What are travel credit cards, and how do they work?
Travel credit cards are financial products that offer various rewards and benefits geared towards frequent travelers. They typically earn you points or miles for every dollar spent on eligible purchases. These rewards can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and other travel-related expenses. Travel credit cards may also include perks like travel insurance, airport lounge access, and no foreign transaction fees.
How do I choose the best travel credit card for my needs?
Choosing the best travel credit card depends on your travel habits, spending patterns, and preferences. Consider factors like the type of rewards offered (points, miles, or cash back), the card’s annual fee, sign-up bonuses, earning rates, redemption options, and additional travel perks. Analyzing these features will help you find a card that aligns with your lifestyle and offers the most value.
What are the benefits of using a travel credit card over other types of credit cards?
Travel credit cards provide unique advantages for travelers, such as earning rewards specifically tailored to travel expenses. Additionally, many travel credit cards offer travel-related perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and travel insurance. Some cards also waive foreign transaction fees, making them ideal for international travelers.
What is a sign-up bonus, and how can I qualify for it?
A sign-up bonus is a promotional offer provided by the credit card issuer to entice new cardholders. To qualify for a sign-up bonus, you usually need to meet specific spending requirements within a certain timeframe after opening the account. The bonus can be in the form of points, miles, or cash back, and it’s a great way to jump-start your rewards earning.
Do travel credit cards charge foreign transaction fees?
Not all travel credit cards charge foreign transaction fees. Many of the top-tier travel cards waive these fees, making them ideal for international travel. However, it’s essential to read the card’s terms and conditions to confirm this before using it abroad.
How can I maximize the rewards earned with my travel credit card?
To maximize rewards, use your travel credit card for everyday expenses and large purchases. Take advantage of bonus categories and special promotions to earn more points or miles. Consider combining your travel credit card with loyalty programs to stack rewards and get even more value out of your purchases.
Have a hoard of American Express Membership Rewards® Points but have no clue how to use them?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Redeeming points for maximum value isn’t always simple. In fact, across all points and miles currencies, it’s estimated only around 8% of customers are using theirs, and of that tiny number, only a few elite travelers squeeze every ounce of value from their earnings.
We want you to be among that number, so today we’ll be looking at the best ways to maximize American Express Membership Rewards® points for travel in 2024—whether you’re looking for cheap flights, first-class travel, hotels, or one of their many other uses.
What are American Express points?
Simply put, American Express Membership Reward points are the points currency of Amex’s credit card rewards program.
The points are earned by using and paying off American Express credit cards and can be redeemed for a number of different products. While we at The Daily Navigator focus primarily on travel redemptions, like flights and hotels, they can be used for purchasing consumer goods, too.
The monetary value of Amex points is dictated by where you use them—but your own experiential value comes into play in this equation, too.
If you’re completely new to American Express Membership Rewards points or points and miles in general, you might want to check out our guide to using points and miles first. But if you’re ready to roll, keep reading.
What are the best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024?
It might not be the answer you want to hear, but one of the best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024 is dictated almost entirely by you. Before you can proceed, you’ll need to define what maximum value looks like for you.
If we’re talking pure quantifiable value, transferring your points to a travel partner is the best way to use American Express points. It offers the opportunity to get outweighed value for your points, and score free or luxury travel in the process. But there are different situations where you may not want to do this, so today we’ll be looking at a few different ways to use your points.
American Express® Gold Card
60,000 Membership Rewards® Points
after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first 6 months of card membership
The American Express® Gold Card gives your munch more punch with an outstanding 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x). For some context, if you spent $8,400 a year on eating out and groceries, which is roughly what the average American spends, you’d have enough points for a roundtrip flight to Hawaii. That’s not even factoring in the huge 60,000-point bonus worth over $1,000.
PROS
- Huge returns on popular spending categories like dining at restaurants, takeout and delivery in the U.S .and U.S. supermarkets
- Solid earnings on travel purchased via Amex or directly with an airline
- Solid intro bonus of 60,000 points worth over $1,000
- Up to $120 in Uber Cash for rides and food delivery, and up to $120 in statement credits for selected dining outlets including the GrubHub food delivery app, Shake Shack, Wine.com, and more
- Nice, but pointless in the grand scheme of things, customizable card designs
CONS
- $250 annual fee
- No major travel perks like its bigger sibling, the Amex Platinum
Annual Fee: $250 | Terms Apply | Rates & Fees
The best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024: Redeem for flights
We’ll always tell you we think one of the best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024 is to redeem them for flights and hotels. Redeeming them for flights can be particularly lucrative, although hotels also represent strong value for your points in some cases.
