Transfer Guide — Updated April 2026

Transfer Amex MR to HawaiianMiles

Move Membership Rewards to HawaiianMiles at 1:1 — typically worth 1.2 cpp (20% uplift vs the Amex MR portal).

AirlineRatio 1:11.2 cpp

Reviewed by CardCompare Editorial Board

|Points & Miles team|Updated April 2026

Transfer math at a glance

25,000 Membership Rewards

$300

via HawaiianMiles at 1.2 cpp

vs $250 in the Amex MR portal

50,000 Membership Rewards

$600

via HawaiianMiles at 1.2 cpp

vs $500 in the Amex MR portal

100,000 Membership Rewards

$1,200

via HawaiianMiles at 1.2 cpp

vs $1,000 in the Amex MR portal

Sweet spots for this transfer

HawaiianMiles is a smaller program best for mainland-Hawaii redemptions. Following Alaska's acquisition, cross-program redemptions are expanding.

1Mainland US to Hawaii in economy at 40K round-trip
2Interisland Hawaii hops at 7.5K one-way
3JAL partner redemptions to Japan

Example redemptions — Amex MR → HawaiianMiles

Redemption	Amex MR needed	Cash value	cpp
Mainland → Hawaii round-trip economy LAX ↔ HNL economy	40,000	$500	1.3 cpp
Interisland one-way HNL → OGG	7,500	$80	1.1 cpp
US → Japan round-trip economy via JAL LAX ↔ HND on JAL	70,000	$1,400	2.0 cpp

Booking tips

1Alaska-Hawaiian merger is reshaping redemptions — check both programs before transferring.
2Low-season Hawaii award space is plentiful — January-March and September are best.
3JAL redemptions must be booked by phone — online search limited.

Cards that earn Membership Rewards

American Express Gold Card$250 annual fee · American Express American Express Platinum$695 annual fee · American Express American Express Blue Business PlusNo annual fee · American Express American Express Blue Business Cash CardNo annual fee · American Express

Frequently asked questions

What is the transfer ratio from Amex MR to HawaiianMiles?⌄

American Express Membership Rewards transfers to HawaiianMiles at a 1:1 ratio. 50,000 Membership Rewards become 50,000 HawaiianMiles points/miles.

What is the transfer typically worth?⌄

HawaiianMiles points redeem at approximately 1.2 cents per point when used for airline awards. That makes a 50,000-point transfer worth about $600 in travel value — an 20% uplift over the Amex MR portal (1 cpp).

How long does the Amex MR to HawaiianMiles transfer take?⌄

Most transfers from Amex MR to HawaiianMiles post within minutes to 24 hours. Confirm partner availability first — transfers are not reversible, so lock in the award before moving points.

Which credit cards earn Membership Rewards?⌄

The American Express Gold Card, American Express Platinum, American Express Blue Business Plus and 1 more all earn Membership Rewards that transfer to HawaiianMiles.

Is it better to transfer or use the Amex MR portal?⌄

Transferring to HawaiianMiles at 1.2 cpp beats the Amex MR portal rate of 1 cpp when you find saver or award availability. For everyday redemptions (especially partner awards with good space), transfer is the higher-value path.