Transferring Amex Membership Rewards points

A practical walkthrough for moving points between two people, and the questions worth answering before anyone transfers anything.

American ExpressAmex Membership Rewards

The short answer

Amex generally does not let you move Membership Rewards points into another person's Membership Rewards account. Points normally leave the program by transferring to an airline or hotel loyalty account, and Amex sets rules on which accounts you may transfer to. Check those rules before agreeing a deal.

Step by step

  1. Understand what is actually possible

    If a deal assumes points can be pushed straight into another person's Membership Rewards balance, check that assumption first — that is generally not how the program works. Most exchanges depend on a transfer to a partner loyalty account instead.

  2. Check whose loyalty account you may transfer to

    Amex has rules about adding and transferring to loyalty accounts, including accounts that are not your own. Read the current terms in your Membership Rewards account before you commit, and expect registration or verification steps.

  3. Budget for time and any charges

    Partner transfers can take anywhere from minutes to several days depending on the program, and transfers may carry a fee or tax reporting implications. Confirm both before agreeing a price.

  4. Transfer from your own account only

    Complete the transfer yourself while signed in to Amex. Never share your login, one-time passcode, or card details with the other member — no legitimate transfer needs them.

  5. Verify the balance, then close out

    Check the points have arrived in the receiving loyalty program before treating the exchange as finished. Partner transfers are generally irreversible.

Confirm with the program first

Loyalty programs change these rules without much notice, so treat anything you read here — or anywhere else — as a prompt to check the source rather than a guarantee.

  • Whether you can transfer to a loyalty account in someone else's name
  • Any registration or waiting period on a newly added account
  • Current transfer ratios, fees, and processing times
  • Any limits on how much can move in a period

Red flags

  • Anyone asking for your login, password, or a one-time code
  • Pressure to move quickly or to continue off-platform
  • A third party offering to run the transfer on your behalf
  • Refusing to put the agreed sequence in writing