In 2026, you cannot directly transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to the American Airlines AAdvantage program at a 1:1 ratio, as American Airlines is not an official transfer partner of Amex. However, savvy travelers can still use their Amex points to book American Airlines flights by utilizing partner airlines within the Oneworld alliance. The most effective "workaround" is to transfer your Amex points to British Airways Executive Club (Avios) or Qatar Airways Privilege Club, both of which allow you to book American-operated flights through their respective search engines. Another option is transferring to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles. If you have an Amex Business Platinum card, you can also use the "Pay with Points" feature on the Amex Travel portal to book American flights directly, which often provides a 35% points rebate. While a direct transfer path would be more convenient, these alliance-based "backdoor" methods remain the primary way for Amex cardholders to leverage their points for domestic or international travel on American Airlines metal.