Using Amex points to pay bills can be an extremely valuable way to redeem your hard-earned rewards Membership Rewards points earned from Amex cards like the Platinum Card from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card have immense flexibility and can be transferred to airline and hotel partners for incredible redemptions. However, Amex also offers the ability to use points directly to “Pay Yourself Back” for charges on your statement. When used strategically, this can unlock tremendous value
In this complete guide we’ll cover everything you need to know about using Amex points for bill pay including
- How Pay Yourself Back Works
- What Charges Are Eligible
- What Cards Offer the Best Value
- When You Should and Shouldn’t Use This Feature
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Maximizing the Value of Your Amex Points
How Amex Pay Yourself Back Works
The Amex Pay Yourself Back program allows you to use your Membership Rewards points to wipe eligible charges off your statement at a fixed value. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works:
- You can pay yourself back for eligible purchases made in the last 90 days.
- Certain cards offer a 50% point rebate when redeeming for airfare, hotels, and more.
- Points are usually worth 1 cent each, but can be boosted to 1.5 cents or more with the rebate.
- Redeemed points will post as a statement credit within 48 hours.
What Charges Are Eligible for Pay Yourself Back
Amex offers Pay Yourself Back redemption on the following common expenses:
- Airfare: This includes flights purchased directly through Amex Travel.
- Hotels: Hotel stays booked on Amex Travel are eligible.
- Restaurants: Includes takeout and delivery from qualifying merchants.
- Gas Stations: Fuel purchases at gas stations coded as such qualify.
- Supermarkets: Grocery store purchases are included.
- Select Streaming Services: Subscriptions for services like Netflix and Hulu can be redeemed.
- Home Improvement Stores: Purchases at Home Depot, Lowe’s and more are eligible.
Amex frequently adds new eligible categories, so be sure to check your account for the most up-to-date list.
Cards That Offer the Best Amex Pay Yourself Back Value
While all Amex cards have access to Pay Yourself Back at a baseline 1 cent per point, certain premium cards offer bonus rebates that can boost the value significantly
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The Platinum Card® from American Express: 50% point rebate on airfare and hotels, bringing the value to 1.5 cents per point.
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The American Express® Gold Card: 50% point rebate at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 in spend each year.
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The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: 50% point rebate on the first $50,000 in combined eligible purchases per year.
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The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: 50% point rebate on airfare and hotels.
As you can see, cards like the Amex Platinum, Amex Gold, and Business Platinum offer the highest potential value, making Pay Yourself Back redemptions very lucrative.
When You Should (and Shouldn’t) Use Amex Pay Yourself Back
Given the flexibility and potentially high value, here are some of the best uses cases for Pay Yourself Back:
✔️ Excellent value on non-transferable purchases: For charges that can’t be transferred to airline/hotel partners, using Pay Yourself Back bonus categories unlock awesome value. For example, getting 1.5 cents per point back on supermarket spend with the Amex Gold.
✔️ Maximizing limited-time rebates: When Amex offers bonuses on categories like streaming or wireless bills for a limited time, Pay Yourself Back can maximize the promo value.
✔️ Topping up points for an award booking: If you’re a few points short for a redemption, paying yourself back on a recent purchase can give you the extra points needed.
❌ Everyday spend: Using Pay Yourself Back for non-bonus categories like gas or drugstores diminishes the value of your Amex points significantly.
❌ When transfer partners offer better value: Transferring Amex points to airlines can provide outsized value, easily exceeding Pay Yourself Back’s 1.5 cent ceiling in many cases.
❌ No bonus categories: Pay Yourself Back becomes far less appealing for cards like the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card that don’t offer any rebates.
Step-by-Step Guide to Paying Yourself Back
Using your Amex points through Pay Yourself Back is very straightforward:
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Log in to your Amex account online or via the mobile app.
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Locate the “Pay with Points” option.
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Toggle to the “Pay Yourself Back” tab.
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Select a charge to cover and the number of points to redeem.
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Confirm and complete the redemption.
It’s that simple! The redeemed points will post as a statement credit within 48 hours in most cases.
Maximizing the Value of Amex Points
While Pay Yourself Back opens up excellent options for Amex points redemptions, keep in mind that transferring to airline and hotel partners can provide even more value in many cases.
Here are some tips to maximize your points:
- Use Pay Yourself Back for charges ineligible for transfers or limited-time bonuses.
- Focus transfers on premium cabin awards and top hotel redemptions.
- Run the numbers and calculations carefully for each redemption option.
- Take advantage of Amex Offers for additional point savings.
- Use the right Amex cards to maximize category bonuses.
