15 Best Ways To Use 90,000 Amex Gold Card Points [2026]

This guide covers 15 ways to redeem 90,000 Amex Membership Rewards points across international flights, domestic flights, and hotel stays. These redemptions use Amex airline and hotel transfer partners, including programs that can book Star Alliance, Oneworld, SkyTeam, and partner awards.

The American Express^® Gold Card offers the following public welcome offer:

• Apply and find out if you're eligible for as high as 100,000 points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Compare your redemption options below before transferring points.

Quick Overview: Best Ways To Use 90,000 Amex Points

Based on our valuation of 2.2 cents per point, 90,000 Amex Membership Rewards points are worth approximately $1,980. The highest value redemptions are international business and first class flights, where the value may reach 8 to 10 cents per point.

This guide details 15 redemptions across 3 categories: international flights, domestic flights, and hotel stays. Transfer partners include Avianca LifeMiles, Emirates Skywards, ANA Mileage Club, Air Canada Aeroplan, The British Airways Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Iberia Plus, Delta SkyMiles, and Hilton Honors (Source: American Express). Hotel transfers generally offer lower value than flight redemptions, and Hilton Honors transfers at 1:2. Transfers are one-way and cannot be reversed, so confirm award availability before transferring points (Source: American Express).

90,000 Amex Points: Redemption Summary

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American Express^® Gold Card

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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!

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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 Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

As High As 100,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $2,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

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Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

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

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, 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 & Cons

Pros

• 5x points per dollar on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App
• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

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Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• Pay It^® lets you tap in the American Express^® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It^® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
• Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express^® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
• New! As an American Express^® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star^® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
• Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
• Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express^® service and support. Only for American Express^® Card Members.
• Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

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

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

The Amex Gold card earns Membership Rewards points, which transfer to the airline and hotel partners in this guide. The card earns 5x points on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com, 4x points on restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, then 1x), 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, then 1x), 3x points on airfare purchased directly through the airline or with AmexTravel.com, 2x points on prepaid car rentals and cruises via AmexTravel.com, and 1x points on other purchases. The card also offers annual statement credits for Uber Cash, dining, Resy, and Dunkin’ (enrollment required for some of these benefits). The card has an annual fee of $325 (rates & fees).

Book International Flights

1. Lufthansa First Class One-Way From the U.S. to Germany

Lufthansa first class operates service exclusively to the U.S. from its 2 hubs in Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC). It’s one of the last remaining ways to fly to Europe in first class using points.

It’s possible to book Lufthansa first class flights using points via Star Alliance partners. However, Lufthansa only releases first class availability to partners up to 15 days in advance.

With 90,000 Amex points, you can book a one-way Lufthansa first class ticket to Europe. We recommend transferring your Amex points to Avianca Lifemiles at a 1:1 ratio.

When you book through Lifemiles, you won’t be on the hook for the massive fuel surcharges that can exceed $800 each way with other partners such as Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer or ANA Mileage Club.

Here are some of the best one-way routes for Lufthansa first class for 87,000 Avianca Lifemiles plus about $41 in taxes and fees:

Each of these flights is priced at around $8,000 one-way, providing you with a redemption value of at least 9 cents per point.

2. Emirates Business Class One-Way From the U.S. to Greece or Italy

With 90,000 Amex points, you have nearly enough to book a one-way flight in Emirates business class between the U.S. and Europe using Emirates Skywards miles.

Here are some of Emirates’s one-way business class redemptions for 87,000 Emirates Skywards miles plus $102 in taxes and fees:

• Newark (EWR) to Athens (ATH)
• New York (JFK) to Milan (MXP)

These flights can retail for more than $10,000, offering a redemption value of more than 10 cents per point.

3. Europe Round-Trip in Star Alliance Business Class

With ANA Mileage Club, round-trip business class flights from the U.S. to Europe can be booked for just 100,000 miles. But watch out for fuel surcharges, and try to book flights with Turkish Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, United Airlines, or Air Canada to avoid higher fees.

