How To Earn 100k+ Amex Membership Rewards Points [In 90 Days]

Updated: December 12, 2023, 4:58am CST

Edited by:

How To Earn 100k+ Amex Membership Rewards Points [In 90 Days]

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For American Express cardholders, the Membership Rewards program provides a fantastic opportunity to earn points and redeem them for travel.

Many American Express credit cards earn Membership Rewards at a minimum of 1x point per dollar spent, with bonus categories offering up to 5x points per dollar, making it easy to rack up points with everyday purchases.

Plus, there are tons of other ways to earn points — you just need to know where to look.

With this in mind, you can easily earn 100,000 American Express Membership Rewards points in just 90 days. And to prove just how easy that is, we’re going to show you how to do it in this article.

We’ll start out by taking a look at why you’d want 100,000 American Express points and then move on to some earning strategies, including signing up for new credit cards, allocating spending, and taking advantage of Amex Offers.

Let’s get started!

Why Would You Want To Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards Points?

A Photo of Prague At Night — Use your Membership Rewards points to visit exciting European cities, like Prague! Image Credit: Polina Podlesnaya via Unsplash

There are many ways to redeem your Membership Rewards points, but by far the best way to use them is by transferring your points to one of American Express’ various transfer partners.

Membership Rewards points transfer to airlines in all of the major alliances, so you can book a ticket to Australia, Europe, or anywhere in between.

In fact, 100,000 miles is more than enough to get anywhere in the world from the U.S. in economy class, and even enough for a round-trip business class ticket from the U.S. to Tokyo. Don’t worry — we’ll go more in-depth on these redemptions later in the article.

How To Earn 100,000+ Amex Membership Rewards Points

For now, let’s take a look at how to actually earn these points!

1. Use Amex Membership Rewards Credit Cards

American Express has a suite of different personal and business credit cards, each with varying benefits, points-earning, and annual fees.

Several American Express cards offer 2x, 3x, 4x, and even 5x points per dollar on purchases made at supermarkets, gas stations, and directly with airlines or through AmexTravel.com.

Study the list of personal and business American Express cards below and compare each of their points-earning rates with what you spend in a normal month. We’ve also listed out other various benefits for each card, so make sure to give them a look.

Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)

BEST LOUNGE ACCESS

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome OfferEarn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,760

Annual Fee

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros

The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment (airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit)
TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
Access to Amex International Airline Program
No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Cons

$695 annual fee (rates and fees)
Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card^®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card^®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^®.
$200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
$300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card^®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
$189 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card^®. Learn more.
$100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card^®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile.
$695 annual fee.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

BEST FOR DINING

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome OfferEarn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months.
60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,320

Annual Fee

$250

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros

4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash: get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
Access to American Express transfer partners

Cons

$250 annual fee (see rates and fees)
No lounge access

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $250.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 90,000 points with the Amex Gold card. The current public offer is 60,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Recommended American Express Cards (Business)

OUR BEST OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

This card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!

Welcome OfferEarn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
120,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$2,640

Annual Fee

$695

APR

19.49% - 28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card tailored toward business owners who are frequent travelers with a high number of annual expenses.

When you factor in the large number of perks that the card offers like the best airport lounge access at over 1,400 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card can is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome bonus offer of up to 170,000 points with the Amex Business Platinum. The current public offer is 120,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Pros

5x Membership Rewards points per $1 on flights and prepaid hotels at Amex Travel
Up to $200 annual airline fee credit on your selected qualifying airline
Statement credits on select purchases with your card
35% airline bonus when using Pay With Points (up to 1,000,000 bonus points per calendar year)
Access to over 1,400 worldwide airport lounges as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Get 50% more Membership Rewards points (1.5 points per $1) on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more (cap applies)
Access to Amex’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program

Cons

High annual fee of $695 (rates and fees)
Airline fee credit does not cover airfare, only incidentals like checked bags

Welcome Offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
5X Membership Rewards^® points on flights and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on each eligible purchase at US construction material, hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers, and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
Unlock over $1,000 in annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees charged by your one selected, qualifying airline to your Card.
$189 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: Use your card and get up to $189 in statement credits per calendar year on your CLEAR^® Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Business Platinum Card^®.
The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market as of 03/2023.
$695 Annual Fee.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.49% - 28.49% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

BEST FOR BONUSES

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Business Gold Card

U.P. Rating

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

American Express^® Business Gold Card

Get 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).

