The Points Show

Amex Membership Rewards Guide

By Aaron Anderson

Overview

American Express Membership Rewards points allows for a lot of flexibility when it comes to redeeming your points for maximum value. American Express has many great travel partners and transferring points to partners is one of the best ways (actually, by far the best way) to maximize the value of your Amex MR points. You can also book travel with your points through the travel portal—American Express Travel. American Express offers lots of different credit cards, including co-branded hotel and airline cards. For this article, I will focus mainly on Amex generic travel cards. Generic cards allow you to earn points specific to Amex. So every time you use an Amex travel card, you are earning Amex Membership Rewards (MR) points. Much like the Chase program, you can redeem your membership award points in many ways. You can:

 

  1. Redeem for cash (in the form of credits), gifts or gift cards
  2. Redeem points though Amex Travel
  3. Transfer points to travel partners

Redeem for Cash, gifts, or gift cards

This is not recommended as a way to redeem your Amex MR points. The reason why? You will only get 0.5 to 1.0 cents per point in return. That’s not very good when considering you could potentially get 10x the value when you book travel by transferring points to travel partners. When redeeming points for gifts or gift cards, different merchants have different prices and values for your points. Some merchants offer 1 cent per point redemptions and others offer as low as 0.5 cent per point redemptions.

 

You can also redeem points as statement credits against some charges, which can be considered the same as cash back. The redemption value is very poor though at 0.6 cents per point. If you want to redeem your Amex MR points for cash or for gifts, you can! But personally, I wouldn’t because the value just isn’t there.

Redeem points through amex travel

Amex Travel is actually available to everyone, whether or not you have an Amex credit card. The site works similarly to other booking sites like Travelocity, Expedia, or Orbitz. When it comes to EARNING points, Amex Travel is a great way to book because you could be getting up to 5x points back per dollar spent with some cards. When it comes to REDEEMING points, the Amex Travel site isn’t the best…

 

Your best option is to redeem points for airfare because you’ll be getting a redemption value of 1 cent per point—which isn’t that great of value when you consider getting up to 1.5 cents per point when redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points through the Chase travel portal. To make things a little worse…you only get 0.7 cents per point of value when you redeem hotels, cruises, rental cars, or vacation packages through Amex Travel. Redeeming your Amex MR points through Amex Travel can be a good option in some cases, but in almost every case, you’re best bet to get the maximum value out of your Amex MR points is to transfer your points to travel partners.

 

Something to consider is redeeming Amex MR points for airfare through the Amex Travel site if you have the Amex Business Platinum card or the Amex Business Gold card. Here’s why: If you have the Amex Business Platinum card you’ll get a 35% points rebate (up to 500,000 rebated points per calendar year) when you use the Amex pay with points option which—can turn your value from 1 cent per point into 1.5 cents per point. This rebate only applies when booking first or business class OR any fare (including coach) when booked with the airline you selected for your airline incidental fee credit. So if your chosen airline is Delta and you find a $200 ticket, then you can buy that ticket for 20,000 Amex MR points. If you make the purchase with your Amex Business Platinum card, you will get 35% points back (7,000 points back). This will ultimately change your ticket price to 13,000 MR points. If you take the ticket price ($200) and divide it by 13,000 MR points, then you’re redemption value is now 1.53 cents per point—instead of only 1 cent per point. You also get a rebate with the Amex Business Gold (25% instead of 35% up to 250,000 points rebated per calendar year).

Transfer points to travel partners

Let’s get right into it. Here is a list of Airline partners. Almost every partner will transfer points at a 1:1 ratio with the exceptions of AeroMexico (1:1.6) and EL AL (50:1)

 

All transfers are instant with the exception of All Nippon, Cathay Pacific, and Iberia (which can take up to 48 hours) and Aeromexico and Singapore Airlines (which can take up to 24 hours).

  • Aer Lingus
  • Aeromexico
  • Air Canada
  • Air France
  • Alitalia
  • All Nippon Airways
  • Avianca
  • British Airways
  • Cathay pacific
  • Delta
  • El Al Matmid
  • Emirates
  • Etihad
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • Iberia
  • JetBlue
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • Qantas

 

Hotel Partners are a little easier because there are only three partners and transfers in all three cases are instant. Ratios are listed below in parentheses.

