Amex MR to Aeroplan
Amex Membership Rewards points are flexible, and one of their best uses for Canadians is moving them to Air Canada Aeroplan, where they can buy flights worth far more than a cash-back equivalent. The transfer itself takes about two minutes once you know where to click. The skill is in the timing, which is what most of this guide is about.
Membership Rewards points transfer to Aeroplan at a 1 to 1 ratio, so 30,000 Amex points become 30,000 Aeroplan points. Transfers are usually quick, often instant and occasionally up to a day, and they move in set increments such as 100 or 1,000 points depending on the card.
The single most important thing to understand is that the transfer only goes one way. Once your points land in Aeroplan they cannot come back to Amex. That is not a problem at all, it just means you transfer with a plan, not on a whim.
You need an Amex card that earns full Membership Rewards points and includes airline transfer partners. In Canada the common ones are below.
- American Express Cobalt Card, a favourite for its strong earn on dining and groceries.
- American Express Gold Rewards Card.
- The Platinum Card and Business Platinum Card.
- Business Gold Rewards Card.
Before you move a single point, search Aeroplan for the exact flight you want and confirm the award seats are actually available. You always want to know the points are needed before they leave Amex.
Sign in at the American Express Canada website or app and open the Membership Rewards or Use Points section.
Look for the option to transfer points to frequent flyer and hotel partners, then select Air Canada Aeroplan from the list.
The first time, you link your Aeroplan membership number to your Amex account. Double check the name on both accounts matches, since mismatches are the usual cause of a held transfer.
Transfer only what your booking needs, plus a small buffer if you like. Confirm, and the points typically appear in Aeroplan within minutes, though it can occasionally take up to 24 hours.
Award space can disappear, so book your flight as soon as the points arrive. Then enjoy the satisfying part of watching a year of grocery runs turn into a trip.
The best transfer is one that happens right before you book, against a confirmed award seat. The second-best moment is during a transfer bonus.
Every so often Amex runs a limited-time promotion that adds a bonus when you move points to Aeroplan, often somewhere in the range of 25 to 35 percent extra. If you already know you will need Aeroplan points for a trip in the near future, a transfer bonus is a genuinely good reason to move them a little early. Just be honest with yourself that you will use them, because once they are in Aeroplan they are committed.
- Transferring before confirming award space. Always find the seat first. Moving points and then discovering the flight is gone is the classic regret.
- Over-transferring. Send what you need. Stranded points sitting in Aeroplan with no plan are points you can no longer use elsewhere.
- Name mismatches. Your name on Amex and Aeroplan should match. A typo can hold up the transfer.
- Chasing a bonus with no plan. A transfer bonus is only a deal if you were going to use the points. Otherwise it is just locking points into one program early.
Now that your points are in Aeroplan, here is how to spend them well.