Planning a trip to Lebanon using your American Express Membership Rewards points? Fantastic choice! Amex points are incredibly versatile and can unlock some amazing travel experiences. However, figuring out the exact number of points you'll need isn't as simple as a fixed number, as it depends on a variety of factors. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process, helping you estimate your points, understand redemption strategies, and ultimately book your flight to the beautiful Cedars.
Let's dive in and start planning your Lebanese adventure!
How Many American Express Points Do I Need to Book My Ticket to Lebanon?
The number of American Express Membership Rewards points required for a flight to Lebanon can vary significantly, ranging from around 40,000 to over 300,000 points for a round-trip ticket in economy or premium cabins, respectively. This wide range is due to several key factors:
Airline Partner: The most crucial factor. Amex partners with numerous airlines, each with its own award chart and redemption rates.
Class of Service: Economy, Premium Economy, Business, or First Class all have vastly different point requirements.
Origin City: Your departure city in the US will impact routing and thus, the number of miles needed and potential airline partners.
Time of Year/Demand: Peak travel seasons (e.g., summer, holidays) generally require more points due to higher demand.
Award Availability: This is critical. Even if you have enough points, award seats might not be available on your desired dates or class.
Taxes and Fees: Regardless of points, you'll always pay some amount in cash for taxes, fuel surcharges, and other fees. These can range from minimal to several hundred dollars, especially on certain airlines.
Step 1: Engage and Understand Your Amex Points Strategy
So, you're ready to explore Lebanon! But before we get into the nitty-gritty of point values, let's consider the most important first step: how do you prefer to use your Amex points?
There are two primary ways to redeem Amex Membership Rewards points for flights:
A. Booking Directly Through Amex Travel Portal:
Simplicity: This is the easiest and most straightforward method. You search for flights on the Amex Travel website, and the price is displayed in both cash and points (typically 1 cent per point for flights).
Fixed Value: You'll generally get a fixed value of 1 cent per point when booking flights directly. So, a $1,000 flight would cost you 100,000 Amex points.
No Award Availability Hassles: If a flight is available for cash, it's available for points. You don't need to worry about "award availability."
Potentially Lower Value: While convenient, this often provides less value than transferring to airline partners, especially for premium cabin international travel.
B. Transferring Points to Airline Partners:
Maximizing Value: This is where you can unlock significantly higher value for your points, often getting 1.5 cents, 2 cents, or even more per point, especially for business and first-class travel.
Flexibility & Complexity: You transfer your Amex points (usually at a 1:1 ratio, but check specific partners) to an airline's frequent flyer program, then use those airline miles to book an award ticket. This requires understanding airline alliances, award charts, and searching for award availability directly on the airline's website.
Strategic Planning: This method requires more planning and research, but the rewards can be immense.
Which method appeals more to you? If you prioritize ease and simplicity, the Amex Travel Portal might be your go-to. If you're keen on stretching your points for the best possible value, especially for a long-haul flight to Lebanon, then transferring to airline partners is the way to go. This guide will focus primarily on the latter, as it offers the best redemption opportunities.
Step 2: Identify Key Airline Partners for Flights to Lebanon
American Express Membership Rewards has a robust list of airline transfer partners. For flights to Lebanon (Beirut - BEY), you'll likely connect through major European or Middle Eastern hubs. Here are some of the most relevant Amex airline partners and their alliances, which will dictate your flight options:
Star Alliance:
Air Canada Aeroplan: Excellent value, often has good availability.
ANA Mileage Club: Can offer fantastic redemption rates, particularly for round-trip business/first class.
Avianca LifeMiles: Known for competitive rates and often low taxes/fees.
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: Strong for Star Alliance partners.
Turkish Airlines (via ANA, Avianca, or other Star Alliance partners): A good option for connecting through Istanbul.
Lufthansa (via ANA, Avianca, or other Star Alliance partners): Connects through Frankfurt or Munich.
SkyTeam Alliance:
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles: Can be an option, but often has higher redemption rates.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue: Often has good promotional rates for flights to Europe, and then you'd connect to Beirut.
Oneworld Alliance:
British Airways Executive Club (Avios): Can be good for short-haul flights but typically charges high fuel surcharges on long-haul flights from the US to Europe/Middle East.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles: A good option for connecting through Hong Kong, or for utilizing Oneworld partners like Qatar Airways.
Qatar Airways Privilege Club (Avios): Another excellent option, especially for connecting through Doha, known for its QSuites.
Non-Alliance Partners:
Emirates Skywards: A very popular choice for travel to the Middle East and beyond, connecting through Dubai. Note: As of September 16, 2025, the transfer ratio for Emirates Skywards will change from 1:1 to 5:4. Plan accordingly if this impacts your travel timeline.
Etihad Guest: Connects through Abu Dhabi.
