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The American Express Membership Rewards program allows you to earn points for your everyday spending, which you can then redeem for frequent flyer points, travel, gift cards, cashback and more. So what's the best way to spend your points? We've rounded up some of the ways you can redeem your Membership Rewards to help you find the most rewarding option for you.
From transferring your points to airline miles or paying for purchases with points, you can compare some of the ways you can redeem your Membership Rewards below.
If you're a member of one of the nine partnered airline loyalty programs, you can transfer your Membership Rewards to frequent flyer points. Partnered programs Virgin Australia's Velocity, Asia Miles, Etihad Guest, Emirates Skywards and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. You can also exchange your Membership Rewards for points with two partnered hotel programs.
Check out the table below to get an idea of how many frequent flyer or hotel points you can get with your Membership Rewards. These transfer rates are for Membership Rewards Ascent and may vary depending on your card.
Program | Exchange rate |
---|---|
Air New Zealand | 200 MR points = 1 Airpoints Dollar |
Asia Miles | 2 MR points = 1 Asia Mile |
Emirates Skywards | 2 MR points = 1 Skywards Mile |
Etihad Guest | 2 MR points = 1 Etihad Guest Mile |
Malaysia Airlines | 2 MR points = 1 Enrich Mile |
Singapore KrisFlyer | 2 MR points = 1 KrisFlyer Mile |
Royal Orchid Pluc | 2 MR points = 1 Royal Orchid Plus mile |
Velocity | 2 MR points = 1 Velocity Point |
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 2 MR points = 1 Flying Club mile |
Hilton Honors | 2,000 MR points = 1,000 Honors points |
Marriott Bonvoy | 3 MR points = 2 Marriot Points |
You can use Membership Rewards points to pay for travel with American Express Travel Online, Webjet or at selected helloworld locations. The number of points needed for a booking may vary based on your travel plans, the way you book and your Membership Rewards account.
You can also use your Membership Rewards to buy travel gift cards, which we'll discuss in more detail below.
Pay off your purchases with points, shop with online partners or redeem gift cards with your Membership Rewards:
Keep these details in mind to help you get the most value out of your Membership Rewards points and redemptions.
To give you an idea of how much your Membership Rewards are worth, you can compare three ways you can spend 100,000 Membership Rewards on travel below:
The Membership Rewards program offers a variety of ways to use points, with dollar values varying depending on the reward and your program stream. In general, transferring your Membership Rewards points to a frequent flyer program and then redeeming the points for flights or upgrades offers the highest dollar value.
It’s also worth considering whether you want travel rewards or could get more benefit from another option, such as gift cards or credit to your account. By weighing up the value of all these reward options, you can find the best way to use your Membership Rewards points.
Pictures: Getty
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Earn flexible rewards points as you spend and enjoy a big 100,000 bonus points offer with the Citi Rewards Credit Card.
This card offers 0% interest on balance transfers for 36 months, a discounted $29 first year annual fee and platinum benefits including airport lounge passes and complimentary insurance covers.
Enjoy 100,000 bonus Velocity Points, a reduced first-year annual fee and points per $1 spent with the Citi Rewards credit card.
The American Express Velocity Business Card earns points per $1 spent and offers complimentary travel insurance and two complimentary Virgin Australia lounge passes each year.
The American Express Business Card offers reliable service, a wide range of benefits, additional features, and competitive fees.
The Amex Qantas Business Rewards Card offers 150,000 bonus Qantas Points, no pre-set spending limit and platinum perks including complimentary insurances.
Enjoy an introductory 90,000 bonus Citi reward Points, a $100 Coles eGift card, plus a reduced first-year annual fee with this Citi Rewards Card offer.
Earn Altitude rewards with Westpac’s Altitude Platinum credit card, while enjoying the benefits and privileges of platinum status.
The ANZ Rewards Platinum Credit Card offers a competitive rewards program, $0 annual fee for the first year, a $500 gift card, a balance transfer offer and a range of complimentary insurance covers.
How do I use my points to pay for my account?
Hi Dennis,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder! You can pay for your account using your points. A minimum of 1,000 points is required. Any credit to your card account cannot exceed the current outstanding balance on your account. Points will be debited immediately and a credit will take up to three business days to appear on your online statement. To get started on this, start by:
1. Log in to your Account online or via the American Express Mobile App
2. Select the eligible transaction from your online Account
3. Get a credit on your Account within 72 hours
You can also use your Membership Rewards points to pay your annual fee on selected Cards, make a donation or for a credit on your Account.
I hope this helps!
Best,
Nikki