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Fact Checked
Eric McWhinnie
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The American Express® Green Card is unavailable on The Ascent. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.
American Express Membership Rewards has always been one of the best credit card rewards programs. It has a huge roster of airline and hotel partners where you can transfer your points, and there are several great American Express cards you can use to earn Membership Rewards points.
While there are lots of ways to use these points, not all of them get you a good value. Knowing the ins and outs of the program is important so you can make the most of your rewards. In this guide, you'll learn all about American Express Membership Rewards points, including what they're worth, how to earn them, and the best redemption options.
Jump To
- What are American Express Membership Rewards points worth?
- How do you earn American Express Membership Rewards points?
- Where can you redeem American Express Membership Rewards points?
- How do you redeem points?
- What is the best way to use American Express Membership Rewards points?
- Versatile and valuable travel rewards
- Still have questions?
- FAQs
What are American Express Membership Rewards points worth?
American Express points can be worth as little as $0.005 to over $0.03 per point. The value varies quite a bit depending on how you redeem them.
The key to getting a high value is transferring your points to travel partners. Most American Express Membership Rewards cards give you this option. American Express has over 20 travel partners where you can send your points. You can then use your points through that partner's loyalty program.
American Express also offers several fixed-rate redemptions, including:
- Flights
- Hotels
- Gift cards
- Cash back
- Paying with points at select online retailers
These types of redemptions will get you anywhere from $0.005 to $0.01 per point.
RELATED: The Ascent's Travel Credit Cards Hub
How do you earn American Express Membership Rewards points?
You can earn American Express Membership Rewards points by using a card in the rewards program. Every Membership Rewards card earns points on eligible purchases. Many of them also have welcome offers, where you can earn a large amount of points for reaching a spend requirement.
There are several cards to choose from. To start, here are three of the most popular and feature-packed American Express cards:
As of Apr. 16, 2024
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| The Platinum Card® from American Express | American Express® Gold Card |
American Express® Green Card |
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
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Apply Now for The Platinum Card® from American Express
On American Express' Secure Website. Terms apply |
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Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
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Welcome Offer: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. 80,000 |
Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. 60,000 |
Welcome Offer: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your American Express® Green Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points |
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Rewards Program: Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply. 1X-5X Membership Rewards® Points |
Rewards Program: Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. 1X-4X Membership Rewards® Points |
Rewards Program: 3X Membership Rewards® Points on Restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery. 3X Membership Rewards® points on all eligible travel, from subway swipes and window seats to hotel stays and city tours. The 1x points on other purchases. 1x - 3x points |
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Intro APR: Purchases: n/a Balance Transfers: n/a |
Intro APR: Purchases: n/a Balance Transfers: n/a |
Intro APR: Purchases: n/a Balance Transfers: n/a |
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Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR |
Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR |
Regular APR: See Pay Over Time APR |
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Annual Fee: $695 |
Annual Fee: $250 |
Annual Fee: $150 |
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Apply Now for The Platinum Card® from American Express
On American Express' Secure Website. Terms apply |
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Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Trip delay and cancellation insurance and cell phone protection underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Extended warranty, purchase protection, car rental insurance, and baggage insurance underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Information for the American Express® Green Card has been gathered independently by The Ascent and does not come from the issuer. Some details may be out of date. See the issuer's site for more information.
If you're looking for a no annual fee card, you can apply for either of these Membership Rewards consumer cards to earn points:
As of Apr. 16, 2024
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Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express |
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express |
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Rating image, 3.00 out of 5 stars.
