American Express tips & tricks
Boost rewards with Amex Offers, points, referral bonuses and more – plus the key pitfalls to avoid
Got an Amex credit card? Make the most of the ongoing cashback offers, referral bonuses, points and event perks.
First, a quick overview of our Amex tips and tricks...
Remember, as with any credit card, never use your Amex to withdraw cash. You'll usually pay expensive interest. And if you can, aim to pay the balance IN FULL every month, as interest can quickly wipe out any gains.
Check and save Amex Offers before spending. You can get money off, cashback or bonus points, but always read the individual terms first.
Refer friends or family for extra rewards. Referral bonuses vary by card and account, so check your Amex app for your current offer.
Add another cardholder to your account. Remember, there is no such thing as a joint credit card - you are responsible for paying off the balance.
Use points wisely. Compare redemption options before transferring, as points transfers are usually irreversible. The old Nectar-to-Avios ‘boost’ no longer works.
Retailer won't take Amex? Check if it accepts PayPal instead. Add your Amex card to your PayPal account and you'll earn cashback as normal on your purchase.
Keep a Visa or Mastercard as a back-up. Amex isn’t accepted everywhere, and it's usually best to avoid using abroad due to non-sterling transaction fees.
Check for Shop Small and Amex Experiences. These can offer cashback at independents and access to selected ticket presales, events and venue perks.
Top tips and tricks if you have an Amex credit card
Set up a Direct Debit to repay IN FULL every month
Amex pays huge bonuses but you'll only reap the rewards if you pay off your card IN FULL every month - set up a Direct Debit as soon as you get the card to ensure this. That way, you’ll avoid interest, missed-payment fees and the risk of any reward being dwarfed by borrowing costs.
Understand if there is an annual spend requirement
Some Amex cashback cards require a minimum yearly spend before any cashback is paid. Make sure you understand what counts towards the reward threshold and check which transactions are excluded from earning cashback or points, such as, cash withdrawals and foreign-exchange transactions.
Check Amex Offers regularly – and save them to your card before spending
American Express regularly releases new offers, give you cashback, bonus points or money off at retailers, restaurants, hotels and travel firms. What's more, you can often use these offers alongside discount vouchers, or in a sale, to maximise the savings – and you'll get your normal level of cashback or reward points as well.
Check our money mantras before spending, and remember, cashback should be seen as a bonus – it shouldn't drive your purchasing decisions.
Most offers can only be used once per person, but some can be used as many times as you want within a certain time period. Plus not everyone will get the same offers, so it's worth regularly checking and saving anything you may genuinely use.
Always read the individual offer terms, as it may require a minimum spend, exclude payment through an intermediary, or expire on a set date, for example.
If a qualifying transaction is returned or cancelled, Amex can reclaim the statement credit or points.
How to use the offers
Log in to the American Express website or app (available for Android and iPhone).
Select 'Offers' to see current deals. To be eligible for the cashback, you have to manually 'save' the offer to your card.
Spend at your chosen retailer before the offer expires – if you've met the terms (such as the minimum spend), you should receive an email saying you've used your cashback offer.
Amex says you should see the cashback credited to your account within five days, but it could take up to 90 days from the end date of the offer.
Get rewarded for referring friends to Amex
Amex cardholders may be able to earn cashback, Avios, Nectar points or Membership Rewards points for referring friends and family.
You should be able to find your personalised referral link in your Amex app or online account. The person you refer can normally choose from a range of available cards, rather than needing to choose the same one you have.
To get the cashback, your friend will need to apply for an Amex (excluding the 'Basic' card) using your referral link, be accepted and spend at least £1 on the card. Only send a referral link to someone you know and who is happy to receive it.
To give you an idea of the referral bonuses:
If you have the Platinum Cashback Everyday card, the standard bonus for referring a friend to Amex is £20. But occasionally you'll see it boosted to up to £50. American Express says you can earn up to £150 each year from referral bonuses.
Other Amex cards offer bigger rewards, such as the Preferred Rewards Gold card which lets you earn up to 90,000 Membership Rewards points each year (worth roughly £450).
Use points in the way that gives you the best value
If your Amex earns Membership Rewards points, Avios, Nectar points or hotel points, don’t automatically redeem them for the first thing you see. The best value depends on how you would otherwise spend them. For example:
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Cashback: its value is obvious.
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Nectar points: generally worth 0.5p each when spent at Nectar partners.
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Avios: can be valuable for some flights, but you will normally still need to pay taxes and charges. They are not automatically the best option if you would not otherwise take the trip.
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Membership Rewards points: can be flexible, as they can be used with a range of travel and retail partners.
Before transferring points to another scheme, check the conversion rate and think about whether you have a realistic plan to use them. Transfers are normally one-way, so you may not be able to change your mind later.
You can convert Membership Rewards points to either Avios or Nectar at a one-to-one rate. You can also swap 400 Avios for 400 Nectar points, but converting in the other direction is less generous: 400 Nectar points gets you 250 Avios.