With that said, it depends on how you do this.
Read also: The Best Airline Credit Cards of 2024
Transferring American Express points to an airline partner
By transferring points from American Express, flights can be incredibly cheap. The issuer has 17 airline transfer partners. Most of these allow customers to transfer points from their Amex account to the airline’s loyalty program at a ratio of 1:1. Once the points have moved into your airline account, you can redeem them for flights.
It’s important to remember that not all airline loyalty programs are created equal. Some will offer poor value or high fees and should be avoided, while others boast spectacular sweet spots that could see you flying in a premium seat for pennies.
Here are some examples of unbelievable redemptions that show one of the best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024 is by transferring them to an airline partner.
- Transfer 141,000 points to Singapore Airlines’ Krisflyer program, and grab a Singapore suite from London to Singapore. This seat is typically worth around $7,000.
- Transfer 30,000 points to KLM/Air France Flying Blue and redeem an economy roundtrip ticket to Amsterdam. Fees will be less than $100.
- Transfer 33,000 points to British Airways Executive Club and redeem a business class roundtrip from Miami to the Bahamas.
- Transfer 85,000 points to ANA and redeem a business class roundtrip from the US to Japan.
These look great on paper, but what makes transferring one of the best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024?
It’s the direct value.
For example, if we look at the third suggestion, you’d pay around $1,000 for that roundtrip flight. In this scenario, you’re getting over 3 cents per point for your redemption. It’s unlikely you’ll earn that kind of value in any of the other ways we mention in this article.
Another one of the best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024: The American Express flight booking portal
If you’re not interested in transferring your points, or can’t find a redemption that makes sense, you’re not out of options. American Express points don’t have to be transferred to be redeemed for flights.
Instead, you can use the Amex travel portal.
The American Express flight booking process operates similarly to any other travel aggregator, like Expedia, Skyscanner, or Google Flights. You enter your prospective destination and origin along with your dates and you’ll be offered several applicable flights.
If you have Amex points in your account, you’ll see two figures listed next to each flight. One will be the cash value, while the other is the points value. If you decide to purchase the flight, you can use either option, and the points will be deducted from your account accordingly.
It’s important to understand that you won’t gain outsized value from any redemption by using the American Express flight booking system. When using the portal, your American Express points are valued at 1 cent each. So, if the flight is $1,000, the cost to redeem it will be 100,000 points. Compared to transferring your points, this may seem like a bad deal. If you only use the portal offered by American Express, flights will usually be worse value.
If we return to the previous section’s examples, the same 33,000-point business class flight would cost 100,000 Amex points. You see how many points you’re leaving on the table?
When should you use the American Express Flight booking portal?
Wherever possible, you should transfer points to achieve maximum value. But in some scenarios, a good deal on your specific route might not be possible or may not be the smartest redemption. If your other options have run dry and paying for the flight is out of the question, it’s worth trying the Amex travel portal.
The best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024: Booking hotel stays
While redeeming flights is mathematically one of the best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024, hotels also represent a lucrative option. American Express currently has three hotel transfer partners, far less than its airline equivalents, but all three can be valuable in their own right.
Depending on the credit card you have in your wallet, it’s also possible you have automatic elite status in the hotel loyalty programs, adding some extra perks to any stays you might redeem. For example, the American Express Platinum card allows the holder to enjoy Gold elite status at both Marriott and Hilton.
Transferring American Express points to hotel partners
American Express customers can transfer their points to any of Amex’s three hotel partners: Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, and Choice Privileges. Choice and Marriott have a transfer ratio of 1:1 while Hilton enjoys a strong 1:2 ratio.
Once transferred, the points can be used in a similar way to the airline partners: you can redeem the points for free hotels.
