American Express Changes How Membership Rewards Points Are Shared Across New Cards

American Express has changed how Membership Rewards are pooled together when cardholders open new eligible credit cards. This ends the previous system of automatically pooling points across cards linked to the same Membership Rewards account.

Here’s everything you need to know.

American Express No Longer Automatically Pools Membership Rewards Points From New Cards

Previously, Amex Membership Rewards points earned on eligible cards were automatically combined into a shared balance. Now that has changed.

As first reported by Doctor of Credit, Amex has updated its terms and conditions regarding new cards.

Points earned on newly opened cards are no longer linked to any existing Membership Rewards balance. Instead, when you open a new Amex product, a new rewards account is created and linked to that specific product.

Cardholders now need to take additional steps to link or manage the individual rewards accounts associated with their cards.

This move is particularly noteworthy for customers who hold several Amex products. The change doesn’t mean that cardholders can no longer consolidate their rewards. Rather, the process has become less straightforward.

What This Means for Travelers

For travelers, the main concern is making sure that points remain organized and available when it’s time to book a trip. Membership Rewards points can be valuable because cardholders can transfer them to Amex’s airline and hotel loyalty programs, which unlock premium-cabin flights and luxury hotel stays.

Of course, this change could also affect how travelers plan their spending. Someone working toward a large points redemption may need to pay closer attention to where rewards are accumulating.

Additionally, this highlights the importance of the structure of rewards accounts when applying for additional cards. Though earning points across multiple cards will likely remain a viable strategy, Amex customers should not assume that every new card operates exactly the same way as their existing cards.

Final Thoughts

American Express has moved away from automatically pooling Membership Rewards points from new cards. From now on, new cards have their own individual Membership Rewards balances.

While the change does not eliminate the ability to accumulate or use points across eligible accounts, it adds another step for cardholders and makes it more important to understand account settings and rewards rules.