Amex Membership Rewards vs Avios — compared in 2026
Collect Amex points or go straight to Avios? Compare transfer partners, ratios, bonus promos and when selling makes sense.
| Feature | Membership Rewards | Executive Club (Avios) |
|---|---|---|
| Official transfer | ja | ja |
| Family pooling | nein | ja |
| Gift points | ja | ja |
| Award for others | ja | ja |
| Processing time | Airline transfers mostly instant, some partners up to 48 hours. | Household bookings instant; combining Avios usually instant. |
| Transfer fees | Transfers to airline and hotel partners are usually free; in some markets a small levy per transferred point applies. | Pooling Avios in a Household Account is free. Moving Avios between BA, Iberia, Qatar, Finnair and Aer Lingus is 1:1 and free. |
| Minimum transfer | 1,000 points (indicative) | 1,000 Avios when combining (indicative) |
| Expiry rules | Points do not expire while the card account is open and in good standing. | Avios expire after 36 months without account activity. |
| Currency | Points | Avios |
| Region | Global | Europe |
Our verdict
Membership Rewards stay flexible because they transfer to many partners — but transfers are one-way. Avios are instantly redeemable and hold their value more steadily.