MR levels question

Anonymous · ‎03-08-2020

Up until tonight, I had no idea that there were different levels for Amex membership rewards. I apparently belong to Membership Rewards Express with my one Amex card (Blue from Amex). With the MR Express program, you can't transfer your points to travel partners.

My question for all you MR experts is, if I get a new card in the Membership Rewards Regular program, can I use the points I accumulated in the MR Express program? I have about 70,000 MR Express points that I would like to be able to transfer to an airline partner, preferably in the next couple weeks. If I just pickup the no AF Everyday card, would I be able to transfer all those points?

Anonymous · ‎03-08-2020

I'll admit, I didnt know anything about this. After a quick google search, I could only find dated info.

Hopefully someone else will be able to give more insight on if these MR's would be separate from other MR's if you were to obtain another card.

NRB525 · ‎03-08-2020

@Anonymous wrote:
Up until tonight, I had no idea that there were different levels for Amex membership rewards. I apparently belong to Membership Rewards Express with my one Amex card (Blue from Amex). With the MR Express program, you can't transfer your points to travel partners.

My question for all you MR experts is, if I get a new card in the Membership Rewards Regular program, can I use the points I accumulated in the MR Express program? I have about 70,000 MR Express points that I would like to be able to transfer to an airline partner, preferably in the next couple weeks. If I just pickup the no AF Everyday card, would I be able to transfer all those points?

Indeed, the Blue does not have "Transfer Points" as an option.

The EveryDay does have the "Transfer Points" option.

This link includes a set of tabs for each MR-earning card, and indicates whether that card can transfer points or not. Whether that magically converts the points to transferable, by getting the ED, I cannot say. The ED would seem to out-earn the Blue in nearly all areas, and has the same FTF.

https://global.americanexpress.com/rewards/calculator

High Bal Jan 2009 $116k on $146k limits 80% Util.
Oct 2014 $46k on $127k 36% util EQ 722 TU 727 EX 727
April 2018 $18k on $344k 5% util EQ 806 TU 810 EX 812
Jan 2019 $7.6k on $360k EQ 832 TU 839 EX 831
March 2021 $33k on $312k EQ 796 TU 798 EX 801
May 2021 Paid all Installments and Mortgages, one new Mortgage EQ 761 TY 774 EX 777
April 2022 EQ=811 TU=807 EX=805 - TU VS 3.0 765

seattletravels · ‎03-09-2020

I found a post on flyertalk that said points will upgrade but it was from 2012. I'd recommend calling Amex to verify.

BECU Visa : $40,000 Date Opened: 02/2020

Delta Reserve : $20,000 Date Opened: 01/2020

Amex Blue Cash Preferred : $19,900 Date Opened : 07/2013

Chase Freedom Unlimited : $19,300 Date Opened : 02/2020

Citi Double Cash : $19,000 Date Opened : 06/2015

B of A Cash Rewards : $16,000 Date Opened : 12/2013

Barclaycard Ring : $10,000 Date Opened : 06/2017

Citi Simplicity : $9,000 Date Opened : 10/2011

Commerce Special Connections : $8,000 Date Opened 04/2015

Discover It : $7,100 Date Opened : 04/2013

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless : $5,500 Date Opened 07/2013

Delta Platinum : $2,000 Date Opened : 08/2018

Last App: BECU 02-26-2020
Pronouns: He/Him/His

Anonymous · ‎03-09-2020

By a parallel example I would think they would. I have two Hilton cards - the base, no-AF card and the Surpass. When I stay at a Hilton, it doesn't matter which card I use because the points are pooled, and because I have Surpass, I always get Gold status no matter what - holding Surpass allows me to get the benefits of that card regardless whether I use it at the time.

MR points also pool from the various cards one can hold that earn them. Because of that, if you hold a card that allows transfer partners, I would think it would allow you to transfer any MRs you have to travel partners because you hold a card that allows it.

I'm interested to see what the answer to this is from someone who knows definitively, but this would be my take on it.

K-in-Boston · ‎03-09-2020

I've had Blue for 18 years. They pool into the same account. As long as you have a "real MR account," they are all "real MRs." You can product change to ED or EDP, also.

mkhan1093 · ‎03-09-2020

Best thing in this case would be to be your own DP and try applying for something you might want like the ED(P) and see if your MR balance with that card starts at 0 or at the 70k that you have already

Anonymous · ‎03-09-2020

Thanks all!

I did read something stating that all one's points would pool into the highest MR level they have a card for, but it was such an old article that I just wanted to see if anything changed.

I was going to step out of the garden this month anyway, so I'll add the Amex ED while I'm out.