Maximize your points & miles
Amex MR transfers 1:1 to 11 of the 18 programs tracked on Award Optimizer (plus 9 more airline and hotel partners not shown here). Here's where they shine brightest:
| Route | Best Amex Program | Miles (OW Business) | CPP | Cash Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYC → London | Virgin Atlantic | 47,500 | 5.3¢ | $2,500 |
| LA → Tokyo | Singapore KrisFlyer | 82,000 | 4.3¢ | $3,500 |
| NYC → Rio | Avianca LifeMiles | 63,000 | 4.0¢ | $2,500 |
| Chicago → Vancouver | Aeroplan | 25,000 | 3.2¢ | $800 |
Enter your route below to see real-time CPP across all 18 programs (Amex transfers highlighted):
Compare all Amex transfer options in the live search →
Pro tip: Use "My Points" feature to see if you have enough after transfers!
| Currency | # of Partners | Best Sweet Spot | Transfer Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amex MR | 12 | Delta One 50k | 1-2 days |
| Chase UR | 10 | United Dynamic | 1 day |
| Capital One | 9 | LifeMiles Sweet | 36 hours |
More from Award Optimizer: Chase UR Guide · Capital One Guide · Best Miles to Europe · Best Miles to Asia · Best Miles to Caribbean · Best Card Offers · All Destinations · Card Quiz
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It depends on the route. For transatlantic business class, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is the standout — it books Delta One for 50,000 points one-way. ANA Mileage Club prices Europe business at 88,000 miles round-trip, one of the strongest fixed rates anywhere, though ANA sells round-trips only. For Latin America, Avianca LifeMiles runs 35,000 miles one-way in business. Singapore KrisFlyer is the only way to book Singapore's own Suites and business cabins.
No. This is one of the most common misconceptions about Amex Membership Rewards. Of the major transferable currencies, only Bilt Rewards and Capital One reach JAL Mileage Bank directly. You can still fly JAL on Amex points, just indirectly — JAL is a oneworld carrier, so British Airways Avios and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles can both ticket JAL metal, and both are genuine 1:1 Amex partners.
Delta SkyMiles is the clearest one to think twice about. Delta prices awards dynamically with no published chart, so the same seat can cost wildly different amounts day to day, and transferred points get locked into that pricing with no way back. As a rule, transfer to a program with a published chart when you can — the predictability is worth more than a headline transfer bonus.
It varies by program, which matters more than it sounds. Some partners post nearly instantly; others take days. Never transfer speculatively hoping space appears — confirm the exact award seat is bookable first, because Amex transfers are irreversible and there is no way to move points back if the seat is gone when they land.
They win in different places rather than one beating the other outright. Amex reaches ANA, Singapore KrisFlyer, Cathay Asia Miles and Emirates, which Chase does not. Chase reaches United, Southwest and World of Hyatt, which Amex does not — and Hyatt in particular has no real Amex equivalent for hotel value. If you fly premium cabins internationally, Amex's airline bench is deeper. Holding both is what most serious award travelers end up doing.