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GainAmerican Express Membership RewardsIt's easy, but knowing how to use your points effectively can be difficult. From travel partner transfers, flight or hotel reservations, gift cards to statement credits, the number of redemption options can be overwhelming.
Some of the most valuable uses for your points can be found by thinking outside the box. Let's dive into our short list of the best ways to use American Express Membership Rewards.
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O Platinum Card® da American Express
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Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on card purchases in the first 6 months of card membership.
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Credit score ranges are based on FICO® credit scores. This is a scoring method only and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $4,000 on qualifying purchases with your new card within the first 6 months of card membership.
O Business Platinum Card® da American Express
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Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on qualifying purchases with the Business Platinum card within the first 3 months of card membership.
How to redeem Amex points
Transfer points to Amex Travel Partners
The option with the most potential for oversized value is to use your membership rewards to transfer them to one of 20Amex transfer partners. That way, you can take advantage of the specific pricing rules and sweet spots of each individual program.
To do this, simply click on 'Transfer Points' and 'View All' to see all the transfer partners and what their points conversion rates are, then follow the instructions to finalize the transfer. With only a few exceptions, most partner transfers are made on a 1:1 basis. In addition, Amex periodically runs transfer bonus promotions with specific partners.
Book or upgrade the trip
Through Amex Travel, you can use your points to offset travel purchases such as flights, hotels, car rental reservations and even cruises at a rate of 1 cent per point - meaning 10,000 membership rewards becomes $ 100 off the total booking.
This is a great way to use your points for free travel, but since the redemption rate is adamant at a penny a piece, it doesn't allow for any sweet spots or value maximization.
Just go to 'Explore Amex Travel' and start searching for flights, hotels or any travel booking you want to use your points for. You will see the amount of points needed to offset the total cost of the reservation and, clicking on proceed, you will book your trip while deducting the points from your account.
pay with points
Amex allows you to use your points at checkout to pay for your purchases at select merchants like Paypal, Amazon, BestBuy and others. When you're ready to complete your purchases from these online retailers, you'll have the option to use your membership rewards as a payment method.
Points can be redeemed at a rate of 0.7 cents per point.
redeem gift cards
You can turn your Membership Rewards into gift cards for yourself or anyone else you like. Redeeming your Amex points for gift cards is not the best use of your points as it yields between 0.5 to 1 cent per point. However, it is a very simple redemption.
Simply login to your account, click on 'Rewards & Benefits' and then 'Redeem Gift Cards' to select from over 80 merchants available.
Coverage Card Charges
You can use your membership rewards to offset purchases already made with your card at a rate of 0.6 cents per point. This is one of the least rewarding uses of Amex points, but it can help keep your balance low.
Simply go to 'Cover Card Charges', select which charge you would like to offset and points will be deducted from your balance to cover the selected purchase.
Best ways to use Amex points
flights to Europe
With 17 airline transfer partners, there are plenty of award flights to choose from if you want to reach Europe.flying blue, Air France and KLM's loyalty program regularly offers discounted redemption rates as part of its Promo Rewards programme. With the promotional destinations changing every month, it's not hard to find redemptions at 25% and sometimes even 50% off, taking your points even further than usual.
Thanks to Flying Blue's loose definition of Europe's borders, some destinations in North Africa, such as Morocco and Tunisia, are included in this region, charging cheaper prices than the rest of Africa and also participating in Promo Rewards.
US domestic flights
It's also possible to get good value for your points for flights within the United States. You can transfer your Membership Rewards points toBritish Airways planes, which uses a distance-based redemption price. All flights under 1,151 miles cost just 9,000 points when redeemed for short haul flights on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines.
from Air Canadaplaneit also allows you to redeem 6,000 points for flights under 500 miles, while flights between 501 and 1,500 miles will cost 10,000 points when redeemed for any of Air Canada's Star Alliance partners.
Flights to South America
Flights to South America can get expensive, especially when flying to countries further south like Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. Fortunately, Amex has partnered withANA Miles Clubwhich prices all its award redemptions for South America the same, regardless of distance.
In this way, you can fly in partner ANA United Airlines from the United States or Air Canada from Canada to the south of South America for just 55,000 miles in economy class and 88,000 miles in business class for a round trip.
Flights to the Caribbean
Continuing to highlight the versatility of Membership Rewards transfers for British Airways Avios and Flying Blue, you can also take advantage of these same previous points transfers to fly to the Caribbean. Transfer to British Airways to redeem short haul flights on American Airlines from Miami to Caribbean destinations for up to 9,000 Avios each way in economy class, or transfer to Flying Blue to redeem flights on Delta Air Lines for around 35,000 points one way and back to the economy.
flights to hawaii
Flying from the US mainland to Hawaii can also be made cheaper with the help of your Membership Rewards balance. If you're on the West Coast, you can take advantage of British Airways distance-based award redemption transfers and points flights on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines for 13,000 Avios each way in economy class.
