American Express Membership Rewards® has added The Leading Hotels of the World® Leaders Club as its newest hotel transfer partner, and this could be one of the most valuable ways to use Amex points for luxury hotel stays.

As of July 28, 2026, eligible U.S. cardmembers can transfer 1,000 American Express Membership Rewards points to 250 Leaders Club points, giving us a 4:1 transfer ratio. While that ratio may not sound exciting at first, it makes much more sense once you understand the value of Leaders Club points. The new partnership provides access to more than 400 independent luxury hotels around the world.

Until now, Citi ThankYou® Points was the only major transferable points program partnered with Leading Hotels of the World, offering a standard 5:1 transfer ratio. Citi points can also be more difficult for some people to earn, which makes the addition of American Express especially exciting.

Leaders Club points use dynamic pricing, but they can often provide around 8 cents per point in value. At the new 4:1 Amex transfer ratio, that could give you approximately 2 cents in hotel value for every Membership Rewards point transferred. The exact value will depend on the hotel, dates, and cash rate, so it’s important to compare the numbers before transferring.

This is a big deal because many hotel transfer partners provide much less value. Hyatt has always been one of my favorite hotel programs for that reason, but Hyatt isn’t an American Express transfer partner, and with recent changes it can be harder to earn Hyatt points. Leading Hotels of the World now gives Amex cardmembers another potentially valuable option, especially if you love unique, independent luxury hotels instead of traditional chain properties.

Leaders Club award stays currently start at around 4,000 Leaders Club points, which would require transferring 16,000 American Express Membership Rewards points at the standard 4:1 ratio. Leaders Club is free to join and includes benefits such as possible upgrades, complimentary breakfast for two, wifi, early and late check in/out considerations, and access to member rates.

In this guide, I’ll explain how to transfer American Express points to Leading Hotels of the World, what Leading Hotels of the World points are worth, when the 4:1 transfer ratio makes sense, and which luxury hotels you can book with points.

What Is The Leading Hotels of the World?

The Leading Hotels of the World, commonly called LHW, is a curated collection of more than 400 independent luxury hotels in over 80 countries. It isn’t a traditional hotel chain like Hyatt or Marriott. Instead, its portfolio includes unique hotels, resorts, villas, former palaces, safari camps and private island escapes that meet LHW’s luxury and service standards.

And these aren’t just any luxury hotels. LHW was the most-awarded luxury hotel collection on the World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025 list. Eight LHW properties ranked within the top 50, while another 10 appeared on the extended 51–100 list. That included Capella Bangkok at No. 3, Chablé Yucatán at No. 8 and Royal Mansour Marrakech at No. 13. See all 18 recognized LHW properties here.

These are exactly the kinds of memorable, bucket-list hotels we want to book, so being able to access them with American Express Membership Rewards points is incredibly exciting.

Leading Hotels of the World Transfer Partners:

Leading Hotels of the World currently has two major transferable-points partners: American Express Membership Rewards® and Citi ThankYou® Rewards.

Transfer partner	Standard transfer ratio	Example
American Express Membership Rewards	4:1	1,000 Amex points = 250 Leaders Club points
Citi ThankYou Rewards	5:1	1,000 Citi points = 200 Leaders Club points

American Express currently offers the better standard transfer ratio. For every 1,000 points transferred, you’ll receive 250 Leaders Club points with Amex compared with 200 through eligible Citi cards.

The standard Citi ratio shown above applies to cards with full transfer access, including the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card and Citi Strata Elite℠ Card. Citi cards with limited transfer access may receive a lower ratio, so always confirm the rate displayed in your account.

Citi has occasionally offered transfer bonuses to Leaders Club, which can improve its standard 5:1 ratio. However, at the regular rates, American Express is now the better option. Watch for future transfer bonuses from American Express, which could sweeten the transfer rate even more!

As always, confirm hotel availability before transferring. Transfers are final, and you cannot move Leaders Club points back to American Express or Citi if your plans change.

Leading Hotels of the World Hotel Status

The Leaders Club loyalty program has two membership levels: Club and Sterling. The good news is that even the free Club membership comes with surprisingly valuable benefits when you book an eligible stay through LHW.

Free Leaders Club Membership Benefits

Anyone can join Leaders Club for free and receive:

• Daily continental breakfast for two
• Upgrade priority at arrival
• Early check-in and late checkout considerations
• Complimentary in-room Wi-Fi
• Access to exclusive member rates
• Leaders Club points on qualifying stays
• One pre-arrival upgrade annually after completing your first paid stay
• SIXT Gold Status

Breakfast for two alone can provide significant savings at these luxury hotels. Upgrades, early check-in and late checkout are subject to availability.

Complimentary Sterling Status With the Amex Platinum

Eligible U.S. consumers and Business Platinum Card® Members can enroll in complimentary Leaders Club Sterling status without meeting the normal $5,000 annual spending requirement.

