Navigating the world of travel rewards can be complex, but American Express Membership Rewards program offers a straightforward path to maximizing your benefits, especially when it comes to hotels and travel. This guide breaks down the key terms and conditions of the Membership Rewards program, highlighting how you can earn more points on your hotel stays, flights, and other travel expenses, ultimately turning your travel spending into valuable rewards.
Earning Bonus Points on Hotel & Travel Purchases with Amex Cards
American Express provides several avenues for card members to accelerate their Membership Rewards earnings on travel and hotel bookings. Different cards offer varying multipliers, ensuring there’s an option to suit different spending habits and travel preferences.
2X Membership Rewards Points for Basic Cards
For those enrolled in the Membership Rewards program with a basic American Express card, you automatically earn at least 1 Membership Rewards point for every eligible dollar spent. However, when you book eligible travel through amextravel.com, this earning potential doubles. You’ll receive at least an additional point for each dollar spent on eligible travel purchases made on amextravel.com, effectively earning 2X points.
Eligible travel purchases include:
- Flights booked on amextravel.com
- Prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- Prepaid short-term rentals booked on amextravel.com
- Prepaid car rentals booked on amextravel.com
- Vacation packages (flight + hotel) booked on amextravel.com
- Cruise reservations booked on amextravel.com
Important exclusions to note:
- Non-prepaid car rentals
- Non-prepaid hotels
- Ticketing service fees
- Other fees or interest charges
Keep in mind that Corporate Card Members are not eligible for these additional points, and this bonus cannot be combined with other American Express bonus offers like the 5X, 3X, or 1.5X bonuses available on certain Platinum, Gold, and Blue Business Plus cards for other purchase categories. Points redeemed to cover a charge are also not eligible for earning points. Allow 10-12 weeks for the additional points to be credited to your account after final payment.
3X Membership Rewards Points with Business Gold Card
The American Express Business Gold Card elevates your rewards earning on travel. Basic Business Gold Card Members earn at least one Membership Rewards point for each dollar spent on eligible purchases. For eligible travel purchases, this card significantly boosts your earnings to 3X Membership Rewards points. This applies to purchases made on both the basic card and any employee cards on the account.
Eligible travel purchases for 3X points with Business Gold include:
- Scheduled flights booked online at AmexTravel.com
- Prepaid flight+hotel packages booked online at AmexTravel.com
- Prepaid hotel purchases made through American Express Travel over the phone with Travel Consultants
- Prepaid hotel purchases made online at AmexTravel.com
Purchases NOT eligible for 3X points:
- Non-prepaid hotel bookings
- Scheduled flights and prepaid flight+hotel packages booked over the phone
- Vacation packages (excluding prepaid flight+hotel packages booked online)
- Car rentals
- Cruises
- Hotel group reservations or events
- Ticketing service, cancellation, or other fees
- Interest charges
- Purchases of travelers checks, prepaid cards, or other cash equivalents.
To ensure you receive the 3X points, bookings must be reserved and charged to the Business Gold Card. Modifications should be made through AmexTravel.com or by calling 1-800-297-2977. Changes made directly with the hotel provider will disqualify the reservation from earning bonus points. Points are credited approximately 6-10 weeks after the purchase appears on your billing statement, provided the account is in good standing. This bonus cannot be combined with other Amex offers.
Gold Card Membership Rewards: 4X on Restaurants & Supermarkets, 3X on Airfare, 2X on Amex Travel
The American Express Gold Card offers a tiered rewards structure designed for everyday spending and travel. While it’s renowned for its 4X points on restaurants and supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year at U.S. supermarkets and on the first $50,000 at restaurants worldwide starting 1/1/2025), it also provides valuable rewards for travel.
For travel and hotel related purchases, Gold Card members can earn:
- 3X Membership Rewards points for each dollar spent on airfare on scheduled flights booked directly with passenger airlines or through amextravel.com. (Excludes charter and private jet flights)
- 2X Membership Rewards points for each dollar spent through amextravel.com on prepaid hotels, prepaid car rentals, or cruise reservations.
Exclusions for bonus points include:
- Non-prepaid car rentals and hotels
- Ticketing services or other fees
- Purchases at restaurants within hotels, casinos, or event venues, or bars, nightclubs, etc.
- Purchases made through third-party food delivery services outside the U.S.
Points are typically posted to your account 8-12 weeks after the qualifying purchase. Remember, eligible purchases exclude fees, interest charges, cash advances, gift card purchases, and other cash equivalents. Like other Amex card bonuses, these cannot be combined with other promotional offers.
Green Card Membership Rewards: 3X Points on Travel, Transit & Restaurants
The American Express Green Card is a versatile option for earning rewards across various categories, including a solid return on travel. Green Card members earn 3X Membership Rewards points on eligible travel purchases, making it a strong contender for travelers.
Eligible travel purchases for 3X points on the Green Card are broad, encompassing:
- Airfare
- Hotels
- Cruises
- Tours
- Car rentals
- Campgrounds
- Vacation rentals
- Travel purchases on third-party travel websites
- Travel purchases on amextravel.com
Additionally, the Green Card offers 3X points on transit (trains, taxis, rideshares, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, subways) and restaurants.
Exclusions are similar to other cards, including:
- Timeshare property purchases
- Restaurants located within hotels, casinos, or event venues, or bars, nightclubs, etc.
- Purchases made through third-party food delivery services outside the U.S.
As with all Membership Rewards cards, eligible purchases exclude fees, interest charges, cash advances, gift card purchases, and cash equivalents.
