Amex Points Now Redeemable Directly with Apple Pay

Amex Rolls Out New Feature: Redeem Membership Rewards Points with Apple Pay

American Express has rolled out a convenient new feature for its cardholders, making it easier than ever to use your hard-earned Membership Rewards points. Eligible U.S. cardholders can now directly redeem points for purchases made online and within apps using Apple Pay, integrating rewards into the seamless checkout process you already know.

How to Use Amex Points with Apple Pay

This new feature, officially called "Use Pay with Points with Apple Pay," is built directly into the Apple Wallet interface. Using it is straightforward and doesn't require any complicated setup.

Here’s a quick guide to the process:

1. When you’re ready to check out online or in a supported app, select Apple Pay as your payment method.
2. Choose your eligible American Express card from your Apple Wallet.
3. You should see an option to "Use Membership Rewards Points." Tap on it.
4. Your current points balance will appear, along with its equivalent dollar value for that specific transaction.
5. Enter the dollar amount you’d like to cover with points. The system allows for split transactions, so you can choose to cover part of the cost with points and pay the rest with your card.
6. Confirm the amount and complete your purchase using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode as usual.

Eligibility and Restrictions

To take advantage of this new feature, you must be a U.S. cardholder with an "eligible American Express Membership Rewards Card" added to your Apple Wallet.

It’s important to note that, for now, the functionality appears to be limited to online and in-app purchases where Apple Pay is an option. Amex has also confirmed that for user privacy, Apple does not retain any transaction information that is linked back to you when you redeem points this way.

A Timely Partnership for Apple

This integration marks a significant development for Apple's broader "Pay with rewards" feature, which officially debuted with iOS 18. The program has seen limited adoption by U.S. banks so far. Discover was a previous partner but ended its participation in the program in April, leaving a noticeable gap.

American Express joining the program is a strong vote of confidence, especially following Apple's recent decision to discontinue its "Pay Later" service. This isn't the first time Amex has shown deep integration with Apple's ecosystem; it was the first card issuer to support full transaction history directly within the Apple Wallet.

Understanding Redemption Value

While using your points with Apple Pay is undeniably convenient, it's crucial to understand the value you're getting. When you redeem Membership Rewards points at checkout through Apple Pay, you get a value of 0.7 cents per point.

This means that 10,000 points will cover $70 of your purchase. This rate is on par with other direct "Pay with Points" options offered by Amex, such as covering charges on your statement. However, it is significantly lower than the potential value you can get by transferring your points to airline and hotel partners. For travel redemptions, it’s often possible to achieve a value of 1.5 to 2.0 cents per point or even higher, effectively doubling your rewards' worth.

Is It a Good Deal for You?

This new integration makes using your Amex points for everyday online shopping incredibly simple. If you have a small number of points you want to use up or simply want to reduce the cost of an online purchase without hassle, this is an excellent and accessible option.

However, if your goal is to maximize the value of your Membership Rewards, you should carefully consider your options. The convenience of redeeming through Apple Pay at 0.7 cents per point comes at the cost of potentially higher-value redemptions through Amex's travel partners. Ultimately, the best choice depends on your personal financial goals and how you prefer to use your rewards.