3.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
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Apply Now for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
On American Express' Secure Website. Terms apply |
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Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
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Welcome Offer: 10,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new Card to make $2,000 in purchases in your first 6 months 10,000 Membership Rewards® points |
Welcome Offer: Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. $200 |
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Rewards Program: 2x points at US supermarkets ($6,000 spending cap per year), 1x points on other purchases. Use your Card 20 or more times in a billing period to earn 20% more points 1x - 2x points |
Rewards Program: 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%. 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. 1%-3% cash back |
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Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: N/A |
Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months |
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Regular APR: 18.24% to 29.24%, variable |
Regular APR: 19.24%-29.99% Variable |
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Annual Fee: $0 |
Annual Fee: $0 |
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Apply Now for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
On American Express' Secure Website. Terms apply |
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The information for the The Amex EveryDay® Card from American Express has been collected independently by The Ascent. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
There are also business cards from American Express that earn Membership Rewards points. For business owners and anyone interested in a business card, these are worth checking out. Here are a few of the best options:
As of Apr. 16, 2024
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The Business Platinum Card® from American Express |
American Express Business Gold Card |
Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express |
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 4.25 out of 5 stars.
4.25/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
|
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
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Welcome Offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. 120,000 Membership Rewards® points |
Welcome Offer: 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership 70,000 Membership Rewards® points |
Welcome Offer: Earn 15,000 Membership Reward points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. 15,000 points |
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Rewards Program: Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. 1X - 5X points |
Rewards Program: 4 points per $1 in two of the following categories where you spend most: gas, dining, advertising, transit, electronics & wireless ($150,000 annual spending cap). 3 points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels booked on AmexTravel.com. 1 point per $1 on other purchases 1x - 4x points |
Rewards Program: 2X points on the first $50,000 spent in purchases each year, 1X points on purchases thereafter 1x - 2x points |
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Intro APR: Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
Intro APR: Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 12 months Balance Transfers: N/A |
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Regular APR: 19.49% - 27.49%, variable |
Regular APR: 19.49%-27.49%, variable |
Regular APR: 18.24% – 26.24%, Variable |
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Annual Fee: $695 |
Annual Fee: $295 |
Annual Fee: $0 |
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The information for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has been collected independently by The Ascent. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. The information for the American Express Business Gold Card has been collected independently by The Ascent. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Can you buy points?
You can't buy American Express Membership Rewards points for future use, but you can buy them when you're redeeming points and don't have enough. Here are the rules for buying American Express points:
- $25 per 1,000 points (a value of $0.025 per point)
- Purchases must be made in increments of 1,000 points
- Maximum of 100,000 to 500,000 points per year, depending on your card
Considering the price, it's not usually worth the money to buy points, which is the case with almost all credit cards. You're better off finding ways to maximize the points you earn. The only exception is if you want to make a travel redemption right away and you don't quite have enough points for it.
Do points expire?
American Express Membership Rewards points never expire as long as you have an active credit card in that rewards program. If you're planning to cancel your American Express card, make sure you use your points first.
You can lose your points if you violate the card's terms and conditions or try to game the system to earn more points. For example, American Express has been known to close card accounts and/or claw back points of consumers who downgrade cards within 12 months of opening them.
Where can you redeem American Express Membership Rewards points?
You can redeem American Express Membership Rewards points in the "Rewards & Benefits" section of your online account. Alternatively, you can call American Express to redeem your points by phone.
In the Rewards & Benefits section, you'll see all your redemption options. There are many ways to use your points, but they're normally worth the most when you use them for travel. American Express has a long list of travel partners where you can transfer your points.
Here's a list of all the loyalty programs where you can transfer Membership Rewards points. As you'll see, it's extensive, which is a strong suit of these travel cards. Transfer ratios are even (you get 1,000 points in the loyalty program for every 1,000 Membership Rewards points you transfer) except where otherwise noted.
- Avianca LifeMiles
- Aer Lingus
- Aeromexico (1,000 Membership Rewards points: 1,600 Aeromexico Rewards Points)
- Air Canada Aeroplan
- Air France/KLM Flying Blue
- ANA Mileage Club
- British Airways Executive Club
- Cathay Pacific
- Choice Privileges
- Delta Air Lines
- Emirates Skywards
- Etihad Guest
- HawaiianMiles
- Hilton Honors (1,000 Membership Rewards points: 2,000 Hilton Honors points)
- Iberia Plus
- JetBlue TrueBlue (250 Membership Rewards points: 200 TrueBlue points)
- Marriott Bonvoy
- Qantas Frequent Flyer
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
Most transfers process instantly, but it can take longer. You'll also need to link your loyalty program account before you can make a transfer, which can take a couple of days. You can learn how in the section below.
