American Express Membership Rewards transfers to Hawaiian Airlines’ HawaiianMiles will officially end on June 30, 2025 . Effective June 30th, 2025, the “Transfer Points” page on American Express’s website and mobile app now carries a banner stating that the ability to transfer Membership Rewards® points to Hawaiian Airlines’ HawaiianMiles will no longer be available.
American Express to End Membership Rewards Transfers to Hawaiian Airlines on June 30, 2025: What Cardholders Need to Know
Background of the Partnership
American Express has long allowed cardholders to move
Membership Rewards points to a variety of airline and hotel partners, including
Hawaiian Airlines’ HawaiianMiles program.
- Hawaiian
Airlines became a 1:1 transfer partner of Membership Rewards in 2023,
after Alaska Airlines’ acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines. This also opened
an indirect route for Amex points to become Alaska Mileage Plan miles via
HawaiianMiles.
- Alaska
Airlines Mileage Plan is renowned for its generous award chart, including
one-way transatlantic business-class redemptions starting at 45,000 miles
and sub-700-mile domestic economy awards for just 4,500 miles.
Why Transfers Are Ending
The phase-out of this partnership aligns with the broader
integration of HawaiianMiles into the Alaska Mileage Plan loyalty program,
expected to be completed in summer 2025.
- Alaska
and Hawaiian have announced a combined loyalty program launching in August
2025, signaling that separate credit-card transfer channels will be wound
down beforehand.
- A
coordinated end-date for all non-Alaska partnerships—including airline,
shopping, and dining partners—has been set to June 30, 2025.
Impact on Cardholders
With just over six weeks’ notice from the announcement,
Membership Rewards members have limited time to act.
- Cardholders
have until June 30, 2025, to transfer points to HawaiianMiles; these
transfers typically post instantly, though American Express notes they can
take up to two business days.
- Each
transfer incurs an excise tax recovery fee of $0.0006 per point (0.06¢),
capped at $99 per transaction.
- After
June 30, any remaining indirect route to Alaska Mileage Plan via Hawaiian
will disappear, closing one of the most valuable “backdoor” transfer
pathways in the points world.
How to Transfer Before the Deadline
- Log
in to your Membership Rewards account and navigate to the “Rewards
& Benefits” or “Transfer Points” section.
- Select
Hawaiian Airlines as the transfer partner and enter the number of
points (up to 999,000 points per day).
- Confirm
the transfer, noting the excise tax fee which can be charged to your
card or covered with points (not recommended).
- Once
points appear in HawaiianMiles, you may immediately convert them to
Alaska Mileage Plan miles at a 1:1 ratio via Hawaiian’s online transfer
tool.
Tip: Don’t wait until the last minute—system outages
or processing delays could risk missing the deadline.
Alternative Options Going Forward
Although the Amex-to-Hawaiian route will close, several
alternatives remain:
- Bilt
Rewards: Also a Membership Rewards transfer partner, Bilt allows you
to move points to Alaska Mileage Plan directly via Bilt’s partnership with
Alaska Airlines.
- Other
Airline Partners: Consider using Amex points with Oneworld carriers
like British Airways Avios or American Airlines AAdvantage for
transatlantic and domestic awards.
- Hotel
Transfers: Membership Rewards points transfer to hotel programs (e.g.,
Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors) for lodging needs.
Conclusion
The impending end of Amex transfers to HawaiianMiles on June
30, 2025 marks the close of a lucrative loophole for Alaska Mileage Plan
redemptions. Cardholders who value Alaska’s award chart should consider
transferring points soon—while there’s still time. After the deadline, American
Express will remove Hawaiian Airlines as a transfer partner permanently,
solidifying the launch of a unified Alaska–Hawaiian loyalty program later this
summer.