There’s been a lot of chatter lately about the future of American Express Membership Rewards transfers to Hawaiian Airlines—and it’s not just about HawaiianMiles. The real concern? This change will shut down a quiet but valuable workaround that allows members to transfer Amex points to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.
Let’s unpack what’s going on—and why some people are already taking action.
HawaiianMiles to Cut Ties with Major Partners on June 30, 2025
In a move now confirmed by Hawaiian Airlines, the HawaiianMiles loyalty program will end its partnerships with multiple airlines and lifestyle partners as of June 30, 2025.
Among those losing redemption access through HawaiianMiles:
- Virgin Atlantic
- JetBlue
- Japan Airlines
- Korean Air
- China Airlines
- Virgin Australia
In addition, HawaiianMiles will be pulling back from non-travel partnerships, such as shopping and dining portals, and their Boyd Rewards casino partnership is also set to end.
However, what is not confirmed is whether or not HawaiianMiles will also stop accepting Membership Rewards transfers from American Express. At the time of writing, no end date has been announced—but the writing may be on the wall.
Ever since Alaska Airlines completed its acquisition of Hawaiian in 2024, sharp-eyed travelers have been taking advantage of a huge opportunity. They could indirectly transfer Amex points to Alaska Mileage Plan by transferring them to HawaiianMiles first.
This unofficial “back door” worked like this:
- Transfer American Express points to HawaiianMiles at a 1:1 ratio.
- Transfer those HawaiianMiles to Alaska Airlines.
- Use those points to book flights with Alaska Airlines or any of its many oneworld and non-alliance partners.
Since Alaska Mileage Plan is not a direct partner of American Express, this workaround provided Amex users with access to one of the few U.S. programs offering partner redemptions that still provided real value.
Aside from Bilt Rewards, the only other way to get miles into Alaska’s program is by transferring Marriott Bonvoy points at a painful 3:1 ratio—hardly ideal.
That’s why not knowing when we’ll lose this opportunity is making some people nervous.
Some Are Speculatively Transferring Points Now
No one knows exactly when Amex transfers to Hawaiian will end, but the clues are piling up. HawaiianMiles has repeatedly stated that its loyalty program will be integrated into a single platform with Alaska Mileage Plan “later this year.”
Some people aren’t waiting around. As this post from Miles for Family explains, travelers are preemptively transferring their Membership Rewards points to HawaiianMiles, thereby locking in access to Mileage Plan redemptions before the opportunity is lost.
Of course, speculative transfers come with risks. Once you move Amex points out of your account, you can’t move them back. And while Alaska Mileage Plan has long been a favorite among points enthusiasts, there’s no knowing what changes the program will make once it merges with HawaiianMiles.
Thinking About Making the Transfer?
If you’re considering transferring your Amex points to HawaiianMiles (and eventually to Alaska Mileage Plan), there are a few key points to keep in mind. We’ve outlined the full list in this post.
But here’s the most important part:
If you’re interested in this strategy, the one step you must complete before it’s too late is transferring your Membership Rewards points to HawaiianMiles (and paying the small excise fee Amex charges for airline transfers).
Once your points are in your Hawaiian account, you can move them to Alaska later—just keep in mind that transfers between the two programs aren’t instant.
Also worth noting: once the HawaiianMiles and Alaska Mileage Plan programs are merged, your points from both programs will be automatically combined into the new unified platform.
Bottom Line
The days of transferring Amex points to Alaska Mileage Plan via HawaiianMiles are undoubtedly numbered. While there’s been no formal announcement about the end of Membership Rewards transfers to Hawaiian, the move to dissolve Hawaiian’s other partnerships is a clear signal that changes are coming—possibly more sooner than later.
If you’ve been meaning to take advantage of this opportunity, now might be the time to act. Once this transfer route is gone, it’s unlikely we’ll see another opportunity like it again, at least not for Amex cardholders.
Stay alert, plan wisely, and, as always, transfer only when you have a clear strategy in place—even if that strategy is betting on being able to use a large balance of Alaska Mileage Plan miles.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
