Best Ways to Use Amex Membership Rewards Points

By Bryce Casson, Founder · Cardocrat · Updated June 2026
The short answer: Amex points are most valuable transferred to airline partners for premium-cabin awards, with sweet spots through programs like Virgin Atlantic, ANA, and Air France-KLM Flying Blue. Avoid the lowest-value options (gift cards, Pay with Points at 0.7 cents); transfers are where Amex points pull far ahead of cash.

Airline transfers are the sweet spot

Amex has one of the deepest airline transfer partner lineups, and the big value is premium-cabin awards. Long-favored sweet spots run through programs like Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, ANA Mileage Club, and Air France-KLM Flying Blue, where business and first class can return several cents per point. Transfer 1:1 and watch for periodic transfer bonuses. Confirm the current partner list first.

What to avoid

Not all redemptions are equal. Using points for gift cards or to cover charges (Pay with Points) is often worth only around 0.7 cent each, well below their transfer value. Booking through Amex Travel is a fixed-rate floor. The rule: use points for transfers to travel, and pay cash for the things that redeem points cheaply.

How to decide

Transfer to a partner once you confirm award space and the redemption beats roughly 1.5 cents per point, which premium-cabin awards easily do. See the Amex Membership Rewards guide for earning and the family rule, and best business class redemptions for targets.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to use Amex Membership Rewards points?
Transferring to airline partners for premium-cabin awards, through programs like Virgin Atlantic, ANA, and Flying Blue, where points can be worth several cents each. Avoid gift cards and Pay with Points, which are low value.
What is the worst way to use Amex points?
Redeeming for gift cards or using Pay with Points to cover charges, often worth only about 0.7 cent per point, far below their value transferred to airline partners.

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Bryce Casson

Bryce Casson, Founder of Cardocrat. Every card is ranked by what it actually returns, with all points valued at a flat 1 cent and offers verified against issuer sources. About the author.