American Express Rewards UK

The value of Amex MR points varies by redemption method:

• Airline transfer (premium): 1p to 2p+ per point

• Airline transfer (economy): 0.5p to 1.3p per point

• Hotel transfers: 0.4p to 1p per point

• Gift cards: 0.5p per point

• Shop with points (Amazon, etc.): ~0.45p per point

• Cover charges on card: ~0.4p per point

Best value: airline transfers, especially in business or first class.

You’ll need to link your Amex account with the partner’s loyalty programme. This is done via your online Amex account:

1. Log in to your Amex account.

2. Go to the Membership Rewards section.

3. Select "Transfer Points".

4. Choose your airline or hotel partner.

5. Enter your loyalty number and confirm.

Transfers are often instant but may take up to 5 working days for some partners.

Amex UK has 14+ airline partners, including:

• British Airways Executive Club (Avios)

• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

• Air France/KLM Flying Blue

• Emirates Skywards

• Qatar Airways Privilege Club

• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

• American Express also links to hotel partners like Hilton, Marriott, and Choice.

Use our Value Calculator to estimate value based on redemption type. As a rule of thumb:

• < 0.5p per point: Poor

• 0.5p - 1p: Decent (gift cards, hotels)

• 1p - 2p+: Excellent (flights in business/first)

No, Amex points don’t expire as long as your Membership Rewards account is active. If you cancel your card and don’t hold another MR-earning card, your points will be forfeited.

The Amex Rewards Credit Card is the only card with no annual fee and earns MR points. It’s perfect as a backup if you plan to cancel your Gold or Platinum card but want to preserve your points balance.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is widely considered the best all-round card:

• £0 fee in year 1

• 22,000 MR points welcome bonus (worth £220–£400+ if transferred)

• 4 free airport lounge passes per year

• Monthly dining/travel credits from year 2

Use it for the bonus, then consider downgrading or cancelling before the £195 fee in year 2.

You’re only eligible for a sign-up bonus on MR cards if you haven’t held a personal MR card in the past 24 months. That means if you’ve held Gold, Platinum or the free Rewards card recently, you won’t qualify again yet.

Yes — business cards like the Amex Business Gold and Business Platinum earn MR points and often have higher sign-up bonuses (e.g. 50,000+ points). They also have separate eligibility rules — so you can earn both personal and business card bonuses.

You have two options:

• Transfer your points to an airline/hotel partner before cancelling.

• Or apply for the free Amex Rewards Credit Card to keep your points active.

Failure to do this means your points will be lost upon cancellation.

If you have the Gold or Platinum card and don’t want to pay the annual fee:

1. Call or message Amex and ask to downgrade to the Amex Rewards Credit Card.

2. This keeps your points and account history intact.

3. You won’t receive a new welcome bonus, but there’s no fee.

Yes — Amex may offer bonus points or statement credit to keep you from cancelling. Offers vary but typically include:

• 5,000–12,000 MR points for spending £1,000 in 3 months

• £50–£100 credit for retention

You can ask via Live Chat or by phone shortly before your renewal date.

While flights offer best value, you can also redeem points for:

• Amazon & PayPal purchases

• Gift cards for retailers like M&S, John Lewis, IKEA, etc.

• Statement credits

• Travel bookings through Amex Travel

Just note: these options usually give lower value per point than transferring to partners.

Any everyday purchase counts — groceries, transport, bills, subscriptions. What doesn’t count:

• Cash withdrawals

• Gift card reloads (in some cases)

• Gambling transactions

• Balance transfers

Yes. There are no restrictions at all on receiving the sign-up bonus for either card. As long as you’re accepted and meet the spend requirement (£6,000 for Business Gold or £12,000 for Business Platinum in the first three months), you’ll get the points, even if you’ve previously held other Amex cards.