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![19 Best Ways To Earn Lots of American Express Membership Rewards Points [2023]](https://upgradedpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Amex-Gold-Upgraded-Points-LLC-12-Large.jpg?auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=1420&height=650&fit=crop)
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When it comes to earning Membership Rewards points, you have lots of Amex credit card options to choose from. American Express offers a wide range of personal and business credit cards with a variety of bonus categories to boost your earnings.
To take advantage of this earning potential, you’ll need to determine which cards are right for you. Then, with a simple strategy, you’ll be on your way to earning some serious points and reaping the rewards.
Before long, you’ll have enough points to book a family vacation or a luxury trip for yourself. Amex points are transferable to nearly 20 airlines and 3 hotel loyalty program partners, which makes booking a trip on points even easier.
In this article, you’ll learn why you’d want to earn Membership Rewards points, which personal and business American Express credit cards earn Membership Rewards points, and all of the other ways you can earn Membership Rewards points.
Now, let’s dive into all the best ways to earn Membership Rewards.
Flexible redemption options for your Membership Rewards points result in rewards that you can easily use. Here are some examples:
It’s easy to earn Membership Rewards points on purchases when your mix of spending matches the reward-earning categories on your American Express credit card.
Bottom Line: Membership Rewards points are valuable because of their flexibility at redemption time and the ability to earn points quickly.
Not all American Express personal cards earn Membership Rewards points, but American Express issues several cards that do.
You can earn valuable transferable Membership Rewards points on any of these recommended personal cards:
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
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.
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.)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThis is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
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.
Bottom Line: Whether you need a personal card that earns rewards on everyday purchases or a business card with perks and business bonus earning categories, American Express offers choices with several options that earn Membership Rewards.
The fastest way to earn plenty of Membership Rewards points is to apply for an American Express card that earns Membership Rewards, complete the initial spending requirement, and earn a welcome offer.
All American Express cards that earn Membership Rewards points offer an introductory bonus, and some are occasionally quite generous (it’s still possible to find the coveted Amex Platinum card 125,000 or even 150,000-point intro bonus!).
Although offers can differ, a welcome offer is generally earned after completing an initial spending level in the first 90 days after you are approved for the card.
If you spend a lot on airfare, you’ll earn plenty of Membership Rewards points booking directly with the airline:
| Amex Card | Rewards for Booking Directly With Airline |
|---|---|
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | Earn 5x points for flights booked directly with airlines (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) |
| American Express® Gold Card | Earn 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines |
Most American Express cards earn multiple points per dollar spent when booking through Amex Travel:
| Amex Card | Rewards for Booking Directly With Amex Travel |
|---|---|
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | 5x points for flights booked with Amex Travel (up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and 5x points on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel |
| American Express® Gold Card The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express The American Express® Green Card | 3x points on flights booked through Amex Travel |
Grocery purchases add up, so it would be a shame to miss out on rewards for those purchases!
Select one of these American Express cards, and you’ll earn big on purchases at U.S. supermarkets.
| Amex Card | Rewards For Purchases at Supermarkets |
|---|---|
| American Express® Gold Card | 4x points, up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year at U.S. supermarkets; after that, earn 1x |
| The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card | 3x points, up to $6,000 in purchases per year |
| The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card | 2x points, up to $6,000 in purchases per year |
Hot Tip: The “supermarkets” category does not include wholesale clubs such as Costco or Sam’s Club.
You might consider picking up the tab more often if you’re earning lots of Membership Rewards points on your dining purchases.
The Amex Gold card earns 4x points per dollar spent at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
Also, it’s worth noting that “restaurants” do not always include eateries inside hotels or resorts — those are sometimes coded as hotel transactions.
You’ll earn 2 Membership Rewards points for every dollar spent at U.S. gas stations with the Amex EveryDay Preferred card.
American Express wants you to use your card often and offers an incentive for frequent purchases. Keep these cards in your wallet to earn up to 50% more Membership Rewards points each statement period.
| Amex Card | Rewards For Purchases at Restaurants |
|---|---|
| The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card | Get 20% more points for making 20 or more purchases in 1 billing cycle |
| The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card | Make 30 or more purchases in 1 billing cycle and receive 50% more points on each of those 30 or more purchases |
Bottom Line: With so many bonus categories, personal American Express cards offer a variety of ways to earn lots of Membership Rewards.
If you own a business, you’ll want to select a business card that earns the most rewards on your highest expenses. Amex has several options to choose from.
Here are some of our recommended Amex business credit cards that earn Membership Rewards points:
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThis card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!
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.)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesGet 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).
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.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesEarn Membership Rewards for your business spending the easy way: get 2x points for the first $50,000 in purchases per year.
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.
American Express business cards offer lucrative introductory bonuses that vary depending on current promotional offers and the specific card you select.
Just choose the card that is right for you based on your spending habits, your tolerance for an annual fee, and whether the card offers benefits you can use.
If airfare is your highest expense during your monthly statement period, the Amex Business Gold card will earn 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent when purchasing airfare directly with the airline.
| Amex Business Card | Rewards for Purchases on Amex Travel |
|---|---|
| The Business Platinum Card® from American Express | 5x points per $1 spent on flights and prepaid hotels booked on Amex Travel |
| American Express® Business Gold Card | 2x points per dollar spent |
| The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express | 2x points on everyday business purchases, up to $50,000 in purchases per year; 1x thereafter |
| The Business Green Rewards Card from American Express | 2x points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at Amex Travel |
American Express business cards will serve you well if you spend a lot on travel.
