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Later this month, American Express Canada will add ALL Accor Live Limitless (ALL) as a new transfer partner. The addition gives Canadian cardmembers another option for using Membership Rewards (MR) points on hotel stays, making ALL the third hotel transfer partner available through American Express Canada after Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honours.
Accor has one of the broadest hotel portfolios globally, including brands such as Fairmont, Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, MGallery, Swissotel, Raffles, Banyan Tree, Movenpick, ibis, Mercure and many others. The partnership also brings Canada in line with several other Membership Rewards markets that already offer transfers to Accor, though at a different transfer ratio.
Alongside the new transfer option, American Express Canada will also status match to ALL for eligible Platinum Cardmembers, which will launch later this year.
Membership Rewards can be transferred to Accor ALL
Later in July, eligible cardmembers will be able to transfer their MR points directly into the Accor loyalty program. The transfer ratio will be 1000 MR points = 500 Accor points (or 2:1). The maximum points you will be able to transfer is 999,900 Membership Rewards points, and the transfer time will be instant, as is the case with Bonvoy and Hilton transfers.
MR Canada will offer the most favourable published transfer ratio of 2:1, which compares favourably with the United Kingdom at 3:1, Australia and New Zealand at 5:1, and Hong Kong at 25:1.
As with all MR airline and hotel transfers, points can only be transferred into an ALL account belonging to the Membership Rewards account holder. Names must match. It is also worth noting that transferred Reward points do not count as Status Points, meaning they cannot be used to earn or maintain elite status within the Accor program.
Elite Status Match Coming Later This Year
Eligible Canadian Cardmembers will be able to match to an equivalent ALL Accor tier once the complimentary elite status benefit launches later this year. For Platinum, Small Business Platinum and Corporate Platinum Cardmembers, the benefit will provide ALL Accor Gold Status. Accor Gold status typically comes with Welcome amenities, Late checkout (subject to availability), Complimentary room upgrades (subject to availability), Complimentary Wi-Fi, and Bonus ALL Reward Points on eligible stays.
Additional details surrounding enrolment and activation are expected once the benefit officially launches later in the year.
Redeeming ALL Reward Points
Unlike many hotel loyalty programs that use dynamic award pricing or award charts, ALL Accor Live Limitless operates on a relatively fixed-value redemption model. Every 2,000 ALL Reward Points = €40 EUR discount.
This effectively assigns a predictable value to ALL Reward Points regardless of which participating property is booked. Reward points may be redeemed across Accor’s worldwide portfolio of more than 45 hotel brands, as well as eligible dining experiences and experiences.
Because ALL Reward Points have a fixed redemption value, it is relatively straightforward to estimate how many Membership Rewards points would be required to offset a hotel stay. With a 2:1 transfer ratio from Amex MR to Accor ALL, and a fixed redemption of 2000 ALL points for €40 EUR, you are essentially getting €10 (or ~$16 CAD) in hotel value for every 1,000 MR.
Should you transfer Amex MR points to Accor?
Short answer, no. Airline transfers will continue to be a better value proposition.
Rather than searching for outsized redemption values or award sweet spots, ALL members receive a relatively fixed value for their points that closely tracks the stay’s underlying cash cost. The 2:1 transfer ratio is also stronger than that of several other Membership Rewards markets worldwide, and whether transferring points makes sense largely depends on individual travel plans.
Since ALL Points have a fixed monetary value, there is less opportunity to extract exceptional value compared to airline transfers or traditional hotel award charts. On the other hand, travellers who regularly stay at Fairmont, Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel or other Accor brands gain a straightforward way to reduce the cash cost of their bookings using their Amex MR points.
The upcoming ALL Gold status benefit for Platinum Cardmembers will further strengthen the relationship. Complimentary room upgrades when available, late checkout, welcome amenities and bonus points can add meaningful value for those already staying within the Accor ecosystem.
