Use AMEX Membership Rewards points to offset everyday purchases

American Express cardholders who earn points in the Membership Rewards scheme can now redeem those points on the fly against purchases on their credit card.

Simply load up the AMEX Australia app for iPhone or Android, click on a transaction you’d like to pay for with points and then lock everything in: it’s that simple.

Crowned ‘Pay for Charges’, you’ll get at least $7 of actual cash value from every 1,000 MR points, with some transactions – such as that above with Woolworths – delivering up to $8.05 per 1,000 points.

The new feature is part of a broader upgrade to the American Express mobile app which in recent times has gained support for AMEX Offers: allowing cardholders to save more money by receiving instantaneous statement credits after spending above certain amounts at certain retailers.

Among the current offers, $50 back when charging $250 or more to your card at any Australian Hilton or DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, $40 back after spending $125 or more with H&R Block and $15 back on payments made through HICAPS medical terminals.

Direct-earn frequent flyer cards such as the Qantas American Express Discovery and American Express Velocity Escape aren’t eligible for the ‘Pay for Charges’ scheme, nor are bank-issued AMEX cards from the likes of ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, NAB and Westpac.

Also read: American Express Membership Rewards explained

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Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.