Transfer Amex Membership Rewards to British Airways With a 40% Bonus
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Just last week, American Express improved the transfer ratio to a flat 1:1 for both British Airways Avios and Iberia Plus Avios. This move surely in an improvement over the old ratio of 5:4, but now, Amex is sweetening that deal even more with a 40% bonus on transfers to BA and Iberia.
During the promotion, which runs until September 17, 2017, you'll get 350 Avios for every 250 Membership Rewards points you transfer. As a reminder Amex Membership Rewards transfer to both BA and Iberia instantly, so you'll have the points in your account for nearly immediate use.
You can earn Membership Rewards points from American Express cards such as The Platinum Card® from American Express, the Business Platinum Card® from American Express and the Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card from American Express.
British Airways has a distance-based award chart. However, keep in mind that British Airways is notorious for its sometimes-sky-high taxes and fees on award tickets. Nonetheless, here's the carrier's award chart, which has both peak and off peak rates:
| Zone/Flight Distance | Economy Off Peak / Peak | Premium Economy Off Peak / Peak | Business Off Peak / Peak | First Off Peak / Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Zone 1 (1-650 miles) | 4,000 / 4,500 | 5,750 / 6,750 | 7,750 / 9,000 | 15,500 / 18,000 |
Zone 2 (651-1,150) | 6,500 / 7,500 | 9,500 / 11,250 | 12,750 / 15,000 | 25,500 / 30,000 |
Zone 3 (1,151-2,000) | 8,500 / 10,000 | 12,750 / 15,000 | 17,000 / 20,000 | 34,000 / 40,000 |
Zone 4 (2,001-3,000) | 10,000 / 12,500 | 20,000 / 25,000 | 31,250 / 37,500 | 42,500 / 50,000 |
Zone 5 (3,001-4,000) | 13,000 / 20,000 | 26,000 / 40,000 | 50,000 / 60,000 | 68,000 / 80,000 |
Zone 6 (4,001-5,500) | 16,250 / 25,000 | 32,500 / 50,000 | 62,500 / 75,000 | 85,000 / 100,000 |
Zone 7 (5,501-6,500) | 19,500 / 30,000 | 39,000 / 60,000 | 75,000 / 90,000 | 102,000 / 120,000 |
Zone 8 (6,501-7,000) | 22,750 / 35,000 | 45,500 / 70,000 | 87,500 / 105,000 | 119,000 / 140,000 |
Zone 9 (7,001+) | 32,500 / 50,000 | 65,000 / 100,000 | 125,000 / 150,000 | 170,000 / 200,000 |
Some of the best value you can get out of BA Avios comes in the form of short-haul awards. For example, a short-haul partner award will run you just 4,500 Avios, meaning you'd have to transfer 3,250 MR points to yield 4,550 Avios with the 40% bonus. Remember that BA did away with these 4,500-point short-haul awards in the US, but you can still redeem for short-haul awards with Oneworld partner American Airlines for awards in the US for 7,500 Avios. In that case, those 7,500 Avios would require 5,500 Membership Rewards points, which would yield 7,700 Avios with the transfer bonus.
Or, consider some long-haul awards, such as these sweet spots to Dublin (DUB) from several East Coast cities. For example, you can fly from New York (JFK) to DUB for 13,000 Avios one-way in economy, which could be had for 9,500 Membership Rewards points, which converts to 13,300 Avios with the 40% bonus.
Check out this post for more ways to maximize the British Airways Executive Club program in 2017.
Here's a peek at Iberia's award chart, which also offer both peak and off-peak distance-based awards:
For example, a one-way flight in premium economy from New York (JFK) to Madrid (MAD) will cost you 25,500 Avios. If you take advantage with this 40% transfer bonus, you'll need to transfer 18,250 Membership Rewards points, which will convert to 25,550 Iberia Plus Avios. Or, you could take the economy (Blue Class) route for 17,000 Avios, which would cost just 12,250 Membership Rewards points.
Bottom Line
This is a pretty great offer from American Express, offering cardholders the chance to get even more value from their points, especially just after announcing the improved transfer ratio.
However, this offer won't be around forever — it ends on September 17, 2017. While it's not a ton of time, you could still be able to increase your stash by signing up for new Membership Rewards-earning credit cards, such as the Amex Platinum Card. The card currently comes with a sign-up bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $5,000 in the first three months. With the card's new benefits, you'll earn 5x points on airfare booked directly with an airline, hotels booked on amextravel.com, $200 in annual Uber rides, a $200 airline fee credit and more.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.