Your Points Value Will Drop by 50% After 15April.
ACT NOW to SAVE Your Points!!
Please see our detailed analysis below
Card names in blue are business cards, the rest are personal cards.
Platinum Reserve, Reward Advantage, Green & Gold cards, Biz accelerator card are no longer available on American Express website. However, existing card holders may continue using these cards.
Tier-I (Ascent Premium) Cards:
The below cards are classified by American Express as Ascent Premium Credit cards.
 The American Express Platinum Business Card* |
 The American Express Platinum Card |
 The American Express Rewards Advantage Card |
- Current redemption rate to Airline and Hotel Program
- Redemption rate to airline points is at the rate of 1 Membership Rewards point = 1 Airline Point, which includes Asia Miles, Emirates Skyward Miles, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Etihad Guest, Singapore-Krisflyer, Malaysian Enrich, Thai Royal Orchid Plus, Velocity FF and Virgin Atlantic.
- Redemption rate for Air New Zealand Airpoints is currently 100 Membership Rewards points = 1 Airpoint.
- The redemption at 1 to 1 to Emirate Skyward miles is exclusive to these cards and no other card points can be redeemed at this rate.
- Redemption to Qantas Frequent Flyer points is also exclusive to these cards apart from the Qantas American Express cards.
- The redemption rate to Hilton Honors program is at 1 Membership reward point = 1 HH point
- The redemption rate to Marriott Bonvoy at 3 Membership Rewards = 2 Marriott Points.
Redemption rate to Airlines and Hotel programs after 15th Apr - After 15th Apr, the redemption rate on all above airlines, changes to 2 membership reward points = 1 airline points (Air NZ is 200 Reward points = 1Airpoint), which is 50% reduction in the value of points redeemed.
- The redemption rate to Hilton Honors program will be 2 Membership Rewards points = 1 Hilton Honors points, where the redemption value decreases by 50%
- The redemption rate to Marriott program remains the same after 15Apr, 3 Membership Rewards points = 2 Marriott points
* There is an exception in case of Platinum Business Amex card, where the card could fall under the Ascent category (Tier-2) which are issued to some companies like Pharmacy, Dentist, etc. where the relevant redemption rates apply.
Tier-II (Ascent) Cards:
The below cards are classified by American Express as Ascent Credit cards.
 The American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card |
 The American Express Gold Card |
 The American Express Platinum Rewards Card |
 The American Express Green Business |
 The American Express Platinum Reserve Card |
 The American Express Gold Business Card |
 The American Express Business Card |
 The American Express Business Accelerator Card |
- Current redemption rate to Airlines and Hotel program
- Same as Tier – I cards except, to Emirates is at 4 Membership reward points = 3 Skyward Miles.
- Redemption rate to Airlines/Hotel Program After 15th Apr
- Same redemption rates as Tier-I cards
- The redemption rate changes to 2 membership reward points = 1 airline points, for all excluding Air New Zealand where the redemption rate is 200 membership reward points = 1 Airpoints, hence the redemption value decreases by 50% on all airlines and by 33% in case of Emirates Skyward Miles.
- These card points cannot be redeemed for Qantas FF points.
- The redemption rate to Hilton Honors program will be 2 Membership Rewards points = 1 Hilton Honors points, where the redemption value decreases by 50%.
- The redemption rate to Marriott program remains the same after 15Apr, 3 Membership Rewards points = 2 Marriott points.
Tier-III (Gateway) Cards
The below cards are classified by American Express as Gateway Credit cards.
 The American Express Explorer Credit Card |
 The American Express Essential Credit Card |
 The American Express Blue Credit Card* |
 The American Express Gold Credit Card* |
 The American Express Explorer Credit Card |
- Current redemption rate to Airlines & Hotel Programs
- Same as Tier-I cards
- Redemption rate to Airlines & Hotel Program After 15th Apr
- Same as Tier-I cards
- Currently, Redemption rate to eligible airlines* is at 4 Membership reward points = 3 airline points including Emirates- Skywards, and to Air New Zealand points is 400 reward points = 3 Airline points.
- The redemption rate to Hilton Honors program is at 1 Membership reward point = 1 HH point.
- The redemption rate to Marriott Bonvoy at 3 Membership Rewards = 2 Marriott Points.