Sterling members receive all the standard Club benefits, plus:

• Five pre-arrival upgrade requests annually
• A 5% Leaders Club points bonus on qualifying stays
• SIXT Platinum Status

Enrollment is required through your American Express account, and the email address on your Leaders Club account must match the email connected to your Amex account. Status enrollment can take up to 72 hours to process.

This is a great added benefit for Amex Platinum cardmembers, but you don’t need the card to receive breakfast, upgrade priority, and other valuable perks. The complimentary Club membership is generous on its own and should be added to every eligible LHW reservation.

What Out-of-Pocket Fees Should You Expect on LHW Award Stays?

With some hotel loyalty programs, award stays include taxes and resort fees. Unfortunately, the news isn’t quite as good with Leading Hotels of the World.

Leaders Club points cover the room rate only. According to the program terms, guests are responsible for all taxes and government charges, including VAT. Depending on the property, your additional costs could include:

• Taxes
• Resort, destination or service fees
• Parking

Some properties may waive certain charges, but LHW does not offer a blanket resort-fee waiver on award stays. There can be some hefty out-of-pocket fees at certain hotels, so don’t assume that a “free night” will be completely free.

The total taxes and fees may not be obvious during the initial award search and may only appear on the final booking screen. Review that screen carefully before confirming your reservation. I would also contact the hotel directly if any charges are unclear, especially resort fees, parking, or fees for additional guests.

You can review the official rules in the Leaders Club terms and conditions. There have also been reports of the checkout screen displaying substantial taxes and fees that were not ultimately charged at checkout, so it may be worth confirming the expected total with LHW or the hotel before transferring points.

How to Search for Leading Hotels of the World Award Nights

You’ll first need to create a free Leaders Club account and log in before you can view award-night pricing.

Once you’re logged in:

1. Enter your destination or preferred hotel.
2. Add your travel dates and number of guests. (I always search for 2 adults, for one night)
3. Toggle “View With Points” instead of the cash option.
4. Click search to view available rooms and their Leaders Club points prices.
5. Continue to the final booking screen to see any additional taxes and fees.

There is also an app, so download and search there if you prefer!

Award availability can be different from cash availability, so try flexible dates if your preferred hotel doesn’t appear. Always compare the points price with the cash rate, and confirm availability before transferring points from American Express or Citi.

Why Leaders Club Points Can Be Great for Families

One feature I really like about Leaders Club is the ability to redeem points for different eligible room types, not just the hotel’s least expensive standard room.

We’ve recently seen a little more flexibility from other hotel programs. Hyatt sometimes allows members to book suites with points, and Hilton frequently displays multiple room types. However, award prices can vary significantly and sometimes become outrageous for larger rooms.

With Leading Hotels of the World, the points price generally increases along with the room’s cash rate. If a larger room, family suite, or villa is available to book with points, you may be able to redeem more points for the room that actually fits your family.

This can be an amazing option for families, especially families of five like ours. Instead of automatically needing two standard rooms, we may be able to use points for one larger room or suite that accommodates everyone.

I’ll share a few family-friendly Leading Hotels of the World redemption examples below. While many of these properties are high-end luxury properties and require many points, keep in mind that American Express Membership Rewards are some of the easiest points to earn with card sign-up bonuses and through Rakuten Shopping Portal.

Best Leading Hotels of the World Hotels to Book With Points

Tip: Look for the 🏆 to indicate a large family-friendly property and 💸 to indicate a property that requires fewer points!

Caribbean

🏆Rock House: Turks and Caicos

This hotel offers two very different redemption options:

For two guests, the standard room costs 34,200 American Express Membership Rewards® points per night after transferring to Leaders Club, compared with a cash rate of $825. That gives you approximately 2.4 cents per Amex point in value.

For families, the larger room accommodates up to five guests and costs 104,400 Amex points per night, compared with a cash rate of $2,651. That provides approximately 2.5 cents per point in value, and allows a family of five to stay together instead of booking two separate rooms.

Both options include complimentary daily continental breakfast for two through Leaders Club. Breakfast for additional guests, taxes, and other hotel fees may cost extra.

Keep in mind, points vary based on stay dates. This example is for July 2027.

🏆💸Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences: St Lucia

This resort has a ton of free water activities and looks very family-friendly with a kids club.

A standard room costs 3,968 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 15,872 American Express Membership Rewards® points, compared with a cash rate of $435 per night. That gives you approximately 2.7 cents per Amex point in value.

The two-bedroom option costs 10,898 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 43,592 Amex points, compared with a cash rate of $1,084 per night. That provides approximately 2.5 cents per Amex point in value and gives families much more space; however, it would be less points to book two rooms.

Central America

🏆Costa Rica: Nayara Tented Camp

These are two great redemptions on Nayara Tented Camp:

The tent that sleeps four costs 16,400 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 65,600 Amex points, compared with a cash rate of $1,408 per night. That gives you approximately 2.1 cents per Amex point in value.

