American Express Membership Rewards points are one of the most popular rewards currencies for a reason. This Membership Rewards program offers a variety of redemption options as well as point transfers to 21 airline and hotel travel partners.
But its flexibility is a double-edged sword; with so many ways to redeem points and different redemption values for each option, it’s hard to calculate the concrete value of your Membership Rewards points. Additionally, some redemptions are better than others, with a significant gap between the best and worst options.
Whether you have one Amex credit card or several, you’ll need to know how redemptions work and how much value you’ll get in return for spending.
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How much are American Express Membership Rewards Points worth?
How much your American Express Membership points are worth depends on which card you have and how you redeem your points, but Amex points are generally worth 1 to 2 cents each on average, according to The Points Guy calculations.Â
However, some redemption options can give you higher value than that. The most lucrative ways to redeem your points are for airfare and point transfers.
The Platinum Card from American Express point values
| Redemption Method | Value |
|---|---|
| Statement credit | 1 point = 0.6 cent |
| Amazon (pay with points at checkout) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Flights (booked through American Express Travel®) | 1 point = 1 cent |
| Prepaid rental cars (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Prepaid hotels (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Gift cards | 1 point = up to 1 cent |
American Express Gold Card points value
| Redemption Method | Value |
|---|---|
| Statement credit | 1 point = 0.6 cent |
| Amazon (pay with points at checkout) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Flights (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 1 cent |
| Prepaid rental cars (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Prepaid hotels (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Gift cards | 1 point = up to 1 cent |
American Express Green Card®
- Intro offer: Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your American Express Green Card® within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Annual fee: $150
- APR: 21.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
American Express Green Card point values
| Redemption method | Value |
|---|---|
| Statement credit | 1 point = 0.6 cent |
| Amazon (pay with points at checkout) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Flights (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 1 cent |
| Prepaid rental cars (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Prepaid hotels (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Gift cards | 1 point = up to 1 cent |
Amex EveryDay® Credit Card
- Intro offer: Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you use your new Card to make $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Annual fee: $0
- APR: 18.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
Amex Everyday Credit Card* point values
| Redemption method | Value |
|---|---|
| Statement credit | 1 point = 0.6 cent |
| Amazon (pay with points at checkout) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Flights (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 1 cent |
| Prepaid rental cars (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Prepaid hotels (booked through American Express Travel) | 1 point = 0.7 cent |
| Gift cards | 1 point = up to 1 cent |
How to get more from your Membership Rewards Points
Redeeming Amex Membership Rewards points for airfare through Amex’s travel portal will net you a per-point value of 1 cent. However, using points to book prepaid hotels, cruises and prepaid car rentals through American Express will only net you 0.7 cent per point.Â
Other nontravel options offer even lower point values, so your best bet is redeeming Amex points for airfare through Amex Travel or transferring points to partners for potentially even greater value.
Point transfers allow you to transfer your Membership Rewards Points to one of American Express’s 21 airline and hotel partners, typically at a 1:1 ratio. Then, you can use your transferred points to book flights or hotel stays directly through the airline or hotel’s own loyalty program.Â
By transferring your points to a partner, with the right deal you could increase how much they’re worth. In some instances, you may even get a per-point value of 2 cents or more. To figure out how much your points are worth in a given redemption, divide the dollar cost of the booking by the point cost. To maximize your value when booking award travel, try booking well in advance to access the best availability. It also helps being flexible about your desired dates and itinerary to take advantage of deals.
Amex airline transfer partners
While you can transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to three hotel loyalty programs -- Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy -- Amex airline transfer partners offer the most potential value when it comes to maximizing rewards.Â
In fact, you can frequently get 2 cents per point or better when you transfer points to airlines and redeem miles for a premium flight redemption like an international business class fare.
Amex lists the following airline partners and transfer ratios, but keep in mind that airline transfer bonuses are offered from time to time. Also, the ratios below represent the base transfer rate, but you’ll often get an even better per-point value depending on the transfer deal.
| Amex airline partners | Transfer ratio (Amex points to transfer partner points/miles) |
| Aer Lingus AerClub | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Aeromexico Rewards | 1,000 : 1,600 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Air France (Flying Blue) | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| ANA Mileage Club | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| British Airways | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Cathay Pacific | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Delta SkyMiles | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Emirates | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Etihad Airways | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Iberia Plus | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 250 : 200 |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 500 : 500 |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Singapore Airlines | 1,000 : 1,000 |
| Virgin Atlantic | 1,000 : 1,000 |
The bottom line
How you choose to redeem your Membership Rewards points will impact the overall value you get in return. For travel cards, the most lucrative way to use your points is by transferring your points to one of Amex’s travel partners. Otherwise, redeeming for travel through Amex’s own travel portal for airfare will let you secure a rewards value of 1 cent per point.
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Unfortunately, you’ll only get 0.7 cent per point in value for prepaid hotels, prepaid car rentals and cruises booked directly through Amex. Redeeming for statement credits or using your points with select merchants won’t provide a good value in comparison, either.
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If you’re not interested in redeeming your credit card rewards for travel, consider getting a cash-back card that offers better value when redeeming for direct cash back or a statement credit.
**All information about American Express cards have been collected independently by CNET. American Express cards are no longer available through CNET.
