Last month, Amex added Etihad Guest as a transfer partner, letting you convert Membership Rewards points into Etihad Guest miles at a 1:1 ratio. While you can use Etihad Guest miles to book flights operated by the carrier, including Etihad's fantastic A380 Apartment, you can often get even more value by using those miles to book partner flights, such as those operated by American Airlines.
For example, here's what you'll need to redeem for a one-way flight from New York to Los Angeles:
| Program | Economy (Miles) | Economy (MR Points) | 2-Cabin Business/First (Miles) | Business/First (MR Points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia Miles (Cathay Pacific) | 20,000 | 20,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| British Airways Executive Club | 12,500 | 15,625 | 37,500 | 46,875 |
| Etihad Guest | 12,500 | 12,500 | 25,000 | 25,000 |
As you can see, Etihad comes out ahead of Amex's two other transfer partners that allow you to book AA flights: Asia Miles and British Airways. There are many other deals to be had on American Airlines flights and those operated by Etihad's other partners.
And now there's more good news! To celebrate the new partnership, Amex is offering a 30% bonus when you transfer points through June 15, 2016. Under the current promo, you'll get 1,300 Etihad Guest miles for every 1,000 Membership Rewards points you transfer. Not a bad deal!
With the current promotion, you'll need just 10,000 Membership Rewards points for a one-way American Airlines flight within the US (in economy) or 20,000 points for a one-way business or first-class flight, and you'll have a few Etihad miles to spare.
H/T: View from the Wing
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