American Express Membership Rewards Complete Guide

Membership Rewards is American Express’ transferable points currency. Membership Rewards can be earned via credit card spend, new account bonuses, credit card referrals, and in many other ways. Once earned, these points can then be transferred to airline or hotel partners, used to pay for travel or merchandise and, in one specific case, even converted to cash back.

If you’re at all interested in free and/or luxury travel with points & miles, then you need to understand the basics of Amex Membership Rewards. Here, you’ll find everything you need to know.

How to earn Amex Membership Rewards Points

Credit Card Welcome Bonuses

The easiest and quickest way to earn Membership Rewards points is through Amex credit card welcome bonuses.

Most Amex welcome offers stipulate that you can’t get the bonus if you’ve ever had that card before. That said, it doesn’t preclude you getting a bonus for a similarly named card.  For example, there quite a few versions of the high end Platinum card, and it’s possible to get the welcome bonus with each and every one.  Additionally, targeted offers sometimes do not have that once per lifetime language.  In those cases, you can get the bonus even if you’ve had the card before. See: 8 ways to get the best targeted Amex welcome bonus offers.

Below are the Amex cards with the best current and public Membership Rewards welcome offers.

Card Offer
The Platinum Card® from American Express     ➥More   ⓘ $1948 1st Yr Value Estimate 150K points 150K after $6K spend in 6 months. Terms apply. $695 Annual Fee     Info about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Alternate offer: Resy Offer: 100K after $6K spend in 6 months plus 10x dining for 6 months on up to $25K spend. Terms apply. Recent better offer: 125K after $6K in the first 6 months + 15x when you Shop Small in the US and at restaurants worldwide on up to $25K in eligible purchases in the first 6 months [Expired 1/20/22]
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express     ➥More   ⓘ $1296 1st Yr Value Estimate 120K points 120K points after $15K spend in the first 3 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees) $695 Annual Fee     Alternate offer: Targeted online offer of 170K points after $15K spend in the first 3 months See this post for details. Recent better offer: 150K after $20K Spend (Targeted)
American Express® Gold Card     ➥More   ⓘ $1177 1st Yr Value Estimate 90K points 90K points after $4K in purchases in the first 6 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees) $250 Annual Fee     Info about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Alternate offer: 75K points after $4K in purchases in the first 6 months + 20% back at restaurants for the first 12 months (up to $250 back). Recent better offer: 90K after $4K in the first 6 months + 20% back at restaurants for the first 12 months up to $250 back [Expired 6/8/22]
The Platinum Card® from American Express for Schwab     ➥More   ⓘ $1173 1st Yr Value Estimate 100K points 100K after $6K spend in first 6 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees) $695 Annual Fee     This card is only available to clients that maintain an eligible Schwab brokerage account. Info about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Recent better offer: 100K points + 10x when you Shop Small in the US & at restaurants worldwide [Expired 1/20/22]
The Platinum Card® from American Express Exclusively for Morgan Stanley     ➥More   ⓘ $1173 1st Yr Value Estimate 100K Points 100K after $6K spend in first 6 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees) $695 Annual Fee     Info about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Recent better offer: 125K points after 6k spend [Expired 1/20/23]
American Express® Business Gold Card     ➥More   ⓘ $645 1st Yr Value Estimate 70K Points 70K points after $10K spend in 3 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees) $295 Annual Fee     Alternate offer: Some are targeted for an offer of 130K points after $10K in purchases in the first 3 months. You can see this post for more details Targeted Business Gold offer for 130K (Highly YMMV) Recent better offer: 70K points + up to $300 in statement credits: 70K points after $10K spend in 3 months + up to $150 in statement credits for US shipping purchases and up to $150 in statement credits US advertising purchases. [Expired 4/7/21]
American Express® Green Card     ➥More   ⓘ $576 1st Yr Value Estimate 40K Points 40K after $2K spend in first 6 months. Terms apply. See Rates & Fees $150 Annual Fee     Info about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Recent better offer: This is the best we've seen
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express     ➥More   ⓘ $236 1st Yr Value Estimate 15K points 15K after $3K spend in 3 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees) No Annual Fee     Alternate offer: Some people have been targeted for an offer in their online account for 75K points after $15K in purchases in their first 12 months. Recent better offer: 20K after $3K spend in 3 months (Expired 6/21/17)
Business Green Rewards Card from American Express     ➥More   ⓘ $189 1st Yr Value Estimate 15K points 15K points after $3K spend in first 3 months. Terms & limitations apply. No Annual Fee First Year, Then $95     Info about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy.
The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express     ➥More   ⓘ $141 1st Yr Value Estimate 10K Points 10K after $1K spend in 3 months. Terms apply. No Annual Fee     Info about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy.
The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express     ➥More   ⓘ $123 1st Yr Value Estimate 15K Points 15K after $1K spend in 3 months. Terms apply. $95 Annual Fee     Info about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Alternate offer: Some people click through and find that they are targeted for an offer of 30K points after $2K spend in 3 months. Recent better offer: 30K after $2K in first 3 months

Credit Card Upgrade Bonuses

Amex frequently offers bonus points for upgrading from one card to another.  For example, we’ve seen 140,000 point offers for upgrading from the Business Gold Rewards card to the Business Platinum card.  Even better, these upgrade offers usually do not have the once per lifetime language.  That is, if you are targeted for an upgrade offer, you may be able to earn the bonus points even if you currently have the card or if you’ve had the card before.

