American Express Membership Rewards has a new point ratio for El Al Matmid Club points that is good news for members. Fifty Membership Rewards points now equals one El Al Matmid point. Previously, the ratio was 70 Membership Rewards points for one Matmid point. Members can transfer in increments of 1,000 Membership Rewards points. Also, if you sign up for Matmid via this link, http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?5978 the $25 Matmid registration fee will be waived.

Bottom line: To put this change into perspective, for example, Matmid members can fly New York to Tel Aviv for 1,400 Matmid points in economy, 3,000 in business and 5,000 in first. With the former 70:1 ratio that translated into 98,000 Membership Rewards points for coach, 210,000 points for business and 350,000 points for first class. With the new 50:1 ratio, those flights are now 70,000, 150,000 and 250,000 Membership Rewards points in economy, business and first class respectively. Along with using Matmid points for that free flight between New York and Tel Aviv, El Al Matmid members can use points to upgrade from coach to business class and from business to first class–something that you can’t do with American AAdvantage miles, for example. Matmid members also have a cash and points upgrade award option such as $250 and 300 Matmid points (15,000 AMEX Membership Rewards points) for coach to business class or business to first on flights from New York or Toronto to Tel Aviv.