The value of Membership Rewards points range from 0.6 to 2 cents each. This means 10,000 AMEX points can be worth as little as $60 or much as $200 depending on how you redeem them.
Out of all available redemption options, redeeming your Membership Rewards points for travel will give your the best value of at 1 to 2 cents per point. Other redemptions such as gift cards, statement credits, and checkout with retailers will typically give you less than 1 cent in value.
How Much Are AMEX Canada points worth?
Membership Rewards points earned with AMEX Canada are worth up to 2 cents each when redeemed for Fixed Point Travel through American Express. This means 10,000 points can be worth as much as $200.
You can also get a solid 1 cent in value redeeming them for flexible points travel redemptions, charity, and using them to wipe out purchases made to a Membership Rewards credit card.
AMEX Canada points value
| Redemption option | AMEX point value in cents |
|---|---|
| Transferring points to airline partners | 1.2 - 2 |
| Airfare via AMEX Fixed Points Travel program | 1.5 - 2 |
| Travel via AMEX Flexible Points Travel program | 1 |
| Charity donations | 1 |
| Redeeming points towards card purchases | 1 |
| Gift cards | 0.76 |
| Using points at checkout on Amazon.ca | 0.7 |
| Shopping for merchandise through AMEX Shop | 0.4 - 0.6 |
AMEX Fixed Points Travel
The easiest way to get high value out of your Membership Rewards points is by using the AMEX Fixed Points Travel program. This will give you up to 2 cents per point for Economy flights and up to 1.8 cents per point for Business flights.
How does the AMEX Fixed Points Travel program work?
The AMEX Fixed Points Travel uses two charts: one for Economy flights and one for Business Class flights. Based on the route, you will be able redeem a set amount of points for up to a maximum ticket price listed for each route.
| Route | Points | Max Ticket Price | Point Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Popular Routes Canada/U.S. (Short Haul) | 15,000 Points | $300 | 2 Cents |
| Explore Closer To Home Canada/U.S. (Short Haul) | 20,000 Points | $300 | 1.5 Cents |
| Discover North America Canada/U.S. (Long Haul) | 40,000 Points | $700 | 1.75 Cents |
| Pick Your Vacation Spot | 50,000 Points | $800 | 1.6 Cents |
| Discover Europe | 60,000 Points | $900 | 1.5 Cents |
| Worldwide | 100,000 Points | $1,700 | 1.7 Cents |
| Route | Points | Max Ticket Price | Point Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explore Closer To Home Canada/U.S. (Short Haul) | 50,000 Points | $800 | 1.6 Cents |
| Discover North America Canada/U.S. (Long Haul) | 100,000 Points | $1,800 | 1.8 Cents |
| Pick Your Vacation Spot | 120,000 Points | $2,100 | 1.75 Cents |
| Discover Europe | 140,000 Points | $2,500 | 1.785 Cents |
| Worldwide | 250,000 Points | $4,500 | 1.8 Cents |
Popular Routes
Popular Routes include short-haul routes between the following destinations:
- Calgary - Vancouver
- Montreal - New York
- Toronto - Montreal
- Toronto - New York
- Toronto - Ottawa
Popular Routes are the sweet spot in the AMEX Fixed Points Travel program as you'll be able to get up to 2 cents in value which is not obtainable with the other routes.
Explore Closer To Home
Explore Closer To Home are short-haul routes within or from a Canadian Province/Territory to an adjacent Canadian Province/Territory or U.S. State. Do note that this does not include Alaska.
Discover North America
Discover North America are flights from a Canadian Province/Territory to a non-adjacent Canadian Province/Territory or U.S. State. This does not include Alaska or Hawaii.
Pick Your Vacation
Pick Your Vacation includes flights from Canada to Alaska, Bermuda, Caribbean, Central America, Hawaii, or Mexico.
Discover Europe
Discover Europe are flights from Canada to destinations in Europe.
Worldwide
Worldwide are flights from Canada to destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia, Middle East, New Zealand, South America, or South Pacific.
