International Travel Again: A Budget Brazilian Breakaway

I’m not sure if the Amex global transfer will work as the Amex cards in Brasil are all issued by two banks, Bradesco and Santander. I’m pretty sure that the global transfer only works for countries where Amex issues the cards.

The Platinum card does not have too many benefits, compared to the Canadian version, it has an annual fee of $1440 reis, $270 CAD right now, gives you unlimited access to Amex Centurion lounges and 2 access to Priority Pass for the one issued by Santander and the Bradesco Amex Platinum Metal. The non-metal version from Bradesco does not have access to Priority Pass. The Platinum Cards issued by Bradesco also get unlimited access to the Bradesco lounges in Brasil.

For FX fees on the cards are 4.7% or 5.1% for Santander and Bradesco respectively plus there is a 6.38% FX fee imposed by the government so the total FX fees are 11.08% and 11.48%.

The Platinum card earns a flat 2.2 points per USD that can be transferred to:
Santander Amex’s: to Esfera or Livelo
Bradesco Amex’s: Livelo

Livelo is a loyalty program of a mix of banks while Esfera is only from Santander.

Esfera can transfer to: Gol’s Smiles, Azul’s Tudo Azul, and Latam’s Latam Pass at a 1:1 ratio and to Iberia Plus at a rate of 2:1 (you can transfer from Iberia to BA)

Livelo can transfer to: Gol’s Smiles, Azul’s Tudo Azul, and Latam’s Latam Pass, Tap Miles & Go, and IHG at a 1:1 ratio, and to United Mileage Club, Aeromexico Club Premier, British Airways Avios, Iberia Plus, Etihad Guest, and Air France/KLM Flying Blue at a rate of 2:1, and Accor Live Limitless at a rate of 2.5:1.

You might be able to get the points from Brasil transferred to a Candian Amex account in which case the 2.2 points per USD would get you 2.8 Candain Amex Points per USD spent. But because of the high FX fees, it would not make sense unless you spent time in Brasil.

The sign-up bonus is also not that great, the best you will get is 10k points unless you get the centurion card, which has a sign-up bonus of 300k.

And from what I can understand the global transfer only works for these countries:Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States of America.