Step 3: Estimate Points for an Economy Class Ticket
For an economy class round-trip ticket from the US to Beirut, you're generally looking at:
40,000 - 70,000 points (one-way) or 80,000 - 140,000 points (round-trip) via airline partners.
Here are some examples based on recent data, keeping in mind these are estimates and subject to change:
Asiana Airlines Asiana Club: Can be as low as 40,000 miles one-way for economy. While Asiana is a Star Alliance member, you'd be looking for flights on their partners that connect to Beirut.
American Airlines AAdvantage (via Cathay Pacific Asia Miles or Qatar Airways Privilege Club): Can be 40,000 miles one-way for economy.
Avianca LifeMiles: Often around 42,500 miles one-way for economy.
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands: Around 43,000 miles one-way for economy.
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: Roughly 60,000 miles one-way for economy.
ANA Mileage Club: Approximately 70,000 miles round-trip for economy on Star Alliance partners.
Emirates Skywards: 70,000 - 75,000 miles one-way for economy (Flex Plus) or 80,000 - 85,000 miles round-trip (Saver) to Beirut, plus taxes and fees. Remember the upcoming transfer ratio change!
Key takeaway: Look for sweet spots with partners like Asiana, Avianca, or American Airlines AAdvantage (through their Amex transfer partners like Cathay Pacific or Qatar Airways) to potentially find lower economy rates.
Step 4: Estimate Points for Business Class and First Class Tickets
This is where your Amex points truly shine! Premium cabins offer a much more comfortable journey for a long flight to Lebanon.
60,000 - 120,000 points (one-way) or 120,000 - 240,000+ points (round-trip) for business class.
80,000 - 160,000+ points (one-way) or 160,000 - 320,000+ points (round-trip) for first class.
Examples of potential redemptions:
Asiana Airlines Asiana Club: Can be as low as 60,000 miles one-way for business class on partners like Etihad.
American Airlines AAdvantage (via Cathay Pacific Asia Miles or Qatar Airways Privilege Club): 70,000 miles one-way for business class on Qatar Airways QSuites.
Avianca LifeMiles: Often around 78,000 miles one-way for business class on Star Alliance partners like Lufthansa or Turkish Airlines.
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: Approximately 130,000 miles round-trip for business class.
ANA Mileage Club: Around 130,000 miles round-trip for business class on Star Alliance partners (e.g., Turkish Airlines or Lufthansa).
Emirates Skywards: 110,000 - 120,000 miles one-way for business class (Flex Plus) or 160,000 - 170,000 miles round-trip (Saver), plus taxes and fees. For First Class, expect 150,000 - 160,000 miles one-way (Flex) or 240,000 - 255,000 miles round-trip (Flex Plus), plus significant taxes and fees. Again, note the upcoming transfer ratio change.
Pro Tip for Premium Cabins: Award availability for business and first class can be highly competitive. Be flexible with your dates if possible, and consider looking well in advance or very last minute.
Step 5: The Step-by-Step Booking Process with American Express Points
Now that you have an idea of the points you might need, let's go through the booking process.
Sub-heading: 5.1 Determine Your Travel Dates and Flexibility
Before anything else, decide on your travel dates. Are they fixed, or do you have some flexibility? Flexibility is key to finding award availability, especially for premium cabins.
Consider traveling during the "shoulder season" (spring or fall) to potentially find better availability and lower point requirements than peak summer months.
Sub-heading: 5.2 Research Airline Partners and Award Availability
This is the most crucial step for maximizing your points. Don't transfer points blindly!
Identify potential airline partners: Based on your desired class of service and point estimates, pick a few Amex partners that fly to or partner with airlines that fly to Beirut.
Check award availability:
Go to the frequent flyer program website of your chosen airline partner (e.g., aircanada.com for Aeroplan, emirates.com for Skywards, united.com for Star Alliance searches if using ANA/Avianca/Singapore KrisFlyer).
Search for "award travel" or "redeem miles."
Input your origin (e.g., major US city like JFK, LAX, ORD) and destination (Beirut - BEY).
Search for your desired dates and class of service. Look for "saver" level awards, as these are typically the cheapest in points.
Important: Do not transfer your Amex points until you have confirmed award availability! Points transfers are almost always irreversible.
Sub-heading: 5.3 Understand Transfer Ratios and Times
Most Amex airline partners transfer at a 1:1 ratio, meaning 1 Amex Membership Reward point equals 1 airline mile.
However, there are exceptions (e.g., JetBlue, and the upcoming change for Emirates). Always double-check the exact transfer ratio on the Amex Membership Rewards transfer page.
Transfer times can vary:
Many transfers are instantaneous (e.g., Air Canada, Avianca, British Airways, Emirates, Flying Blue, Singapore Airlines).
