Amex Adds Leading Hotels of the World
Last month, Amex lost transfers to Etihad. Now, it's bouncing back with a new partnership—and it's a hotel partner. Today, Amex adds Leading Hotels of the World at an industry-leading transfer ratio among the major transferable currencies. Leading Hotels of the World, an over 100-year-old luxury hotel collection, includes more than 400 independent properties across the globe. The new transfer partnership opens the door for using Membership Rewards to book some seriously elite properties in more than 80 countries. Is it a good use of your points? Let's take a look.
RELATED: Track all transfer partners on the ToP Partner Transfer Tool. It is updated daily with transfer partners and new transfer bonuses. You can also calculate your plans before moving points based on current transfer ratios.
Amex Adds New Transfer Partner
As Amex adds Leading Hotels of the World, it now has 20 airline partners total. Its partner portfolio includes 16 airlines and 4 hotel programs. As of 7/28/26, Membership Rewards transfer to:
- Aer Lingus AerClub
- Aeromexico Rewards
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- Air France-KLM Flying Blue
- ANA Mileage Club
- avianca lifemiles
- Cathay Pacific
- Choice Privileges®
- Delta SkyMiles®
- Emirates Skywards®
- Hilton Honors
- Iberia Plus
- JetBlue TrueBlue®
- Marriott Bonvoy®
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Qatar Airways Privilege Club
- Singapore Airlines | KrisFlyer
- The British Airways Club
- The Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Remember, you can always track the most up-to-date list of partners in our ToP Partner Transfer Tool.
Should You Transfer Amex Points to Leading Hotels of the World?
As Amex adds Leading Hotels of the World, Membership Rewards now transfer to Leaders Club at a 4:1 ratio. If you transfer 1,000 Membership Rewards, it will equate to 250 Leaders Club points. This is an industry-leading ratio. The only other major transferable currency available to transfer to Leaders Club is Citi ThankYou Points, which transfer at a 5:1 ratio. (So 1,000 ThankYou Points will only get you 200 Leaders Club points.) If you have your heart set on a Leaders Club property, Amex points would get you the best value among the major banks.
It is also exciting to have another way to book hotels using Membership Rewards. Leaders Club is now Amex's fourth hotel program partner, joining Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. What's even more exciting is the caliber of properties this partnership provides access to. Leading Hotels of the World is owned by 60-plus member hotels. It is overseen by a governing executive committee that is laser-focused on maintaining the high level of curation and quality the brand is known for. Think: properties like the famed Le Sirenuse hotel overlooking the sea in Positano and the iconically elegant Ritz Paris. Here in the U.S., hotels like Parker Palm Springs, The Hotel Chelsea and The Setai, Miami Beach, are among its ranks. Leaders Club points can provide strong redemption value, making the 4:1 transfer ratio more compelling than it initially appears.
Take these test searches, which would allow you to book Le Sirenuse in Italy from just over 30,000 Leaders Club points per night (or around 122,000 Membership Rewards) or the Parker Palm Springs for just over 4,300 points per night (requiring 18,000 Membership Rewards)—both providing over 2 cpp in value.
Consider also that those who hold the American Express Platinum Card® and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express can access complimentary Leaders Club Sterling Status for benefits like priority upgrades, daily continental breakfast for two and early check-in and late check-out considerations.
Amex Adds Leading Hotels of the World: ToP Thoughts
As Amex adds Leading Hotels of the World Leaders Club, cardholders have an exciting new option for booking hotels with Membership Rewards. With an industry-leading 4:1 transfer ratio, the partnership gives cardholders access to more than 400 luxury independent hotels like Le Sirenuse and The Setai Miami Beach. While the transfer ratio may seem steep, Leaders Club points themselves have strong enough value that it's possible to find redemptions worth 2 cpp or better. Would you consider using your Membership Rewards for these transfers? Come over to the Facebook group and let us know.
