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American Express Membership Rewards® are among the most valuable transferable travel rewards in Canada.
You can earn them on multiple Amex® cards, with balances easily combined into one account for convenience.
Amex® MR points are most valuable when transferred to airline and hotel partners like Air Canada Aeroplan® and Air France/KLM Flying Blue, offering two cents or more per point.
Amex® MR points are a key part of our family’s travel plans. With them, we’re able to book business class flights we’d never pay cash for.
This guide shows you how to collect Amex® points, maximize value with the best cards, and use transfer partners to travel farther for less. Whether it’s a family vacation or a luxury trip, traveling for nearly free is easier than you think.
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What Are Amex Membership Rewards® Points?
American Express Membership Rewards® is a credit card rewards program. Holding one of the American Express MR® cards allows you to earn the lucrative Amex Membership Rewards points.
Points are earned on almost every purchase, with some cards offering bonus categories like dining, groceries, or travel.
What makes Amex® MR points so valuable is their flexibility. Instead of being tied to one program, you can transfer them to a variety of airline and hotel partners.
Many Amex® cards in Canada have an an annual fee, but it’s often offset by the welcome offer and great benefits. The Platinum Card®, for example, is always in our wallet thanks to these exceptional rewards.
How to Check Your Membership Rewards® Points Balance
You can check your balance anytime through the Amex® app or desktop site.
How to Earn Amex Membership Rewards® Points
American Express® offers several cards in Canada that earn Membership Rewards® points, each designed for different spending and travel needs.
You can also pool points from multiple cards into one account for more flexibility and easier transfers.
Easy Ways to Earn Amex® MR Points
The first step to nearly free travel is maximizing your points without extra spending. Here are the proven methods we use to earn valuable travel points:
Unlike some programs where you wait for the statement to close, MR points appear as soon as a charge posts.
Welcome Bonuses
Many American Express® cards in Canada offer a welcome bonus when you open a new account. To qualify, you need to meet a minimum spend requirement within the first few months.
Some offers can be very generous, aking this one of the fastest ways to grow your Membership Rewards® balance.
For us, timing a new card with a big family expense has been a simple way to unlock a bonus quickly and boost our points without changing how we normally spend.
Best Welcome Bonuses Offers
Card
Welcome Bonus
Bonus Value
Fee
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⏰ Elevated Offer Until: August 18, 2025
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Lounge Access
⏰ Elevated Offer Until: August 18, 2025
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⏰ Elevated Offer Until: August 18, 2025
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Lounge Access
⏰ Elevated Offer Until: August 18, 2025
Amex® Credit Card Application Tips
2. Credit Card Spending
Using your American Express® cards regularly is the easiest way to earn points. The number of Membership Rewards® points you earn depends on which American Express® card you use, the type of purchase category, and sometimes the total amount you spend. Different cards offer higher rewards for certain types of purchases, so choosing the right card for each transaction can really boost your balance.
- The American Express® Cobalt Card gives 5 points per dollar on groceries and restaurants, 3 on streaming services, and 2 on transit and travel.
- The American Express® Gold Rewards Card offers 2 points per dollar on travel and gas.
By focusing your spending on the right card and purchase categories, you can earn points quickly without spending more than you normally would.
American Express Membership Rewards® Earning Rates
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- Groceries, dining & food delivery: 5x points per dollar, up to $2,500 per month.
- Gas, transit, ride & sharing: 2x points per dollar.
- Streaming subscriptions in Canada: 3x points per dollar.
- Everything else: 1x point per dollar.
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- 3x points per $1 on 🎧 streaming subscriptions in Canada.
- 2x points per $1 on eligible
grocery, 
gas, 
transit and 
ride share purchases in Canada. - 2 points per $1 on eligible ✈️ travel purchases.
- 1X point per $1 on everything else.
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- 2x points per $1 on 🏨 hotel and car rental bookings made through Amex Travel Online.
- 1X point per $1 on everything else.
- 2x points per $1 on 🏨 hotel and
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3x points per $1 on ✈️ travel,
dining, and food delivery -
1.25x points per $1 on everything else.
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How to Redeem American Express Membership Rewards® Points
American Express Membership Rewards® points are most valuable when redeemed for travel, especially by transferring them to airline and hotel partners. Unlike fixed loyalty programs where you’re locked into one airline or hotel, MR points offer flexibility across multiple travel brands. This flexibility allows you to shop for the best award flights or hotel stays instead of being tied to one program. Whether you want to fly to Europe in business class or book a last-minute flight within Canada, transferring points to a partner program can unlock tremendous value. While there are other redemption options like gift cards, statement credits, or merchandise, these usually offer a significantly lower return per point. If your goal is to get the most out of your points, travel redemptions through transfer partners are the way to go!
Transfer Membership Rewards to Travel Partners: Best Value
American Express Membership Rewards® points in Canada can be transferred to several airline and hotel loyalty programs, often at a 1:1 ratio. This includes top airline partners like Air Canada Aeroplan® and Air France/KLM Flying Blue, both of which have numerous airline alliance partners that offer strong redemption opportunities, especially for premium cabin flights and international routes. Other Canadian airline partners include British Airways Executive Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, and Etihad Guest. These options allow you to search for award flights across many global alliances, giving you coverage on almost any major route.
Amex® MR hotel transfer partners include Marriott Bonvoy® and Hilton Honors. While they can be useful in some cases, the redemption value is typically lower than with airline programs. In general, you’ll get the best value by using your points for flights rather than hotels.
