American Express adds Accor elite status match and points transfers

American Express and Accor Hotels have announced a new global partnership, which will roll out across Singapore and selected other countries from this year. Cardholders will enjoy an elite status match, as well as Membership Rewards points transfers.

In fact, this is already underway — UK Platinum cardmembers received Accor Gold status last month, and Membership Rewards transfers to Accor Live Limitless (ALL) have already gone live in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the UK.

There’s no timeline for when this will come to Singapore, but here’s what we can expect when it does.

American Express x Accor partnership

The global partnership between American Express and Accor will be launched in phases across Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

American Express cardholders enjoy two main benefits: a status match, and Membership Rewards points transfers.

Accor status match

AMEX Platinum Charge cardmembers will be upgraded to Accor Gold status, but before you get too excited, you should know that Accor Gold is basically mid-tier status. The main benefits are:

• A 48% bonus on points accrual
• Room upgrade, subject to availability
• Early check-in or late check-out, subject to availability
• Welcome drink coupons

Compared to a Silver member, you have some vague chance of a room upgrade, early check-in or late check-out, but subject to availability, and behind Diamond and Platinum members in the pecking order.

What’s interesting is that reports from the UK say that only principal cardholders are eligible for this benefit. This is unlike American Express’ other hotel status fast tracks, which are equally available to principal and supplementary cardholders. 

If you’re lucky enough to have an AMEX Centurion Card, you’ll receive the far more valuable Accor Platinum status, which offers complimentary breakfast at Asia Pacific hotels and lounge access.

If you have an AMEX Platinum Credit Card or AMEX Platinum Reserve, I don’t think you should expect to receive Accor Silver, as the focus of this rollout seems to be the Platinum Charge (and before overseas visitors make noise, that’s how we distinguish the Platinum Card in Singapore, since we have three).

Membership Rewards points transfers

AMEX cardmembers in Singapore will soon be able to convert Membership Rewards points to ALL points.

We don’t yet know what the conversion ratio will be, but here’s what it is in other countries. As a reminder, 2,000 ALL points are worth €40 towards, stays, dining and other incidentals.

For what it’s worth, I personally wouldn’t accept anything worse than 4:1, since 1 ALL point is worth about 3 cents, and I use a baseline valuation of 1.5 cents per mile (though you can obviously get much more than this with certain programmes and redemptions).

Still, with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy getting more and more aggressive with dynamic award pricing, there’s some comfort in a programme with fixed value redemptions. I never thought I’d say that, but here we are!

Conclusion

American Express and Accor are rolling out a global partnership, which will offer cardholders an elite status match and points transfer opportunities.

Singapore will be one of the 12 countries to see these benefits, though American Express Singapore has yet to announce anything. I’ll be watching this closely, especially the all-important conversion ratio.