Note that it’s best to accept these offers only after you have earned a signup bonus for the card that you’re upgrading to. Accepting an upgrade offer for a given card will make you ineligible to receive a new cardmember welcome bonus for that card if it contains Amex’s “once in a lifetime” language.

Shopping Portal Rewards

It is possible to earn Amex Membership Rewards points by starting your shopping with the Rakuten Shopping Portal.  An option within the portal lets you choose whether you want to be paid via cash back or in Membership Rewards points.

In addition to earning points by clicking through to stores from the portal, you can also register your credit cards with the portal to earn additional points at select stores and restaurants.

Credit Card Category Bonuses

Another great way to earn Membership Rewards points is by using the best card for different spending categories.  If you spend a lot personally or through your business on any of the below categories, you can do very well.  Particularly noteworthy is the no-annual-fee Blue Business Plus Credit Card which offers 2 points per dollar for all spend, up to $50K spend per calendar year (then 1X thereafter).  That’s fantastic.

* The Amex EveryDay Preferred card earns a 50% bonus every billing period in which the card was used for 30 or more transactions.  Before the 50% bonus, the card has the following bonus categories: 3x points at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1x); 2x points at US gas stations; 1x points on other purchases.  After the 50% bonus, it offers: 4.5x points at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1.5x); 3x points at US gas stations; 1.5x points on other purchases.

** The Business Gold Card offers 4X on the two categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from the following categories: ⚬ US purchases at restaurants ⚬ Airfare purchased directly from airlines ⚬ U.S. purchases for advertising in select media ⚬ U.S. purchases at gas stations ⚬ U.S. purchases for shipping ⚬ U.S. computer hardware, software, and cloud computing purchases made directly from select providers. 4X applies to first $150,000 in combined purchases in your two categories each calendar year, 1X point per dollar thereafter and on other purchases. Terms apply.

Credit Card Referrals

Yet another way to earn Membership Rewards points is by referring friends and relatives to an Amex credit or charge card.  In some cases these referral bonuses can be substantial and Amex has offered as much as 30,000 points for referring someone to another Amex card. However, if you want to keep your friends, then make sure that the offer they get is as good as the best available public offer (by comparing your referral offer to our Best Offers page).

Log into your account to check for any special referral offers.

Amex Offers

Amex Offers are a great option for saving cash.  But, sometimes Amex Offers can also provide terrific opportunities for point-earning instead.  One (now expired) example was an offer for Reebok: Spend $75 or more, Get 1,500 Membership Rewards points. And one for Hugo Boss: Spend $250 or more, Get 5,000 points.

Amex Offers can also be longer term and act more like a new category bonus in which you can get an extra Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at selected merchants.  See: 2x Membership Rewards (2.5x with Everyday Preferred) at many online merchants.

Log into your account and check the section titled “Amex Offers and Benefits” to look for offers like these.

Other Options for Earning Amex Membership Rewards Points

Enroll in Pay Over Time

Once you sign up for an American Express charge card, you will start getting emails and letters inviting you to sign up for the Pay Over Time.  This option essentially turns your charge card into a credit card.  Don’t do it.  That is, don’t sign up until the offer includes a bonus of 10,000 to 30,000 Membership Rewards points.  In my experience, these bonus offers usually appear towards the end of your first year of card membership (as long as you haven’t enrolled already).

Once you get an offer like the one shown above, go ahead and sign up.  As long as you keep paying your card’s complete balance each month, there is no downside to enabling this feature.

FX International Payments

Amex offers businesses the ability to earn 1 Membership Rewards point per $30 of foreign wire payments (max 4,000 points per transaction).  Even better, you may receive a welcome bonus offer like the one shown above (keep an eye out for this in your mailbox or email!).

How to Use Membership Rewards Points

In general, Membership Rewards points are worth up to 1 cent each. Fortunately, there are three ways in which it is possible to get more value: redeem points for flights, transfer points to hotel or airline partners, or invest rewards. More on each below…

Travel

Those with American Express Platinum cards automatically get 1 cent per point value when redeeming points for travel.  That’s not particularly good, but it’s much better than the value that people get without a Platinum card.  Currently, the only way to get better than 1 cent per point value when redeeming points for travel is with the Business Platinum Card.