The Family Tent sleeps up to six and costs 21,400 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 85,600 Amex points, compared with a cash rate of $1,867 per night. That provides approximately 2.2 cents per Amex point in value.

The details of the Family Tent make me want to book this immediately. It includes two separate tents connected by a private pool and outdoor space with daybeds, perfect for a larger family. You can have breakfast delivered directly to your tent, and the stay also includes welcome drinks, plenty of activities, and so much more. This is exactly the kind of unique, bucket-list hotel experience I want to use my points for.

💸Costa Rica: Nayara Gardens

A night at Nayara Gardens costs 8,575 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 34,300 American Express Membership Rewards® points, compared with a cash rate of $736 per night. That gives you approximately 2.1 cents per Amex point in value.

Hawaii

🏆Oahu: The Kahala Hotel & Resort

A night at The Kahala Hotel & Resort costs 9,938 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 39,752 American Express Membership Rewards® points, compared with a cash rate of $660 per night. That gives you approximately 1.7 cents per Amex point in value.

All Inclusive

💸Los Cabos: Paradisus Los Cabos All Inclusive Adults Only

A night at Paradisus Los Cabos – Adults Only costs 7,675 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 30,700 American Express Membership Rewards® points, compared with a cash rate of $419.98 per night. That gives you approximately 1.4 cents per Amex point in value, so not the greatest, but if you’re looking for an all-inclusive this could work.

Because this is an all-inclusive property, confirm on the final booking screen whether the all-inclusive package is included with the award or if an additional per-person food and beverage fee applies. Taxes and other hotel fees may also cost extra.

💸Cabo: Marquis Los Cabos All Inclusive Resort & Spa

It looks like as you add more people to the reservation, the points price goes up per person. So if you need to add a 3rd or 4th, you should be able to check the award price for that.

A night at Marquis Los Cabos All Inclusive Resort & Spa costs 8,327 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 33,308 American Express Membership Rewards® points, compared with a cash rate of $646 per night. That gives you approximately 1.9 cents per Amex point in value.

Europe

Positano: Le Sirenuse: A bucket-list property

For two adults, this redemption includes complimentary daily continental breakfast and costs approximately 116,000 American Express Membership Rewards® points per night after transferring to Leaders Club, compared with a cash rate of $2,222.12 per night.

That gives you approximately 1.9 cents per Amex point in value. Taxes and additional hotel fees are not included and may still apply, but this is an excellent way to get close to 2 cents per point on a truly bucket-list hotel stay.

💸🏆Puglia, Italy: Borgo Egnazia

The room that sleeps three costs 6,648 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 26,592 American Express Membership Rewards® points, compared with a cash rate of $505 per night. That gives you approximately 1.9 cents per Amex point in value.

The larger accommodation sleeps up to seven and costs 18,931 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 75,724 Amex points, compared with a cash rate of $1,439 per night. That also provides approximately 1.9 cents per Amex point in value and could save a larger family from needing multiple rooms; however, getting two rooms may still be cheaper depending on your family’s size.

🏆Switzerland: The Chedi Andermatt

The room that sleeps four costs 15,016 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 60,064 American Express Membership Rewards® points, compared with a cash rate of $1,115 per night. That gives you approximately 1.9 cents per Amex point in value.

The larger room sleeps five and costs 31,579 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 126,316 Amex points, compared with a cash rate of $2,269 per night. That provides approximately 1.8 cents per Amex point in value and allows a family of five to stay together.

💸Croatia: Grand Park Hotel Rovinj

A night at Grand Park Hotel Rovinj costs 6,100 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 24,400 American Express Membership Rewards® points, compared with a cash rate of $463 per night. That gives you approximately 1.9 cents per Amex point in value.

Ireland

💸🏆Killarney:The Killarney Park

A standard room costs 7,876 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 31,504 American Express Membership Rewards® points, compared with a cash rate of $598 per night. That gives you approximately 1.9 cents per Amex point in value.

The room that sleeps four costs 10,477 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 41,908 Amex points, compared with a cash rate of $796 per night. That also provides approximately 1.9 cents per Amex point in value.

Africa

Tansania: NgoroNgoro Lodge, Member of Melia Collection

A night at Ngorongoro Lodge, Meliá Collection costs 14,875 Leaders Club points, equivalent to 59,500 American Express Membership Rewards® points, compared with a cash rate of $1,012 per night. That gives you approximately 1.7 cents per Amex point in value.

These examples are just a small sample of what’s available through Leading Hotels of the World. There are so many incredible luxury hotels and resorts to choose from, so search your upcoming destinations to see what options you can find.

If you discover a great redemption—or book one—let me know! I’ll continue adding to this list whenever I find another property worth sharing, so be sure to check back.

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