1. 000 Membership Rewards points equals 5 dollars credit Here’s how to redeem points: 1. Login to your Account online or via the Amex App 2. Select an eligible item and click.
It can be helpful to pay your American Express bill with points to get more value from your rewards. In this detailed guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about using points to pay Amex bills, such as how it works, what cards are eligible, and when it makes sense to leverage this redemption option.
Overview: Paying Amex Bills with Points
Pay With Points is a feature from American Express that lets certain cardholders use Membership Rewards points to pay for things on their Amex card statements. Here’s how it works:
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You can use points to pay for eligible charges on your monthly Amex statement including everyday purchases flights booked through Amex Travel, hotels, rental cars, and more.
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When you pay with points, Amex will credit your account statement for the amount covered by points within 48 hours.
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You need at least 1,000 Membership Rewards points to use Pay With Points.
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People who use Pay With Points can cash in their points for one cent each.
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Some small business cards offer 25–50% point rebates, which make the value of the points even higher. 33-2 cents per point.
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You must pay for the entire charge with points – no splitting between points and cash.
Paying with points can provide an easy way to wipe charges off your statement without having to transfer points to airline and hotel partners. Next, let’s look at which Amex cards offer the Pay With Points feature.
Eligible Amex Cards for Pay With Points
While all American Express cards earn Membership Rewards points, not all of them allow you to pay your bill with points. Here are the card types that are eligible for Pay With Points:
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Consumer credit cards – Most personal Amex cards, including the Platinum, Gold, and Green cards, can use Pay With Points.
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Small business credit cards – Cards like the Business Platinum, Business Gold, and Business Green offer access to Pay With Points.
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Corporate cards – Some corporate Amex cards let employees use points to pay their bill.
The most lucrative options are the small business cards, which can earn 25-50% point rebates on Pay With Points purchases. We’ll examine those in more detail later. First, let’s look at how to use points to pay your Amex bill.
Step-by-Step Guide to Paying your Amex Bill with Points
Here is an overview of the simple process to use points through the Pay With Points feature:
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Log into your Amex account online or through the app.
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Select the “Membership Rewards” link and navigate to the Pay With Points section.
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View your recent charges and select those you want to pay with points.
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Confirm the charges you want to wipe from your bill.
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Click “Redeem Now”.
It’s that easy! Amex will deduct the points from your balance and apply a statement credit within 48 hours for the charges covered. Now let’s explore the best ways to maximize value when paying Amex bills with points.
Maximizing Point Value with Pay With Points Rebates
While paying with points nets 1 cent per point in value, several premium Amex small business cards offer lucrative rebates up to 50% when redeeming for charges on your statement. This can boost the value up to 2 cents per point – doubling your return compared to baseline redemptions. Here are the details on the cards with rebates:
Business CenturionTM Card from American Express
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50% point rebate – Brings value to 2¢ per point
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All charges eligible – No category exclusions
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No cap – Unlimited maximum rebate amount
As an invite-only card with a $10,000 annual fee, the Business Centurion is only accessible to big spenders. But it unlocks the highest point value potential for Pay With Points.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
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35% point rebate – Increases value to 1.54¢ per point
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First class flights eligible – All airlines qualify
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1 million point cap – On rebated points per calendar year
With a $695 annual fee (See Rates & Fees), the Business Platinum offers one of the best rebate policies available. The 35% refund on points is generous, but note the cap limits how much value you can extract each year.
American Express® Business Gold Card
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25% point rebate – Brings value to 1.33¢ per point
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Business/first flights eligible – On all airlines
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250,000 point cap – On rebated points per year
The Business Gold card carries a $295 annual fee (See Rates & Fees) and has a lower rebate compared to the Business Platinum. But the 25% refund is still lucrative, especially with the broad category eligibility.
As you can see, small business credit cards from American Express offer the highest potential return when redeeming points through Pay With Points. But you need to crunch the numbers to determine if it makes sense over transferring points to loyalty programs.
When Does Pay With Points Beat Transferring Points?
Paying your Amex bill with points provides simplicity and flexibility. But in many cases, you can get a better return by transferring Membership Rewards to airline and hotel partners for high-value awards.
Here are some instances when Pay With Points can provide more value than transferring points:
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Taking advantage of point rebates on the Amex business cards
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Booking inexpensive economy cash fares or hotel rooms
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Securing “last seat availability” on sold out flights
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Redeeming points for cruises, car rentals, and other non-air purchases
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Earning qualifying miles/segments for elite status
The value proposition varies based on your points balance, preferred redemption goals, and whether you hold a card with a lucrative rebate. Crunching the numbers for your situation is key to ensure you maximize your Amex points.
Paying Amex Bills with Points: The Verdict
Paying down your monthly Amex statement with Membership Rewards points can provide an easy way to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. While transferring points to airline and hotel partners can unlock more aspirational redemptions, Pay With Points shines for simplicity and flexibility.
The opportunity to earn 1.33-2 cents per point in value with the point rebates on Amex small business cards can make this option quite lucrative. Just make sure to compare against your other redemption options to ensure you maximize the value of your American Express Membership Rewards points.
Frequently Asked Questions
What charges are eligible for Pay With Points?
Most charges on your Amex card statement are eligible, including flights, hotels, everyday purchases, cruises, rental cars, and more. Cash advances and fees are not eligible.
Can I split a charge between points and cash?
No, you can only use points to pay for the entire amount of a charge. Partial redemptions are not allowed.
What happens if I return an item paid for with points?
If you return an item, Amex will refund the statement credit and deduct the equivalent number of points back from your balance.
Can authorized users pay with points?
Unfortunately no. Only the primary cardholder has access to the Pay With Points feature.
Is there a limit to how many points I can use to pay my bill?
No, there is no limit aside from the number of points available in your account. As long as you have the points, you can use Pay With Points.
Please log in What can I redeem for points?
1. 000 Membership Rewards points equals 5 dollars credit Here’s how to redeem points: 1. Login to your Account online or via the Amex App 2. Select an eligible item and click.