Paying yourself back with Amex points provides a flexible and convenient way to wipe charges off your statement. The airline and hotel rebates offered by premium Amex cards can drive huge value when redeemed strategically. Just be sure to also consider transferring points when there is opportunity for outsized value compared to Pay Yourself Back’s capped rates. Used properly alongside transfer partners, Pay Yourself Back offers an awesome addition to maximizing your Amex points.
Editor’s NoteThis is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
This strategy requires two things: First, you have to study your different transfer options and pick the best one for your trip. Second, and most importantly, you have to actually find award space on the dates youre looking to fly.
However, another option for redeeming your Membership Rewards points gives you an even greater amount of flexibility. Sometimes, its possible to get a better value by using the American Express Pay with Points feature than youd get by transferring your points.
Because certain Amex cards provide a rebate on the number of points you need for eligible Pay with Points flight redemptions, having the right cards in your wallet can unlock some excellent value.
Today, well take a deep dive into how to get the best Amex Pay with Points value.
Amex Pay with Points value
If you have any Membership Rewards points-earning cards, you can redeem your points at a fixed rate of 0.6 cents each to wipe charges off your statement. However, TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, so youd be sacrificing a lot of value if you go this route, making this one of the worst possible ways to redeem your Membership Rewards points. MINISERIES/GETTY IMAGES
Booking through Amex Travel gets you a slightly better value, as your points will be worth 1 cent each toward the cost of airfare, or 0.7-0.85 cents each for hotels, car rentals, cruises and more. If your goal is a truly free vacation, using points for car rentals or cruises can help keep your out-of-pocket costs down, but this is still far from an ideal redemption option.
However, you can generally get the highest Amex Pay with Points value through flight redemptions. There are three Amex cards for small businesses that offer attractive rebates of 25%-50% when using Pay with Points for flights, making this a solid redemption choice. This can be an easy way to lock in a minimum redemption value of more than 1 cent per point and is also a useful option when you need “last-seat availability”, i.e. you need to be on a specific flight even if it doesnt have award space via a frequent flyer program.
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How To Redeem Amex Points For MAX VALUE (Beginner’s Guide)
FAQ
Can you use Amex reward points to pay your bill?
There are different American Express cards with different benefits, like cash back or access to airport lounges. But all of them have one thing in common: American Express Membership Rewards. Amex cardholders can earn points through this program, which they can then use to travel, shop, or even pay off their credit card bills.
Can I use Amex points to pay?
If you use an eligible American Express Card to pay for something, that purchase counts as an eligible transaction for the “Use Points Towards Purchases” option. When you ask to redeem your points, you will be able to choose which transactions are eligible for “Use Points Toward Shops.”
Can I use my rewards points to pay my bill?
For some cards, accumulated reward points can be used towards your next credit card payment. You can sometimes request to get your reward points paid for in cash through a check or direct deposit. You can then use that cash to pay your next credit card bill.
Can I use Amex points for partial payment?
You can use “Chat with Us” on the American Express® app or “Chat on Your Online Account” to get Points for the whole or part of an Eligible Transaction. You can also call us at the number on the back of your card.
How do I use American Express Pay with points?
It’s very easy to take advantage of the American Express Pay with Points feature to book your flight. First, log in to your Amex account. Then, use the Amex Travel portal to look for flights as you normally would. Choose either “Use only points” or “Use points AMEX card” at checkout to use some or all of your points.
Which American Express cards are eligible for pay with points?
You can use Pay With Points to get points through AmEx Travel with any American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points. Eligible Membership Rewards cards include: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express — including a 35% Airline Bonus. American Express® Business Gold Card — including a 25% Airline Bonus.
How much is Amex pay with points worth?
The AmEx Pay With Points value depends on the type of travel you book using Pay With Points. Almost all Membership Rewards cards, but not the Blue from American Express® card, give you 1 cent per point when you redeem them for flights and 0 7 cents per point toward other travel redemptions.
How do I redeem American Express membership rewards points?
When you use your Membership Rewards points to book a trip through the American Express Travel portal, you can get a reward. You can use AmEx Pay With Points to book flights, hotels, cars, cruises, or vacations any time.
Does American Express Pay with points offer a better value?
When you use American Express Pay with Points, you might get a better deal than if you transferred your points. Some Amex cards give you a rebate on the number of points you need to redeem for an eligible Pay with Points flight. If you have the right cards, you can get some great deals.
How do I use Amex points?
First, log in to your Amex account. Then, use the Amex Travel portal to look for flights like you normally would. Choose either “Use only points” or “Use points AMEX card” at checkout to use some or all of your points. When paying with points, your card will be charged the full dollar amount.
