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How to cash out your Amex Membership Rewards points or Emirates Skywards miles for 1p each

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In our main article today I wrote about the very generous ‘double up’ bonus which Heathrow Rewards is running from today, 24th July, to Monday 30th July.  During this period, every 250 Heathrow Rewards points you convert will get you a £5 Heathrow shopping voucher instead of a £2.50 voucher.

There is an ‘advanced’ way to work this offer.  I have put it into this separate article in order to not dilute the main message of the ‘double up’ deal for those readers who are less keen on the sort of creativity I am about to outline.

Regular readers of Head for Points will know that there is a second Heathrow Rewards bonus running at the moment.  You receive a 50% bonus when you transfer Emirates Skywards miles into Heathrow Rewards.  This offer runs until 31st July.  Full details are in this article.

Heathrow Rewards

You should also remember that American Express Membership Rewards points convert to Emirates Skywards miles at a rate of 1:1.  This transfer is instant as long as your accounts are already linked and should be done within a day if they are not.

This means you can get creative …..

It is possible, for the next seven days only, to get 1p of Heathrow Airport shopping vouchers per American Express Membership Rewards point or Emirates Skywards mile you have.

This is how:

Step 1:  Transfer your American Express Membership Rewards points to Emirates Skywards

The transfer is instant if your accounts are already linked and should be fairly quick even if they are not – although there is a risk.  You need to transfer in chunks of 500 American Express points with a minimum of 1,000.

Step 2:  Transfer your Emirates Skywards miles into Heathrow Rewards points

You need to convert at least 6,000 Emirates Skywards miles which, under this offer, will get you 3,000 Heathrow Rewards points instead of the usual 2,000.  Larger transfers must be in multiples of 2,000 miles.  The transfer was instant when I did this a couple of years ago.  The risk here is that the bonus does not post immediately.

IMPORTANT:  Heathrow Rewards points transferred from Emirates can only be used for shopping vouchers, Heathrow Express tickets or airport parking.  They cannot be transferred out to another airline scheme.

Step 3:  Redeem your Heathrow Rewards points for Heathrow shopping vouchers

As long as you order your vouchers by 30th July, you will receive 2p per point instead of the usual 1p.  You need to redeem in multiples of 250 Heathrow Rewards points.

So ….

6,000 American Express Membership Rewards points converts into

6,000 Emirates Skywards miles which converts into

3,000 Heathrow Rewards points (with the 50% bonus until 31st July) which converts into

£60 of Heathrow Airport shopping vouchers (with the 100% bonus until 30th July) which are valid for 12 months

That is 1p per American Express Membership Rewards point or Emirates Skywards mile.

There is, of course, some risk here and if it all goes goes wrong, don’t blame us:

Emirates Skywards transfers from Amex are instant but if your accounts are not linked it may take a day

The one time I did a transfer from Emirates Skywards into Heathrow Rewards it was also instant, but that was two years ago – I don’t have any recent experience

I’m not sure if the 50% Heathrow Rewards bonus posts immediately or not

As you have a full week from today to order the vouchers from Heathrow Rewards, the risk is manageable in my view.  1p per American Express Membership Rewards points is a good return although, of course, you should really have something in mind to buy and be planning a visit to the airport.

Heathrow Rewards is expecting high demand during this promotion and is warning that it could take 28 days for your shopping vouchers to arrive in the post.  Do not order if you must have them sooner, although it may well happen.

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How to earn Emirates Skywards miles from UK credit cards

How to earn Emirates Skywards miles from UK credit cards (April 2025)

Emirates Skywards does not have a UK credit card.  However, you can earn Emirates Skywards miles by converting Membership Rewards points earned from selected UK American Express cards.

Cards earning Membership Rewards points include:

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

Membership Rewards points convert at 4:3 into Emirates Skywards miles which is an attractive rate.  The cards above all earn 1 Membership Rewards point per £1 spent on your card, which converts to 0.75 Emirates Skywards miles

The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card earns double points (2 per £1) on all flights you charge to it, not just with Emirates but with any airline.

