining dated window on this page — and only if your Amex screen still shows the elevated ratio.

Default — hold flexible Membership Rewards

If neither redemption is real, hold the points. Transfers are final. You cannot use a live Avios 30% bonus anymore. Use Hilton only when a specific stay is real and the elevated ratio is showing; that is not a default “grab Hilton” recommendation. Etihad is not an option for new miles transfers. Leaders Club at 4:1 is a separate, steep-ratio hotel path for readers who already have a Leaders Club plan, not a live bonus overlay.

Travel dates can fall after a bonus ends; only the transfer date ever mattered. Waiting for a future 40% Avios offer is speculation, not a reason to skip or force an Avios award.

For a fuller decision framework, see when a transfer is worth it.

Amex Membership Rewards Transfer Partners 2026 Roster (Etihad Out)

After Etihad’s exit and the Leaders Club hotel add, U.S. Membership Rewards sits at about 16 airline + 4 hotel partners on current partner guides. Partners and ratios are subject to change; Amex directs cardmembers to the logged-in transfer experience rather than publishing a static public roster.

Airline partners

Hotel partners

For a broader points-currency comparison, see Amex Membership Rewards vs. Chase Ultimate Rewards and the Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners roster.

Live-bonus overlay: Avios 30% has ended. Only Hilton still appears with an elevated ratio in September 2026 roundups through October 14; confirm on the Amex screen. Other partners on this list remain at their base ratios unless your transfer screen shows otherwise.

Mechanics: Linking, Increments, Excise Fee, Transfers Final

Amex Membership Rewards terms and transfer FAQ (September 2026 terms PDF and transfer FAQ) set the baseline rules. What your account shows in the transfer screen is what you can move today.

• Link first. Connect the partner loyalty account before transferring. The account must belong to the Card Member or an Additional Card Member; an Additional Card must have been issued at least 90 days before linking.
• Minimum and increments. Typical minimum is 1,000 Membership Rewards points in 1,000-point increments.
• Transfers are final. Once completed, transfers are irreversible, which is why the “specific redemption first” rule matters.
• U.S. airline excise offset. U.S. airline transfers may incur a federal excise tax offset of $0.0006 per point, capped at $99.
• Partners change. Participating partners and ratios are subject to change. Bonuses may be targeted. The logged-in transfer screen is the source of truth for what you can move today.
• Timing buffer. British Airways and Aer Lingus are often instant; Iberia can take longer. AwardWallet notes promo transfers may take up to 72 hours. Leave room between any transfer and the booking if a partner posts slowly; there is no September 27 Avios-bonus buffer left.

When you’re ready to book the trip those points are for, search award flights on Seats.aero and compare hotels nearby on Stay22. We may earn a commission if you book through those links, at no extra cost to you.

Conclusion / Final Thoughts

As of September 27, 2026 (PT), the Amex Membership Rewards transfer map has one closed bonus, one still-listed hotel bonus, and one roster change that still confuses people. Avios 30% ended September 27. Hilton 30% still appears in September 2026 roundups through October 14 at 1,000 → 2,600 when the elevated ratio shows, useful for topping off a specific stay, not for dumping flexible points. Etihad Guest is out for U.S. miles transfers as of June 30, 2026; Pay with Points is not a substitute transfer corridor.

Who to transfer: ready Avios award → move at the ratio on your screen; else Hilton top-off by October 14 only if the elevated ratio is showing; else hold Membership Rewards. The post-Etihad roster is about 16 airline + 4 hotel partners, with Leaders Club as the notable 2026 hotel add at 4:1. Prefer Cathay at 5:4. Transfers are final; waiting on a future higher Avios percentage is speculation.

Re-check Hilton through October 14 on the live Amex transfer screen. Avios 30% is closed. Transfers remain final once completed.

Frequently Asked Questions