  • Choice (1:1)
  • Hilton (1:2)
  • Marriott (1:1)

 

Hilton Tokyo Conrad

Marriott Grand Wailea Beach Resort

When transferring points to different travel partners, make sure that you first create a loyalty account for the partner you are transferring your points to. You will need to link your membership account number when completing the transfer.

 

One of the best ways to get the maximum value for your points is transferring points to Singapore Airlines (converting Amex MR points to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles) and flying internationally in business or first class. You can fly on Singapore Airlines or any of its partners. There are lots of other ways to gain max value, but Singapore Airlines has one of the best programs for overall redemptions. A few of the best ways to redeem Amex MR points are:

 

*Book first class suites on Singapore Airlines for as low as 76,000 Singapore KrisFlyer miles (From NYC to Frankfurt). This is an 8 hour flight that retails for around $7,000.

 

*Fly on Virgin Atlantic Upper Class from US to Europe for 100,000 KrisFlyer miles.

 

*Fly from US to the Middle East or North Africa for 45,000 miles one-way in economy class or 76,500 miles one way in business class or 99,000 one-way in first class using KrisFlyer miles.

 

*Fly economy roundtrip between the US and Hawaii on United Airlines using 34,500 KrisFlyer miles.

Here is a list of some of my favorite cards that earn Amex MR points:

 

  • The Platinum Card from American Express
  • American Express Gold Card
  • American Express Green Card
  • Amex Everyday Preferred Card
  • The Business Platinum Card from American Express

 

 

The platinum card from american express

Bonus: You will earn 60,000 Amex membership rewards points after you spend $5,000 within the first three months of having the card.

 

Annual fee: $550

 

The Platinum Card from American Express has been a favorite in the travel industry for quite a while. Yes, it does come with a large annual fee, which is something you should not ignore, BUT the annual fee is offset each year by a number of benefits. It’s one of those expensive, yet high end luxury cards, that keeps giving year after year. Let’s discuss the benefits.

Pros:

  • Large sign-up bonus (60,000 points)
  • You get access to hundreds of lounges across the world including lounges from Delta Sky Clubs (when flying with Delta), American Express Centurion Lounges, and Priority Pass lounges.
  • $200 in Uber credits each year. These credits are given monthly; $15 each month with a bonus of $20 in December.
  • $200 airline fee credit each year. This credit is good for incidentals charged to your card such as luggage, seat assignments, food, etc. However, you cannot use the credit towards the price of a ticket. This credit can be used with one chosen airline that is chosen by you at the beginning of each year, in January. These are your options for airlines:

 

    • American airlines
    • Alaska Airlines
    • Delta
    • Frontier airlines
    • Hawaiian airlines
    • FetBlue
    • Southwest
    • Spirit airlines
    • United airlines

Alaska Airlines First Class SFO to LAS

My Dad on First class with AA

My brother and I on AA first class

  • $100 in credit for Saks Fifth Avenue
  • Global Entry or TSA precheck application fee credit
  • Access to Fine Hotels and Resorts.
  • This card comes with complimentary Gold status with BOTH Marriott and Hilton. With Hilton, that means FREE breakfast for you and one other person.
  • You also get Avis Preferred, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, and National Car Rental Emerald Executive Status.
  • 5X the points when using your card to book flights directly with airlines OR when you book hotels with American Express Travel.
  • Transferrable points
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Rental car insurance
  • Return protection
  • Trip cancellation/interruption insurance

Cons

  • Have good to excellent credit (690 and above)
  • High annual fee
  • 1x points on most spending
  • American Express isn’t as widely accepted

The Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program offers lots of value and gives more variety when it comes to booking hotel stays. When you book through the program, you’ll receive perks like free breakfast for two and a spa and resort credit. You also get perks like noon check-in and guaranteed 4:00pm checkout. At some properties, you can get a 4th or 5th night free benefit.