Some cards, like the Amex Business Platinum card, also come with premium travel benefits such as lounge access, hotel and rental car elite status, and more.
The Amex Business Platinum card offers 1.5x for eligible purchases on your card made at U.S. construction material and hardware suppliers, at U.S. electronic goods retailers and software and cloud system providers, and at U.S. shipping providers as well as on each eligible purchase of $5,000 or more everywhere else (up to $2 million in purchases per calendar year).
Business bonus categories on the Amex Business Gold card elevate rewards-earning on your highest business expenses each statement period.
The Amex Blue Business Plus card ensures every business expense you make (up to $50,000 per year) earns 2x points.
| Best Amex Card for Business Expenses | Business Spending Categories | Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| American Express® Business Gold Card | Computer hardware/software/cloud storage, shipping, advertising | 4x points per dollar when expenses qualify as 1 of 6 bonus categories and applies to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from the 2 categories each calendar year; earn 1x thereafter |
| The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express | Everyday business purchases | 2x points per dollar spent for the first $50,000 in purchases per year; 1x thereafter |
Those business meetings over dinner or that office lunch you had delivered for the crew should all be earning Membership Rewards points!
Be sure to use a card that earns multiple points per dollar spent on dining, like these:
| Amex Business Card | Rewards for Restaurant Purchases |
|---|---|
| American Express® Business Gold Card | 4x points per dollar spent when expenses qualify as 1 of 6 bonus categories |
| The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express | 2x points on everyday business purchases for the first $50,000 per year. 1x thereafter |
Filling up the tank can be rewarding when you’re earning Membership Rewards points.
| Amex Business Card | Rewards at U.S. Gas Stations |
|---|---|
| American Express® Business Gold Card | 4x points per dollar spent when expenses qualify as 1 of 6 bonus categories |
| The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express | 2x points on everyday business purchases for the first $50,000 in purchases per year; 1x thereafter |
Hot Tip: One major benefit of the Amex Business Gold card is that bonus category earnings are automatic — you don’t have to pre-select your bonus categories. Whichever 2 categories have the most expenses each statement period will earn 4 points per dollar spent (up to $150,000 in combined purchases per calendar year).
Every business American Express card we’re discussing here earns at least 1 Membership Rewards point for every dollar spent on every purchase you make.
American Express occasionally targets current cardholders and offers Membership Rewards points for adding authorized users. The offer usually comes in the form of an email.
Be on the lookout for your own personal offer to earn additional Membership Rewards points!
You can earn thousands of extra Membership Rewards points each year with Amex Offers. These offers, which deliver great deals and bonus earning potential at select merchants, can be accessed at the bottom of your account home screen once you log in.
From there, you can add special offers to your card that will help you earn extra Membership Rewards points.
All cards, even cash-back credit cards, have their own offers — and there are tons of possibilities to use these to build your rewards bank!
Earn bonus points when you refer a friend for an American Express card. If they apply and qualify for the card using the link you’ve sent to them, you will get bonus points credited to your account.
Refer a friend by logging in to your Amex online account to get and send your special referral link.
The points vary depending on the card, but both you and your friend will benefit: a special bonus points offer for you and a welcome offer for them. Take a look at this example of a fantastic Amex Gold referral bonus offer.
Hot Tip: You don’t have to have the specific American Express card you are referring to, and you can earn bonus points when referring a friend for most American Express credit cards.
Rakuten (formerly Ebates) is a shopping portal with in-store and online offers at thousands of merchants. While Rakuten and many similar platforms have long offered cash-back awards, Rakuten is the first to partner with a transferable credit card points program.
You can now earn Amex Membership Rewards points at the same rates as cash-back! At our current points valuations, that is nearly double the value.
New users can sign up online where you’ll be asked to enter your email address and Amex online account credentials. Existing users should go to Account Settings and change their payment method to Switch to Membership Rewards points (you’ll need to enter your Amex online account credentials when prompted).
Hot Tip: Using Rakuten to shop in-store, you need to link your credit card and manually activate in-store offers each time you shop. When shopping online, you don’t need to link your credit card, though you do need to start your shopping at the Rakuten site.
Membership Rewards are easy to earn when the card you select matches your spending profile and rewards your largest purchases.
Whether through introductory bonuses, category-focused spending, or spending on everyday purchases, you will be on your way to earning a lot of American Express points.
Earning lots of Membership Rewards points is exciting, but redeeming them is even better. Soon enough, you’ll be redeeming points for some amazing award flights that will take you around the world!
Find out more about the Membership Rewards available on some of the best American Express credit cards in our guide.
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 American Express® Green Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
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 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.
There are many different Amex reward program cards out there, and many people use a combination of cards in order to maximize their points earned. The most popular cards are:
Personal Cards:
Business Cards:
The value of Amex Membership Rewards points depends on where you are redeeming your points. A really poor redemption, such as redeeming points for purchases at Amazon, has a value of about 0.5 cents per point.
Other airline and hotel partners of Amex Membership Rewards return a value up to 10 cents per point!
That’s like getting a $100 ticket for the equivalent of about 1,000 points.
Membership Rewards points earned will appear as “pending” in your account at the end of a billing cycle (after your statement closes). This means you can sometimes wait months for points to post — whether from purchases or welcome offers.
In their “pending” state, points are eligible to be used if you are in a hurry to use them. As long as your account is in good standing, call up Amex and the representative will turn pending points into posted points immediately.
This may require speaking to a few different agents or a supervisor to make it happen.
Amex Membership Rewards points do not expire. The only way you can lose points is if you close all of your Amex Membership Rewards credit cards.
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Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
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