Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
GUIDE
US Transferable Points Transfer Ratios Compared
A transfer ratio is the rate at which points in a credit-card rewards currency become miles or points in an airline or hotel loyalty currency once the cardholder moves them across. American Express Membership Rewards, one of the US transferable points programmes, lets eligible customers transfer points to participating frequent flyer or hotel loyalty programmes, and the transferred balance is then redeemed directly with that airline or hotel under its own terms. [7]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- A transfer moves a points balance out of a card rewards account and into a separate airline or hotel loyalty account, where it is redeemed with that programme. [7]
- At American Express, all points transfers are final and cannot be reversed, so the award being booked has to be checked before the transfer is confirmed. [7]
- The name on the card and the name on the partner loyalty account must be the same for the accounts to be linked and the transfer to succeed. [7]
What a transfer ratio decides
Moving points across is a two-step arrangement. The cardholder links the rewards account to a partner loyalty programme account and transfers the points; the airline or hotel programme credits its own currency, and the cardholder then redeems that currency directly with the airline or hotel for the booking. [7]
Because the partner programme does the crediting, the second half of the redemption runs on the partner's rules. American Express states that once points are transferred to a partner programme account they are subject to that partner loyalty programme's terms and conditions. [7]
That is why the figure worth confirming before a transfer is not only the conversion rate but the award itself. American Express advises cardholders to check availability and how many points are needed before completing a transfer made to book a flight or a hotel room. [7]
What has to be in place before points move?
The accounts have to be connected first: the Rewards Account must be linked to the participating partner frequent flyer or hotel loyalty programme account before any points can be moved. [7]
The names on the two accounts must match. American Express says the name on the card and the name on the selected partner loyalty account must be the same for the accounts to be linked and for the points transfer to be successful. [7]
The partner account also has to belong to the right person. It must be held by the cardholder or by an Additional Card Member linked to the Rewards Account, and an Additional Card must have been issued to that Additional Card Member at least 90 days before the Membership Rewards account is linked to their partner programme account. [7]
After the transfer, the next step is to look at the partner account rather than the card account: American Express directs cardholders to check the frequent flyer or hotel loyalty programme account to confirm the points have arrived before redeeming. [7]
Where can you check each programme's partners and ratios?
Each rewards currency has its own partner list and its own published ratios, so the conversion figures sit with the programme rather than with the airline or hotel. The reference pages below cover partners and ratios currency by currency. [7]
| Programme | Reference page |
|---|---|
| American Express Membership Rewards | Membership Rewards (US) programme overview |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | Ultimate Rewards transfer partners and ratios |
| Citi ThankYou Rewards | ThankYou Rewards transfer partners and ratios |
| Capital One Miles | Capital One Miles transfer partners and ratios |
| Wells Fargo Rewards | Wells Fargo Rewards transfer partners and ratios |
| Bilt Rewards | Bilt Rewards transfer partners and ratios |
Exceptions and limits
- No reversal. All points transfers are final and cannot be reversed, so a transfer sent to the wrong programme, or made before an award is confirmed, cannot be pulled back. [7]
- Name mismatch stops the transfer. Where the name on the card and the name on the partner loyalty account differ, the accounts cannot be linked and the transfer will not be successful. [7]
- Accounts held by other people. The partner account must be held by the cardholder or by an Additional Card Member linked to the Rewards Account, and the Additional Card must have been issued at least 90 days before linking. [7]
- Participating partners only. Membership Rewards points move to the frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programmes that participate, and each transfer requires the Rewards Account to be linked to that specific partner account first. [7]
- The partner's rules take over. After the points arrive, the partner loyalty programme's terms and conditions govern them rather than the card programme's. [7]
Frequently asked questions
Can you undo a points transfer?
No. American Express states that all points transfers are final and cannot be reversed. [7]
Can Membership Rewards points be sent to someone else's airline account?
The partner account must be held by the cardholder or by an Additional Card Member linked to the Rewards Account, and the Additional Card must have been issued at least 90 days before the accounts are linked. [7]
What should be checked before confirming a transfer?
Check the award availability and how many points are needed before completing a transfer made for a flight or hotel booking, because the transfer is final once sent. [7]
Whose terms apply once the points have arrived?
The partner loyalty programme's terms and conditions apply to points held in that account, and the award is redeemed directly with the airline or hotel. [7]
Sources
Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. Ratios for Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Capital One Miles, Wells Fargo Rewards and Bilt Rewards are not covered here; the reference table above points to the pages that carry them, and Membership Rewards transfer-partner ratios are not tabulated on this page.
- American Express: How do I transfer Membership Rewards points?, checked 18 October 2026