First-Ever 25% Transfer Bonus: Amex MR to Flying Blue

American Express Canada is offering a 25% transfer bonus from Membership Rewards to Air France KLM Flying Blue — the first time this bonus has ever been offered in Canada.

This comes on the heels of the permanent upgrade to a 1:1 transfer ratio that took effect in January 2026. With the 25% bonus on top, you're now looking at an effective rate of 1:1.25 — meaning every 1,000 MR points you transfer will yield 1,250 Flying Blue miles.

The promotion runs from March 18 to April 17, 2026, which gives you a solid month to figure out whether it's worth pulling the trigger.

25% Transfer Bonus to Air France KLM Flying Blue

The standard transfer rate from Canadian-issued Amex Membership Rewards to Flying Blue is 1:1. During this promotion, you'll get a 25% bonus, boosting the effective ratio to 1:1.25.

Here's how the math works out:

• 1,000 MR points = 1,250 Flying Blue miles
• 30,000 MR points = 37,500 Flying Blue miles
• 50,000 MR points = 62,500 Flying Blue miles

Transfers must be made in increments of 100 points, with a minimum of 1,000 points and a maximum of 999,900 points per transfer. Points are expected to arrive in your Flying Blue account within 3 days, although in practice it can be faster.

On the Amex transfer screen, you'll only see the standard 1:1 ratio displayed. The additional 25% bonus posts separately once the points arrive in your Flying Blue account, so don't panic if you don't see the bonus reflected right away.

As always, the name and address should match between your Amex and Flying Blue accounts to prevent any unwanted delays. Note that Corporate Membership Rewards cards are not eligible for this promotion.

Is This Transfer Bonus a Good Deal?

In short: yes, this is one of the better transfer bonus opportunities we've seen for Canadian cardholders in recent memory.

To put it in perspective, before January 2026, Canadians were transferring at a 1:0.75 ratio — meaning 1,000 MR points only got you 750 Flying Blue miles. The base rate is now 1:1, and this 25% bonus takes it to 1:1.25. Compared to the old ratio, you're effectively getting 67% more Flying Blue miles per MR point during this promotion.

Flying Blue uses dynamic pricing, but the "starting at" prices for transatlantic awards between Canada and Europe are well-established:

• 25,000 miles one-way in economy
• 40,000 miles one-way in premium economy
• 60,000 miles one-way in business class

With the 25% transfer bonus factored in, those same awards effectively cost:

• 20,000 MR points in economy
• 32,000 MR points in premium economy
• 48,000 MR points in business class

For comparison, a one-way business class ticket from Toronto or Montreal to Europe costs 60,000 Aeroplan points with partner airlines. During this promotion, you can book the same route through Flying Blue for the equivalent of 48,000 MR points — a 20% savings over the Aeroplan option.

Stack the Bonus with Flying Blue Promo Rewards

The real power play here is combining this transfer bonus with Flying Blue's monthly Promo Rewards, which discount select awards by up to 25%.

For March 2026, the Promo Rewards include 25% off business class between Europe and Ottawa — bringing the price down to 45,000 miles one-way.

With the transfer bonus, you'd only need:

36,000 MR points → 45,000 Flying Blue miles = business class, Ottawa to Paris

That's 36,000 MR points for a one-way business class ticket from Ottawa to Paris. By comparison, the same routing through Aeroplan would cost 60,000 points — nearly 70% more.

Promo Rewards change monthly, so keep your eyes on new editions throughout the bonus window. With the promotion running until April 17, you'll get to see at least one more round of Promo Rewards (April's edition) before the bonus expires.

Sweet Spots to Consider

Beyond transatlantic flights, the 25% transfer bonus also makes Flying Blue's partner redemptions even more attractive. Here are a few standout options available right now:

Toronto to London Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic — 23,500 Miles (18,800 MR)

Flying from Toronto to London Heathrow in economy for just 23,500 Flying Blue miles is already a strong deal. With the transfer bonus, that's only 18,800 MR points — less than what most programs charge for a domestic flight, let alone a transatlantic one.

Hanoi to Sydney on Vietnam Airlines — 59,000 Miles (47,200 MR)

Vietnam Airlines business class from Hanoi to Sydney prices at 59,000 Flying Blue miles through the program's partnership. With the transfer bonus, that's just 47,200 MR points for a long-haul business class flight — an excellent use of your miles if you're exploring Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Singapore to Paris on Air France — 85,000 Miles (68,000 MR)

A one-way business class ticket from Singapore to Paris comes in at 85,000 Flying Blue miles, which translates to 68,000 MR points with the bonus. For a full-length intercontinental business class flight, that's a competitive price.

For more ideas on where your miles can take you, check out our full guide to Flying Blue partner redemptions and the best ways to redeem Flying Blue miles.

In terms of the best credit card to use for maximizing this promotion, the American Express Cobalt Card is most well-known for its ability to earn 5 MR points per dollar spent on food and drinks, including dining, groceries, and food delivery.

With the 25% transfer bonus in place, you can effectively earn 6.25 Flying Blue miles per dollar spent on all purchases in the food and drinks category — an excellent return that rivals some of the best earning rates in any loyalty program.

Conclusion

Until April 17, 2026, American Express Canada is offering its first-ever 25% transfer bonus from Membership Rewards to Air France KLM Flying Blue.

Combined with the improved 1:1 base transfer rate and Flying Blue's monthly Promo Rewards, this promotion opens the door to some of the best transatlantic award pricing we've seen from a Canadian transferable points program.

As always, make sure you have a specific redemption in mind before transferring — once points leave your Membership Rewards account, they can't come back. Search for award availability first, and then transfer the points you need.