 

If you are someone who flies a lot, you can recoup the cost of the annual fee just by using the lounges that are available to you through this card! So long as you hold this card, you will get lounge access all over the world which include:

  • Airspace lounges
  • American Express Centurion lounges
  • Delta Sky Club lounges (if flying with Delta)
  • Escape Lounges
  • International American Express Lounges
  • Plaza Premium Lounges
  • Priority Pass Select Lounges

If you have never used an airport lounge before, they are INCREDIBLE. At almost every lounge, you will be given:

  • complimentary food and drink (sometimes full meals, sometimes snacks)
  • complimentary wi-fi
  • Shower facilities to use
  • Better and more comfortable seating

Priority Pass Membership cards

Priority Pass lounge: The Club LAS

Buffet area at The Club LAS

Dining area at The Club LAS

Buffet area at The Club MCO

The Korean Air Lounge at LAX is part of Priority Pass

American Express Gold Card

Bonus: You will earn 35,000 Amex MR points after you spend $4,000 on the card within the first three months of having the card.

Annual Fee: $250

This card was made for foodies. you earn 4x the points when dining in, dining out, and grocery shopping. So if you love food, this card might just be the card for you. This card also comes with 3x the points when booking airfare directly with the airline company and purchasing with this card.  You will earn 1x points on all other spending. The annual fee is not as big as the Platinum card from American Express, but it still does have an above average annual fee at $250. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of this card.

Pros:

  • Descent size sign up bonus (35,000 points). But this could also be considered a CON because the bonus is really nothing to write home about.
  • 4x the points when you dine in or dine out at restaurants around the world
  • 4x the points when you use the card at supermarkets (up to $25,000 for the year)
  • 3x the points when you book airfare directly with the airline
  • $120 dining credit annually. You will earn a monthly $10 statement credit you when pay with your card at Grubhub, Seamless, Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations
  • $100 airline fee credit. This credit is for incidentals like baggage, seat assignments, food, etc. Choose your airline that you want the credit to apply to each year.
  • $100 resort credit. This credit can be used if you book a room through Amex travel that’s part of the hotel collection.
  • Transferrable points
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Rental car insurance
  • Baggage insurance. This benefit applies when the entire ticket is purchased with the card.
  • Return protection

Cons:

  • The 35,000 point signup bonus is nothing to brag about
  • Need good to excellent credit (690 and above)
  • Higher than average annual fee ($250)
  • No lounge benefits
  • American Express isn’t as widely accepted

American Express Green Card

Bonus: You will earn 30,000 Amex MR points after you spend $2,000 within the first three months of having the card.

 

Annual Fee: $150

 

This is a refreshed product from American Express and is a great option for someone getting started with points and miles. This card gets you 3x points on travel and restaurants worldwide—which is better than it’s competitor—the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card. You also get an annual $100 CLEAR credit and up to a $100 Loungebuddy credit, which help offset the annual fee and actually give you even more value upfront than what you are paying for the annual fee.

 

A membership with CLEAR costs $179 annually, so the credit won’t pay for the annual membership, but it will certainly help. With CLEAR, your eyes  and fingerprints can help you get through security faster at select airports and stadiums across the nation.

 

You can purchase a one-time pass through LoungeBuddy. Which means that you only have to purchase it when you need it. The cost to access each lounge can vary, prices start at $25 per visit. So you can potentially get up to 4 lounge visits a year. If you aren’t a frequent traveler and don’t have other cards that give you lounge access, this can be a huge benefit.