So, if you want Nectar points, convert your Membership Rewards points directly to Nectar. For more help deciding how to use Avios, see our Tricks to boost Avios guide.
Get rewarded when you add a trusted additional cardholder to your account
Depending on the type of Amex card you have, you could earn cashback or points for adding a supplementary cardholder to your account – so it's worth considering if you have a partner you trust.
Plus, their eligible spending can help you earn cashback or points more quickly, and they may be able to access their own Amex Offers.
It's your card and you're giving them permission to spend on it. Every penny spent on the card is your responsibility to pay off, not theirs. Only add someone whose spending you trust, and agree in advance how and when they will repay you.
Look out for Shop Small offers
Amex’s Shop Small promotion can offer cashback for spending at participating independent businesses, such as cafés, pubs, restaurants, shops and hairdressers.
It does not run continuously, and the reward, qualifying spend, dates and number of uses can all change each time. When it returns:
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save the offer to your card before paying;
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use the Shop Small map to check which businesses are taking part;
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check whether you need to spend in store;
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check the minimum spend and whether you can use the offer more than once; and
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use the same card to which you saved the offer.
As with other Amex Offers, it can be a nice extra on spending you would make anyway – not a reason to spend for the sake of earning cashback.
Retailer won't take Amex? Check if it accepts PayPal instead
One of the downsides to having an American Express card is that it's not accepted everywhere. This can be frustrating if you want to earn maximum cashback on all your spending.
A trick to get around this when shopping online (and spending under £100), is to check whether the retailer accepts PayPal instead. If so, you can add your Amex card to your PayPal account, use it to pay, and you'll earn cashback as normal on your purchase.
Important: You won't get Section 75 protection via PayPal. Section 75 law means your credit card provider must protect purchases over £100 for free, meaning you could get your money back if there's a problem. However, you WON'T get Section 75 protection if you use a credit card to pay via PayPal. For full details see Warning! Don't use PayPal to pay on a credit card.
You'll need a 'back-up' card for when Amex isn't accepted – make sure it gives you cashback too
As your Amex won't be accepted everywhere, it's important to have a back-up card (such as a Visa or Mastercard). Ideally, this should earn you cashback too, so you get rewarded every time you spend.
Your back-up doesn't need to be a credit card either. See our Credit card rewards guide for the best options.
Get early access to concert tickets, extra perks at events & more
American Express sometimes offers early access to concert tickets, or 'reserved tickets' for certain events. You can also get the odd perk, for example, one winter it was offering cardholders a free hot chocolate and handwarmer when skating at Somerset House in London.
If you are planning to buy tickets for a gig, theatre performance, sports event or festival, check the Amex Experiences section first.
But don't assume you'll get a discount, or that tickets will be available. Presales and reserved tickets are only for selected events and seats, are subject to availability, and you will usually need to pay with an Amex card.
Check the card’s fees before using it abroad or spreading payments
Many Amex cards charge a non-sterling transaction fee when used abroad or with an overseas retailer. That can quickly cost more than the cashback or points you earn, so a specialist travel card is often cheaper for overseas spending. See the Best cards to use abroad.
Also be wary of using an Amex instalment plan, if your card offers one. It may show a fixed fee rather than interest, but it is still borrowing. Check the total cost and only use it if you can comfortably afford the repayments.
Review the annual card fee before it's due again
If you pay an annual fee for your Amex card, at the end of each card year, evaluate whether the points, cashback, lounge passes and other perks have outweighed the annual fee. If not, consider switching to a fee-free card or cancelling it.
Never use Amex for cash withdrawals or balance transfers
You won’t earn rewards, and these can trigger fees and interest.
Not got an Amex? Check the best current deals first
This guide is for people who already have an Amex card. If you’re thinking of applying, see our Credit card rewards guide for the current top cards, welcome offers and who’s likely to be accepted.
Welcome offers can be lucrative, but check the small print before applying. You’ll usually need to spend a certain amount in a set time to get the bonus, and you must not currently hold, or have held a personal Amex card in the previous 24 months.
The rules vary by card, and personal and business cards are treated separately, so always check the eligibility criteria on the specific card’s application page before applying.
Don’t apply simply for a bonus if you would need to spend more than you normally would, or if you can’t clear the balance in full.
And if you don't need a credit card, but want to get cashback on your spending, some bank accounts offer this – see full information in our Best bank accounts guide.
Amex FAQs
How much are Avios points worth?
Avios don’t have a fixed cash value - they can vary wildly, depending on what you're spending them on. As a rough rule of thumb, aim to get at least 1p per Avios when redeeming them for flights, though you’ll usually still need to pay taxes and charges.
They can be worth more when used for more expensive flights, particularly if you use a British Airways Companion Voucher, but they may be worth less if you spend them on hotel bookings, car hire or shopping.
For full help on earning and spending them, see our Tricks to boost and max Avios.
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