Quick Points: Earn easy points with Amex Offers
American Express cardholders can save hundreds of dollars per year on everyday purchases through Amex Offers. It's basically couponing, but easier — enrolling in offers is as simple as pressing "Add to Card."
While the vast majority of Amex Offers confer a discount after spending a certain amount — for example, spend $200 or more, and get $40 back — sometimes, you may be targeted to earn thousands of points based on spending. Given the high value of Membership Rewards points, these promotions can be more lucrative than getting a statement credit back to your account.
Let's discuss how to find and enroll in these offers, as well as some of the more valuable ones we've seen in recent months.
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Earn thousands of points with Amex Offers
Amex Offers are targeted and ever-changing, and you'll usually see up to 100 active promotions on your card at a time. And just because you add an offer to your card doesn't mean that you're obligated to spend that amount. Therefore, I will typically add any offers that seem remotely appealing to me, even if I don't end up making a purchase with that vendor.
For instance, tax season is officially upon us. If you're targeted for the following offer, you can earn 5 Membership Rewards points per eligible dollar spent on TaxAct (until June 30) and earn up to 2,000 Membership Rewards points — a great deal if you were planning on filing your taxes with this service in the first place.
Another Amex Offer we've seen is this terrific Celebrity Cruises promotion. If you spend $500 or more on your voyage by March 27, you can earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points.
Since TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, these 15,000 bonus points are worth $300. This is a fantastic return compared to the $500 in required spending to qualify for the offer.
Depending on the merchant, don't forget to double dip your points-earning opportunity with online shopping portals for even more bonus points and miles on your purchase.
Related: The secret to getting more (and sometimes better) Amex Offers on your card
Bottom line
Most credit card issuers have their own versions of these merchant offers, including Chase Offers and Citi Merchant Offers. However, the promotions are rarely as lucrative as those offered by Amex Offers.
While it's highly unlikely that you'll use up every Amex Offer that comes your way, these promotions are a great way to save money and earn easy points if you were going to make that purchase anyway.
In sum, check your Amex Offers regularly, as some of the best promotions can be the ones that offer thousands of points from spending.