The Ultimate Guide to What Credit Cards Transfer to American Airlines

If you're an American Airlines loyalist, you're in luck. Many credit cards offer transfer options to American Airlines miles, making it easier to redeem flights, upgrades, and other perks.

Some popular credit cards that transfer to American Airlines miles include the Citi Premier Card, which transfers 1:1 to American Airlines AAdvantage miles, and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which transfers miles at a 2:1:1 ratio to American Airlines AAdvantage miles.

Transferring miles from a credit card can be a convenient way to boost your airline loyalty program balance, especially if you have a stash of miles earning credit card rewards.

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If you're looking for credit cards that transfer rewards to American Airlines, you've got a few options. The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card are all good choices.

You can also consider credit cards from hotel loyalty programs like World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, and Marriott Bonvoy Business. The World of Hyatt Credit Card, World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, and Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card are all worth looking into.

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If you're an AAdvantage member, you can also earn and redeem miles when flying with oneworld partner airlines and other partner airlines outside the oneworld Alliance, as long as you have a free AAdvantage account.

Here are some specific credit cards to consider:

It's worth noting that few credit cards actually allow you to transfer rewards to the American Airlines AAdvantage program, especially after the airline's partnership with Bilt Rewards ended in June 2024.

American Express Membership Rewards points can be transferred to several airline partners, including those listed in the American Express Membership Rewards transfer partners lineup.

You can transfer your points to many of these airlines instantly, though some transactions might take a few business days to process.

Here are some of the airline partners you can transfer your points to:

Delta Air Lines is one of the airline partners you can transfer your points to.

Most transfer ratios are 1 Membership Rewards point to 1 airline mile, but some may vary.

Air Canada is another airline partner that accepts transfers from American Express Membership Rewards.

American Airlines is also a transfer partner, offering a convenient option for those who want to redeem their points for flights.

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The American Express Membership Rewards program is a great way to earn transferable points that can be redeemed for American Airlines flights. You can transfer your Amex points to the airline and hotel partners listed below.

Some of the credit cards that allow you to transfer rewards to American Airlines include the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, The World of Hyatt Credit Card, and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card.

The transfer ratios are mostly 1 Membership Rewards point to 1 airline mile or hotel point, but some transactions might take a few business days to process. If you're looking for a card with no annual fee, the MileUp card is the only co-branded American Airlines credit card without one.

Here are some American Airlines credit cards to consider:

The American Express Membership Rewards program is one of the pioneers in transferable credit card rewards points. It allows you to convert your hard-earned rewards into miles and points with various airline and hotel partners.

You might think of Chase Ultimate Rewards or Capital One miles first, but Amex Membership Rewards has been around for a while. The program offers a flexible way to redeem your points.

Most transfer ratios are 1 Membership Rewards point to 1 airline mile or hotel point, but some vary. You can transfer your points to many of these partners instantly, though some transactions might take a few business days to process.

The lineup of Amex Membership Rewards transfer partners is quite extensive. You can transfer your points to these partners with relative ease.

You can't directly transfer Amex points to American Airlines, but there's a workaround. Transferring to Etihad Guest miles is a viable option, with a 1:1 ratio and a 5-working-day transfer time.

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British Airways Executive Club is an excellent choice for short-haul awards, offering flights that are about three hours or less at a relatively low cost. You can book flights from the West Coast of the US to Hawaii for just 13,000 Avios each way in economy.

Transferring Amex points to British Airways can be a good idea, especially with their frequent transfer bonuses. They offer some of the best transfer bonuses of any Amex partner.

Flights within Asia on Cathay Pacific, within Australia on Qantas, or from Miami or Dallas to the Caribbean on American Airlines can be booked using Avios for a lower cost. This can be a great way to save money on routes that can be expensive to book using cash.

You can also use Avios to book flights from Los Angeles or San Francisco to Tokyo for just 27,750 miles each way in economy on JAL. This is a great option for those looking to travel to Asia.

Booking flights from Boston to Dublin on Aer Lingus for just 13,000 miles each way at off-peak times is another great option. Just keep in mind that you can transfer Avios between British Airways Executive Club, Aer Lingus AerClub, and Iberia Plus for even more options.

Chase is not an American Airlines partner, so you can't transfer Ultimate Rewards points directly to the American Airlines AAdvantage loyalty program.

However, there are some Chase credit cards that offer rewards for booking American Airlines flights, but you have to book your flight through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal in order to earn additional rewards.