Benefits of using AMEX Fixed Point Travel
Some of the main benefits of using the AMEX Fixed Points Travel program are:
- Book any airline, fly anywhere, and travel any day of the year
- Book up to a day before departure
- Book economy or business class flights
- Book direct flights
- Enjoy the travel benefits that comes with your AMEX card
No matter the flight availability, time of year, or peak/off-peak season, the flight will always cost the same.
Do note that the AMEX Fixed Points program will only be available if you have enough Membership Rewards points to cover all travelers at the fixed points amount.
AMEX Fixed Point Travel examples
Let's say that you want to fly in Economy from Toronto to Quebec City and that the cost is $450 for the base ticket plus $148.74 in taxes for a total of $598.74.
Since this is considered to be a short-haul flight, you can redeem 20,000 Membership Rewards points for up to $300 maximum off the base ticket price. This means you would end up paying $150 for the base ticket plus the same in taxes for a total of $298.74.
This would give your Membership Rewards points a value of 2 cents each since you redeemed 20,000 points for $300 off the base ticket price of $450.
One important thing to note is that the required amount of points based on what the route falls under does not change. In the above example, if the base cost of the flight was less than $300, it would still cost you 20,000 Membership Rewards points.
For example, I found a flight in Economy from Toronto to Winnipeg for a base price of $121 plus $105.63 in taxes and fees for a total of $226.63. This is a short-haul flight which means that it would still cost you 20,000 Membership Rewards points even though you can only wipe out up to $121 of the cost.
When using the AMEX Fixed Point Travel program, you will always want to make sure that the base ticket cost is as close to or over the max ticket price whenever possible.
AMEX Flexible Points Travel
AMEX Flexible Points Travel allows you to redeem 1,000 AMEX Points for $10 in travel credit for a point value of 1 cent each. The credit can be applied towards new travel purchases, including taxes, surcharges and fees, booked through the American Express Travel Service or through the americanexpress.ca/travel website.
This is a great option if:
- You can't find a flight that offers good value or that fits your schedule using AMEX Fixed Points Travel
- Transferring your points to Aeroplan or other programs will yield less value
- You want to use points for any other type of travel outside of flights
This is an easy and straightforward way to get a minimum of 1 cent in value out of your Membership Rewards points.
AMEX Point Transfers
Membership Rewards points earned with AMEX Canada can be transferred to six frequent flyer programs and two hotel loyalty programs. This provides an alternative route for building rewards with your favorite programs.
Transferring points to airline partners will typically give your points more than 1 cent in value since airline miles are generally worth 1.2 to 1.5 cents on average for your standard redemptions.
Transferring points to hotel partners will typically yield lower value, but there are redemptions at high-end resorts that can give you well over 1 cent per point in value.
List of AMEX Canada transfer partners
Other ways to redeem AMEX points
Other redemptions with AMEX will give you 1 cent per point and lower in value. This includes redeeming points on Amazon purchases, gift cards, merchandise, and statement credits.
Amazon Shop with Points
Membership Rewards points can be redeemed at checkout on Amazon.ca for a value of 0.7 cents per point. This means that 10,000 points is equal to $70 in cash value at checkout.
While this is a low redemption value compared to what you can get out of travel redemptions, Amazon will occasionally offer discount for using points on their website. This will be promos such as:
Use Membership Rewards points to get $X off a purchase of $Y or more
The good thing is that you generally don't have to pay for the full purchase in points. In fact, sometimes you can pay a single point, pay the rest in cash, and still receive the full discount.
Outside of that, I don't recommend using Membership Rewards points for purchases with Amazon. If you enjoy shopping with Amazon and want to maximize your rewards, consider picking up the MBNA Amazon Mastercard which will earn you up to 5% back on your Amazon.ca purchases.
Merchandise
Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for merchandise in the 'Shop' portion of the American Express Membership Rewards portal. The value you receive from shopping with AMEX will vary, but most redemptions that I tested hovered around the 0.4 to 0.6 cents range.
