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For decades, every American Express Membership Rewards transfer partner has been an airline or a hotel. That streak ends later in 2026. American Express is adding Fanatics FanCash as an Amex transfer partner, the first one that has nothing to do with travel.
In this article, we explain what FanCash is, what the partnership includes, and why the transfer ratio decides whether any of this matters. We also cover the co-branded card Fanatics plans to launch. For the cards that earn these points today, see our guide to the best American Express Membership Rewards cards.
American Express and Fanatics announced a multi-part deal in May 2026, and the transfer piece arrives later this year. Fanatics sells licensed sports merchandise, trading cards, and collectibles, and it runs its own currency called FanCash. Members will be able to move Membership Rewards points into that currency.
Notably, American Express has not published the transfer ratio. Until it does, nobody can say whether this partner is worth using or simply a headline.
Because FanCash equals a dollar, the transfer ratio translates directly into cents per point. That makes the math unusually easy to judge once Amex publishes it, and it also sets a clear bar for whether you should ever use this option.
For comparison, transfers to airline partners regularly return well above 1 cent per point when you book premium cabins. Therefore, treat Fanatics as a convenience option for sports fans rather than a way to squeeze value out of a balance. Our guide to current credit card transfer bonuses tracks the moves that actually stretch points further.
Two gaps stand out. First, the missing ratio, which we cover above. Second, Fanatics also runs a sportsbook in several states, and the announcements said nothing about whether FanCash works there.
Nothing changes today. Your existing airline and hotel partners stay in place, and the card lineup does not move. Still, the direction is worth noting: American Express is testing whether a merchandise partner can compete for attention with travel transfers.
Fanatics FanCash breaks a long pattern: it is the first Membership Rewards transfer partner outside travel. For sports fans who already shop at Fanatics, that adds a straightforward way to spend a points balance without booking a flight.
Even so, the value stays unknown until American Express publishes the ratio, and merchandise partners rarely beat a well-planned airline transfer. Wait for the numbers, then decide. To get the details as soon as Amex releases them, subscribe to our newsletter.
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