How to Maximize Amex Points
You can maximize your membership rewards on both sides of earning and redeeming. To maximize your earnings, choose cards that allow you to earn extra points in categories where you spend the most.
To maximize your redemption value, your best bet will be to focus on partner transfers, as this is where you can always find values in excess of 1 cent per point - more than all other redemption options. Also, try to take advantage of the temporary perkstransfer bonus, where you can get 10% to 50% more value from your points.
How to Earn Amex Points
There are many ways to earn Membership Rewards, but the easiest and perhaps most rewarding is to own an American Express card that is part of the Membership Rewards program. Various options are available on both the personal and business side, each with its own earning structure and bonus categories, and all offering different types of welcome bonus offers.
If you hold anyamex cards, you'll have the chance to refer your friends and family to order their own cards in exchange for some membership rewards. The amount varies from card to card and changes over time, so keep an eye out for any offers that come along.
From time to time, you will also receiveAmex Dealsinto your account, which will allow you to earn bonus membership rewards for shopping at a specific retailer or for spending a predetermined amount before a specific deadline.
For those who do most of their shopping online, you can take advantage of the Rakuten shopping portal, which allows you to switch from your usual cashback rewards to earning membership rewards. That way, any qualifying purchases you submit through the shopping portal are added to your overall membership rewards balance.
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Conclusion
There are many great ways to use your Amex points. By learning the ins and outs of the Membership Rewards program, you can identify the redemption options that will yield the best value for your hard-earned points.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many Amex points are needed for free flights?
As with most transferable points programs, the points required to redeem a flight vary depending on the flight chosen. You can use your Membership Rewards points to offset the cash cost of tickets through Amex Travel at 1 cent per point or you can potentially transfer your Membership Rewards to any of Amex's transfer partners to get more value out of them.
How many Amex points are needed for a free night at a hotel?
You can use your membership rewards to offset the cost of your hotel reservations at a rate of 1 cent per point. However, a much better use of your points that will allow you to extend them further is to transfer your membership rewards to one of Amex's three partner hotel programs and use them to redeem free stays.
FAQs
Best ways to use Amex points? ›
75,000 American Express points are worth an average of $502.5, depending on which American Express credit card you have and what you spend the points on. You will get the best value for your American Express points when you redeem them for Travel, but there are multiple redemption options.
How do I maximize my AMEX rewards? ›- Introductory Welcome Offers.
- Flights Booked With Airlines.
- Earn on Purchases Through Amex Travel.
- Earn Points at Supermarkets.
- Earn Points on Dining.
- Earn Points at Gas Stations.
- Frequent Transaction Bonuses. ...
- Introductory Welcome Offers.
| Number of American Express Points | Average Value |
|---|---|
| 100,000 | $670 |
| 90,000 | $603 |
| 80,000 | $536 |
| 70,000 | $469 |
75,000 American Express points are worth an average of $502.5, depending on which American Express credit card you have and what you spend the points on. You will get the best value for your American Express points when you redeem them for Travel, but there are multiple redemption options.
How much is 200k AMEX points worth? ›This is obviously a terrific welcome offer if you can use the card and make the spend. Without even considering the additional perks and credits, this targeted offer will end up being worth around ~$3200 based on our Reasonable Redemption Values for Membership Rewards. For one card.
How much is 2 million Amex points worth? ›AMEX points can be used for a variety of rewards including travel, merchandise, gift cards, and statement credits. Assuming an average value of 1 cent per point, 2 million AMEX points would be worth $20,000.
How do you get 10x points on Amex? ›Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $5,000 on purchases within your first six months of card membership. Earn 10x points on eligible purchases at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during your first six months of card membership.
How much money is 1 million Amex points worth? ›As a general guide, the point value can range from 0.5 cents per point to more than 2 cents per point, depending on how you redeem them. Therefore, 1 million AMEX points could be worth anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 or more, depending on the redemption method.
How much cash is 150k Amex points worth? ›| Number of American Express Points | Average Value |
|---|---|
| 150,000 | $1,005 |
| 140,000 | $938 |
| 130,000 | $871 |
| 120,000 | $804 |
Or, just cash out for $488,443
If he cashed out all of his points, he'd walk away with a cool $488,443. While the points would be worth a lot more when used for flights, when you have over 44 million points at your disposal that you're not using, it could make sense to cash out at least a portion of them.
Do Amex points expire? ›
Membership Rewards® points have no expiration date. However, points may be forfeited as described in the program Terms and Conditions.
