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.

American Express is a military-friendly company, offering credit card annual fee waivers for active duty servicemembers, military spouses, and Guard and Reservists on 30 day or longer active orders. The Amex fee waivers include premium cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express.

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

The Platinum Card^® from American Express
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• $695 annual fee. See more details about military protections for you and your spouse 
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership
• Earn 5x points on airfare booked directly with airline or on amextravel.com up to $500,000 per calendar year
• Earn 5x points on prepaid hotels at amextravel.com
• $200 Annual Hotel Credit: Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. Note that The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card^® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $200 Uber Cash: Explore your local area with $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings! Download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at 1 qualifying airline
• $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• This is a MAJOR time saver–$120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 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.
• Complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection® lets you visit more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting. You can love the lounge life with more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
• Up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit, enrollment required
• Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• No foreign transaction fees
• Enrollment is required for select benefits
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express – learn how to apply
• Read my full review of the Amex Platinum card for military, terms apply

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 MR 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.

American Express^® Gold Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 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- includes OCONUS Commissaries
• 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees – great for the 4x on restaurants when traveling for fun, OCONUS TDY, or PCS!
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: You can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. Enrollment required.
• Go explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
• Read my full review of the Amex Gold card for military, terms apply
• Enrollment is required for select benefits
• $325 Annual Fee* See more details about American Express protections for you and your spouse 

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
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• 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(R) 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(R) 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 *See more details about American Express protections for you and your spouse 
• 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.

The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site

• Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
• 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 beyond 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.