 

Pros:

  • Decent size sign-up bonus (30,000 MR points), although it’s nothing to write home about. Like the Gold card, this could also be considered a con because they sign up bonus doesn’t make you salivate like other offers do.
  • Has lower minimum spend requirements ($2,000)
  • Earn 3x MR points on all eligible travel
  • Earn 3x MR points at restaurants worldwide
  • Receive up to $100 per year in statement credits when you use the Amex Green Card to pay for your CLEAR membership
  • Up to $100 Loungebuddy statement credit
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Purchase protection
  • Baggage insurance
  • Secondary rental car insurance
  • Transferrable points

Cons:

  • Need good to excellent credit (690 and above)
  • Higher than average annual fee ($150) for a beginner travel card—but is offset by statement credits
  • American Express isn’t as widely accepted

Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card

Bonus: You’ll earn 15,000 Amex MR points after making $1,000 in purchases within the first three months of having the card

 

Annual Fee: $95

 

This is another great option for beginners because there is a low annual fee and has some really lucrative category-spending bonuses. You get 3x the points at US supermarkets and 2x the points at US gas stations. In addition to the bonus spending categories, you also get 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, if you need it. I don’t recommend anyone carrying a balance month to month, but this card has 0% APR for the first 12 months. So again, if you need it, it’s there. I still don’t recommend carrying a balance from month to month though. You can earn even more points thanks to the card’s 50% points bonus you earn when you complete 30 transactions or more in a billing cycle.

 

Pros:

  • 3x points at US supermarkets (on up to $6,000 in purchases per year), then 1x
  • 2x points at US gas stations
  • 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, then a variable APR, 12.99% to 22.99%
  • 50% extra points when you use your card 30 or more times on purchases in a billing period less returns and credits.
  • Doesn’t have a high annual fee
  • Transferrable points to transfer partners
  • Return and purchase protection

Cons:

  • No statement credits
  • has annual fee
  • low sing-up bonus
  • need good to excellent credit (690 and above)

 

 

The Business Platinum Card from Amex

Bonus: You will earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases within the first the months of having the card

 

Annual Fee: $595

 

I know, I know….this card has a $595 annual fee! BUT it has plenty of annual benefits that help offset the annual fee, which is awesome and something to get excited about. If you have a business—big or small—then this would be a good option as a business owner. You need to spend a whopping $15,000 within a three month period to get the big bonus of 75,000 Amex MR points. And since you earn one point per dollar spend, you’ll have a total of 90,000 Amex MR points after you hit the minimum spending. That’s a lot of points.

 

One great thing about this card is it has fantastic earning potential, especially when it comes to travel. This card is pretty similar to the Platinum Card from American Express, but this card comes with even more perks. The main BIG difference between the two cards is that you get a 35% points rebate (up to 500,000 rebated points per calendar year) when you use the Amex pay with points option; which—can turn your value from 1 cent per point into 1.5 cents per point. This rebate only applies when booking first or business class OR any fare (including coach) when booked with the airline you selected for your airline incidental fee credit. So if your chosen airline is Delta and you find a $200 ticket, then you can buy that ticket for 20,000 Amex MR points. If you make the purchase with your Amex Business Platinum card, you will get 35% points back (7,000 points back). This will ultimately change your ticket price to 13,000 MR points. If you take the ticket price ($200) and divide it by 13,000 MR points, then you’re redemption value is now 1.53 cents per point—instead of only 1 cent per point.

 

If you own a business that makes large purchases, then you’re in luck. You’ll earn 1.5x MR points per dollar on each purchase of $5,000 or more with The Business Platinum Card. That’s 50% more points! You can earn up to 1 million additional points per year. Listed below are the main pros and cons of the card, which you will find similar to The Platinum Card.

 

Pros:

