Amex Membership Rewards Drops Etihad: What to Do Before 22 June

American Express Membership Rewards is removing Etihad Guest as a transfer partner on 22 June 2026 - and if you were planning to move points across at the 1:1 rate, you now have less than two weeks to act. At the same time, ALL Accor has quietly joined as a new transfer destination, having been added on 13 May. One partner out, one in - and the swap matters more than it might first appear.

Two changes have happened to the Amex Membership Rewards transfer partner lineup this month. The more urgent one is the removal of Etihad Guest, which takes effect on 22 June 2026. The newer addition is ALL Accor, Accor's loyalty programme, which has already been live since 13 May 2026.

Etihad is a genuinely good airline with a premium product, but its loyalty programme has some meaningful weaknesses that make it a less compelling destination for your Membership Rewards points. Most notably, if you cancel a reward flight, you lose at least 25% of your miles - and that penalty rises to as much as 75% if you cancel close to departure. That is a significant risk if your travel plans are uncertain.

For most UK points collectors, Etihad Guest was a niche option rather than a core strategy. The 1:1 transfer rate sounds clean, but the programme's cancellation penalties and limited award sweet spots meant it rarely came out on top versus alternatives like Avios, Asia Miles, or Virgin Points. If you never transferred to Etihad Guest before, you probably were not missing much.

That said, if you have a specific Etihad redemption in mind - particularly a business or first class seat on their A380 or the Residence product - it is worth checking Award Travel Finder for availability right now and transferring before the 22 June deadline if you find something suitable.

The new addition to the lineup is ALL Accor, the loyalty programme behind thousands of Accor hotels worldwide - including Novotel, Mercure, ibis, Sofitel, and Fairmont properties. If you are a regular Accor hotel guest, this opens up a new route to topping up your ALL points balance with Membership Rewards.

Hotel point transfers from credit card programmes rarely represent great value in pure cash terms - you will generally get better results using Membership Rewards for flights. But if you have a specific Accor redemption in mind, particularly at a higher-end Sofitel or Fairmont property where points can offset a meaningful nightly rate, it could be a useful option. The key question - which the available information does not yet confirm - is the exact transfer rate between Membership Rewards and ALL Accor points. Always check the rate on the Amex website before transferring.

If you have been sitting on Membership Rewards points with a vague plan to transfer to Etihad Guest at some point, that window is closing fast. Here is how to think through your options:

If you are unsure which programme to transfer to, the Points Converter tool can help you compare the value of different transfer destinations before you commit.

A few important caveats before you do anything with your points balance:

The last day to transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to Etihad Guest is 22 June 2026. After that date, Etihad Guest will no longer appear as a transfer partner on the Amex platform.

ALL Accor - Accor's hotel loyalty programme - has been added to Amex Membership Rewards as a transfer partner. It went live on 13 May 2026 and covers Accor brands including Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, Fairmont, and ibis.

Only if you have a specific, confirmed redemption in mind. Etihad Guest has a steep cancellation penalty - you lose between 25% and 75% of your miles if you cancel a reward flight - so transferring speculatively is not advisable. If you have no immediate Etihad booking, hold your Membership Rewards points and consider other transfer partners.

The main UK Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards points include the Amex Gold, Amex Platinum, and their business equivalents. You can check whether you are eligible for a welcome bonus using the Amex Welcome Bonus Eligibility Tool before applying.

The removal of Etihad Guest from Amex Membership Rewards on 22 June 2026 is a genuine deadline, but for most UK collectors it is not a disaster. Etihad Guest was a specialist option hampered by punishing cancellation rules - not a must-have partner. If you have a confirmed Etihad redemption ready to book, act before the deadline. If not, your points are safe where they are. The addition of ALL Accor gives hotel fans a new outlet for their Membership Rewards balance, though as always with hotel transfers, check the rate and do the maths before committing.

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These are the top credit card welcome bonuses we're tracking. Offers change frequently - see all cards.

1. Business Gold Card: 40,000 points after spending £3,000 in 3 months (£1.25/yr (waived first year))

2. HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard: Receive 40,000 reward points when you spend £2,000 on your card in the first 90 ... (£2.9/yr)

3. Platinum Card: 30,000 points after spending £3,000 in 3 months (£5.75/yr)

Looking to redeem your points? Here's what's available right now (via Award Travel Finder):

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