How many Amex points do I need for a flight? ›| Distance (miles) | Economy | Business |
|---|---|---|
| 0 - 500 | 6,000 pts | 15,000 pts |
| 501 - 1,500 | 10,000 pts | 20,000 pts |
| 1,501 - 2,750 | 12,500 pts | 25,000 pts |
| 2,751 + | 22,500 pts | 35,000 pts |
While 200K Amex points will typically only give you about $2,000 in value when you shop for flights in the Amex travel portal, you can sometimes find Business or First Class flights — that can normally cost over $10,000 — for only 200K points, when transferred to a frequent flyer program.
How many Amex points is $4000? ›The current welcome offer is: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
How do I get a black Amex card? ›- Be an Existing Amex Cardholder in Good Standing.
- Make at Least $250,000 in Purchases on Your Amex Cards.
- Request an Invite.
60,000 American Express points are worth about $402, depending on which American Express credit card you have and what you spend the points on. You will get the best value for your American Express points when you redeem them for Travel, but there are multiple redemption options.
How much is 1 point of Amex gold worth? ›| Redemption Method | Value |
|---|---|
| Statement credit | 1 point = 0.6 cents |
| Amazon (pay with points at checkout) | 1 point = 0.7 cents |
| Flights (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 1 cent |
| Prepaid rental cars (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 0.7 cents |
The American Express card that gives the most points is The Platinum Card® from American Express.
How many points is $1 Amex? ›You will get one point for each dollar charged for an eligible purchase on your Platinum Card from American Express. You will get 4 additional points (for a total of 5 points) for each dollar spent on eligible air and hotel purchases.
Is it worth using Amex points for charges? ›Cover your card charges
You can redeem your Membership Rewards points for a statement credit, which is essentially a cash-back option. Points are generally worth 0.6 cent apiece when used in this way.
How much is 120 000 American Express points worth? ›
These points are worth a whopping $2,400 based on TPG's most recent Membership Rewards valuation of 2 cents apiece.
Is Amex points worth it? ›Membership Rewards is one of the best card rewards programs because the Amex points it earns are so versatile. You can redeem points for travel, gift cards, statement credits and more, but points are most valuable when transferred to Amex travel partners.
How much is 80 000 Amex Platinum points worth? ›| Number of American Express Points | Average Value |
|---|---|
| 80,000 | $536 |
| 70,000 | $469 |
| 60,000 | $402 |
| 50,000 | $335 |
Amex Platinum Card Welcome Bonus Offer
We generally value Membership Rewards points at about 2.2 cents per point, which means that a 100,000-point bonus offer is worth ~$2,200, a 125,000-point bonus is worth ~$2,750, and a 150,000-point bonus is worth $3,300.
If you redeem 30,000 points at 1 cent per point, that's a welcome gift of $300. Category multipliers. Most Cards offer bonus points for purchases made in certain spending categories like travel, dining, groceries, or gas.
How much is 50 000 Amex points in dollars? ›To get maximum value from your 50,000 Amex points, redeem for certain gift cards or travel packages through Membership Rewards. Depending on the redemption method, the value of 50,000 Amex rewards points ranges from $250 to $500. The average value is $325, as each Amex point is worth an average of about 0.65 cents.
How many Amex points does Dave Portnoy have? ›Redeeming Amex Points for Cash
That's about 1/3 of their actual value when used correctly, so this is a dramatically bad redemption of the points Portnoy worked so hard to achieve. If he were to cash out directly using statement credits, Portnoy would receive about $900,000 on his 44.4 million Amex points.
| Number of American Express Points | Average Value |
|---|---|
| 30,000 | $201 |
| 40,000 | $268 |
| 50,000 | $335 |
| 60,000 | $402 |
The American Express Gold Card is considered one of the best travel rewards cards thanks to the numerous food and travel perks that appeal to big spenders who can afford its $250 annual fee. It offers generous ongoing rewards for airfare purchases and spending at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets.
How long does it take to get 100k Amex points? ›You can earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points when you spend $6,000 on purchases on the card in your first six months of card membership.
How much is 125 000 Amex points worth? ›
Amex Platinum 125,000-point offer
The card has an annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees). Based on TPG point valuations, the 125,000 Amex Membership Rewards points bonus is worth a staggering $2,500.
Yes, the Amex Gold card is a metal credit card. New Amex Gold card applicants don't need to specify that they want a metal card, either. This is the standard design for this card. The metal Amex Gold card doesn't work any differently than a plastic card, though it will be more durable.
