HomeCredit CardsAmexAmex is offering a 40% bonus for transfers to Avios

Amex is offering a 40% bonus for transfers to Avios [Targeted]


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American Express is now offering targeted cardholders the opportunity to transfer Membership Rewards points into one of two Avios programs while locking in a 40% transfer bonus. The bonus is valid for transfers to the British Airways Executive Club and Aer Lingus Aer Club (but not Iberia Plus) and will be available for the next six weeks.

The Amex website has been suffering from a variety of issues today but if you hold a Membership Rewards card and can log in to your account, you may find that Amex has targeted you for a 40% bonus on transfers to BA and Aer Lingus.

I can see the British Airways bonus from my Amex homepage…a screenshot of a card

…and I can see the Aer Lingus offer on the Membership Rewards transfer partners page.

This is what the offer looks like regardless of which loyalty program you’d like to transfer points:

a white text on a white background

Keep in mind that it doesn’t really matter which of the two programs you transfer points to as Avios can be moved seamlessly between the British Airways Executive Club and Aer Club.

Should You Transfer Points Across To Avios?

Possibly.

I value Membership Rewards points at a conservative 1.5 cents each while I value British Airways Avios at just 1 cent each so, based just on that, a 40% bonus isn’t really worth considering. Sometimes, however, the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

There will be circumstances where you can get significantly more value out of Avios than the 1 cent at which I value them so, if you have a solid plan for the Avios you’ll generate by converting Membership Rewards points, there’s every chance this could be a bonus worth considering.

Very short routes

Some of the more popular and very short routes within the US (like New York to Washington D.C.) cost just 7,500 Avios + $5.60 (in taxes and fees) so when the cash rates on these routes are high, using Avios to make the booking instead of cash can easily see a traveler getting over 2.5 cents of value out of each Avios used.

Expensive short leisure routes

Also, some of the more popular leisure routes are being priced higher than normal right now so if you see an expensive fare on a short-ish American Airlines route on which awards are available…

a screenshot of a web page

…Avios may be able to save the day:

a screenshot of a flight schedule

Using the example above, someone using Avios to book this fare would be getting ~2.83 cents of value out of each Avios they used and that’s pretty good going if each of those Avios was generated from a currency valued at just 1.5 cents.

Qatar Airways

It’s also worth remembering that Qatar Airways is now using Avios as its loyalty currency and while historically Avios long-haul redemptions have been accompanied by horrendous surcharges, that’s not really the case with Qatar Airways Avios redemptions.

With Qatar Airways charging just 70,000 Avios (+ surcharges) for a one-way Business Class fare between Los Angeles and Doha (for example), someone targeted for this transfer offer would need just 50,000 Membership Rewards points to make that booking. Considering the distance being traveled and the quality of Qatar Airways Business Class, that’s a fantastic deal.

Bottom Line

There’s definitely value to be had in transferring Membership Rewards points over to the British Airways Executive Club while there’s a 40% bonus on offer but you should only be doing this when you have a plan for Avios you’ll be generating.

Nobody should be generating Avios in the hope of using them at some vague point down the line as there’s no knowing what will happen with the currency before the Avios get used. If, however, you can see an award that you’d like to book and the math makes sense, transferring Membership Rewards points to Avios to allow you to book that award could make a lot of sense.

One Of The Best Amex Cards Around

a close-up of a credit cardThe card_name offers the best earnings rates for spending at US supermarkets and on dining out of any American Express Membership Rewards card, and it offers cardholders the opportunity to earn a variety of statement credits which can help offset the annual_fees annual fee (rates & fees).

Currently, if you successfully apply for the card_name, you can bonus_miles_full

The Great Benefits (terms apply & enrollment may be required)

  • Earn 4 points/dollar on up to $25,000 of eligible spending at U.S supermarkets per year (1 point/dollar thereafter)
  • Earn 4 points/dollar on dining, takeout (including Uber Eats) and delivery in the U.S.
  • Earn 3 points/dollar on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel
  • Get up to $10/month in dining credits (at select eateries)
  • Get $10/month in Uber Cash credits/Uber Eats credits in the U.S. (up to $120/year)*
  • Get a $100/year Hotel Collection credit (2 night stay required)

*The Gold card must be added to the Uber app to receive this benefit

Click for more details on the card_name

Regarding Comments

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