American Express has added a new redemption option that lets eligible cardholders apply Membership Rewards points directly through Apple Pay when checking out online or in apps on an iPhone or iPad.
To use the feature, shoppers select Apple Pay at checkout, choose an eligible American Express Membership Rewards card, tap “Use Rewards,” enter the desired point amount, and complete the transaction as usual.
The option is available to holders of American Express cards that earn Membership Rewards points, including the Business Gold, Gold, Green, Platinum, Blue Business Plus, Business Green Rewards, and Business Platinum cards, provided the card is already linked to Apple Pay.
Points redeemed via Apple Pay are valued at 0.7 cents each, meaning a redemption of 10,000 points reduces the purchase price by $70. By comparison, transferring points to airline or hotel partners typically yields a value of around 2 cents per point.
This valuation indicates that Apple Pay redemption prioritizes convenience over maximizing monetary value, making it a lower‑return option for point holders.
Financial analysts generally recommend transferring Membership Rewards points to travel partners when the goal is to extract the highest possible value. However, the Apple Pay feature may be appropriate for users who prefer a quick offset of an everyday purchase or who have a large points balance they wish to use without navigating transfer processes.
The integration expands the ways members can spend their rewards, but it remains a secondary choice to the higher‑value transfer routes for those seeking to optimize their Membership Rewards earnings.
