Buy Membership | Rewards Points

: Amex occasionally offers point bonuses (e.g., 5,000–20,000 points) for adding an authorized user and meeting a small spending requirement on their new card. When Does Buying Directly Make Sense?

Because the direct purchase price is so high (2.5 cents per point is well above the average 1.6-cent valuation), seasoned travelers use these "indirect" purchase methods instead: buy membership rewards points

: This is widely considered the best "hack." By linking your Rakuten account to Amex , you can earn MR points instead of cash back at thousands of retailers. If a store offers 10% back, you effectively get 10 points per dollar spent. : Amex occasionally offers point bonuses (e

: When you are ready to redeem for a reward but don't have enough points, you can "top up" your balance. If a store offers 10% back, you effectively