The other redemption options are:
- Book or upgrade travel through American Express Travel
- Redeem for gift cards
- Shop for products with points
- Pay with points at checkout
- Redeem as cash back towards previous charges
Those options top out at $0.01 per point, so they don't offer nearly as much value. However, they could make sense if you can't transfer points for the travel you want to book, or if you have far more points than you need.
How do you redeem points?
Here's how to redeem American Express Membership Rewards points:
- Log in to your American Express account.
- If you have multiple American Express cards, choose one in the Membership Rewards program.
- Select "Rewards & Benefits" from the menu.
- Select "Earn & Redeem" to open a drop-down menu.
- Choose the redemption option you want.
After you pick how you want to use your rewards, the remainder of the process will depend on the redemption you chose. Each type of redemption is fairly straightforward, and you can contact customer support by live chat or phone if you need any help.
Note that if you want to transfer points, you'll need to link your loyalty program account first. Once you've done that, you can send your Membership Rewards points to your account in that loyalty program.
How to link loyalty program accounts
To link a loyalty program account, go to the "Rewards & Benefits" section, just like in the steps above. Choose "Transfer Points" from the list of redemption options.
You'll see the full list of American Express travel partners. Select "Show Details" next to the airline or hotel where you want to transfer your points. You'll be prompted to enter your account number in the partner's loyalty program. American Express and the loyalty program may link your account immediately, or it could take a few days.
Since you need to link an account before transferring points, it's a good idea to do this with all your loyalty program accounts as soon as you can. The first time that I transferred Membership Rewards points, I almost missed out on the award airfare I wanted because I didn't realize I'd need to wait for my account to be verified.
What is the best way to use American Express Membership Rewards points?
In terms of value, the best way to use American Express Membership Rewards points is to transfer them. Award travel bookings offer the most potential value, and specifically award airfare booked through frequent flyer programs.
When you transfer points, their value depends on what you book with them. Here are a few pointers to help you get the most out of your rewards:
- Transfer points to airlines when possible. Award airfare is where you can get those high-value redemptions. There are plenty of airline loyalty programs where you can transfer your points, so look for ones that fit your travel plans.
- Higher cost travel usually gets you more value. For example, you may get $0.01 per point if you book economy airfare, compared to $0.03 or $0.04 per point booking business class or first class. It's a good strategy to save your points for expensive travel bookings and pay cash for cheaper ones.
- Try to be flexible about your travel dates. Award tickets could cost two- to three-times as much on certain dates, depending on availability. Most airlines let you easily compare prices across a range of dates.
- Decide what you want to book before transferring any points. You can't send your points back once you transfer them, so you should only do so when you're ready to book.
Versatile and valuable travel rewards
Many of the best travel rewards cards let you transfer your points, but American Express goes above and beyond with all its travel partners. Whether you're traveling domestically or internationally, you can likely use American Express Membership Rewards points to cover the cost.
Still have questions?
Here are some other questions we've answered:
FAQs
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The value of 50,000 American Express Membership Rewards points can range from $500 to over $1,500. American Express points can be redeemed for certain types of purchases, such as airfare booked through American Express Travel, at a rate of $0.01 per point. You can also transfer points to partner loyalty programs for travel bookings. With points transfers, it's possible to get $0.03 per point or more in value.
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American Express Membership Rewards can be used for travel, gift cards, shopping, cash back, and more. They're worth the most when used for travel, and specifically when transferred to travel partners.
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No, you don't lose American Express Membership Rewards points if you don't use them. Points remain available as long as you have at least one Membership Rewards card open and don't violate any terms and conditions.
Our Credit Cards Experts
Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.
Fact Checked
Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.
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JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. American Express is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Lyle Daly has positions in Delta Air Lines. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase, Target, Uber Technologies, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends Delta Air Lines and Marriott International. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
For rates and fees for the American Express® Green Card, click here