This report at a glance:
- The top 10 reasons to like American Express Membership Reward points
- Why have multiple American Express cards?
- Transfer/partner opportunities
- Comparing Amex earning opportunities
Amex has just come out with a new card and it’s definitely worth taking a look at. Consider the Amex Points program, especially if you’ve had Chase blinders on or are having a hard time moving on from Starwood. Let’s first note some of the many reasons we love this points currency:
10 Reasons to Like Amex Points
(IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
The Ultimate Mileage Award Ticket with All Nippon Airways (ANA): With this ticket you can fly around the world for 105,000 miles in Business Class—67,000 miles LESS than Delta charges for a simple round-trip to Asia and 65,000 miles LESS than a simple round-trip to Europe. Or get a First Class around-the-world ticket for just 160,000 miles. (Chase credit card holders do not have access to ANA’s lucrative award program.)
Transfer bonuses (part A): The most recent transfer bonus offered a 40% bonus with British Airways, which got you two Business Class tickets within North America for less than one—or one Biz Class ticket for less than the cost of coach.
Transfer bonuses (part B): Virgin Atlantic point-transfer bonus of 30%, which got you All Nippon First Class for only 15,000 miles more than coach with Delta—almost a double upgrade. Another way to look at how good this deal is: You can get two First Class tickets for the price of one ticket in Business Class on Delta. (Chase credit card holders do not receive these bonuses.)
Transfer airline partners: Amex Rewards has 17 airline transfer partners—Chase only has six major ones. More transfer partners open up more opportunities.
Access to Etihad Airways awards: See FCF’s report for why we think that Etihad’s First Apartment surpasses First Class, and here for a sense of Etihad’s First Apartment availability.
Access to Emirates awards: Go here for FCF’s most recent mileage awards in First Class with Emirates to the Middle East, and here for travel to Athens and Milan with miles in First Class.
Access to all alliances: Amex offers access to Star Alliance airlines via three major partners: All Nippon, Air Canada, and Singapore; to SkyTeam airlines via three partners: Air France/KLM (Flying Blue), Alitalia, and Delta; and to oneworld airlines via three major partners: British Airways, Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles), and Iberia, plus, major non-alliance airlines Emirates, Etihad, and Virgin Atlantic.
More points at the ready: If you need or want to, you can buy up to 500,000 Amex points annually when you go to transfer them to a Membership Rewards partner airline. (Chase credit card holders cannot buy points, so you’re limited to only what you can earn by spending money.)
Transfer time: Many transfers are instantaneous, including such airlines as Air Canada, Air France/KLM, Alitalia, British Airways, Delta, Emirates, Etihad, and Virgin Atlantic. That means if you find award space with any of these airlines, but have no miles with them, you could transfer them fast and book your award before the availability changes.
First Class access: AMEX offers direct access to First Class on All Nippon, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad, and Singapore. Plus, via alliance partnership, you also have access to partner airlines in First Class such as American, Asiana, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, and Thai.
The New American Express Card: Gold
It replaces the American Express Premier Gold card and is enticing because you now get 4X Membership Rewards points for U.S. restaurant and supermarket (up to $25,000) purchases. The card also earns 3X points for flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com. Annual fee: $250. Plus, you get $125 dining credit and $100 airline fee credit, which offsets the cost. Details here. (See how it compares with the other cards below.)
Why Have Multiple American Express Cards?
Because you can combine the points you earn from multiple cards into one powerful aggregated account. For example, you can earn 5X for airline tickets and hotel stays with the American Express Platinum card, earn 4X for restaurants and supermarkets with the new American Express Gold card, and earn 2X on all purchases up to $50,000 with the American Express Blue Business Plus card, then redeem them together in your single Membership Rewards account. (See earning power for top American Express cards in the chart below.)
Transfer Airlines with AMEX Rewards from Points to Miles
AeroMexico, Air Canada, Air France/KLM, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific (shown as Asia Miles), British Airways, Delta, El Al Israel Airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, JetBlue, Singapore, and Virgin Atlantic.
Spend Categories & Bonuses for American Express Cards
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How Anyone Can Get a Business Credit Card
More than a third of FCF’s members are business owners, and it’s not hard to get one of these cards. For non-business owners, in California for example, registering a sole proprietorship is inexpensive and can be done quickly online. It’s my understanding that in most states the rules are similar to California’s—so depending on your spending levels, it takes almost no effort to qualify for the business cards.
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