The Platinum Card® from American Express
American Express® Gold Card
American Express® Green Card
Blue Cash Everyday® Preferred Card from American Express
Understanding Your Amex Membership Rewards
American Express Membership Rewards (MR) is one of the most valuable and flexible loyalty programs available. Unlike cash back, Membership Rewards points can be transferred to various airline and hotel partners, redeemed for travel through Amex Travel, used for gift cards, or even statement credits. The value you get from your points can vary significantly based on how you redeem them, often ranging from 0.6 cents per point for statement credits to 2 cents or more per point when transferred strategically to airline partners for premium travel.
How Amex Cards Earn Points
Different American Express cards offer varying earning rates across specific spending categories. Understanding these multipliers is key to maximizing your rewards. Here's a general overview of some popular cards:
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Known for its premium travel benefits, it typically earns 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or with Amex Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year) and 5x points on prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel. All other eligible purchases generally earn 1x point.
American Express® Gold Card: A powerhouse for everyday spending, it earns 4x points on purchases at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x) and at restaurants worldwide. It also earns 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. Other eligible purchases earn 1x point.
American Express® Green Card: Offers 3x points on eligible travel (including transit, flights, hotels, tours) and at restaurants worldwide. All other eligible purchases earn 1x point.
Blue Cash Everyday® Preferred Card from American Express: While primarily a cash back card, its Membership Rewards counterpart, the Amex EveryDay Preferred Card, offers 3x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1x, and requires 30+ purchases in a billing period to get the bonus), 2x points at U.S. gas stations, and 1x point on other eligible purchases.
Our Amex Membership Rewards Calculator helps you estimate your potential monthly and annual point earnings based on your spending habits and the specific Amex card you use. It also provides an estimated dollar value of those points based on your chosen valuation.
How to Use the Calculator
Select Your Amex Card: Choose the American Express card you currently hold or are considering.
Enter Monthly Spending: Input your estimated monthly spending in the specified categories (Flights, Dining, Groceries, Gas, Other). Be as realistic as possible.
Estimate Point Value: Enter your estimated value for one Membership Reward point in cents. A common conservative estimate is 1 cent per point, but savvy travelers often achieve 1.5 to 2 cents or more.
Calculate: Click the "Calculate Rewards" button to see your estimated monthly and annual point earnings, along with their dollar value.
Remember that spending caps (e.g., $25,000 at U.S. supermarkets for the Gold Card) are not dynamically factored into this calculator for simplicity, but are important to keep in mind for actual long-term planning. This tool provides a valuable estimate to help you understand the potential of your Amex rewards.