Welcome OfferEarn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership
70,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,540

Annual Fee

$375

APR

19.49% - 28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

The American Express^® Business Gold Card is excellent at racking up rewards for your business spend.

The card earns a whopping 4x points per $1 in the 2 categories (from a list of 6) that your business spends the most money on each month. With no need to opt-in or preselect your categories, so you can focus on what matters most — running your business.

Pros

4x points per dollar spent on your 2 highest purchase categories each month up to $150,000 each calendar year in purchases; categories include:
- NEW! Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
- NEW! U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
- NEW! Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
- U.S. purchases at gas stations
- U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- Purchases at U.S. media providers for advertising in select media (online such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, plus TV and radio)
3x points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card
Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
Purchase protection and extended warranty protection
Trip delay insurance
Car rental insurance
Cell phone insurance

Cons

$375 annual fee (rates and fees)
No elite travel benefits like airport lounge access or elite status

Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
Get $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. $12.95 plus applicable taxes.
Your Card – Your Choice. Choose from Gold or Rose Gold.
*Terms Apply

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.49% - 28.49% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express

U.P. Rating

Earn Membership Rewards for your business spending the easy way: get 2x points for the first $50,000 in purchases per year.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express

Earn Membership Rewards for your business spending the easy way: get 2x points for the first $50,000 in purchases per year.

Welcome OfferEarn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
15,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$330

Annual Fee

No annual fee

APR

18.49% - 26.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-840)

As a business owner, getting a credit card that maximizes each dollar you spend does not have to be complicated or expensive. Especially when you opt for The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express.

With the Amex Blue Business Plus card, you’ll earn 2x Membership Rewards points on everyday business purchases throughout the year (up to $50,000; 1x thereafter) and receive purchase protections and no-additional-charge employee cards all for no annual fee (see rates and fees).

The simple and straightforward earning structure makes it a great fit for those looking to earn flexible rewards, without having to fixate on which purchases earn the most points.

Let’s take look at all that the Amex Blue Business Plus card has to offer.

Pros

2x Membership Rewards points per $1 on everyday business purchases (up to $50,000; 1x thereafter)
Purchase protection and extended warranty protection
No annual fee and employee cards at no additional cost

Cons

No unique bonus categories and 2x earnings are capped at $50,000 in annual spend
No elite travel benefits like lounge access or elite status
Charges foreign transaction fees

Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 18.49% - 26.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening. APR will not exceed 29.99%
Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter.
You’ve got the power to use your Card beyond its credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power.
*The amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors.
No Annual Fee
Terms Apply

Financial Snapshot

APR: 18.49% - 26.49% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening
Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

Card Categories

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Further, each of these cards offers a welcome offer. This is a lump sum of points that you’ll earn after spending a set amount of money on your new American Express account within a specified time of actually opening the account.

These minimum spend requirements are usually between $1,000 and $5,000, but they can reach up to $20,000 for large offers on business cards. You can earn anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 Membership Rewards points from these introductory offers.

It can take up to 8 weeks for the points to appear in your account, but the welcome offer often posts sooner than that. In our experience, they generally post a few days after you meet the spend requirement.

Even better, the points you earn from the offer are in addition to the standard points you will earn from spending on the card.

Depending on how much you spend and the card you sign up for, you can meet or exceed your 100,000-point goal from a single card!

2. Allocate Your Spending to the Right Cards

As discussed, each American Express card has different spend categories. So with that in mind, don’t be afraid to open a couple of Membership Rewards-earning cards over time. Doing this will not only give you multiple welcome bonuses, but you’ll also be able to earn the maximum points on all of your everyday purchases.

For example, if you have an Amex Gold card or American Express Platinum credit card, you’ll earn at least 3x points on tons of bonus categories.

At restaurants and on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year at U.S. supermarkets, the Amex Gold card earns 5x points. And with the Amex Platinum card, you will earn 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline.

So look through the American Express card lineup and apply for cards that align with your frequent purchase categories. Then, make sure to use the right cards when you make purchases in said bonus categories.

Depending on how much you spend, this can net you some serious extra points every month. It’s especially true if you make lots of reimbursable business expenses in these purchase categories.

