The Complete Guide to Using Amex Points to Pay Your Bills

Paying your bills with credit card points is one of the most valuable ways to redeem your hard-earned rewards American Express Membership Rewards points are incredibly versatile – you can transfer them to airline and hotel partners or use them to shop at Amazon and other retailers, But Amex also makes it easy to use points to erase charges on your statement through a feature called Pay with Points

In this complete guide, I’ll walk through everything you need to know about using Amex points for bill pay, including:

How Pay with Points works
Which Amex cards offer point rebates
When Pay with Points makes sense
Step-by-step instructions
Maximizing the value of your Amex points

Let’s dive in!

How Does Amex Pay with Points Work?

The Amex Pay with Points feature allows you to redeem your Membership Rewards points to cover eligible charges on your statement Here’s a quick rundown of how it works

Log into your Amex account and view your recent charges. Amex will highlight which charges are eligible for Pay with Points.
Select the charges you want to erase using your points.
Click “Redeem Now.” Amex will deduct the points from your account and apply a statement credit within 48 hours.

It’s an easy, straightforward way to wipe charges from your account without having to make a transfer or booking Any Amex cardholder with Membership Rewards points can take advantage of this option.

Amex Cards That Offer Pay with Points Rebates

While any Amex cardholder can use Pay with Points, some premium Amex business cards offer lucrative point rebates:

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express – 35% point rebate on Pay with Points airfare purchases
The Business Gold Card® from American Express – 25% point rebate on Pay with Points airfare purchases
Business Centurion® Card from American Express – 50% point rebate on all Pay with Points purchases

These rebates increase the value you can get from Pay with Points redemptions. For example, with the 50% rebate on the Centurion Card, your points are worth 2 cents each when erasing charges.

When Does It Make Sense to Use Pay with Points?

There are a few scenarios where Pay with Points can make sense:

Taking advantage of cheap fares – If you find an inexpensive fare sale, paying with points could be cheaper than transferring points and booking an award ticket.
Accessing last seat availability – Pay with Points allows you to book any seat. This is useful when you need to be on a specific flight without award space.
Earning miles and elite credits – Flights booked through Pay with Points earn redeemable and elite-qualifying miles. This can help you maintain status.
Erasing expensive charges – Use points to wipe big charges like hotel stays or cruises off your statement.

Pay with Points typically offers the best value for erasing airfare purchases. You can maximize the savings by using one of the Amex business cards with a rebate.

Step-by-Step Guide to Pay with Points

Ready to start using your Amex points to erase charges? Here is a step-by-step walkthrough:

Log into your Amex account online or via the mobile app.
Locate the eligible charge(s) you want to erase under “Recent Activity.” Amex will note which charges qualify for Pay with Points.
Click “Pay with Points” next to the charge.
Select how many points you want to apply. You can use points to cover all or just a portion of the charge.
Review the order details and click “Place Your Order.”
Amex will deduct the points from your account. You’ll see a statement credit applied within 48 hours.

And that’s it! The credit will reduce your account balance, helping you avoid interest charges on the erased amount.

Tips for Maximizing Amex Pay with Points Value

To get the most from Pay with Points, keep these tips in mind:

Focus on erasing large airfare, hotel, and cruise purchases to maximize savings.
Check for cheap fares that could be cheaper than an award ticket.
Use one of the Amex business cards that offer a 25-50% point rebate to increase your value.
Pay attention to “last seat availability” when you need to confirm a ticket without award space.
Take advantage of the extra miles and elite credits you’ll earn from revenue tickets.

The Bottom Line

Amex Pay with Points offers a flexible way to redeem Membership Rewards points by erasing your account charges. While transfer partners can provide high value, Pay with Points shines in certain situations like fare sales and last seat availability. The savings are greatest when you hold a premium Amex business card that offers a lucrative point rebate.

Hopefully this guide gave you all the details on how Pay with Points works and how to maximize its value! With a little planning, you can use Amex points to save big on your bills.

Using Amex Points To Bill Pay

Editor’s NoteThis is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

This strategy requires two things: First, you have to study your different transfer options and pick the best one for your trip. Second, and most importantly, you have to actually find award space on the dates youre looking to fly.