  • Large sign-up bonus (75,000 points)
  • You get access to hundreds of lounges across the world including lounges from Delta Sky Clubs (when flying with Delta), American Express Centurion Lounges, and Priority Pass lounges. That’s 1,200+ lounges in over 500 airports world wide.
  • $200 in Uber credits each year. These credits are given monthly; $15 each month with a bonus of $20 in December.
  • $200 airline fee credit each year. This credit is good for incidentals charged to your card such as luggage, seat assignments, food, etc. However, you cannot use the credit towards the price of a ticket. This credit can be used with one chosen airline that is chosen by you at the beginning of each year, in January. These are your options for airlines:
    • Alaska airlines
    • American airlines
    • delta
    • frontier airlines
    • Hawaiian airlines
    • jetBlue
    • southwest
    • spirit airlines
    • united airlines
  • $100 in credit for Saks Fifth Avenue
  • Global Entry or TSA precheck application fee credit
  • Access to Fine Hotels and Resorts.
  • 35% Airline Bonus. Get 35% points rebate when booking flights with points on Amex Travel. Flights have to be business or first class OR any class on your selected qualifying airline.
  • This card comes with complimentary Gold status with BOTH Marriott and Hilton. With Hilton, that means FREE breakfast for you and one other person.
  • Get $100 hotel credit on qualifying charges, plus a room upgrade upon arrival with The Hotel Collection
  • You also get Avis Preferred, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, and National Car Rental Emerald Executive Status.
  • 5X the points when using your card to book flights directly with airlines OR when you book hotels with American Express Travel.
  • Get up to $100 in statement credits between January and June and another $100 statement credit between July and December for U.S. purchases with Dell on your card.
  • Get access to premium seats for select cultural and sporting events, based on availability
  • Transferrable points
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Rental car insurance
  • Return protection
  • Trip cancellation/interruption insurance

Cons:

  • High Annual fee ($595)
  • Need good to excellent credit (690 or higher)

 

The Business Gold Card from Amex

Bonus: You will earn 35,000 Amex MR points after you spend $5,000 within the first three months of having the card.

 

Annual fee: $295

 

This Amex Gold card and the Business Gold Card are pretty identical. The main difference is FLEXIBILITY on high earning points categories. Instead of earning 4x points on dining and groceries and 3x the points with airlines, you earn 4x MR points on the 2 categories where your business spent the most each billing cycle from the list below, plus earn 1x on all other purchases:

  • Airfare purchased directly from airlines
  • U.S. purchases for advertising in select media (online, TV, radio)
  • U.S. purchases made directly from select technology providers of computer hardware, software, and cloud solutions.
  • U.S. purchases at gas stations
  • U.S. purchases at restaurants
  • U.S. purchases for shipping

*4x MR points applies to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these top 2 categories each calendar year. Then earn 1 point per dollar.

 

Another key difference from the Amex Gold Card to the Amex Business Gold Card is that you get a 25% airline bonus. This works similarly to the Business Platinum card. If you book your flight with American Express Travel using MR points then you can get a 25% rebate. You have to book either first or business class OR any fare (including coach) when booked with the airline you selected for your airline incidental fee credit. You can get up to 250,000 points back per calendar year.

 

Pros:

  • Descent size sign up bonus (35,000 points). But this could also be considered a CON because the bonus is really nothing to write home about.
  • 4x the points when you dine in or dine out at restaurants around the world
  • 4x the points when you use the card at supermarkets (up to $25,000 for the year)
  • 3x the points when you book airfare directly with the airline
  • $120 dining credit annually. You will earn a monthly $10 statement credit you when pay with your card at Grubhub, Seamless, Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations
  • $100 airline fee credit. This credit is for incidentals like baggage, seat assignments, food, etc. Choose your airline that you want the credit to apply to each year.
  • $100 resort credit. This credit can be used if you book a room through Amex travel that’s part of the hotel collection.
  • Transferrable points
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Rental car insurance
  • Baggage insurance. This benefit applies when the entire ticket is purchased with the card.
  • Return protection

Cons:

  • The 35,000 point signup bonus is nothing to brag about
  • Need good to excellent credit (690 and above)
  • Higher than average annual fee ($250)
  • No lounge benefits
  • American Express isn’t as widely accepted

Final Thoughts

The Amex Membership Rewards program is fantastic because it allows for flexibility and numerous ways to earn lots of Amex MR points. The one thing to remember is that American Express only allows one sing-up bonus PER LIFETIME with each of their cards. This includes co-branded cards. So choose wisely and redeem wisely. Amex MR points are valued high across the industry because of the ability to transfer to travel partners so quickly and easily. As if I haven’t already said this enough….Amex has terrific travel partners. Collecting Amex MR points through credit card sign-up bonuses and credit card spending can be one of the best ways to get on the vacation of a lifetime! Hurry…the world is waiting for you.

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