Hotel loyalty programs often have fewer sweet spots than their airline counterparts, but it’s still possible to find exceptional value. When searching for stays, make sure to calculate the value of a night with points. If the cash price is high while the points remain low, there’s a good chance it’s a strong redemption.
Here are some examples of great redemptions from each brand:
Hilton – Ho’olei Villas at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
A night at this stunning resort in Hawaii can often run well over $3,000 a night. That’s an incredibly expensive hotel, but using points, you can find rates for as low as 89,000 American Express points. This makes it one of the best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024.
Marriott – Marriott Mena House, Egypt
I actually used my own Marriott Bonvoy points to redeem three nights at Marriott Mana House in Egypt. While the value of 35,000 points a night wasn’t as high as the Hilton option, it let me stay for free in front of the pyramids in a luxury hotel. That’s truly amazing.
Choice Privileges – Grand Hotel Santa Lucia, Naples
Italy can be an expensive place to visit, and with rates at the Grand Hotel Santa Lucia in Naples hitting as high as $900 at peak times, grabbing a room for just 35,000 points per night is a steal and one of the best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
80,000 Membership Rewards® Points
after you spend $8,000 on purchases in your first 6 months of card membership
The Amex Platinum was once the sole dominating force in the luxury credit card space. While it now faces some stiff competition, it still offers unbeatable perks like unprecedented airport lounge access, elite status at Hilton and Marriott, and some outstanding statement credits making the mammoth $695 worth it for some.
PROS
- The Amex Platinum’s typical intro bonus of 80,000 points is massive in itself. It’s worth $800 when spent directly through Amex’s travel portal on flights and hotels, which is already stellar. But when transferred to a partner, it’s very possible to squeeze over $1,600 or more in value.
- The Platinum has a slew of top-tier benefits, like Priority Pass, which gives the cardholder access to thousands of airport lounges and restaurants around the world, as well as Amex’s own Centurion lounges which are known for the high-quality (and free) food and cocktails. Other perks include up to $200 in Uber credits, up to $200 in airline fee credits (given in statement credits), up to $240 in digital streaming credits, up to $200 towards hotel bookings (given in statement credits) with Amex’s Fine Hotels and Resorts (2 night minimum stay required), and more. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
- A number of statement credits spanning multiple industries can build even more value into the card, including free stays when applied strategically.
- The Amex concierge is an underutilized benefit that can transform a trip by helping book hard-to-find dinner reservations or show tickets.
CONS
- The $695 annual fee is brutally high. Too high for many that can’t, or don’t want to take full advantage of its benefits.
- Points-earning rates are low unless spending directly on flights or with the Amex Portal.
- Some of the benefits, like travel credits, are more limited and are harder to use than competing cards’ offerings.
Annual Fee: $695 | Terms Apply | Rates & Fees
Using American Express Travel for booking hotels
While transferring points to a hotel partner offers far more potential and is one of the best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024, it’s possible to use American Express’ travel portal for hotels, too.
With American Express Travel, hotels can be searched for in the same way as on Expedia or a similar travel aggregator. From there, you can manage the booking and even take advantage of some Amex-related perks depending on the credit card you own.
Using American Express Travel, hotels will be listed at around the same price as they are elsewhere. It may be slightly higher than the direct booking price. At the checkout, similar to how the American Express flight booking process works, customers are prompted to use points or cash, or a mixture of both.
Once again, American Express points will be fixed at 1 cent each, so a $500-a-night hotel will require 50,000 points to book. While this isn’t terrible, the value isn’t nearly as strong as it would be by transferring your points to a partner.
When to use American Express Travel for hotels
While using the American Express travel portal isn’t the best value, it does offer some benefits. The hotels listed are not tied to a single brand, giving you more choices for your trip. You’ll also not need to worry about award availability as there are no blackout dates. With American Express Travel, hotels are listed at different prices on different days, so sometimes it might be possible to grab a room for a lower rate than normal if you’re set on not spending any cash.
The point
American Express points offer users a lot of scope for their travel. Transferring to an airline partner is by far one of the best ways to maximize American Express points for travel in 2024, but transferring to hotel partners is also a good option.
As a last resort, using the American Express flights booking portal can offer some value, but it should never be the default option.
Read also: How to Fly to Hawaii Using Points and Miles
by travelers, for travelers.
