amex matmid conversion rate reduced for ticket or upgrade

EL AL Israel Airlines and American Express have significantly reduced the number of American Express Membership Rewards points that are necessary to exchange for an EL AL bonus ticket or upgrade to Israel. The new exchange rate applies to economy, business, and first class. This reduction in points is effective immediately and is permanent.


From Los Angeles, a roundtrip economy ticket requires 90,000 American Express Rewards points (or 1800 Matmid points). A bonus business class ticket is earned by exchanging 200,000 Membership Rewards points (or 4,000 Matmid points). The reduced exchange rate is also available for first class tickets from Los Angeles.
Matmid Frequent Flyer Club members earn bonus tickets and upgrades to premium classes, priority seat selection, and other exclusive member-only promotions.  They also have the opportunity to enroll for free in the EL AL GlobaLY program, whereby EL AL is donating the equivalent of 5% of earned points to charitable organizations: Taglit/Birthright, The Association for the Wellbeing of Israel’s  Soldiers and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Israel, helping to bring deserving individuals from around the world to Israel.

From New York (JFK/Newark), a roundtrip economy class ticket is now worth 70,000 American Express membership rewards points (equivalent to 1,400 Matmid points). For business class, a roundtrip ticket now requires 150,000 membership rewards points (or 3,000 Matmid points) and the same discount applies to exchanging points for a first class ticket.
To exchange points for an upgrade from economy to business or business to first class, there is also a huge savings that is offered. From New York (JFK/Newark), each one way upgrade requires 35,000 membership rewards points (or 700 Matmid points) and from Los Angeles 38,000 membership rewards or (750 Matmid points) are necessary.