Points can be transferred to the loyalty accounts of the primary cardholder or any authorized user or employee on the account, offering flexibility for family or team travel. Since you are not locked into a single program, you can split your points across different partners depending on your travel goals. If you want to explore all your options and optimize redemptions, check out our full guide on how to transfer American Express Membership Rewards® in Canada.
📌 Tip: Once you transfer Membership Rewards® points to a partner program, the move is permanent. Make sure you have a clear redemption plan before transferring to avoid wasting points.
📌 Tip: Set up and link your loyalty program accounts ahead of time so your points are ready to transfer without last-minute delays.
📌 Tip: Keep an eye out for Amex® transfer bonuses, which can offer 15% to 40% more points with certain partners , excluding Aeroplan®. However, do not move points speculatively but only when you’re ready to book, since transfers are one-way and limit your flexibility.
American Express Membership Rewards® Airline Transfer Partners
Membership Rewards® points earned with American Express® Canada can be transferred to six airline loyalty programs. Not all programs offer a 1:1 transfer ratio, so it’s important to check the details before transferring. For the best value, Air Canada Aeroplan® is the top choice, offering flexible redemption options and strong availability on both Air Canada and Star Alliance partners. A close second is Air France KLM®, which gives you access to the SkyTeam alliance and frequent promo award deals.
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🔁 Transfer Ratio: 1:1 – 1000 Membership Rewards points = 1000 Aeroplan® points
⏱️ Transfer Time: up to 30 minutes
🔒 Minimum transfer amount: 1000 points
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🔁 Transfer Ratio: 1:0.75 – 1000 Membership Rewards® points = 750 Flying Blue Miles
⏱️ Transfer Time: up to 3 days
🔒 Minimum transfer amount: 1000 points
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British Airways Executive Club
🔁 Transfer Ratio: 1:1 – 1000 Membership Rewards® points = 1000 Avios
⏱️ Transfer Time: up to 5 business days
🔒 Minimum transfer amount: 1000 points
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Cathay Pacific
🔁 Transfer Ratio: 1:0.75 – 1000 Membership Rewards® points = 750 Asia Miles
⏱️ Transfer Time: up to 5 business days
🔒 Minimum transfer amount: 1000 points
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Delta SkyMiles®
🔁 Transfer Ratio: 1:0.75 – 1000 Membership Rewards® points = 750 SkyMiles®
⏱️ Transfer Time: up to 30 minutes
🔒 Minimum transfer amount: 1000 points
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Etihad Guest
🔁 Transfer Ratio: 1:0.75 – 1000 Membership Rewards® points = 750 Etihad Guest miles
⏱️ Transfer Time: up to 10 business days
🔒 Minimum transfer amount: 1000 points
American Express Membership Rewards® Hotel Transfer Partners
Membership Rewards® points earned with American Express® Canada can be transferred to 2 global hotel loyalty programs. Similar to airline transfers, the transfer ratios vary by partner, so it’s important to review the rates carefully before moving your points. While hotel transfers usually don’t deliver as much value as airline redemptions, there are still scenarios where they can be worthwhile. One of the key perks offered by both Marriott Bonvoy® and Hilton Honors is the ability to get a 5th night free when booking a stay with points, which can help stretch your rewards further.
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🔁 Transfer Ratio: 5:6 – 5000 Membership Rewards points = 6000 Marriott Bonvoy® points
⏱️ Transfer Time: up to 48 hours
🔒 Minimum transfer amount: 1000 points
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🔁 Transfer Ratio: 1:1 – 1000 Membership Rewards points = 1000 Hilton Honors points
⏱️ Transfer Time: up to 5 business days
🔒 Minimum transfer amount: 1000 points
Other Ways to Redeem Membership Rewards® Points
1. Fixed Points Travel
The Amex® Fixed Points Travel program lets you redeem a set number of Membership Rewards® points for round-trip flights through the American Express® Travel Portal. The number of points needed depends on your destination and distance flown, and the redemption only applies to the base fare, not taxes and fees. You must have the full number of points required to redeem.
While this option is simple and flexible, redemptions typically yield around 1 cent per point, which is often lower than the value you could get by transferring points to airline partners. Because of this, it’s worth comparing options before booking. That said, tickets booked through this program may still earn airline miles and count toward elite status, which adds some value back to the equation. To redeem, log in to the Amex® Travel portal.
Economy Class Travel
Business Class Travel
2. Flexible Points Travel
You can also redeem your Membership Rewards® points to book almost any type of travel directly through the Amex® Travel platform. This option gives you a consistent value of around 1 cent per point, which is decent but not the most rewarding use of your points. It offers more flexibility than some lower-value redemptions, but transferring points to airline and hotel partners typically delivers better value overall
3. Statement Credit
American Express Membership Rewards® points can be redeemed for statement credits, making it one of the fastest and most flexible ways to offset eligible purchases on your American Express® card. You’ll receive a fixed value of 1 cent per point, with a minimum redemption of 1,000 points. This method also allows you to partially cover charges, which can be helpful for everyday spending. However, while convenient, this redemption option typically delivers lower value compared to transferring points to airline or hotel loyalty programs or booking flights through the Fixed Points Travel Program.
4. Merchandise and Gift Cards
Redeeming Membership Rewards® points for gift cards or merchandise is one of the weakest options. Values range from 0.5 to 1 cent per point, far below what you can get through travel transfers or even statement credits.
For example, a $100 prepaid American Express® card costs 12,500 points, while the same amount of points could get you $125 in statement credits. Even though these redemptions are easy and flexible, they don’t offer good value, and thus are not a good use of your earned Membership Rewards® points