5X Membership Rewards Points with Platinum and Business Platinum Cards
For the ultimate travel rewards maximization, the American Express Platinum Card and Business Platinum Card stand out, offering 5X Membership Rewards points on eligible travel purchases. This is the highest earning rate for travel within the Membership Rewards ecosystem.
For the Consumer Platinum Card, eligible travel purchases for 5X points are limited to:
- Air tickets on scheduled flights (up to $500,000 per calendar year) booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel (phone or AmexTravel.com)
- Prepaid hotel reservations booked through American Express Travel
- Prepaid flight+hotel packages booked through AmexTravel.com
- Prepaid vacation rental reservations booked through AmexTravel.com
For the Business Platinum Card, eligible travel purchases for 5X points include:
- Scheduled flights booked online at AmexTravel.com
- Prepaid flight and hotel packages booked online at AmexTravel.com
- Prepaid short-term rentals booked online at AmexTravel.com
- Prepaid hotel purchases made through American Express Travel (phone or AmexTravel.com)
Common exclusions for 5X points across both Platinum cards:
- Charter flights, private jet flights
- Flights that are part of tours, cruises, or travel packages (except prepaid flight+hotel packages from AmexTravel.com)
- Ticketing or service fees, cancellation or change fees, property fees
- Hotel group reservations or events
- Interest charges, cash equivalents
Modifications to prepaid hotel or flight+hotel bookings made directly with the hotel will disqualify them from earning 5X points. For Business Platinum short-term rentals, modifications are not possible; cancellations and rebookings are required. Bonus points are credited approximately 6-10 weeks after the purchase appears on your statement, and cannot be combined with other bonus offers.
Leveraging Hotel Benefits: Hotel Credit, Fine Hotels + Resorts®, and The Hotel Collection
Beyond points multipliers, American Express Platinum cards offer direct hotel benefits that can significantly enhance your travel experience and provide monetary value.
$200 Hotel Credit for Platinum Card Members
U.S. Consumer Platinum Card Members are eligible for up to $200 in statement credits annually for prepaid bookings through American Express Travel at Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection properties.
Key details of the $200 Hotel Credit:
- Valid for prepaid bookings made through AmexTravel.com, the Amex App, or by phone.
- Applicable to Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection properties.
- The Hotel Collection bookings require a minimum two-night stay.
- Bookings must be prepaid (“Pay Now” option).
- Credits are applied per calendar year, up to $200 total per Card Account.
Credits typically appear within a few days but can take up to 90 days. Cancellations or modifications may result in reversed credits.
Fine Hotels + Resorts® (FHR) Program
The Fine Hotels + Resorts® program, exclusive to Platinum and Centurion card members, offers premium benefits at luxury hotels worldwide when booked through American Express Travel.
FHR benefits typically include:
- Noon check-in (subject to availability)
- Room upgrade upon arrival (subject to availability)
- Daily breakfast for two
- Guaranteed 4 pm late check-out
- $100 hotel credit to use on qualifying charges (e.g., dining, spa)
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
Benefits vary by property and are applied per room, per stay (up to three rooms per stay). Back-to-back stays at the same property within 24 hours are considered one stay and ineligible for additional benefits.
The Hotel Collection (THC)
The Hotel Collection is available to Gold, Platinum, and Centurion card members and offers valuable benefits at a wide range of hotels for bookings of two or more consecutive nights through American Express Travel.
THC benefits typically include:
- $100 hotel credit to use on qualifying charges (e.g., dining, spa)
- Room upgrade upon arrival (subject to availability)
- Noon check-in (subject to availability)
- Late check-out (subject to availability)
Benefits are applied per room, per stay (up to three rooms per stay), and are not combinable with other offers.
Membership Rewards® Pay with Points
American Express allows you to redeem your Membership Rewards points directly for travel purchases through AmexTravel.com using the Pay with Points feature.
Key points about Pay with Points:
- Eligible for purchases made through American Express Travel, excluding non-prepaid car rentals and hotels.
- Points are debited from your Membership Rewards account, and a statement credit is issued to your Amex card.
- Minimum redemption is 5,000 points.
- If points don’t cover the entire amount, the remaining balance stays on your Amex card.
Lowest Hotel Rates Guarantee
American Express provides a Lowest Hotel Rates Guarantee for bookings made on amextravel.com. If you find a lower price online for the same hotel room, dates, and conditions, American Express will refund you the difference.
Conditions for the Lowest Hotel Rates Guarantee:
- Applies to online rates available to the general public.
- Excludes rates not available to the general public (e.g., corporate, group, AAA, government/military rates).
- Excludes rates from opaque websites or those bundled with other offers.
- Claims for prepaid reservations must be submitted before check-in.
- Claims for “pay later” bookings must be submitted within 30 days after the stay.
Understanding Membership Rewards Program Terms
The Membership Rewards program is governed by specific terms and conditions. It’s important to familiarize yourself with these to fully understand how to earn and redeem points effectively. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for complete program details. The value of Membership Rewards points can vary based on how you choose to use them. You can explore point values at www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo.
Conclusion
American Express Membership Rewards offers a robust program for travelers, particularly those focused on hotel and flight benefits. By understanding the earning structures of different cards, leveraging bonus categories, and utilizing hotel-specific perks like the $200 Hotel Credit, Fine Hotels + Resorts®, and The Hotel Collection, you can significantly enhance your travel value and experiences. Explore Amex Travel today to start maximizing your rewards.