This is one of the lowest redemption values for Membership Rewards points, so I recommend avoiding the purchase of merchandise if you can.
Gift cards
Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for gift cards starting at 3,250 for a $25 gift card. This gives your points a value of 0.76 cents per point.
| Gift card denomination | Cost in AMEX points |
|---|---|
| $25 gift card | 3,250 points |
| $50 gift card | 6,500 points |
| $100 gift card | 13,000 points |
American Express prepaid cards do not cost the same value as the standard gift cards. They can be redeemed at a value of 1 cent per point with the lowest redemption starting at 2,500 points for a $25 American Express prepaid card.
I also want to point out that Air Canada gift cards are available through the portal as well. I recommend avoiding these since you can transfer points directly to your Aeroplan account and use those points to book award flights on Air Canada for as much as 2 cent per point.
Charity
Membership Rewards points can be donated to Save the Children which gives your points a value of 1 cent each. Donations start at 1,000 AMEX Points for a $10 donation.
Use Points For Purchases
Membership Rewards points can be used towards eligible purchases charged to your Membership Rewards credit card at a value of 1 cent per point. This means that every 1,000 AMEX Points you redeem towards purchases will give you a $10 statement credit.
This can be useful if you want to use your points to pay of purchases you've made to a card during the last 3 months.
Convert AMEX points to dollars
Use the AMEX Points Value Calculator to determine the dollar value (in CAD) of your Membership Rewards points when redeemed for travel, gift cards, and more. This will give you an idea of how much your points are worth on average.
| Redemption option | Average dollar value (in CAD) |
|---|---|
| Transferring points to airline partners | $0 - $0 |
| Airfare via AMEX Fixed Points Travel program | $0 - $0 |
| Travel via AMEX Flexible Points Travel program | $0 |
| Charity donations | $0 |
| Redeeming points towards card purchases | $0 |
| Gift cards | $0 |
| Using points at checkout on Amazon.ca | $0 |
| Shopping for merchandise through AMEX Shop | $0 - $0 |
How to earn Membership Rewards points
Membership Rewards points are earned through intro bonuses and everyday spending across Membership Rewards CA credit cards. You can earn points using the following cards:
| Credit Card | Benefits | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
Best For Luxury Travel & Lounge Access
|
|
$699 |
|
|
$250 |
Best Overall Travel Rewards Card
|
|
$12.99 per month ($155.88 annually) |
Best For No Annual Fee
|
|
$0 |
Best For Luxury Business Travel & Lounge Access
|
|
$499 |
|
|
$199 |
Best For Business Purchases
|
|
$99 |
FAQ
How much are AMEX Membership Rewards points worth in Canada?
AMEX Canada points are worth 1 to 2 cents each when using them towards travel with the Fixed Point Travel or Flexible Points Travel redemption options.
Can AMEX Canada Membership Rewards points be transfered to partners?
Yes. Points can be transferred to 8 partners including Air Canada Aeroplan, Marriott Bonvoy, and British Airways Executive Club.
What can you redeem Membership Rewards points earned with AMEX Canada for?
AMEX Canada Membership Rewards Points can be used for travel, merchandise, and gift cards. You can also redeem them on Amazon.ca, donate them to charity, or apply them to your account as a statement credit.
How do you earn AMEX Membership Rewards points in Canada?
Membership Rewards points are earned through intro bonuses and everyday spending across American Express Canada Membership Rewards credit cards.
How much is 30,000 AMEX points worth in Canada?
30,000 Membership Rewards points earned with AMEX Canada are worth up to $600 towards travel.
How much is 75,000 AMEX points worth in Canada?
75,000 Membership Rewards points earned with AMEX Canada are worth up to $1,500 towards travel.
How much is 100,000 AMEX points worth in Canada?
100,000 Membership Rewards points earned with AMEX Canada are worth up to $2,000 towards travel.
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