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American Express Formally Terminates Etihad Guest Transfer Partnership

By
Sophie Langford
-Updated:
American Express has officially dropped Etihad Guest as a global Membership Rewards transfer partner effective June 30, 2026. While U.S. cardholders can no longer convert Amex points to Etihad at a 1:1 ratio, the airline program remains fully accessible via alternative transfer ecosystems including Capital One, Citi, and Bilt.
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American Express has officially discontinued its points transfer partnership with Etihad Guest. Effective June 30, 2026, cardholders are no longer able to convert U.S. Membership Rewards points into Etihad Guest miles at a 1:1 ratio.

The termination represents a global disengagement between the two brands. Leading up to the June 30 cutoff in the United States, American Express systematically disabled the transfer pipeline across major international markets throughout the month of June, including Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, and India.

What This Means for Amex Cardmembers

With Etihad Guest removed from the roster, American Express now features fewer than 20 airline loyalty programs in its transferable rewards portfolio. For travelers looking to book flights on Etihad Airways using American Express points, the booking landscape has shifted:

  • Amex Travel Portal: Cardholders can still use the "Pay with Points" feature via American Express Travel to book cash fares on Etihad flights. However, these redemptions are fixed at a flat rate of 1 cent per point, which yields significantly less value than a strategic airline transfer.
  • Alliance Partners: Travelers can utilize remaining Amex transfer partners that maintain individual interline or alliance relationships with Etihad—such as Air Canada Aeroplan or Air France/KLM Flying Blue—to book partner award seats. Note, however, that Etihad heavily restricts premium-cabin award availability on its own metal to these partners until roughly 30 days before departure.

Alternative Credit Card Paths to Etihad Guest

The end of the Amex partnership does not mean Etihad Guest miles are entirely inaccessible through credit card rewards. The airline maintains active, 1:1 points-transfer relationships with every other major U.S. credit card rewards ecosystem. Cardholders can still instantly top off an Etihad account by moving points from the following programs:

  • Capital One Rewards
  • Citi ThankYou Rewards
  • Bilt Rewards
Editorial Disclosure: Roame has partnered with The Points Guy and Cardratings for our coverage of credit card products. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are Roame's alone.
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