Chase has several credit cards that are worth considering for American Airlines flights, including the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Freedom Unlimited, and Ink Business Preferred Credit Card.

Here are some notable Chase credit cards for American Airlines flights:

If you're looking for rewards credit cards that can help you earn American Airlines miles, there are a few options to consider.

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card all allow you to transfer rewards to American Airlines. However, it's worth noting that few credit cards actually allow you to transfer rewards to the American Airlines AAdvantage program, especially after the airline's partnership with Bilt Rewards ended in June 2024.

You can also earn AAdvantage miles by using an AAdvantage credit card for everyday purchases. In addition to rewards you can redeem for American Airlines flights, American Airlines credit cards give you free checked bags, seat upgrades, and more.

Some popular credit cards that can help you earn American Airlines miles include the World of Hyatt Credit Card, World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, and Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card.

Here are some American Airlines credit cards to consider:

Transferring AAdvantage miles can be a great way to combine balances and book high-value awards. You can freely redeem miles for others, making it a convenient option for booking award tickets for family and friends.

If you have a small balance of miles that you don't plan on using, consider transferring them to a family member or friend who has a larger balance. This can be especially useful if you're trying to reach a high-value award, like a Qatar Airways business class ticket.

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Paying the $100 transfer fee might seem steep, but it can be worth it if you're able to book a ticket that would cost thousands of dollars in cash.

According to commenters, family pooling can be a huge advantage when it comes to accumulating miles. One commenter credits their British Airways flights to family pooling, but is now switching to AAdvantage because of the higher value of the miles.

Here are some scenarios where transferring AAdvantage miles might make sense:

You can now transfer AAdvantage miles to other members for 0.5 cents each, a significant reduction from the previous 1.5 cents per mile.

This change makes sense, especially for families like mine who have low and scattered miles across multiple accounts.

You can transfer miles in increments of 1,000 to 200,000 miles, with no additional transaction fee.

This is a great news for those who want to combine their miles with family members or friends to reach a redemption goal.

The reduced transfer fee is a more customer-friendly policy that can ultimately generate more revenue for the program.

To give you a better idea, here's a rough estimate of the transfer fee for different amounts of miles:

Keep in mind that this is a one-way transfer, so you won't be able to transfer miles back to your own account.

To choose the best American Airlines credit card, consider your spending needs and whether you want to pay an annual fee. The MileUp card is the only co-branded American Airlines credit card without an annual fee, while the Platinum and Business cards waive the fee for the first year.

To determine if a card with an annual fee is right for you, compare credit cards to see if you'll get proper value from paying it. You can have a personal American Airlines credit card and a business credit card simultaneously.

Consider reading: Chase Sapphire Reserve Annual Fee Increase

To maximize your frequent flyer perks, compare the benefits of different cards. Occasional travelers probably won't want or use all the perks that someone with Executive Platinum status desires.

Here are some American Airlines credit cards to consider:

Linking your Membership Rewards account to your frequent flyer and hotel accounts is a straightforward process - just click on the partner you want to use, enter your credit card's security code and four-digit ID, and your account number with the partner.

Before initiating a transfer, it's worth checking on available transfer bonuses from American Express, which can range from 20% to 40% to various partners. These bonuses can help you get even more value from your points.

You can't directly transfer Amex points to American Airlines, but you can transfer them to Etihad Guest miles, which can then be used to book American Airlines flights. The transfer ratio is 1:1, and the estimated transfer time is 5 working days.

Check this out: Operating Partner

If you're looking for an American Airlines credit card, consider the annual fee before making a decision. The MileUp card is the only co-branded American Airlines credit card without an annual fee.

To determine the best option for you, consider your spending needs. You can have a personal American Airlines credit card and a business credit card simultaneously, so decide which fits your spending needs best.

Compare frequent flyer perks to see which cards have the benefits you want. Occasional travelers probably won't want or use all the perks that someone with Executive Platinum status desires.

Some credit cards, like the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card, and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card, allow you to transfer rewards to American Airlines, but few credit cards actually allow this, especially after the airline's partnership with Bilt Rewards ended in June 2024.

If you prefer to fly American Airlines but don't want to be tied down to a single frequent flyer program, consider flexible travel credit cards like the Capital One Venture X card, which can be used to book travel through a portal with any airline you want.

American AAdvantage has lowered the cost to transfer miles between accounts from 1.5 cents to 0.5 cents per mile.

This is a significant change that makes transferring miles more feasible.

The new pricing is much more reasonable, making it a viable option in certain situations.

Now, there are situations where moving miles from one account to another could be a smart move.