#2 Among Transferable Points
Point Value
1.55 ¢
Program Score
8.6
Amex points are great in theory. We just find them harder to collect and more expensive to hold than Chase points.
The best way to earn American Express Membership Rewards is through credit card signup bonuses and spending on a card that earns Membership Rewards. Not all Amex cards earn these points—some earn cash back instead. Unlike other systems such as Chase or Capital One, you cannot convert cash back rewards to Membership Rewards, so keep that in mind when choosing your next card.
Strategy matters when opening Amex cards, as they have rules that make it harder to earn and keep rewards. The two most important are:
When you own multiple American Express cards, personal or business, Amex automatically combines all your Membership Rewards points. This is convenient for anyone with more than one Amex card, since you never need to transfer points between cards before redeeming them.
Special Offers Related to Amex Membership Rewards. Click the arrow to see more.
If you hold an Amex Business Gold or Green card, you may be targeted to upgrade to the Business Platinum card for 120,000 Membership Rewards points after $10,000 in purchases. This can be a strong option if you currently have or previously held the Business Platinum, since upgrade offers bypass Amex’s lifetime language restrictions. If you’ve never had the card before, however, it may still make more sense to pursue a new card offer, as targeted offers have recently reached as high as 300,000 points for some applicants. Still, the lower spending requirement on the upgrade offer could make it appealing for those unable to organically meet the $20,000 spend typically required on the highest public offers. To check if you’re targeted, click this link and log in to your Amex account. If you receive a message saying “We’re sorry. This offer is no longer available,” you are not targeted.
Best Western is offering 5,000 bonus points for every two nights stayed, up to 20,000 total points. You must book by May 10, 2026 and complete stays by September 7, 2026. The bonus applies for every two-night increment, so a six-night stay would earn 15,000 bonus points. There are two additional offers that can stack with this promotion. Amex currently has an offer for $50 back on $250 spent at Best Western. Best Western is also running a separate promo offering 1,000 bonus points per eligible night, along with an entry into a 250,000-point giveaway. Register for the 1,000-point promo here and the 5,000-point bonus promo here.
Amex Membership Rewards is offering a 10% transfer bonus to JetBlue TrueBlue. The standard transfer ratio is 250:200, so with the bonus, you’ll receive 880 JetBlue TrueBlue points for every 1,000 Amex Membership Rewards points transferred. Offer expires May 11, 2026.
American Express has added several new benefits to the Gold Card. Cardmembers will now earn 5x points on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel, gain Hertz Five Star status, and see new dining credit options with Buffalo Wild Wings and Wonder added immediately. Goldbelly and Wine.com will be removed from the dining credit starting July 1, 2026.
To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Amex is also offering limited-time perks, including up to $96 in statement credits for an Uber One membership (through October 30) and a complimentary third night or 25% off select Hotel Collection stays through July 15. The annual fee remains unchanged.
The best way to get more than 1¢ per point from Membership Rewards is to transfer points to airline and hotel partners. One major advantage Amex has over competitors is its complimentary partner search tool, point.me, which helps you find and book award flights with Amex partners. It also walks you through the transfer and booking process, making it especially helpful for beginners.
You can book travel through the American Express Travel Portal at a flat rate of 1¢ per point. However, Business Platinum cardholders receive a 35% points rebate when booking flights with points through Amex Travel.
These options offer poor value compared with transferring to partners or using the Portal.
Discover your points' highest-value redemption options. Use the filters to find the optimal sweet spot for your next trip.
Create and link accounts with all transfer partners in advance to avoid delays when transferring and redeeming points
If you use tools like <a href="https://www.pointsyeah.com/?linkId=lp_919533&sourceId=pointsnav&tenantId=pointsyeah" target="_blank">PointsYeah</a> or <a href="http://Point.me" target="_blank">Point.me</a>, always confirm award space directly on the airline’s website before moving any points
We rank American Express second behind Chase among rewards systems. Like Chase, it has strong transfer partners, but just a notch below when it comes to quality. The biggest drawback compared to Chase is that earning miles is more difficult because of the Amex 1/7 Rule. There simply aren’t as many cards available to earn points with.
The best way to maximize the value of Membership Rewards is by using transfer partners, making this system ideal for more advanced hobbyists. For those seeking high-end travel, Amex offers excellent business and first class sweet spots, though they can be harder to find and require more expertise to book.
With Amex, you have a 30-day grace period after your anniversary to cancel and receive a full annual fee refund. After that window, a product downgrade typically triggers a prorated refund of the fee difference. Wait at least 12 months before canceling, ideally within the 30-day post-anniversary period.
Amex rewards are tied to your account, not a specific card. To keep your points, you must hold at least one other Amex card that earns Membership Rewards (not Delta or Hilton). No transfer is required. Pooling and transferring between accounts are not options in this program.
You can redeem Membership Rewards points for a statement credit at only 0.6¢ per point. With an Amex Business Checking account you can reach 1¢ per point, which still isn’t great value. For the best return, transfer points to airline or hotel partners before booking.
The best place to use Amex points is with transfer partners. Move points to an airline or hotel program and book award travel for more than 1¢ per point you'll earn from the Amex Travel Portal. Partner sweet spots often yield much higher value once you get more advanced in the hobby.
You can upgrade, but it’s usually not recommended. Amex limits welcome offers to roughly once every 7 years per card. Upgrade bonuses are typically much smaller than new-card offers, so applying for a new Platinum card generally provides better long-term value.
There’s no way to avoid the Amex Platinum annual fee. The card’s benefits and welcome offer can offset year one, but ongoing value depends on your use of credits and lounges. If the math no longer works, your options are to cancel or downgrade to a lower-fee card.
Yes. Upgrading with points often costs less than paying cash, but you’ll usually get better value by transferring points to the airline and booking business class from the start. Amex partner sweet spots can produce excellent premium-cabin redemptions when available.
Tracking Points & Transfer Options