Here are some example redemptions:

• Chicago (ORD) – Warsaw (WAW) round-trip in LOT Polish business class for 100,000 ANA Mileage Club miles ($544 in taxes and fees)
• San Francisco (SFO) – London (LHR) round-trip in United Polaris business class for 100,000 ANA Mileage Club miles ($363 in taxes and fees)
• Seattle (SEA) – Istanbul (IST) round-trip in Turkish Airlines business class for 100,000 ANA Mileage Club miles ($494 in taxes and fees)

These business class flights ordinarily retail for $4,000 to $6,000 round-trip, which means a redemption value of up to 6 cents per point.

4. ANA Business Class Round-Trip From the U.S. West Coast to Japan

You can book round-trip business class to Japan for 100,000 miles with ANA plus taxes and fees around $750 round-trip. ANA business class flights usually cost $8,000 to $10,000 round-trip, for a redemption value of more than 10 cents per point.

Here’s a flight you can book round-trip in ANA business class for 100,000 ANA Mileage Club miles plus about $761 in taxes and fees:

• Los Angeles (LAX) – Tokyo (HND, NRT)

5. Etihad Airways Business Class One-Way From Abu Dhabi

One of the best ways to fly from the Middle East is on Etihad Airways’ business class. It’s possible to book Etihad business class through its partner, Air Canada Aeroplan, and fuel surcharges are not applied when you book with Aeroplan points (Source: Air Canada).

Here are one-way business class Etihad flights you can book using fewer than 90,000 Amex points.

• Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Istanbul (IST): 64,500 Air Canada Aeroplan points ($64 in taxes and fees)
• Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Athens (ATH): 70,100 Air Canada Aeroplan points ($64 in taxes and fees)

These tickets retail for more than $6,000 one-way, which translates to a 7-cent-per-point redemption.

6. Visit 2 Countries in Southeast Asia Flying Star Alliance Business Class

Air Canada Aeroplan allows you to add a stopover for 5,000 extra points, even on one-way flights, and doesn’t pass along fuel surcharges.

Here are some of our favorite flights to book for 90,000 points, including a stopover:

• Chicago (ORD) – Jakarta (CGK) via Tokyo (HND, NRT): one-way in ANA business class with a stopover in Tokyo for 90,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points ($34 in taxes and fees)
• Houston (IAH) – Bangkok (BKK) via Taipei (TPE) one-way in EVA Air business class with a stopover in Taipei for 90,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points ($34 in taxes and fees)
• San Francisco (SFO) – New Delhi (DEL) via Hong Kong (HKG) one-way in United Polaris business class and Air India business class with a stopover in Hong Kong for 90,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points ($34 in taxes and fees)

These flights offer an average redemption of around $6,000, for a value of around 6.7 cents per point.

7. Oman Air Business Class Round-Trip Between Europe and Muscat

Air Canada Aeroplan has a partnership with Oman Air that allows you to redeem Amex points for medium- and long-haul flights. It’s possible to fly in business class from Europe to Oman’s capital, Muscat (MCT), for 45,000 Amex points each way.

Here are our favorite one-way Oman Air business class flights for 45,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points plus $113 in taxes and fees:

• Frankfurt (FRA) to Muscat (MCT)
• Istanbul (IST) to Muscat (MCT)
• London (LHR) to Muscat (MCT)

8. One-Way Economy Class Tickets From the U.S. to South America

With 90,000 Amex points, you have enough for 3 one-way economy flights to South America. Although the major nonstop flights to South America are offered by United, you can find connecting flights on Avianca, Copa Airlines, and Air Canada.

Here are some of our favorite routes for one-way United economy for 30,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points plus about $34 in taxes and fees:

• Houston (IAH) to Lima (LIM)
• Houston (IAH) to Quito (UIO)
• Newark (EWR) to Bogota (BOG)

9. Qatar Airways Qsuites One-Way From the U.S. to the Middle East

Arguably the world’s best business class product, Qatar Airways Qsuites are flown exclusively to the U.S. from Qatar Airways’s worldwide hub in Doha (DOH).

Qatar Airways is a Oneworld alliance partner. One of the best ways to book Qsuites is with The British Airways Club, which offers attractive redemption rates with minimal fuel surcharges passed along.