Is 10,000 Amex points a lot? ›10,000 American Express points are worth about $67, depending on which American Express credit card you have and what you spend the points on. You will get the best value for your American Express points when you redeem them for Travel, but there are multiple redemption options.
Can I redeem American Express points for cash? ›Redeeming Points for Credit is not available for redemption by Corporate Card accounts and is not redeemable for cash via Credit balance refund. All rewards (other than the redemption of Points for Credit) are provided by the rewards provider and not by us, our affiliates or our subsidiaries.
Can I use Amex points to pay my bill? ›You can use Membership Rewards® points for statement credits toward eligible charges that appear in your 'Recent Activity' or 'Current Statement'.
Can you convert Amex points to Marriott? ›How long does it take to transfer American Express® Membership Rewards® into Marriott Bonvoy® Points? Most transfers are processed within 1 business day but may take up to 14 days if further verification is required.
How do I transfer Amex points to Delta? ›- Login to your Amex Membership Awards page. Visit the American Express Membership Awards page. ...
- Find Delta SkyMiles. Click the "Airlines" tab and select "Delta SkyMiles."
- Find the Transfer Points tab. ...
- Enter in increments of 1,000. ...
- Click Transfer This Amount.
It almost always is more expensive, because they only get "deals" on higher class/bucket fares. However, a simple online search may give you a lower bucket fare. Amex has this mindset that its customers would pay for comfort and flexibility rather than the cheapest airfare.
How much is 22 000 Amex points worth? ›| Number of American Express Points | Average Value |
|---|---|
| 22,000 | $147.4 |
| 32,000 | $214.4 |
| 42,000 | $281.4 |
| 52,000 | $348.4 |
With 90,000 Amex points, it's totally realistic to get upwards of 8 to 10 cents per point of value when booking business or first class award travel. In this case, some of our favorite experiences include Emirates first class, Singapore Airlines business class, Qatar Airways Qsuites, and Etihad business class.
How many pounds is 30000 Amex points? ›
Redeem points on business travel
Transferring 30,000 points to our loyalty partners gives you between £300 and £900.
If you have a Consumer or Business Green, Gold or Platinum Card, your Card does not have a credit limit. Instead, your Card has no preset spending limit unless you have been previously notified otherwise.
What is 5000 Amex points equivalent to? ›| Number of American Express Points | Average Value |
|---|---|
| 5,000 | $33.5 |
| 15,000 | $100.5 |
| 25,000 | $167.5 |
| 35,000 | $234.5 |
| Number of American Express Points | Average Value |
|---|---|
| 40,000 | $268 |
| 50,000 | $335 |
| 60,000 | $402 |
| 70,000 | $469 |
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
How to get 85000 AmEx points? ›85,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your card in the first three months.
How much is 150 000 AmEx points worth? ›| Number of American Express Points | Average Value |
|---|---|
| 150,000 | $1,005 |
| 140,000 | $938 |
| 130,000 | $871 |
| 120,000 | $804 |
Qualifying new applicants can earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. This bonus is exactly double the previous offer of 35,000 points, after meeting a $5,000 spending requirement.
How much can I get for 50000 AmEx points? ›50,000 points will cover the cost of unlimited, ad-free music for up to two years. You can also put points towards a Premium Spotify membership and the rest on upgrading your audio experience with a Bose Home Speaker 300.
How much is 44 million Amex points worth? ›To put that into perspective, that's worth a whopping $888,079 when leveraging transfer partners, based on TPG's valuation of 2 cents per Membership Rewards point. That said, it's possible that Portnoy could get even more value by redeeming his points for high-value things like international business-class tickets.
How do I get my Amex Platinum fee waived? ›
Apply for the Amex financial relief program: If you're having difficulty paying your annual fee due to unforeseen financial difficulty, apply for the financial relief program online or call Amex at (866) 703-4169. You could potentially have your annual fee waived.
How many Amex points do I need to fly? ›| Distance (miles) | Economy | Business |
|---|---|---|
| 0 - 500 | 6,000 pts | 15,000 pts |
| 501 - 1,500 | 10,000 pts | 20,000 pts |
| 1,501 - 2,750 | 12,500 pts | 25,000 pts |
| 2,751 + | 22,500 pts | 35,000 pts |
If you are making residential rent payments, you can essentially use any payment method, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club International, and JCB.
Is AmEx points worth it? ›American Express Membership Points are worth exactly 1 cent apiece when booking travel through the issuer's portal. The current AmEx points value is 2 cents when transferred to partners. AmEx has 20 airline and hotel partners.
How many AmEx points is $300? ›If you redeem 30,000 points at 1 cent per point, that's a welcome gift of $300. Category multipliers. Most Cards offer bonus points for purchases made in certain spending categories like travel, dining, groceries, or gas.