Buy - Membership Rewards Points

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:

: You cannot currently do this online. You must call the number on the back of your card to request a top-up. Better Alternatives: "Buying" Points Indirectly 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

You should only buy points directly if you have a locked in and the "buy" price is lower than the cash value you'll receive. When Does Buying Directly Make Sense

: You are usually limited to buying up to 25% of the total points required for that specific redemption. There is also often an annual cap (e.g., 500,000 points per year for Platinum cardholders).