3. Book Flights Through AmexTravel.com

Have an upcoming vacation or business trip? Book your flight through AmexTravel.com with any American Express card that earns Membership Rewards and you’ll earn bonus points!

Any American Express card that doesn’t earn bonus points on flights will earn 1 extra Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on flights booked through AmexTravel.com.

If you’d rather book your flight directly, you can still earn category bonuses with cards such as the Amex Platinum card and the Amex Gold card at 5x and 3x points per dollar, respectively.

Note that the Amex Business Platinum card earns 5x points per dollar when booking flights through AmexTravel.com, so always book through the portal when paying with this card.

Hot Tip: The Amex Gold card earns 3x points per dollar on all airfare purchased directly from an airline.

4. Check Out Your Amex Offers

Most loyalty programs have shopping portals that award points for online purchases.

For example, United has MileagePlus Shopping, Southwest has Rapid Rewards Shopping, and Chase Ultimate Rewards has Shop through Chase.

While American Express used to have a shopping mall, it has been replaced by the popular Amex Offers. These are located at the bottom of the page once you log into your account.

You will find select offers from various merchants that will provide statement credits or bonus Membership Rewards points for purchases. Make sure to use the specific card to which the offer is attached or you won’t earn the extra points or the statement credit.

For example, we’ve seen an offer that gives select cardholders 3,000 Membership Rewards points for spending $300+ at Best Buy. Just note that you’ll need to charge your Best Buy purchase to your American Express card to earn points.

Keep in mind that once you add an Amex Offer to a card, you won’t be able to add it to other cards. If you have separate logins, you will be able to add them to multiple cards. Make sure you check the terms and conditions of each offer to ensure your purchase is eligible for the statement credit or bonus points.

Hot Tip: Check out the best current Amex Offers, from travel and dining to entertainment and shopping.

5. Refer a Friend to Membership Rewards Cards

Check your current referral offers to discover how many points you can earn for referring friends to specific American Express cards. Offers vary, but you can usually earn 5,000 to 30,000 Membership Rewards as a referral bonus.

Go to the Amex Offers & Benefits section at the bottom of your online account summary and click the Refer Now button to find current offers. You will have the option to share via email or to copy the link and share it as you please. For more information, check out our guide to the American Express Refer A Friend program.

6. Use the Rakuten Shopping Portal for Even More Points

Earning Membership Rewards Points on Marriott Purchases With Rakuten — Use Rakuten to earn Membership Rewards points on all of your online purchases. Image Credit: Rakuten

As we mentioned earlier, American Express does not have its own shopping portal. Recently, though, the credit card company partnered with cash-back portal Rakuten — formerly known as Ebates — to offer Membership Rewards points in lieu of cash-back.

In short, Rakuten lets you earn bonus Membership Rewards points when you click through a link on its website before you make a purchase with select merchants online. The number of points you’ll earn is based on how much you spend, with some merchants offering as much as 10 points per dollar spent.

Using Rakuten is simple: just create an account and select Membership Rewards earning instead of cash-back. Then, look for the merchant you’d like to make a purchase with and click the orange Shop Now button on the left-hand side of the page.

You’ll then be redirected to the merchant’s website where you can make your purchase as usual. The points will post to your Rakuten account within a few days. Then, the points will be transferred to your Membership Rewards account based on the following schedule:

SCROLL FOR MORE

Purchases Posted to Your Rakuten Account	Points Transferred to American Express
January 1 to March 31	May 15
April 1 to June 30	August 15
July 1 to September 30	November 15
October 1 to December 31	February 15

Make sure to check Rakuten before you make purchases online, as you can earn some serious bonus points through the portal. Depending on how much you shop, this could make nice progress towards your 100,000 goal — especially if you have frequent business expenses.

Further, consider using CashBack Monitor to compare points-earning for specific merchants across all shopping portals. Nearly all airlines have their own cash-back portal, so you could be leaving valuable points on the table without comparing.

Hot Tip: Download the Rakuten Android or iPhone app and click on the Lyft option before you take a ride with Lyft — you’ll earn 25 Membership Rewards per ride!

How To Use 100,000+ American Express Membership Rewards Points

So, you’ve earned 100,000 Membership Rewards points — now what?

