Frequent flyers can use their credit card and convert Amex points into miles. The air mileage programs of twelve airlines are available. However, the exchange rates for Amex points and air miles vary depending on the airline. What do frequent flyers need to pay attention to, and when is it really worth collecting miles with a credit card?
According to a Statista survey, 73 percent of customers in Germany still prefer to pay with cash. After the debit card, the credit card is only in third place on the popularity scale of payment methods. It is no wonder that many credit card providers spice up their products with special bonus programs to make using the card more attractive to customers. At American Express, cardholders can collect points for every euro spent in the Membership Rewards program. If you travel a lot for business or pleasure, you can exchange Amex Membership Rewards points for air miles with selected airlines. We explain how this works and which exchange rates apply here.
Which airlines can I convert Amex points into miles with?
Collecting miles is popular with frequent flyers. Amex cardholders can also collect miles with certain airlines. To do this, simply convert your own Amex Membership Rewards points with the relevant points partners. The airlines have their own exchange rates for Amex points. Amex Membership Rewards points can be converted into air miles with these airlines:
- Asia Miles (Cathay Pacific mileage program): five Amex points = four Asia miles
- British Airways Executive Club: five Amex points = four Avios
- Delta Skymiles: three Amex points = two SkyMiles
- Emirates Skywards: five Amex points = four Skywards miles
- Etihad Guest: five Amex points = four Etihad Guest miles
- Finnair Plus: five Amex points = four Finnair Plus points
- Flying Blue (AirFrance and KLM miles program): five Amex points = four Flying Blue miles
- Ibera Plus: five Amex points = four Avios
- Qatar Privilege Club: five Amex points = four Avios
- SAS Eurobonus: five Amex points = four Eurobonus points
- Singapore Krisflyer: three Amex points = two Krisflyer miles
American Express cardholders automatically participate in the points program. For example, if you have an American Express Platinum Card, you collect one point for every euro you pay with the card. If the card is your main means of payment, you quickly accumulate points – and miles on your flight account depending on the exchange rate.
What credit card holders need to know when exchanging points
When exchanging Amex Membership Rewards points for miles, credit card holders should bear a few things in mind. Of course, the exchange only works if the credit card holders are also members of the respective airline’s mileage program.
The points transfer does not take place immediately. Similar to banking transactions, exchanging points for miles can take a few days. If you want to exchange your points for miles to book a flight, you should definitely take this transfer time into account. With some airlines, it can take more than two weeks for the miles to land in your account. Here is an overview based on transfer time:
- Up to 15 working days: Singapore Krisflyer
- Approximately seven working days: Qatar Privilege Club
- Approximately five working days: SAS Eurobonus, Etihad Guest, Delta Skymiles, British Airways Executive Club
- About three working days: Finnair Plus, Asia Miles
- Up to one working day: Ibera Plus, Flying Blue, Emirates Skywards
Amex Membership Rewards points can of course also be collected with the American Express Gold Card. Anyone who spends at least 4,500 euros in the first six months not only receives 4,500 membership points, but also a welcome bonus of 170 euros.
Miles can be collected with many credit card providers
American Express is by far not the only financial service provider that lets customers collect air miles. One of the best-known frequent flyer programs for collecting miles is Miles & More. Here, miles can be redeemed at around 40 airlines to book discounted flight tickets.
One way to collect air miles with Miles & More is with the Eurowings Premium credit card from Barclays. For every two euros spent on the card, one air mile is credited to the frequent flyer program. But be careful: the miles you collect are only valid for 36 months! So it’s worth using the miles quickly.
In comparison, collecting points with American Express is not time-limited. Amex points remain valid forever. This can be a big advantage for frequent flyers. If you are saving up for a long and expensive flight, you can collect as many Amex Membership Rewards points as you need and then exchange them all for miles in the airline’s frequent flyer program.
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Source: Stern