However, another option for redeeming your Membership Rewards points gives you an even greater amount of flexibility. Sometimes, its possible to get a better value by using the American Express Pay with Points feature than youd get by transferring your points.

Because certain Amex cards provide a rebate on the number of points you need for eligible Pay with Points flight redemptions, having the right cards in your wallet can unlock some excellent value.

Today, well take a deep dive into how to get the best Amex Pay with Points value.

Amex Pay with Points value

If you have any Membership Rewards points-earning cards, you can redeem your points at a fixed rate of 0.6 cents each to wipe charges off your statement. However, TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, so youd be sacrificing a lot of value if you go this route, making this one of the worst possible ways to redeem your Membership Rewards points. MINISERIES/GETTY IMAGES

Booking through Amex Travel gets you a slightly better value, as your points will be worth 1 cent each toward the cost of airfare, or 0.7-0.85 cents each for hotels, car rentals, cruises and more. If your goal is a truly free vacation, using points for car rentals or cruises can help keep your out-of-pocket costs down, but this is still far from an ideal redemption option.

However, you can generally get the highest Amex Pay with Points value through flight redemptions. There are three Amex cards for small businesses that offer attractive rebates of 25%-50% when using Pay with Points for flights, making this a solid redemption choice. This can be an easy way to lock in a minimum redemption value of more than 1 cent per point and is also a useful option when you need “last-seat availability”, i.e. you need to be on a specific flight even if it doesnt have award space via a frequent flyer program.

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How To Redeem Amex Points For MAX VALUE (Beginner’s Guide)

FAQ

Can you use Amex reward points to pay your bill?

American Express has a variety of cards with specific perks, from cash back to airport lounge entry, but they all have one thing in common: American Express Membership Rewards. This program allows Amex cardholders to earn points that can be used for travel, shopping, or even paying off their credit card bills.

Can I use Amex points to pay?

A purchase will qualify as an eligible transaction for purposes of the “Use Points Towards Purchases” option when an eligible American Express Card is used for the purchase of goods or services. When you make a redemption request, you will be able to select such eligible transactions for “Use Points Towards Purchases”.

Can I use my rewards points to pay my bill?

For some cards, accumulated reward points can be used towards your next credit card payment. In some cases, redemption options include requesting your reward points as cash payment through a check or direct deposit, which you can then use to pay for your next credit card payment.

Can I use Amex points for partial payment?

You can redeem Points for the total or a part of the Eligible Transaction by contacting us via ‘Chat with Us’ on the American Express® App or with Chat on your Online Account, alternatively by calling us on the number on the back of your Card.

How do I use American Express Pay with points?

It’s very easy to take advantage of the American Express Pay with Points feature to book your flight. First, sign in to your Amex account and then search for flights through the Amex Travel portal as you normally would. At checkout, select either “Use only points” or “Use points + American Express card” to apply some or all of your points.

Which American Express cards are eligible for pay with points?

All American Express cards that earn Membership Rewards points are eligible to use Pay With Points to redeem points through AmEx Travel. Eligible Membership Rewards cards include: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express — including a 35% Airline Bonus. American Express® Business Gold Card — including a 25% Airline Bonus.

How much is Amex pay with points worth?

The AmEx Pay With Points value depends on the type of travel you book using Pay With Points. On almost all Membership Rewards cards — excluding the Blue from American Express® card — you’ll get 1 cent per point in value per point redeemed for flights and 0.7 cents per point toward other travel redemptions.

How do I redeem American Express membership rewards points?

One of the many ways to redeem Membership Rewards points is to pay for travel through the American Express Travel portal. Whether it’s to book flights, hotels, cars, cruises or vacations, you can use the AmEx Pay With Points option.

Does American Express Pay with points offer a better value?

Sometimes, it’s possible to get a better value by using the American Express Pay with Points feature than you’d get by transferring your points. Because certain Amex cards provide a rebate on the number of points you need for eligible Pay with Points flight redemptions, having the right cards in your wallet can unlock some excellent value.

How do I use Amex points?

First, sign in to your Amex account and then search for flights through the Amex Travel portal as you normally would. At checkout, select either “Use only points” or “Use points + American Express card” to apply some or all of your points. When paying with points, your card will be charged the full dollar amount.