American Express Membership Rewards credit cards and points

What Membership Rewards is

Membership Rewards (MR) is the points program for American Express cards issued in Canada. You earn points on eligible purchases and spend them on travel, shopping, gift cards or your card bill. You can also move them to partner airline and hotel programs.

This page is about the Canadian program only. The US program has different rules and different partners. Everything here comes from Amex Canada’s own pages, checked on October 25, 2026. Amex says its program terms were updated on October 1, 2026.

Which cards earn Membership Rewards

Eligible personal and small business Amex cards earn MR points automatically. Corporate cards may be eligible too, if the company allows it. Amex says the annual fee to enrol some corporate cards is $99 plus taxes.

Points are worked out by multiplying the Canadian dollar amount of an eligible purchase by your card’s earn rate. The result is rounded to the nearest whole number. Each card has its own earn rate, so the list of earning cards on this page matters more than any single number.

If you hold more than one eligible card in your own name, you can ask Amex to link them. Linked cards share one points account. Generally, linked cards must also be at the same reward level.

• Supplementary cards earn points on their purchases too. Annual fees may apply.
• Only the basic cardmember can redeem the points.
• You cannot send points to another person’s MR account.

What a point is worth

Amex Canada’s own baseline is simple: 1,000 points = $10. That is 1 cent per point. It applies to the Flexible Points Travel Program, statement credits on eligible purchases, paying your card balance and Air Canada Pay with Points.

Some uses pay less. Amazon Shop with Points and Pay with Points at checkout with PayPal both list 1,000 points = $7. That is 0.7 cents per point.

Transfers to airline and hotel programs can be worth more or less than 1 cent per point. It depends on what you book with the partner points. We cannot give one number for those, so the calculator shows them as depending on partner value.

Ways to redeem your points

Amex Canada lists several ways to use points. Log in to your account or the Amex app to see what you can use with your card.

Fixed and flexible travel

Amex Travel has two programs. They work in different ways, so pick based on the trip.

With Fixed Points Travel, the full flight cost is charged to your card when you book. Amex then credits the points amount to your account. Amex says that takes 5 to 10 business days. Pay your statement in full if your cycle ends before the credit lands.

Transfer partners and ratios

You can move MR points to loyalty programs in your own name. You must link your account with the partner first. The minimum transfer is 1,000 points for every partner.

Amex’s general FAQ says transfers to Aeroplan and Delta are instant and others can take up to 5 business days. Its travel page gives the times above. Plan for the longer time if you are close to a deadline.

Getting the most value

• Know your floor. Travel and statement credits give you 1 cent per point every time.
• Use transfers when the partner price is good. The 1 to 1 partners (Aeroplan, Avios, Hilton) do not lose points on the way in. The 750 partners lose 25 percent, so the award needs to be worth it.
• Avoid the 0.7 cent options when a 1 cent option will do.
• Do not transfer until you have found the award you want.
• Link your cards so your points sit in one account.
• Pay on time. Points can be taken back if you miss a payment.

Need a few more points for a reward? Amex says you can buy points at $3.00 plus taxes per 100 points. You can buy up to 25% of the points required for the reward. You must buy in blocks of 100, with a minimum of 1,000 points. Corporate cards cannot buy points. At 3 cents each, that is well above the 1 cent value of a point, so use it only for a small top-up.

Expiry and rules to know

Amex says points do not expire while you stay enrolled in the program and your card account remains in good standing.

You may lose points if:

• you do not make your required monthly payment on time
• you cancel your card, or Amex cancels it
• your points account is cancelled
• your company cancels your corporate card

You can ask Amex to return lost points. Amex decides. It may agree if your card and all linked cards are in good standing, you ask within 3 months of the statement that shows the removal, and you pay the reinstatement fee. To redeem, your card and linked cards must not be past due.

Delivery times differ. Gift cards can take 1 to 3 weeks and merchandise 2 to 4 weeks. Terms and values can change, so check Amex Canada’s pages before you redeem.

Who it suits

Membership Rewards suits people who like having choices. The simple credit is easy. The transfers give a path to better value if you have a trip in mind.

• You want plain, steady value: use the 1 cent travel or statement credit.
• You fly Air Canada: use Aeroplan at 1 to 1, or Pay with Points.
• You like to plan trips: transfers to Avios, Flying Blue, Asia Miles or Delta can be worth the effort.
• You want hotel stays: compare Hilton at 1 to 1 and Marriott Bonvoy at 5 to 6.

It may suit you less if you want cash back, or if you dislike checking award prices. In that case, compare it with a cash back card. You can see all the Amex cards that earn MR points in the list on this page.