How to redeem American Express Membership Rewards points for best value

Redeeming Membership Rewards points in Amex portal

There are five ways to redeem your Amex points through the Membership Rewards portal along with one way to redeem them outside of the portal. You can access your redemption options at the Membership Rewards site by clicking “Use Points.”

Pay with points at checkout

You can use your accumulated Membership Rewards points when checking out at participating retailers. The value of your points depends on each retailer.

Data obtained May 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.

Redeem for gift cards

Much like redeeming points on partnered retailers, the value of your points spent on gift cards depends on the retailer you’re purchasing a gift card from. At of the time of writing, your point values will range from 0.5 cents per point to 1 cent per point.

Make purchases through the Amex shopping portal

Points redeemed through the Amex shopping portal are worth 0.5 cents per point based on our valuation. Strangely, these points are worth less on average than redeeming at checkout.

Redeem for statement credits

You can redeem points for a statement credit to pay off charges on your Amex card. This isn’t a great choice for pure value as these redeemed points are only worth 0.6 cents each.

Book travel through Amex travel

There are a variety of ways to redeem your points for travel through Amex directly, including booking flights, reserving hotels and taking cruises. Here are the point breakdowns for each travel option.

Data obtained May 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.

Transfer your points to travel partners

Transferring your Amex Membership Rewards points to travel partners is the best use of Amex points. That’s because the average point values of airline and hotel reward programs are often much greater than a single Amex point. Considering that many — but not all — travel partners accept points at a 1:1 or similar ratio, you can double or triple the value of your points.

We covered Amex to partner transfer ratios in our Amex Membership Rewards guide, but here’s the current average point values of each partnered airline according to our research.

Data obtained May 2019. Values are subject to change and should be used only as a general guide.

Amex cards that earn Membership Rewards points

There are roughly 10 Amex cards that can earn you Membership Rewards points, each with their own reward categories and perks centered around the program.

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Name	Product	Welcome offer	Rewards	Annual fee	Filter values
American Express® Gold Card		60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months	3x points on directly-booked flights; 4x at restaurants; 4x at US supermarkets on up to $25,000 annually (then 1x points)	$250		Earn up to 4x points on select purchases, a bevy of travel perks, and a welcome offer worth up to $600 with this upper-mid tier travel card. Rates & fees	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
The Platinum Card® from American Express		100,000 points after spending $5,000 in your first 6 months, plus 10x points at US gas stations and US supermarkets on up to $15,000 in combined purchases in the same timeframe	10x points at US gas stations and US supermarkets on up to $15,000 combined in the first 6 months, 15x points on directly-booked flights or on flights and hotels on Amex Travel. 1x points on all other purchases. Starting January 1, 2021, your 15x points on flights will be capped on up to $500,000 annually (then 1x points).	$550		One of the most valuable premium travel cards, featuring two welcome offers worth up to $4,500, multiple travel credits and unrivaled lounge access. Rates & fees	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
CardMatch™ from creditcards.com		See terms	See terms	See terms		Use the CardMatch tool to find cards you're likely to qualify for with your credit score, without a hard pull on your credit.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express			Earn 2x Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2x applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter.	$0		Earn 2x Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases on up to $50,000 with no category restrictions. Rates & fees	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
American Express® Business Gold Card		35,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months	4x points on two categories on up to $150,000 combined annually, then 1x points after that and on all other purchases	$295		Earn 35,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Rates & fees	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express		75,000 points after spending $15,000 in the first 3 months	5x points on flights and prepaid hotels through Amex Travel, 1.5x points if you spend $5,000 on a single eligible purchase on up to 1 million additional points per year and 1x points on all other purchases	$595		Earn 75,000 points after spending $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Rates & fees	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Business Green Rewards Card from American Express		15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months	2x points at amextravel.com and 1x points on all other purchases	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)		Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Rates & fees	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How to choose to redeem your points

While transferring points to partnered airlines is often the best way to maximize value, this might not always be the best redemption option for you personally. Here are a few questions to ask when considering your choices.

• Do you want to do the research?
  Transferring points to a partnered airline for great value requires a little research. Without doing your homework, you could end up transferring points to an airline with a higher average value per point and receive the same — or worse — value on your points than if you hadn’t transferred.
• Do you prefer Delta?
  Amex is partnered with Delta for the purposes of its travel portal. If you prefer Delta flights or live near a Delta hub, it may be easier to book through the Amex travel portal rather than transfer your points.
• Do you value customer service? American Express travel is well-known for its excellent customer service. No matter what happens during your trip, you’ll be able to connect with an Amex agent to help you find a solution.
• Are you interested in a cruise?
  One option that the Amex travel portal offers that point transfers don’t is the ability to book a cruise with your points. While points redeemed this way are only worth 0.7 cents each, it’s an interesting use of points for a type of travel that you can often only purchase with cash.
• Which Amex credit card do you have?The Platinum Card® from American Express in particular may warrant occasional redemptions through the Fine Hotels & Resorts program. Cardholders receive room upgrades, dining credits and other exclusive hotel perks at eligible Fine Hotels & Resorts properties.

Bottom line

The Amex Membership Rewards program’s wealth of transfer partners offers countless opportunities to make great use of your Amex points. With a little research and smart use of your Amex Membership Rewards credit cards, you can travel the world without emptying your wallet.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to another person’s account?

  No. Amex doesn’t allow point transfer between accounts at this time.

• Can I earn Delta SkyMiles through American Express Travel?

  Yes. However, you’ll only earn points on non-award flights.

• Are there fees associated with booking travel through Amex Travel?

  No. However, you’re responsible for service charges associated with the airline.