The Business Platinum Card offers a 35% Airline Bonus: Get 35% of your points back when you redeem points through Amex Travel for either a First or Business class flight on any airline, or for any flights with your selected airline.

After you receive the 35% rebate, the value works out to 1.54 cents per point.  That’s very good, but it does require owning this ultra-premium card.

Transfer Points to Partners

The best use of Membership Rewards points, in my opinion, is to transfer them to airline and hotel partners in order to book high value awards. Your best bet is usually to wait until you find a great award before transferring points. One exception: Amex often offers 30% or higher transfer bonuses to certain programs (Virgin Atlantic and British Airways are two recent examples).  If you’re confident that you’ll use the points for good value, it may make sense to transfer points when those bonuses are in effect.

Points can be transferred to the loyalty accounts of the primary cardholder or any authorized user or employee on the account.

For specific examples of great ways to use points transferred to airline miles, please see: Amex Membership Rewards sweet spots.

List of Membership Rewards Transfer Partners

It is free to transfer Membership Rewards points to foreign airlines. For transfers to US airlines, however, Amex charges an “excise tax offset fee” of $0.0006 per point (with a maximum fee of $99). Airlines subject to this fee are noted below.

Current Partner Transfer Bonuses

Here are the currently available transfer bonuses from Amex Membership Rewards (this table will update automatically when new offers are found):

Cash back (invest with rewards)

The best way to get cash back is to add the American Express Platinum Card for Schwab to your credit card portfolio.  This card offers a benefit called “Invest with Rewards.”  This allows the cardholder to deposit Membership Rewards points into a Schwab account at a value of 1.1 cents per point.  For example, 50,000 points becomes $550.

Considering the fact that there are so many ways to earn lots of Membership Rewards points, the ability to cash out at 1.1 cents per point isn’t too bad.

Note that the Morgan Stanley Platinum card also offers Invest with Rewards but only at a value of 1 cent per point.

Amex Business Checking is another way to cash out Membership Rewards, but there is a bit of a catch, though. The standard rate is only 0.8 cents per point, which is something no one should consider doing. There is an increased rate of 1 cent per point possible, but in order to get it, you must also hold a Business Platinum card (and the $695 annual fee that comes with it). Also, that improved rate is limited to a maximum of 1,000,000 points redeemed per year while the standard rate of 0.8 cents per point is unlimited.

Other ways to redeem Membership Rewards Points

You can also redeem points for gift cards or merchandise. At most, with this approach you’ll get 1 cent per point value, but usually you’ll get quite a bit less.

You can also use points to pay some merchants directly (Amazon.com, for example). Don’t do this. These options offer very poor value. Further, they may compromise the security of your account (i.e. if someone hacks into your Amazon account, they might spend your Membership Rewards points – causing you a headache in getting your points reinstated).

Amex Membership Rewards Travel Sweet Spots

Our post, Amex Membership Rewards sweet spots, details the best value uses of Amex Membership Rewards. Either click here or click below to jump to a section of the post:

• Domestic US Flights
• Hawaii
• Europe
• Asia
• Caribbean / Latin America
• Africa
• Australia / New Zealand / Oceania
• Round the world ticket
• Hotel Partners

Managing Membership Rewards

Combine Points Across Cards

Amex automatically pools all of your points together.  When you earn points with different cards, the point total shown when viewing either card is the total across cards.

Share Points Across Cardholders

Unlike Chase and Citibank, Amex doesn’t allow members to move points from one person’s account to another.  That said, it is possible to transfer one person’s points to another person’s loyalty program account.  The key is that the person who receives the points must be an authorized user or employee on the other person’s account.  For example, my wife can transfer Membership Rewards points to my Virgin Atlantic account as long as I’m an authorized user (or employee) on any of her Membership Rewards cards.

In order to use this method to share points, the authorized user card must be active for 90 days before it will unlock the ability to transfer your points to the authorized user’s loyalty program account.

How to Preserve a Deceased Person’s Points

If a person with Amex Membership Rewards points dies, the executor of the estate or an authorized account manager can request to transfer their Membership Rewards points to another person or to redeem points in any other way (e.g. transfer to loyalty program, redeem for gift cards, etc.).  Full details can be found here.

How to Keep Points Alive

Thankfully, it is very easy to keep Amex Membership Rewards points alive.  Simply keep any Membership Rewards card open.  For example, if you are about to close your one and only Membership Rewards card, then open another Membership Rewards card account first in order to preserve your points.  Amex offers some no-fee Membership Rewards cards, such as the Blue Business Plus and the Amex Everyday, so this shouldn’t be much of a burden.

More information

Amex’s official Membership Rewards page can be found here.

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