Amex Member Rewards

The Highlights

Amex points are great in theory. We just find them harder to collect and more expensive to hold than Chase points.

• If you’re in the points game long enough, you’ll dabble in both main systems (Chase & Amex).
• Amex has a one card bonus every 7 years rule, so ultimately, there will be more of a limit to how many you can collect via sign-up bonuses.
• There is only one no-fee card that allows you to earn and keep Membership Rewards points - the Blue Business Plus card.
• Delta and Hilton are solid transfer values and having Amex points gives you top-off flexibility if you are invested in either of those systems.
• We do find Amex travel a higher quality of service over the Chase travel portal.

What to Know About This Point System

American Express points are relatively easy to earn and use. The rub is, it takes a little more strategy to maximize value.

The simplest option is using the travel portal, which works similarly to Chase. Unfortunately each point is worth only 1 cent toward airfare, making it similar to Capital One valuation if used this way. But if you have the Business Platinum card, your points become worth 1.54 cents each (although it is through a points rebate, not for the current booking), making it a solid valuation with a ton of flexibility. Two quick notes:

1. If you don’t see a desired flight (e.g. Southwest) you can call 800-297-2977 as Amex has access to more flights and you can still pay with points
2. Bookings through Amex travel generally DO NOT show as award travel, so you should receive miles for the flight with the carrier’s system. In this way, it is better than Chase.

Buying gift cards through the Amex Portal will also yield 1 cent per point, sometimes slightly better if there’s a special offer.

Generally, 1 cent is a poor return on Amex points. So if you don’t have the Platinum card, the best way to maximize value is to transfer to a partner. Here are the top choices:

1. Delta Airlines is a 1-to-1 transfer partner of Amex, making your points worth about 1.3 cents each. The trick here is to use Virgin Atlantic (A star alliance partner of Delta) to book international business class and Delta for U.S. domestic flights.
2. Air France via Flying Blue is a great option for International Business Class Flights. You’ll pay some surcharges, but they are relatively small for business class seats.
3. Singapore Airlines, if your destination aligns with theirs, could be a great value for your seats. Here’s why: Singapore’s coach is better than most other carriers' “comfort” seats but cost fewer points.
4. Other potential transfer partners which are slightly more complicated include:
   1. British Airways
   2. Etihad (booking partners through their site)
   3. Avianca (booking partners through their site)

How to Redeem

The best way to get more than 1¢ per point in value is to transfer Membership Rewards points to airline and hotel partners. One 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 guides you through the transfer and booking process, making it a great option for beginners.

Amex Travel Portal

You can book travel through the American Express Travel Portal at a rate of 1¢ per point. Cardholders with the Amex Business Platinum receive a 35% points rebate when booking with points through Amex Travel. The rebate applies only to flights on your preselected airline, which is the same one eligible for your $200 airline fee credit. You can change your selected airline once each January.

What You Shouldn’t Do

These options offer poor value compared with transferring to partners or using the Portal.

• Gift cards: Redeem at 1¢ per point at best.
• Cash back: Statement credits at 0.6¢ per point.
• PayPal: Checkout redemptions at 0.7¢ per point.
• Amazon: Checkout redemptions at 0.7¢ per point.

Visit Amex Member Rewards