Redeeming points 8 min read

AMEX Transfer Partners Germany 2026: All Rates in One Table

All 14 AMEX Membership Rewards transfer partners in Germany 2026: 9 airlines, 4 hotel programs and PAYBACK — with transfer rate, duration and minimum. NEW: Accor ALL since July 2026. Plus: why Etihad is gone and which transfers are actually worth it.

Status:

Quick answer: AMEX Membership Rewards currently has 14 transfer partners in Germany: 9 airlines, 4 hotel programs and PAYBACK. The best rates are 5:4 with British Airways, Iberia, Flying Blue and SAS. New since July 2026: Accor ALL (3:1) as the fourth hotel partner. Etihad was discontinued on 15 June 2026, ANA was never a German partner, and Miles & More is only reachable via the unattractive PAYBACK detour (3:1). All rates in the table below — verified live in August 2026.

Membership Rewards points are worth exactly as much as the program you transfer them to. That’s why the transfer partner list is the single most important table for any AMEX collector — and it changed twice in 2026: Etihad is out, Accor is in.

Here is the complete, current overview of all German AMEX transfer partners (as of August 2026, verified directly in the Membership Rewards portal).

All Airline Transfer Partners 2026

ProgramRate (MR → points)Transfer timeMinimum
British Airways Club (Avios)5:4up to 1 business day1,000 MR
Iberia Club (Avios)5:4up to 1 business day1,000 MR
Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)5:4up to 1 business day625 MR
SAS EuroBonus5:4approx. 5 business days1,000 MR
Cathay (Cathay Miles)3:2approx. 3 business days900 MR
Delta SkyMiles3:2approx. 5 business days3,000 MR
Qatar Privilege Club (Avios)3:2approx. 7 business days900 MR
Singapore KrisFlyer3:2up to 15 business days1,500 MR
Emirates Skywards2:1up to 1 business day1,000 MR

The 5:4 partners set the benchmark: 100,000 MR become 80,000 Avios, Flying Blue miles or EuroBonus points. With the 3:2 partners you’re left with 66,667 points, with Emirates only half.

Important for planning: Transfer times vary enormously. British Airways, Iberia, Flying Blue and Emirates usually post within one business day, while Singapore KrisFlyer can take up to 15 business days. If you have a specific award flight in mind, NEVER transfer at the last minute — award availability doesn’t wait.

All Hotel Transfer Partners 2026

ProgramRate (MR → points)Transfer timeMinimum
Hilton Honors1:1up to 1 business day2,500 MR
Marriott Bonvoy3:2up to 1 business day900 MR
Radisson Rewards1:2approx. 7 business days1,000 MR
ALL Accor (NEW since July 2026)3:1up to 1 business day900 MR

New: Accor ALL as the Fourth Hotel Partner

Since 6 July 2026, Membership Rewards can be transferred directly to ALL – Accor Live Limitless, the program behind brands like Sofitel, Fairmont, Pullman, Mövenpick, Novotel, Mercure, ibis and 25hours. The rate: 3:1, i.e. 3,000 MR = 1,000 ALL points.

That sounds like little, but ALL points have a fixed redemption value: 2,000 points = 40 euros off your hotel bill — no award chart, no blackout dates. That works out to roughly 0.67 cents per MR point. Solid for hotel redemptions, but it won’t beat a good flight transfer.

Bonus for Platinum cardholders: The AMEX Platinum* (and the Business Platinum) additionally unlocks ALL Accor Gold status.

PAYBACK: The Special Case

ProgramRateTransfer timeMinimum
PAYBACK3:1approx. 2 business days900 MR

3 MR = 1 PAYBACK point is mathematically unattractive — this direction mainly makes sense if you’re a few points short of a specific PAYBACK reward. Note: PAYBACK only accepts one transfer per day.

However, a prize draw is currently running: To celebrate 10 years of the PAYBACK transfer, AMEX is raffling 10 × 100,000 Membership Rewards points among everyone who transfers at least 9,999 MR to PAYBACK in a single transfer between 1 and 31 August 2026. Each qualifying transfer = one entry. Details in the PAYBACK transfer guide.

What About Miles & More?

The most common question of all: Miles & More is NOT a direct AMEX transfer partner in Germany. The only detour runs via PAYBACK (3:1) and from there to Miles & More (1:1) — effectively 3 MR per mile. That’s practically never worth it.

If you specifically want to collect Miles & More miles, a Miles & More credit card* or the PAYBACK ecosystem (partner purchases → 1:1 transfer) is the far better route. How both worlds play together is explained in the AMEX vs. Miles & More comparison.

