Can I Transfer My Amex Points To United Airlines? | Ultimate Transfer Guide

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American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred to United Airlines through partner programs, but not directly.

Understanding the Transfer Landscape Between Amex and United Airlines

The question “Can I Transfer My Amex Points To United Airlines?” often puzzles travelers eager to maximize their rewards. American Express Membership Rewards points are highly versatile, offering transfer options to numerous airline partners. However, United Airlines is not a direct transfer partner of Amex. This means you cannot move your Amex points straight into your United MileagePlus account.

United Airlines operates its frequent flyer program through MileagePlus, which is a separate rewards ecosystem. While Amex boasts a broad network of airline partners, United is notably absent from this list. The absence is primarily due to United’s membership in the Star Alliance and its own corporate partnerships with other credit card issuers like Chase.

But don’t be discouraged just yet—there are indirect ways to convert your Amex points into United miles by leveraging intermediary partners or alternative redemption strategies. This article dives deep into these options, explaining the nuances and providing practical steps for travelers looking to optimize their rewards.

Why Can’t You Transfer Amex Points Directly To United Airlines?

American Express Membership Rewards partners with over 20 airlines worldwide, including Delta, British Airways, Emirates, and Air France/KLM Flying Blue. Yet, United Airlines remains off the list. The primary reasons are:

    • Exclusive Partnerships: United has an exclusive credit card partnership with Chase through its co-branded MileagePlus credit cards. Chase Ultimate Rewards points can transfer directly to United MileagePlus but AMEX does not have this arrangement.
    • Alliance Dynamics: United is a key member of Star Alliance, which influences its partnerships and transfer agreements.
    • Competitive Positioning: American Express and Chase compete intensely in the credit card rewards space; hence their airline transfer partners rarely overlap.

This strategic landscape means that direct transfers from Amex to United simply aren’t available at this time.

Indirect Transfer Methods: How To Move Amex Points Towards United Flights

Since direct transfers aren’t an option, savvy travelers turn to indirect routes that convert Amex points into valuable travel credits or other loyalty currencies redeemable for United flights.

1. Transfer Through Marriott Bonvoy

One of the most popular workarounds involves using Marriott Bonvoy as an intermediary program. Marriott lets you convert points from various sources—including AMEX Membership Rewards—and then transfer those Marriott points to airline frequent flyer programs like United MileagePlus.

Here’s how it works:

    • Step 1: Transfer your Amex Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio.
    • Step 2: Convert Marriott Bonvoy points to United MileagePlus miles at a ratio of 3:1 (3 Marriott points = 1 United mile).
    • Bonus: For every 60,000 Marriott points transferred, you receive a 5,000-mile bonus—effectively increasing the value slightly.

While this method requires patience and careful calculation due to transfer ratios and timing, it remains one of the few legitimate paths for converting AMEX points into United miles.

2. Use Points To Book Flights Via Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)

Another option bypasses mileage conversion entirely:

    • You can redeem American Express Membership Rewards points for airfare through the Amex Travel portal.
    • This allows booking any flight on any airline—including United—using your points at a fixed rate (usually around 1 cent per point).

Though this method doesn’t add miles directly to your MileagePlus account, it’s flexible and straightforward. You get access to all available flights on united.com via the portal without worrying about award seat availability or blackout dates.

3. Gift Cards And Statement Credits

Less optimal but still viable are options where you redeem AMEX points for gift cards or statement credits that can offset travel expenses related to flying with United.

While these don’t increase your mileage balance or elite status progressions with United Airlines, they do help reduce out-of-pocket costs when booking flights.

The Role of Chase Ultimate Rewards in This Equation

Since Chase Ultimate Rewards is a direct transfer partner of United Airlines MileagePlus program, some travelers consider moving their AMEX points indirectly by first converting them into Chase points—but this is impossible due to lack of cross-transferability between AMEX and Chase.

However, if you hold both AMEX and Chase cards:

    • You can use AMEX Membership Rewards for airlines that partner with AMEX directly.
    • You can use Chase Ultimate Rewards for transferring directly to United Airlines.
    • This dual strategy maximizes flexibility across different airline programs.

Understanding each program’s unique strengths helps travelers plan how they accumulate and spend their points most effectively.

A Detailed Comparison Table: Key Airline Partners For AMEX vs. Chase Ultimate Rewards

Airline Program Amex Membership Rewards Transfer? Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer?
United Airlines MileagePlus No direct transfer available Yes – Direct transfer at 1:1 ratio
Delta SkyMiles Yes – Direct transfer at 1:1 ratio No direct transfer available
British Airways Avios (BA Executive Club) Yes – Direct transfer at 1:1 ratio Yes – Direct transfer at 1:1 ratio
SAS EuroBonus (Star Alliance) Yes – Direct transfer at 1:1 ratio; can be used on Star Alliance partners including United flights via award booking. No direct transfer available
Aeroplan (Air Canada Star Alliance) Yes – Direct transfer at 1:1 ratio; also part of Star Alliance allowing award bookings on united flights. No direct transfer available
Avianca LifeMiles (Star Alliance) Yes – Direct transfer at 1:1 ratio; another Star Alliance partner usable on united flights. No direct transfer available

This table highlights that while you cannot move AMEX points directly into your united.com account, you can utilize other Star Alliance partners within the AMEX network like Aeroplan or LifeMiles for booking flights operated by United Airlines.