Some can take up to 48 hours (e.g., ANA, Cathay Pacific).
Factor in these transfer times when planning your booking. If availability is scarce and disappears quickly, instant transfers are a huge advantage.
Sub-heading: 5.4 Calculate and Transfer Your Points
Once you've found the award space you want, note down the exact number of miles required.
Log in to your American Express Membership Rewards account.
Navigate to the "Transfer Points" section.
Select the airline partner you've chosen.
Enter the exact number of points you need to transfer.
Carefully review the transfer details, including the ratio and your linked frequent flyer account number.
Confirm the transfer. You will receive a confirmation.
Sub-heading: 5.5 Book Your Award Ticket
Immediately after transferring your points (especially for instant transfers), log into your airline partner's frequent flyer account.
Search for the same award flight you found previously.
The transferred miles should now be visible in your account.
Proceed with booking the award ticket.
Be prepared to pay the taxes and fees using your American Express card or another form of payment. These are typically paid in cash, not points, and can range from tens to hundreds of dollars depending on the airline and route.
Sub-heading: 5.6 Confirm Your Booking
Once booked, you should receive a confirmation email with your ticket number.
It's always a good idea to double-check your booking on the airline's website using your ticket number or reservation code to ensure everything is confirmed.
Step 6: Consider the "Sweet Spots" and Strategy
Certain airline partners offer "sweet spots" – redemptions that provide exceptionally good value for your Amex points. When flying to Lebanon, keep these in mind:
Avianca LifeMiles: Often have lower taxes and fees compared to some European carriers, and decent business class redemption rates to Europe/Middle East.
ANA Mileage Club: While transfers can take a few days, their round-trip business class awards on Star Alliance partners can be incredibly good value, though they might impose higher fuel surcharges on certain partners.
Qatar Airways (via Cathay Pacific Asia Miles or British Airways/Iberia Avios): Qatar's QSuites are highly sought after. Finding availability can be tricky, but 70,000 AAdvantage miles (which can be accumulated by transferring Amex points to Asia Miles or Avios and then linking/transferring to AAdvantage if possible, or directly booking via Asia Miles or Avios on Qatar) for a one-way business class flight is an excellent redemption.
Emirates Skywards: For direct flights or one-stop connections via Dubai, Emirates is a top contender, especially for their premium cabins. Be mindful of their dynamic pricing and the upcoming transfer ratio change.
10 Related FAQ Questions
Here are 10 related FAQ questions with quick answers to help you further plan your trip to Lebanon using American Express points:
How to find the cheapest flights to Lebanon using Amex points? The cheapest flights are typically found by transferring points to airline partners during off-peak seasons and by being flexible with your travel dates. Look for economy class redemptions with partners like Asiana, Avianca, or Qatar Airways (via Avios/Asia Miles).
How to transfer American Express points to airline partners? Log in to your American Express Membership Rewards account, go to "Transfer Points," select your desired airline partner, enter your frequent flyer number and the number of points, and confirm the transfer.
How to know if an airline partner flies to Lebanon? Check the airline's route map or perform a mock search on their website from your desired origin to Beirut (BEY). Also, remember that alliance partners (Star Alliance, SkyTeam, Oneworld) can get you to Beirut even if the direct Amex partner doesn't fly there itself.
How to avoid high taxes and fees when booking with points? Taxes and fees are largely dependent on the airline. Some airlines, like British Airways, are notorious for high fuel surcharges. Look for partners like Avianca LifeMiles, which are known for lower co-pays.
How to check award availability before transferring points? Always check award availability directly on the airline partner's frequent flyer website before initiating any transfer. Points transfers are almost always irreversible.
How to get more value from my American Express Membership Rewards points? Transferring points to airline partners for premium cabin travel (Business or First Class) on long-haul international routes, like to Lebanon, typically provides the highest redemption value.
How to combine Amex points with cash for a flight to Lebanon? If you book through the Amex Travel portal, you can often pay with a combination of points and cash. When transferring to airline partners, you'll pay the award flight's taxes and fees in cash, but the mileage portion is strictly points.
How to find promotional transfer bonuses for Amex points? American Express occasionally offers promotional transfer bonuses to specific airline partners (e.g., 20% or 30% bonus points when you transfer). Keep an eye on the Amex Membership Rewards website or points and miles blogs for these announcements, as they can significantly reduce the points needed.
How to deal with limited award availability for flights to Lebanon? Be flexible with your travel dates, consider flying during the off-season, look for flights well in advance (10-11 months out) or very close to departure (within 2-4 weeks), and consider connecting flights through different hubs.
How to find out the current transfer ratio for a specific Amex partner? You can find the exact transfer ratio for all American Express Membership Rewards airline and hotel partners directly on the American Express Membership Rewards website under the "Transfer Points" section.