You’ll definitely want to read our guide to redeeming Membership Rewards points — this article gives you a look at all of the best Membership Rewards redemptions!

But first, here are a few quick suggestions on how you can use your points:

Fly to Tokyo in First or Business Class: One of our favorite redemptions is transferring Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic and then using those points to book tickets from the U.S. to Tokyo in first or business class on ANA.
- This redemption costs just 90,000 0r 95,000 Membership Rewards points for a round-trip ticket from the U.S. West Coast or Midwest/East Coast to Tokyo respectively. If you opt for first class, you’ll pay just 110,000 or 120,000 when departing from the same regions.
Grab a Lei and Head to Hawaii: Transfer points to Singapore Airlines and fly to Hawaii on Alaska Airlines from the U.S. with someone special for 23,000 to 25,000 miles per person for a round-trip booking in economy class.
Fly Singapore Suites: Singapore Suites is one of the best first class products in the world. The newest variant of this product has a separate bed and seat, so you can dine and eat in comfort. Better yet? You can fly this product from New York (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA) for just 86,000 Membership Rewards points transferred to Singapore Airlines and minimal taxes.
Walk the Fox Glacier in New Zealand: A round-trip economy flight from the U.S. to New Zealand on a Star Alliance partner airline is just 80,000 Avianca LifeMiles.
Transfer Bonus Promos: American Express often runs transfer bonus promotions to select airline partners. If there is a promo for an airline partner that you are planning to use to book an award flight, take advantage of 10%, 15%, 20%, or even 40% transfer bonuses (our Transfer Partner Calculator is an easy way to see current offers!).

Final Thoughts

Between using Amex credit cards, Amex Offers, and shopping on Rakuten, you’ll be well on your way to earning 100,000+ Membership Rewards points — especially if you apply for multiple Amex cards.

The fun truly begins when the points are in your account, though. Make sure to check out our full article on redeeming Membership Rewards points for some inspiration on booking your next trip.

The information for The Amex EveryDay^® Credit Card has been independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the The Amex EveryDay^® Preferred Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Blue from American Express^® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Business Green Rewards Card from American Express was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express^® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express^® Business Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Blue Business^® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are American Express Membership Rewards points?

Membership Rewards, the American Express loyalty program, gives you points for using Membership Rewards credit cards and making purchases from Membership Rewards partners. Those points can then be redeemed for free travel, gift cards, merchandise, and more.

Which Amex cards earn Membership Rewards points?

Not all American Express cards are eligible for the Membership Rewards program. Participating Amex business and personal credit cards include the following:

How much are Amex Membership Rewards points worth?

The value of Membership Rewards points will depend on the redemption chosen. You’ll get the most value out of your points by transferring them to an airline partner and booking an award flight. To really get everything out of your points, your best options will be international business class or first class flights.

When do Amex Membership Rewards points officially post to your account?

Although points will appear as “pending” at the end of the billing cycle during which they were earned, it can still take a couple of months for points to become available.

If you ask on the phone or via live chat, an Amex representative might release pending points so you can transfer the points to an airline for a redemption.

Can you transfer American Express Membership Rewards points?

You can transfer Amex Membership Rewards points to participating airline and hotel loyalty programs as long as you have an eligible American Express credit card. You’ll know your card is eligible if the option to transfer points is listed on your account page under Use Points when you log in to your account.

A complete list of the Amex credit cards that do NOT offer the option to transfer Membership Rewards points to a loyalty program is available here.

What are Amex Offers?

If you have at least 1 Membership Rewards credit card, you will periodically receive targeted offers to earn additional bonus points. Previous offers have included bonus points for purchases made at Home Depot, Best Buy, and for shopping on Amazon.

Do Membership Rewards points expire?

American Express Membership Rewards points will not expire as long as your account is open and current. If your account is terminated by American Express or if you no longer have at least 1 account that participates in Membership Rewards, your points will expire.

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About Andrew Kunesh

Andrew was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and now splits his time between Chicago and New York City.

He’s a lifelong traveler and took his first solo trip to San Francisco at the age of 16. Fast forward a few years, and Andrew now travels just over 100,000 miles a year, with over 25 countries, 10 business class products, and 2 airline statuses (United and Alaska) under his belt. Andrew formerly worked for The Points Guy and is now Senior Money Editor at CNN Underscored.

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