Amex Platinum: Delta One Upgrade via Pay with Points
Amex Platinum cardholders booking Delta One via Amex Travel get 35% points back when using Pay with Points, effectively valuing MR at 1.54c each on Delta fares. Not a sweet spot in the traditional sense but the best way to use Amex MR for Delta premium cabin if you lack KrisFlyer or Virgin Atlantic miles.
Why this redemption is worth chasing
At 1.6¢ per point this is a modest but real redemption. The cash ticket of around $4,000 doesn't make this a steal, but it's a fair use of 250,000 points if you weren't going to redeem them for anything better.
How to earn 250,000 American Express Membership Rewards points
American Express Membership Rewards accepts transfers from these credit cards. One sign-up bonus from any of them gets you most or all of the way to this redemption.
How to book this redemption
- 1Confirm award space first. Delta Air Lines award seats can disappear in minutes. Search for the specific dates you want directly on the American Express Membership Rewards website (or use our sweet-spot library to compare programs side-by-side first).
- 2Earn or transfer the points. If you don't already have 250,000 American Express Membership Rewards points, transfer from a flexible bank-points card (e.g. Bilt Mastercard (legacy, Wells Fargo), Bilt Blue). Transfers usually complete within minutes.
- 3Book immediately after the transfer lands. Award seats can vanish between your transfer and your booking. Have the search results open when you transfer.
- 4Pay any fuel surcharges or taxes. Most awards carry $50-$300 in cash fees on top of the miles. Check the estimate before you transfer, it should still be a fraction of the cash ticket.
Common questions
- How many points do you need to fly Delta Air Lines business class to Europe?
- 250,000 American Express Membership Rewards points one-way for business class on Delta Air Lines. Cash equivalent runs around $4,000, putting this redemption at roughly 1.6 cents per point.
- Is 250,000 American Express Membership Rewards points a good redemption?
- Yes, at 1.6¢ per point this beats the typical 1¢ baseline by 60%. Worth doing if you have the points; not worth optimizing for.
- What credit cards transfer to American Express Membership Rewards?
- American Express Membership Rewards accepts transfers from major flexible-points programs. Check the program's transfer partners on each bank's portal. Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou, Capital One Miles, and Bilt Rewards each partner with different airline programs.
- When should I transfer points to American Express Membership Rewards?
- Transfer only after you've confirmed award space on the specific date you want. Transfers are non-reversible. American Express Membership Rewards can devalue their award chart at any time, so if you have the points and the seat is available, book the same day you transfer.
Award pricing is set by American Express Membership Rewards and can change with little notice. The 250,000-point figure reflects the most recent published award chart we've verified. Confirm live pricing inside your American Express Membership Rewards account before transferring, transfers are non-reversible.