Category

American Express Membership Rewards, Emirates and Emirates Skywards, Heathrow Rewards

Comments (105)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • VK says:
    24 Jul24 July 04:10

    link not working – for that ‘main article’ 250 points = £5. can’t find this on the heathrow rewards website so need your article to work to understand how the 250 to £5 works (presuming its not parking)

    If this works I may consider buying 1000 emirates miles because I have 11000. maybe worth spending $20 for 1000 to get an overall additional benefit given the conversion offer

  • Andrew M says:
    24 Jul24 July 04:55

    Two typos. “As long as you order your vouchers by 30th July, you will receive 2p per point instead of the usual 1p” and “and if it all goes goes wrong, don’t blame us”.

  • s879 says:
    24 Jul24 July 06:00

    OT as no bits: I am the main card holder on Amex Platinum and a supplementary on the Gold Amex Credit Card and I know the latter gives 2 lounge passes. Can a supplementary card holder (Gold Amex) utilise the two passes? In the case of Platinum they can but that’s unlimited access and in the Gold Amex there are only two passes.

    Also, is The Grain Store at Gatwick still included as one that would accept? We are a group of 1 adult and 2 kids (12y and 9y) so I could take two of us using my Platinum but I will need the Gold Amex supplementary to get the third in. However, I’m thinking if they’d allow the same person to use two cards to let myself and two guests in since one of them has to be the card holder. Hence I was thinking of Grain Store as when I used it a few years ago, they had a generous money allowance and all 3 could just eat in the allowance for two.

    • John says:
      24 Jul24 July 06:40

      I can’t see them allowing you to use a PP card in one name and a Lounge Club card in another name, unless you get someone who needs reading glasses. But if your total bill is less than £30 it doesn’t really matter how many people you have (well you can’t go on your own)

      • the real harry1 says:
        24 Jul24 July 07:19

        Gold Supp can’t use a pass in the absence of main cardholder also using a LC pass.

        No LC entry/ credit at Grain Store – PP only.

        • Andrew M says:
          24 Jul24 July 07:32

          Sorry Harry. Think you’re wrong re Grain Store. Listed on the lounge club website with the same £15 credit as PP.

        • the real harry1 says:
          24 Jul24 July 07:56

          I stand corrected then 🙂 Is that new?

          Anyway, Gold Supp can’t get independent entry. But asking nicely is different, just agree with the gate agent that principal will swipe for self twice (Gold + LC) and that guest 1 can go in on the LC, or the other way around. Plus guest 2 on the Plat.

        • Matt says:
          24 Jul24 July 10:19

          I thought the Grain Store was just a bar/restaurant – anyone can go in, sit down and eat/drink. The LC and PP cards get £15/card off the bill (so £30 for 2 people with a PP from Platinum)

        • John says:
          24 Jul24 July 12:59

          Anybody can use the lounge club card if the name is not checked, was my point, and I think Grain Store doesn’t look at your BP?

      • JohnT says:
        24 Jul24 July 12:46

        We used £30 at Grain store LGW recently – went through Ok once the server selected correct type of card on their machine! – (PS we didn’t have card with us, just number and expiry date) Goes through as one person Plus one Guest to use up the 2 free passes from one PP account. In fact as bill just under 30 we quickly added a bottle of water to bill!

    • pauldb says:
      24 Jul24 July 11:44

      I don’t see why you couldn’t go up to the till once with PP + one kid for £30, then go back with an LC pass for another £15 (i.e. for yourself – why would they care) or 2 LC passes and the other kid for £30.

  • KBuffett says:
    24 Jul24 July 06:40

    OT – is it possible to transfer Amex MR points from my wife’s account to my account?

    • the real harry1 says:
      24 Jul24 July 07:21

      No. But people have managed to transfer (say) wife’s Amex MR points to husband’s BAEC a/c if enough details match.

