A rare good-news move: Amex Canada now transfers to Flying Blue at 1:1

AnalysisJun 17, 20262 min readUpdated Jun 20, 2026

Amex MRFlying BlueAmerican Express

The short version

Amex Canada's MR to Flying Blue transfer rate went from 0.75:1 to 1:1 on January 3, 2026, a 33% increase in miles per point.
A 60,000-mile award now costs 60,000 MR instead of 80,000, putting Canada level with the US program.
Flying Blue runs frequent promo awards and monthly discounts, which can stretch the new rate even further.

American Express — transfer Membership Rewards points· global.americanexpress.com Prince of Travel — Amex Canada updates Flying Blue transfer rate· princeoftravel.com Flying Blue — Air France KLM loyalty program· flyingblue.com

2026 has been a rough year for Canadian points collectors, between Aeroplan's two changes and a string of trimmed welcome offers. So here is a change that goes the other way. On January 3, 2026, American Express Canada raised its Membership Rewards to Flying Blue transfer rate to 1:1, up from the old 0.75:1. That is a 33% improvement, and it quietly closed the gap with Amex in the US.

The math, plainly

Under the old 0.75:1 rate, getting 60,000 Flying Blue miles cost you 80,000 Membership Rewards points. At 1:1, the same 60,000 miles cost 60,000 points. You are getting a third more miles for the same points, on every transfer.

Flying Blue award	Old MR cost (0.75:1)	New MR cost (1:1)
30,000 miles	40,000	30,000
60,000 miles	80,000	60,000
90,000 miles	120,000	90,000

That is a clean, no-strings upgrade to the value of every Membership Rewards point you hold, provided Flying Blue is a program you can actually use.

Why Flying Blue is worth a look

Flying Blue is the shared program of Air France and KLM, and it is one of the more aggressive transfer partners when it comes to promotions:

Promo Rewards discount specific routes by up to 50% each month.
Monthly award sales rotate through destinations, so a well-timed transfer can stretch the new 1:1 rate even further.

The catch with any transfer is that it is one-way and usually instant, so you only move points once you have a specific award in mind and have confirmed availability.

What it means for your card

If you hold a Membership Rewards earner like the Amex Cobalt or Platinum, your points just got more useful for European travel without you doing anything. It is also a small reminder that flexible points beat locked co-brand currencies precisely because a single partner upgrade like this lifts your whole balance.

Transfer rates and promotions change, so confirm the current ratio and award availability on the official Amex and Flying Blue pages before you move any points. Nothing here is financial advice.

Cards in this story

Frequently asked

What is the new Amex Canada to Flying Blue transfer rate?

American Express Canada raised the Membership Rewards to Flying Blue transfer rate to 1:1, effective January 3, 2026, up from the previous 0.75:1. Confirm the current ratio on the official Amex transfer page before moving points, since transfer rates can change.

Why does the 1:1 rate matter?

At 1:1, your points convert to 33% more Flying Blue miles than before. Combined with Flying Blue's frequent promo awards and monthly discounts, it makes Air France and KLM redemptions meaningfully cheaper for Canadians holding Membership Rewards.

Sources

Every figure in this post traces to a primary source. Offers and rates change constantly — confirm details on the official issuer page before you apply. Nothing here is financial advice.