When it comes to Membership Rewards points, the best way to maximize your points is to redeem them with travel.
[.dontreco] We don’t recommend: Redeeming your Membership Rewards points for cash back [.dontreco]
While you can use your Membership Rewards points for a statement credit, essentially getting cash back, those points are typically worth just 0.6 cents each. This simply doesn’t provide the best value for your points.
[.sometimesreco] We sometimes recommend: Booking through the Amex travel portal [.sometimesreco]
You can redeem your points for flights, hotel stays, and car rentals through Amex Travel, but this usually gives you a value of 1 cent per point or less, which is at least 50% lower than the normal value of Membership Rewards points. While this is a decent option, it’s still not the best.
[.alwaysreco] We always recommend: Using Membership Rewards points to book with transfer partners [.alwaysreco]
The bottom line is — if a flight or hotel room can be bought with cash, you can use your points to book it. Transferring your Amex Membership Rewards points can score you more than 1.25 cents per point by moving rewards to Amex’s super-duper-wonderful airline and hotel partners. Top picks include Delta, Emirates, Qatar, Hilton, Marriott, and so many more. Taking advantage of these transfer partners is one of the best ways to justify your card.
But how can I actually transfer my Membership Rewards points?
Simply log into your Amex account, click on “earn and redeem,” and you’ll see Amex’s long list of transfer partners. From there, make your transfer selection based on your trip and transfer those points. And just like that, you’re on your way! ✈️