Posted: July 9, 2026

Travel credit cards can be a great way to accumulate points and miles that you can transfer to a variety of airline and hotel partners, helping you save money on your travels. If you are looking to use American Express points, here is a helpful guide from the Flights From Home team on how to transfer your points, what airlines you can use them with, and more. (Have a different travel card? Check out our guides for Capital One, Chase, and Citi cards.)

Which airlines and loyalty programs can you transfer American Express points to?

American Express points can be directly transferred to 16 different airline loyalty programs:

Aer Lingus AerClub
Aeromexico Rewards
Air Canada Aeroplan
ANA Mileage Club
Avianca Lifemiles
Cathay Pacific
Delta SkyMiles
Emirates Skywards
Iberia Plus
Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
JetBlue TrueBlue
Qantas Frequent Flyer
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Singapore Airlines
British Airways Club
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Most airlines 1:1 transfer ratio for American Express rewards (1,000 points convert to 1,000 miles to that program), with some airlines having a lower ratio. You can see how your American Express points will transfer to each loyalty program here.

American Express also has a line of co-branded cards with Delta Airlines, with many offering free bags and preferred boarding on Delta flights, and more SkyMiles miles earned on your purchases.

How to transfer your points

To transfer your points, you’ll want to log in to your Amex account, navigate to the “Explore Rewards” section, click “Earn and Redeem” from the menu, and then select “Transfer points” from the drop-down. From there, you’ll see a list of transfer partners, and you’ll be able to select one and complete the transfer process.

Remember, point transfers are irreversible, so know how many points you need to transfer before doing so. Best practice is to search for your flight first and then transfer the amount of points you need for that flight.

Can you use American Express points for Delta flights?

Yes, American Express points can transfer to Delta SkyMiles. Currently, most cards transfer at a 1:1 ratio, meaning 1,000 Amex points can become 1,000 SkyMiles. Be mindful that transferring Amex points to U.S. Airlines as it does carry a small fee (more on that below), but you can avoid that fee by booking Delta flights through an international airline partner, such as Air France or KLM. (This does not apply to an Amex Delta SkyMiles card, as those points are automatically distributed to your SkyMiles account.)

In order to do this, you’ll first need to create a Flying Blue account. Once you have an account set up, you’ll then want to search for your flight on the Air France or KLM booking website.

You’ll plug in the flight you are searching for and then make sure the “Book with Miles” toggle is on. (If you aren’t signed into your Flying Blue account, turning on the toggle will prompt you to log in first.)

Flights that are operated by Delta will have the Delta logo in the left-hand corner. Once you find the flight you want, you’ll then want to transfer the amount of miles that you need from your Citi account to the Flying Blue rewards program.

This trick also works with other airline programs that are in the same airline alliance as Delta, such as Virgin Atlantic.

What are the associated fees when transferring and then booking with American Express points?

If you are transferring points to a U.S. Airline’s frequent flyer program, there is a federal excise tax offset fee, 60 cents per 1,000 points transferred, with a maximum of $99. Currently, American Express points only transfer to two U.S. airlines — Delta and JetBlue — and this fee only applies to those transfers. You may be able to avoid this fee through booking with an international airline partner, such as Air France for Delta flights.

Do American Express points ever expire?

No, as long as your account is open and in good standing, your points will never expire.

What are some of the best ways to earn American Express points?

Many American Express cards offer welcome bonuses for spending a certain amount within the first few months you have the card. For example, the American Express Gold card often offers 60,000 bonus miles if you spend $8,000 on the card within the first 6 months of opening your account.

Some American Express cards also qualify for the Refer a Friend program, where you can receive bonus points for successfully referring someone to an American Express credit card.

You’ll also earn points as you spend on the card, with different Amex cards having different point earnings based on category.

Are point transfers reversible?

No, point transfers are not reversible. We recommend searching for the flight you want first to determine how many points it will cost, and then transferring the amount you need to purchase.

How can I find flight deals using Points & Miles?

Points & miles deals can be a little trickier to find than regular cash deals. Here are some tips to find deals:

Sign up for email alerts from your favorite airlines and follow them on social media. Airlines will often send an email and/or post about a sale happening, letting you know when there might be a discount.
Be flexible when looking for points & miles deals. The best savings come when you're able to book a random deal, often to a destination that is not on your radar or calendar.
If you are a Flights From Home Premium+ or Luxury member, we find flight deals for you using Points & Miles departing out of Salt Lake City. We currently look for P&M deals on Delta, Alaska, Southwest, and American flights. Sign up hereto get P&M deals sent to your email!
Take advantage of transfer bonuses! Some airlines will offer bonuses when transferring points from your credit card, like American Express, to use for that airline. For example, an airline may offer a 20% transfer bonus, allowing for 1,000 credit card points to become 1,200 miles on that airline.