topic Re: Confused about Amex Membership Rewards advantages in Credit Cards

Confused about Amex Membership Rewards advantages

Anonymous — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 10:16:02 GMT

So I looked on the membership rewards site for Amex and it seems that for all gift cards and such membership rewards points are valued at $0.50. I'm trying to understand how that can possibly be a worthwhile rewards program when cards like Blue Cash give 1.5% and 5%. Do these points have a greater cash equivalent value when used for other things like airlines and hotels? Even if the points earned with the charge cards do translate to 1 mile with FF programs, it still seems like a worse deal than the cash back. Furthermore, is there any situation in which the points earned with Blue (which I understand can't be used for FF programs) would make that card better than the Blue Cash?

Re: Confused about Amex Membership Rewards advantages

Anonymous — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:39:19 GMT

Said membership rewards are equivalent to $.50 but should have said $.005 or 1/2%.

Re: Confused about Amex Membership Rewards advantages

fused — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:43:08 GMT

ChaoticKinesis wrote:
So I looked on the membership rewards site for Amex and it seems that for all gift cards and such membership rewards points are valued at $0.50. I'm trying to understand how that can possibly be a worthwhile rewards program when cards like Blue Cash give 1.5% and 5%. Do these points have a greater cash equivalent value when used for other things like airlines and hotels? Even if the points earned with the charge cards do translate to 1 mile with FF programs, it still seems like a worse deal than the cash back. Furthermore, is there any situation in which the points earned with Blue (which I understand can't be used for FF programs) would make that card better than the Blue Cash?

Not too sure what you are describing here. I use my Gold Rewards Plus card and earn 2 points for every $1 spent with Amex partnered companies. Most of the other cards are 1 to 1.

Re: Confused about Amex Membership Rewards advantages

Anonymous — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:01:22 GMT

Using the points to purchase gift certificates worth $50 would require 10,000 points, making their actual value 1/2% in this instance. I'm not sure about how much points are worth in other travel programs but as an example with the Cap1 miles program 25,000 pts. gets you a ticket worth up to $250, giving them an equivalent value of up to 1%.

Re: Confused about Amex Membership Rewards advantages

fused — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:10:19 GMT

I'll check their web site right now!

Re: Confused about Amex Membership Rewards advantages

fused — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:17:58 GMT

Ok I see what you are saying. It's doesn't look like good deals. I'll just keep using my points for FF miles where I am getting a whale of a deal.