The Power Of Booking Through Star Alliance Partners Using Amex Points Transfers

Even though there’s no direct link between American Express and united.com mileage accounts, transferring your Membership Rewards points to Star Alliance partners such as Air Canada Aeroplan or Avianca LifeMiles opens up opportunities.

These partner programs allow award bookings on all Star Alliance member airlines—including United—which means you can use transferred miles effectively for flights operated by United but booked through these programs.

The advantages include:

    • A wider variety of redemption options with competitive award pricing compared to booking directly through united.com mileage accounts.
    • The ability to book mixed-cabin itineraries combining multiple airlines within Star Alliance.

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    • Avoiding blackout dates or limited seat availability sometimes seen in united.com awards.

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    • Diverse stopover policies depending on partner program rules that might enhance itinerary flexibility.

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However, each program has its own booking interface and rules. Familiarity with these loyalty programs enhances success when redeeming transferred miles for travel on united.com-operated flights.

The Value Equation: Is Transferring Amex Points To Fly With United Worth It?

It’s crucial to evaluate whether indirect transfers or bookings justify the effort based on value per point metrics:

    • Mileage Conversion Rates: Transferring via Marriott Bonvoy incurs dilution due to exchange rates (3:1), reducing effective value.

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    • Award Availability: Some partner programs offer better redemption rates but may have limited availability on popular routes operated by united.com.

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    • Cents Per Point Value: Booking through the Amex Travel portal offers fixed redemption rates (~1 cent/point), which may be less than optimal compared with sweet-spot award redemptions via MileagePlus or Star Alliance partners.

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    • Loyalty Benefits: Booking through partners may not always earn elite qualifying miles or benefits associated with flying united.com tickets purchased outright using cash or MileagePlus miles.

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    • Certain Fees & Surcharges: Partner awards may impose higher taxes/fees than booking directly via united.com mileage redemptions.

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Weighing these factors helps determine whether transferring Amex points indirectly makes sense versus using other rewards currencies better aligned with united.com loyalty benefits.

The Process Step-By-Step For Transferring Through Marriott Bonvoy To United MileagePlus Miles

Here’s a detailed walkthrough if you choose the Marriott route:

    • Create/log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account linked with your American Express Membership Rewards account.

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    • Select “Transfer Points” from AMEX Membership Rewards dashboard; choose Marriott Bonvoy as recipient; initiate point conversion at a 1:1 rate (minimum thresholds apply).

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    • Your transferred Marriott Bonvoy points will appear in your account within minutes up to several days depending on processing times.

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    • Navigating within Marriott Bonvoy website/app select “Transfer Points” again; choose “United MileagePlus” as recipient airline program.

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    • You will need your MileagePlus number ready; initiate point conversion from Marriott Bonvoy at a rate of three Marriott points = one mile plus bonus miles for every block transferred above thresholds like 60k+points transferred receiving extra miles bonus.

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    • MileagePlus miles will typically post within two weeks but may vary based on system processing delays during peak periods.

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    • You can then log into united.com account and book award tickets using these newly acquired miles according to standard MileagePlus redemption charts and availability rules.

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Patience pays off here since this multi-step process takes time but opens doors otherwise closed by lack of direct transfers between American Express and united.com loyalty accounts.

Key Takeaways: Can I Transfer My Amex Points To United Airlines?

➤ Amex points cannot transfer directly to United Airlines.

➤ Transfer to partner airlines like Air Canada or ANA instead.

➤ Use partner miles to book United flights through alliances.

➤ Check transfer ratios and fees before converting points.

➤ Plan transfers carefully to maximize flight redemption value.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Transfer My Amex Points To United Airlines Directly?

No, you cannot transfer American Express Membership Rewards points directly to United Airlines. United is not a direct transfer partner of Amex due to exclusive partnerships and alliance dynamics. United’s MileagePlus program operates separately and is not included in Amex’s airline transfer network.

Why Are Amex Points Not Transferable To United Airlines?

The main reason is that United has an exclusive partnership with Chase, not Amex. Additionally, United’s membership in the Star Alliance and competitive positioning between Chase and American Express prevent direct transfer agreements between Amex and United Airlines.

Are There Indirect Ways To Use Amex Points For United Flights?

Yes, you can use intermediary partners to convert your Amex points into rewards usable for United flights. For example, transferring points to Marriott Bonvoy and then converting those to United miles is a common indirect method to access United flights using Amex points.

Which Partners Can Help Transfer Amex Points Towards United MileagePlus?

Marriott Bonvoy is a notable partner that allows point transfers from Amex Membership Rewards. You can transfer Amex points to Marriott, then convert Marriott points into United MileagePlus miles, enabling you to book flights with United indirectly using your Amex points.

Is It Worth Using Indirect Transfers From Amex To United Airlines?

Indirect transfers usually involve some loss in value due to conversion rates and additional steps. However, if you want to fly with United and only have Amex points, these methods can still provide good value when planned carefully. Always compare the redemption value before transferring.