You can spend 70,000 British Airways Avios plus $103 in taxes and fees for a one-way Qsuites flight between the U.S. and Doha aboard Qatar Airways. Here are some example routes to book:

• Atlanta (ATL) to Doha (DOH)
• Boston (BOS) to Doha (DOH)
• Miami (MIA) to Doha (DOH)

Expect a redemption value of around 10 to 13 cents per point, based on an average ticket cost of $7,000 to $10,000.

10. Iberia Business Class One-Way Tickets From the U.S. to Spain

Iberia’s business class offers lie-flat seats, upscale catering, and good service.

To book these flights, we recommend transferring your Amex points to Club Iberia Plus. One-way business class flights between 3,001 and 4,000 miles cost as few as 40,500 Iberia Avios during off-peak dates, and flights between 4,001 and 5,000 miles cost 50,500 Iberia Avios, with reasonable taxes and fees.

Here are some great routes for one-way Iberia business class:

• Chicago (ORD) to Madrid (MAD): 40,500 Iberia Avios ($124 in taxes and fees)
• Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) to Madrid (MAD): 50,500 Iberia Avios ($124 in taxes and fees)
• Miami (MIA) to Madrid (MAD) 50,500 Iberia Avios ($124 in taxes and fees)

Each one-way ticket costs about $3,000 to $4,000, giving you a redemption rate of 6 to 9 cents per point.

11. Singapore Airlines Business Class One-Way From the U.S. to Europe

You can redeem fewer than 90,000 Amex points for a one-way Singapore Airlines business class flight to Europe:

• New York (JFK) to Frankfurt (FRA) one-way in Singapore Airlines business class for 89,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles ($6 in taxes and fees)

12. Singapore Airlines Economy Class Tickets One-Way From the U.S. to Singapore

Singapore Airlines flies nonstop from a handful of U.S. cities to Southeast Asia, and you can book 2 one-way, economy flights for around 90,000 Amex points.

Here is our favorite one-way economy flight on Singapore Airlines:

• Los Angeles (LAX) to Singapore (SIN): 44,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles ($6 in taxes and fees)

Air Travel Within the US

13. Book Delta Flights With Flash Sales

With Delta’s limited-time SkyMiles Flash Sales, you can book round-trip flights (primarily for domestic U.S. travel) for as few as 10,000 SkyMiles round-trip.

Here are some routes that have had SkyMiles Flash Sale pricing of 10,000 Delta SkyMiles plus $11 in taxes and fees:

• Kansas City (MCI) – Reno (RNO)
• Minneapolis (MSP) – Nashville (BNA)
• San Francisco (SFO) – New York (JFK)

14. Delta First Class Round-Trip to Hawaii

If you want to fly to Hawaii on Delta, you can access better availability directly through Delta SkyMiles than through partners like Air France-KLM Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

Taxes and fees are around $6 one-way or $11 round-trip for a typical first-class, round-trip ticket around 90,000 Amex points.

Here are some example round-trip redemptions:

• Los Angeles (LAX) – Kona (KOA): 86,000 Delta SkyMiles ($11 in taxes and fees)
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Lihue (LIH): 84,000 Delta SkyMiles ($11 in taxes and fees)
• Seattle (SEA) – Honolulu (HNL): 82,000 Delta SkyMiles ($11 in taxes and fees)

Hotel Stays

15. Stay 3 Nights in an Upscale Hilton Honors Property

High-value Hilton properties can be worth booking with Amex points transferred to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio.

Here are a few properties that could offer good value with 3 nights for 180,000 Hilton Honors points:

• Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah
• Conrad Dubai
• Crockfords Las Vegas, LXR Hotels & Resorts
• Hilton Orlando
• The Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood, Curio Collection by Hilton

Final Thoughts

You can get strong value when you transfer 90,000 Amex points to airline partners for business and first class flights, which can be worth about 8 to 10 cents per point. Hotel transfers are possible but typically offer lower value. Membership Rewards transfers are one-way, so confirm award availability before you transfer points.