- After 15th Apr, the redemption rate changes to 2 membership reward points = 1 airline points for all eligible airlines including Emirates and 200 reward points =1 airline point in case of Air New Zealand, which is 33% reduction in the redemption value.
- These card points cannot be redeemed for Qantas FF & Virgin Atlantic points.
- The redemption rate to Hilton Honors program will be 2 Membership Rewards points = 1 Hilton Honors points, where the redemption value decreases by 50%.
- The redemption rate to Marriott program remains the same after 15Apr, 3 Membership Rewards points = 2 Marriott points.
*There is an exception where the Personal Gold/Blue credit cards fall under the Ascent category (Tier-2 category) which are issued consumers who are Pharmacists, Dentists, etc. where the relevant redemption rates apply.
Summary
Please find below the major differences between the current points transfer rates and rates after 15April 2019
| Tier-I Premium |
Tier-II Ascent |
Tier-III Gateway |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Transfer Rates | ||||
| Airlines | Air New Zealand | 100:1 | 100:1 | 400:3 |
| Emirates | 1:1 | 4:3 | 4:3 | |
| Other Eligible Airlines | 1:1 | 1:1 | 4:3 | |
| Hotels | Hilton Honors | 1:1 | ||
| Marriot Bonvoy | 3:2 | |||
| After 15April, 2019 | ||||
| Airlines | Air New Zealand | 200:1 | ||
| Other Eligible Airlines | 2:1 | |||
| Hotels | Hilton Honors | 2:1 | ||
| Marriot Bonvoy | 3:2 | |||
| Qantas | Yes | No | No | |
| Virgin Atlantic | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Velocity | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-I Premium |
Tier-II Ascent |
Tier-III Gateway |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Transfer Rates | |||
| Air New Zealand | 100:1 | 100:1 | 400:3 |
| Emirates | 1:1 | 4:3 | 4:3 |
| Other Eligible Airlines | 1:1 | 1:1 | 4:3 |
| Hilton Honors | 1:1 | ||
| Marriot Bonvoy | 3:2 | ||
| After 15April, 2019 | |||
| Air New Zealand | 200:1 | ||
| Other Eligible Airlines | 2:1 | ||
| Hilton Honors | 1:1 | ||
| Marriot Bonvoy | 3:2 | ||
| Qantas | Yes | No | No |
| Virgin Atlantic | Yes | Yes | No |
| Velocity | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Transfer Your Hard Earned Amex Points Now to Airlines NOW!
You can use Amex website to transfer online, it usually takes few days to reach the airlines. If you have any trouble doing it online, you can ring Amex customer service to do it for you over the phone. Please also read the ‘Latest Update’ paragraph below.
If you use the points with Amex travel team or on Amex site, it generally costs more points than redeeming through airline reward program direct, at the level when you use the least points.
Where to Transfer to?
Please find below our recommended top five airline reward programs which are easy to use and cost the least amount of points for first and business class flights. These airlines are the most popular for first and business class travellers;
– Singapore Airlines Krisflyer
– Emirates Skywards
– Etihad Guest
– Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles
– Velocity
Qantas classic award flights have very limited availability. You will find availability at saver or flexi level, but it costs too many points! You are better off using cash and saving the points for class award flights. There’s often availability on other one world or partner carriers including Emirates on Qantas redemption program.
However, Qantas currently is offering up to 40% extra points to some frequent flyer members for transfer by 14th April, its the best time to transfer if you use Qantas points. (please consider the time it may take for the transfer from Amex to Qantas, you may need to take screen shot of transfer time. We recommend you call Qantas before doing it last minute)
You can consider Thai Airway Royal Orchid program for reutrn business or first flights on Thai Aiways, which costs less points than the top five airline reward programs. For one way flights, we recommend you use the top five.
Need Help?
Still not sure what to do? We can help you transfer and manage your points and maximise its value. If you have a portfolio of over 2 million reward points. Contact us to make an enquiry.
Latest Update
We contacted American Express office in Sydney and was notified that you do not have to transfer the points on Platinum cards, the points accumulated as on 15Apr are to be doubled and available no later than 16June’19. Therefore, you do not have to transfer the points earned on a platinum card.
As to the other Amex cards, you may also get double the points as of 15th April, however, its offered on individual basis, and you must contact Amex to request this. If successful, additional points will be available by 16June’2019.
