Best Way to Use Amex Points | Sweet Spot Redemptions

American Express Membership Reward^® points can be extremely valuable if they are redeemed in an effective way. The best way to use Amex points is usually transferring the points to a travel transfer partner, such as a hotel or airline.

However, if you have sitting on a large stash of Amex points, it might be better to cash out the points before the points are devalued. Travel aficionados sometimes use the phrase “earn and burn,” which refers to earning as many points as possible and “burning” them on travel, cash out, or other redemptions rapidly before the points are devalued.

Accumulated Membership Reward points can unlock a world of travel luxury and savings if used correctly.

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• Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• $895 annual fee, Terms Apply
• Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
• $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in, when available, and guaranteed 4PM late check-out.
• $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights™ by Resy: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for eligible purchases with Resy, including dining purchases at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants. Enrollment required. As a Platinum Card® Member you have special access to reservations on select nights at participating sought after Resy restaurants in select cities through Platinum Nights™ by Resy. Simply add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to book your reservation.
• $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
• $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Experience the latest shows, news and recipes. Get up to $25 in statement credits each month when you use your Platinum Card® for eligible purchases on Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, The New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV when you purchase directly from one or more of the providers. Enrollment required.
• $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. Enrollment required. See terms & conditions for more details.
• $219 CLEAR+ Credit: CLEAR+ helps get you to your gate faster by using your face to verify you are you at 55+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR+ Membership* with up to $219 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR+ with your Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
• $120 Global Entry and TSA PreCheck Credit: $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®! Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• With over 1,550 airport lounges – more than any other credit card company on the market* – enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 Delta Sky Club visits (subject to visit limitations) when flying on an eligible Delta flight, Priority Pass™ membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. *As of 01/2026
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.
• Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
• No foreign transaction fees, enrollment is required for select benefits
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• Read my full review of the American Express Platinum Card^®

Amex Travel Portal

You can use Membership Rewards® points to book travel directly through the Amex Travel portal. Points are worth 1 cent each for flights booked through the portal.

Transfer to Travel Partners

Membership Reward points can be transferred to more than 20 travel partners, including Delta, British Airways, ANA, and hotel partners like Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. It's worth noting that I once used 240,000 MR points for a $27,000 first-class flight from Hawaii to Tokyo, Japan. That's 11 cents per point – a tremendous value!

American Express Platinum Card^® for Schwab for Membership Rewards Cashback

A unique strategy for Membership Reward points involves the American Express Platinum Card® for Charles Schwab. With this card, you can cash out MR points at 1.1 cents each into a Schwab investment account.

This option can be great for those focusing on growing their investments or just want cash back.

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• 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
• 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
• 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You'll know upfront exactly how much you'll pay.
• Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. Enrollment required.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy
• restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. Enrollment required.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold
• Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
• New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Skip the counter at select locations, you can add an additional driver at no additional cost, and get vehicle upgrades*! Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. *Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
• $100 credit towards eligible charges at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Terms Apply.

Combine Amex Points with Chase Points

While you cannot directly combine Amex Membership Rewards points and Chase Ultimate Rewards points, there are some overlapping credit card travel transfer partners. For instance, both Chase and Amex allows transfers to British Airways, Marriott Bonvoy, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and Etihad.

If you have a big redemption to make at a Marriott Bonvoy property like the Ritz Carlton Kyoto or a long haul Singapore Airlines business or first class flight, combining your points from different credit cards at one transfer partner can yield massive redemption value.

American Express^® Green Card
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• Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Plus, earn 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases made during your first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on travel including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® Points on transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US.
• $189 CLEAR Plus Credit: Receive up to $189 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the American Express^® Green Card.
• $100 LoungeBuddy: No airport lounge membership? No problem! Purchase lounge access through the LoungeBuddy app using the American Express® Green Card and receive up to $100 in statement credits annually.
• Payment Flexibility: When it comes to paying your bill, you have options. You can always pay in full. You also have the flexibility to carry a balance with interest or use Plan It^® to split up large purchases into monthly payments with a fixed fee, up to your Pay Over Time Limit. You may be able to keep spending beyond your limit – you'll just need to pay for any new purchases in full when your bill is due.
• Trip Delay Insurance: If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 12 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased on the same Eligible Card, up to $300 per trip, maximum 2 claims per eligible account per 12 consecutive month period. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: No matter where you're traveling, when you use your American Express^® Green Card there are no foreign transaction fees.
• $150 annual fee
• Terms Apply.
• All information about American Express^® Green Card has been collected independently by MilitaryMoneymanual.com

Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t Transfer Points Unnecessarily

Never transfer points to travel partners unless you have a specific redemption in mind. Once transferred, points can’t be moved back.

I have made this mistake several times with airlines that seem to show availability for a specific flight but I cannot complete the booking once the points are transferred. Call the airline if you require assistance in booking a specific flight with points.

Don't Squander Points on Low-Value Redemptions

Avoid using points for options like shopping, gift cards, or Amazon purchases. These redemptions rarely offer good value compared to travel bookings or transfers to partners. Amazon purchases are usually only valued at .7 cents per redemption.

If you want to use your points for Amazon purchases, cash out your points through the Amex Platinum for Schwab first at 1.1 cents each, and then use the points for Amazon purchases. Using the Schwab Amex Platinum earns you 57% more value for your points. Instead of 100,000 points = $700, 100,000 points = $1,100.

Don’t Let Points Expire

Amex points don’t expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. Closing a card without using or transferring the points first can lead to loss of those points.

If you are considering closing an Amex card, perhaps consider opening a no annual fee American Express card that earns Membership Rewards so that you don't lose access to your points. For instance, The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express earns Amex Membership Rewards points and has no annual fee.

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• 2X points on everyday business purchases up to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
• You've got the power to spend above your credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power. (*The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.)
• No Annual Fee
• Terms Apply, see rates and fees.