      • the real harry1 says:
        24 Jul24 July 07:52

        No datapoints as people probably avoid this scenario, no doubt correctly anticipating a degree of hassle, when there are much easier alternatives (such as simply parking the points at BAEC, any couple will normally have a BAEC a/c each so why make your life difficult?)

      • pauldb says:
        24 Jul24 July 11:45

        It used to be written into the MR T&Cs but I don’t see it there any more.

    • Stevie G says:
      24 Jul24 July 07:23

      Nope. She will have to cash out.

  • Johnjohn says:
    24 Jul24 July 06:54

    Whoever wants to have cash back, better off with the Amex cash back card. Easy and simple.

    • the real harry1 says:
      24 Jul24 July 07:28

      Definitely worth a look, 3 to choose from. The Plat @ £25/ year looks pretty good.

      The downside as I see it is that you aren’t earning MR points & therefore can’t convert to airline points. Obvious enough – but many of us get far better value than 1p/ points when used on award flights.

      • Genghis says:
        24 Jul24 July 07:35

        Isn’t the breakeven point something like £10k pa spend?

        • Mark2 says:
          24 Jul24 July 11:02

          The fly in the ointment is that you do not get the cash until the end of the year.

        • Genghis says:
          24 Jul24 July 11:24

          Note that the free card also has a bonus of 5% max £100.

  • YV says:
    24 Jul24 July 08:13

    Would the same apply for Miles & More? I around 10k M&M miles to burn to converting to HR at this rate should work?

    • Rob says:
      24 Jul24 July 09:07

      Good question. Not sure it would – I can check.

    • New Card says:
      24 Jul24 July 09:39

      The Heathrow Rewards site suggests the promo conversion rate is Skywards only, unless I am missing something?
      “Skywards members can convert their Miles into Heathrow Rewards points until 31 July 2018 and will receive 50% extra points.”

      • New Card says:
        24 Jul24 July 13:04

        I was missing something!

        M&M points convert directly into HR vouchers, i.e. without the extra step of converting into HR points first.

        From looking at my account it seems the generous rate isn’t being applied to vouchers bought in this way.

  • Graeme says:
    24 Jul24 July 08:45

    OT, i got a letter saying my TSB Avios Amex would be discontinued from the end of September. The MC would continue. As far as im aware this is a legacy duo card(s) from the Lloyds TSB days and not been available for a while.

    Further OT, Are there any offers (MR points?) to take out a supplementary card on the Amex plat card? Thanks.

    • Rob says:
      24 Jul24 July 09:06

      Yes, that card is now dead. Covering tomorrow.

    • Thomas Howard says:
      24 Jul24 July 10:17

      Does the card still retain the upgrade voucher on £7k spend?

      • Jonathan says:
        24 Jul24 July 10:31

        The Duo card was pre upgrade voucher and still attracts the 3% FX fee. There is no annual fee though.

    • Bonglim says:
      24 Jul24 July 14:52

      I couldn’t find the offer for a supplementary card anywhere (some people see it on their log in page when using a computer rather than the app).
      But I applied for a supplementary card and got the 5000 points anyway.

      • pauldb says:
        24 Jul24 July 15:18

        I got emailed about it for my 1 month old Plat this morning, add the wife and got the 5k bonus already. Sounds like it isn’t targeted either.

        • Roger says:
          24 Jul24 July 21:15

          I think the key is to wait and not apply supplementary card straight away.
          Let the main card holder account setup completed.

          I have missed supplementary bonus on both BAPP and Platinum due applying supplementary card within after couple of days from main card application.

      • Louie says:
        25 Jul25 July 02:36

        @Roger: how long ago did you apply for your supplementary cards? My bonus took ages to arrive.

  • Clive says:
    24 Jul24 July 08:51

    OT- apologies if this has been covered in comments I haven’t seen, but I received first statement from new VS+ credit card and the 6k miles bonus for spending £1k during the month isn’t on it. Do we know if this is normal? Are they to be added later?

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