27 March 2026 · TravelLux.be

Amex Transfer Partners Ranked: Best Airlines & Hotels for Belgians (2026)

Last summer I was sitting in a Singapore Airlines Business Class suite, somewhere over the Indian Ocean, on my way from Brussels to Bali via Singapore. The flat bed was made up with real linen sheets, the champagne was Dom Pérignon, and the food was Michelin-star level. My ticket would normally have cost around €5,400. I paid 0 euros. Zero. Just 86,000 Membership Rewards points that I had transferred to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer via my Amex Platinum.

That moment was proof that not all Amex transfer partners are created equal. Some give you ridiculously high value per point. Others are, frankly, a waste. And as a Belgian traveller departing from Brussels Airport, you need specific partners that work with the routes and alliances available from BRU.

Over the past three years, I have systematically transferred points to more than ten different Membership Rewards partners. What follows is my honest ranking, based on real bookings, real flights, and real experiences. No theoretical calculations — just what actually works for Belgians who want to travel smart.

How transferring Amex points works (and why it's so powerful)

Before we dive into the ranking: a quick overview of the basics. Membership Rewards points, which you earn with every purchase on your Amex Platinum, can be used in several ways. You can redeem them as a statement credit, shop in the rewards store, or transfer them to airline and hotel partners. That last option is almost always by far the most valuable.

The reason is simple. If you convert points to a statement credit, you typically get around 0.5 to 0.8 cents per point. Transfer those same points to the right airline partner at the right time, and you can easily get 2 to 5 cents of value per point. On a business class redemption to Asia, I've even achieved 6.2 cents per point. That's more than ten times the "base" value.

The transfer process itself is straightforward. You log into your American Express account, navigate to Membership Rewards, choose "Transfer points" and select your partner. Most transfers are 1:1 (1 MR point = 1 mile or point with the partner) and are processed within 24 to 48 hours. Some are even instant. One important detail: transfers are irreversible. Once your points are transferred, they don't come back. So plan your redemption first, and only then transfer.

The Tier 1 partners: where you get the most value as a Belgian

Not every transfer partner is relevant when you depart from Belgium. A partner may have excellent award charts on paper, but if there are no usable routes from Brussels or a nearby hub available, it's of little use. My ranking explicitly takes this into account.

Tier 2 partners: solid value, situationally excellent

Hotel partners: when are they worth it?

Honestly: in most situations, I prefer airline transfers over hotel transfers. The reason is mathematical. With airlines, you regularly get 2 to 6 cents per point. With hotels, you're typically looking at 0.5 to 1.5 cents per point. The difference is considerable.

That said, there are specific situations where transferring to hotel partners makes sense. If you want to book a five-star hotel for a special occasion, if you're just short of enough points in your hotel programme, or if you combine Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits with points.

Hilton Honors is a popular transfer partner with a ratio of 1:2 (1 MR point = 2 Hilton points). That sounds favourable, but Hilton's award nights also cost more points. A night at the Hilton Grand Place in Brussels costs around 50,000 Hilton points, which amounts to 25,000 MR points. For a room that costs €200, that's 0.8 cents per point. Not great.

Marriott Bonvoy works with a 1:1 ratio and offers somewhat more consistent value, especially at higher-category hotels. The "sweet spot" is off-peak nights at category 5-7 hotels, where you pay 30,000 to 50,000 points for rooms costing €300+. That gives you around 1 cent per point, which is acceptable but still less than airline transfers.

My advice? Use your Membership Rewards points primarily for flights, and book hotels via Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts (free breakfast, room upgrade, €100 hotel credit) with your card. That combination gives you the best of both worlds.

My strategy: how I would use 150,000 welcome points as a Belgian traveller

Let's get concrete. Suppose you apply for the Amex Platinum today via the TravelLux.be referral link and receive the maximum welcome bonus of 150,000 Membership Rewards points. How would I use those points?

Scenario 1: the dream trip to Japan. Transfer 88,000 points to ANA Mileage Club and book a business class round trip BRU → FRA → NRT (Tokyo Narita) on Lufthansa and ANA. You still have 62,000 points left. You can use those later for a one-way business class to New York via Aeroplan, or save them for the next big trip.

Scenario 2: Dubai and the Maldives. Transfer 100,000 points to Emirates Skywards. Book a business class round trip BRU → DXB (72,500 miles) and an economy round trip DXB → MLE (27,500 miles). With your remaining 50,000 MR points, you continue saving for the next holiday. The Emirates A380 business class from Brussels is an experience everyone should have at least once.

Scenario 3: maximum flexibility. Transfer 70,000 points to Aeroplan for a one-way business class BRU → JFK. Transfer 45,000 to Flying Blue for a business class round trip to Barcelona or Rome. Keep the rest as MR points in your account, because they never expire as long as your card is active.

The beauty of this strategy: with the Booster option (4 points per €1 for €10/month extra), you can easily earn 40,000 to 60,000 points per year just through normal daily spending. Those 150,000 welcome points are therefore the starting capital of a multi-year points strategy.

Mistakes I see Belgian points collectors make (and how to avoid them)

The first and biggest mistake: transferring points without a specific booking in mind. I've done it myself once — transferred 40,000 points to British Airways "for later". Three months later I wanted to book a different route, and I would have preferred to have those points with Aeroplan. Transfers are final. Find your flight first, check availability, and only then transfer.

Mistake two: always using the same partner. I know Belgians who send everything to Miles & More because they fly Brussels Airlines. Understandable, but you often end up paying 40 to 60% more miles for the same flight than via ANA or Aeroplan. Five minutes of research can save you tens of thousands of points.

Mistake three: using hotel partners for standard stays. As I explained above, the value per point with hotels is almost always lower. Save those hotel transfers for special occasions where the value really comes through, or preferably use your Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits instead.

And mistake four: waiting too long to get started. Membership Rewards points don't expire as long as your card is active, but award availability does become scarcer the closer you get to the travel date. Ideally, book business class awards 6 to 11 months in advance. That's when you have the most options.

Frequently asked questions about Amex transfer partners in Belgium

Disclosure: TravelLux.be receives a referral bonus when you apply for the Amex Platinum via our referral link. This costs you nothing extra and you receive the maximum welcome bonus through this link. All experiences and opinions in this article are personal and independent. The Amex Platinum card costs €65/month (€780/year). View all terms and conditions at americanexpress.com/be. Article published on 27 March 2026. Read more travel tips at TravelLux.be.