What About Etihad and ANA?

  • Etihad Guest was discontinued on 15 June 2026. The German AMEX transfer to Etihad (previously 3:2) no longer exists; in the US it ended on 30 June 2026. Etihad remains reachable only via Citi, Capital One and Bilt — all US programs.
  • ANA was never a German transfer partner — the 1:1 rate to ANA Mileage Club exists only with US AMEX. Details in the comparison AMEX MR: USA vs. Germany.

Which Transfers Are Actually Worth It?

The rate alone doesn’t tell the whole story — what matters is what you get in the target program:

  1. British Airways / Iberia (5:4): Avios are the most flexible currency for short-haul flights in Europe and Oneworld awards. Iberia also offers family pooling (“Familia y Amigos”).
  2. Flying Blue (5:4): Regular Promo Rewards with reduced mileage prices, lowest minimum transfer (625 MR), Family Account available.
  3. SAS EuroBonus (5:4): Star Alliance access at the 5:4 rate — interesting for Scandinavia and as a Miles & More alternative.
  4. Singapore KrisFlyer (3:2): Despite the worse rate, strong for Lufthansa Group award flights via the KrisFlyer award chart — and with family pooling. Plan for the long transfer time (up to 15 business days)!
  5. Qatar Privilege Club (3:2): Now denominated in Avios; good for Qsuite availability.
  6. Emirates (2:1): Unfavorable ratio — only transfer if you have a specific, high-value Skywards redemption in front of you.
  7. Hilton (1:1): The “best” hotel rate on paper, but Hilton points have a lower individual value — still useful for hotel fans combined with points pooling (up to 11 people).

How to build up those points in the first place — including which AMEX card fits you — is covered in the decision guide. The biggest jump comes from welcome bonuses: the AMEX Platinum* currently brings 85,000 MR, the AMEX Gold* 50,000 MR.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many transfer partners does AMEX have in Germany in 2026?

14 partners: 9 airline programs (British Airways, Iberia, Flying Blue, SAS, Cathay, Delta, Qatar, Singapore, Emirates), 4 hotel programs (Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, Accor ALL) and PAYBACK.

Can I transfer AMEX points to Miles & More?

Not directly. The only route runs via PAYBACK: 3 MR = 1 PAYBACK point = 1 mile. Effectively you pay 3 MR per mile — practically never worth it. Better: use Avios, Flying Blue or KrisFlyer for flights and fill Miles & More separately via PAYBACK partners and M&M cards.

Is Etihad still an AMEX transfer partner?

No. The German transfer was discontinued on 15 June 2026, the US transfer on 30 June 2026. Etihad Guest is now only reachable via Citi ThankYou, Capital One and Bilt (US programs).

How long does an AMEX points transfer take?

Depending on the partner, between one business day (British Airways, Iberia, Flying Blue, Emirates, Hilton, Marriott, Accor) and up to 15 business days (Singapore KrisFlyer). Qatar and Radisson take around 7 business days, Delta and SAS around 5.

Can I reverse a transfer?

No. Transferred points are final and cannot be booked back to your Membership Rewards account. Therefore: check award availability first, then transfer.

What is the best AMEX transfer partner?

For short-haul Europe: British Airways/Iberia (Avios, 5:4). For flexible long-haul: Flying Blue (5:4, Promo Rewards). For Lufthansa award flights: Singapore KrisFlyer (3:2) instead of the PAYBACK detour. There is no universal “best” partner — it depends on your destination.

Conclusion: The Rate Is Only Half the Story

German AMEX transfer rates are worse than in the US (mostly 1:1 there) — but with the 5:4 partners and the right target program you can still extract 2 cents and more per MR point. Remember:

  1. Check 5:4 partners first (BA, Iberia, Flying Blue, SAS)
  2. Never transfer without award availability — transfers are final
  3. Plan for transfer times (KrisFlyer up to 15 business days!)
  4. Accor ALL is the new option for fixed-value hotel redemptions
  5. Avoid the PAYBACK detour to M&M (3 MR per mile)

Which redemptions concretely deliver 2-4 cents per point — with real calculation examples from short-haul to First Class — is shown step by step in the Premium Handbook.


More on this topic: Redeeming AMEX Points Guide | AMEX MR: USA vs. Germany | PAYBACK to Miles & More Transfer

Topics: AMEX Membership Rewards Transfer Partners Avios Flying Blue Accor PAYBACK 2026

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