Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 30
American Express Lets US Cardholders Use Points at Apple Pay Checkout
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 30

American Express Lets US Cardholders Use Points at Apple Pay Checkout

3 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 30

Summary

  • American Express said Tuesday that US cardholders can now redeem Membership Rewards points directly at Apple Pay checkout for online and in-app purchases.
  • The feature lets shoppers apply points to all or part of a transaction inside Apple Pay, expanding everyday redemption options as inflation pressures household budgets.
  • Eligible points are redeemed at 0.7 cents each—10,000 points cover $70—well below the roughly 2 cents per point often available through airline or hotel transfers.
  • The move ties AmEx rewards more closely to Apple Pay’s growing checkout ecosystem and could spur similar point-redemption features from other payment providers.

Insights

Is Amex's new Apple Pay feature a convenient perk or a clever way to devalue your hard-earned points?
With billions in points unspent, is this new feature more about user convenience or reducing corporate liability?