How to Transfer Amex MR Points Between US and Canada

If you’ve gotten involved with US credit cards, chances are that you have an account with both American Express Canada and American Express US.

You might have wondered: is it possible to convert your Canadian Amex MR points into US Amex MR points, and vice versa? The answer is yes, and it can unlock an entire world of new opportunities. 

American Express International Transfer

American Express doesn’t seem to publish any information about converting points between countries on either their Canadian or US sites.

However, if we turn to other regions – specifically, a set of Membership Rewards T&Cs from Amex UK – we can understand more about the process of transferring MR points between countries.

American Express describes the process as an International Transfer, which allows cardholders with another American Express card account, which is under the same name but denominated in a different currency, to transfer points from one account to the other. 

Note the terminology here: an American Express Global Transfer, by contrast, refers to using an existing Amex card to establish a new Amex relationship in a different country, while an American Express International Transfer refers to transferring Membership Rewards points between accounts domiciled in two different countries. 

What’s the Transfer Ratio?

You’ll note that the Amex UK terms and conditions state that International Transfers are subject to “the same exchange rate as that which applies to currency conversions”. Indeed, this was previously the case for Canada–US transfers.

However, sometime around early 2021, the transfer ratios appear to have changed:

• When converting Canadian Amex MR points to US Amex MR points, the prevailing exchange rate is applied.
• When converting US Amex MR points to Canadian Amex MR points, a 1:1 ratio is applied.

(There have been a few instances of Canada-to-US conversions taking place at a 1:1 ratio, but these appear to be the exception rather than the rule.)

Importantly, there is also a timeframe restriction: you’re only allowed one International Transfer within a 12-month period.

The Transfer Process

Converting points between Amex Canada and Amex US is best done through the phone. It appears the Amex Live Chat service can also handle these requests, although they don’t always get put through successfully when initiated via chat.

In the past, it was possible to convert…