American Express Membership Rewards points are some of the most flexible and valuable rewards in Canada, but their worth depends entirely on how you use them. From transferring Amex points to Aeroplan for flights to redeeming through the Amex Fixed Points Travel program, there are plenty of ways to stretch their value. 

In this guide, we’ll break down Amex points valuation, the best ways to redeem, and which redemptions to avoid so you can get the most out of your American Express Rewards points.

Amex Points Valuation

According to Prince of Travel, American Express Membership Rewards points are currently valued at 2.2 cents each. They’re best transferred to an airline loyalty program (e.g. Aeroplan at 2.1 cents per point or British Airways at 2 cents per point). 

Amex Membership Rewards is one of the most versatile, high-value travel rewards programs in Canada, due to the number of transfer partners and Amex’s own Fixed Points Travel program (which we’ll get into later). 

How to Earn Amex MR Points 

You can earn Amex points through referral bonuses and Amex Offers, but by far the best way to earn Membership Rewards points is by using an American Express credit card. 

American Express Credit Cards

These are the top consumer Amex credit cards that earn points in different categories:

Amex Cobalt:

• 5x points on groceries, dining, & food delivery 

• 3x points on streaming subscriptions

• 2x points on gas, transit, & rideshare

• 1x points on everything else 

Amex Gold: 

• 2x points on travel

• 2x points on gas, grocery, & drugstore purchases

• 1x points on everything else

Amex Platinum:

• 2x points on travel

• 2x points on dining & food delivery 

• 1x points on everything else 

The only card we love, but are not including on this list, is the Amex Aeroplan Reserve, which earns 1.25x Aeroplan points on everyday purchases. Learn more about this card. 

How to Supercharge Your Points Earning

Besides everyday spending, there are two main ways to supercharge how many points you can earn: hitting the welcome bonuses and paying your biggest expenses with your Amex and Chexy. 

Most American Express cards offer generous welcome bonuses for new cardholders, often tens of thousands of points when you hit certain spend thresholds. For example, in summer 2025, some Amex cards came with welcome offers of up to 100,000 points. 

Hitting those minimum spend thresholds can be tough if you’re only using your credit card for everyday purchases. But that’s where Chexy comes in: you can use your Amex card to pay for your largest monthly expenses, like rent and bills, and easily hit those signup bonuses without changing your lifestyle. 

Here’s what that could look like with the Amex Platinum card:

• Pay $3,000 per month in rent and bills through Chexy ($3,052.50 with Chexy fees) 

• Earn 1 point per $1 spent = 3,052 points per month, or 36,624 points per year 

• Hit the welcome bonus of 100,000 points, and you’ll earn a total of 136,624 points in your first year

By transferring 1:1 to Aeroplan or another airline loyalty program, those points are enough for a round-trip business-class flight to Europe (including a lie-flat seat), all from simply paying your existing expenses through Chexy.

Referral Bonuses & Amex Offers

As an existing American Express cardholder, you can refer your friends to earn even more points through the Refer-a-Friend program. Once they apply for a card through your link and get approved, you’ll get some extra points. For example, you can earn 5,000 points per friend with the Amex Cobalt and 15,000 points per friend with the Amex Platinum. 

Other ways to earn points include Amex Offers, a series of rotating promotions that allow you to earn points on specific purchases. 

The Best Ways to Redeem Amex Points 

The best use of American Express points is to convert them to Air Canada Aeroplan or an airline partner at a 1:1 ratio. At Chexy, our favourite airline to convert our points to is Aeroplan, because of its 1:1 transfer ratio and versatility. You can redeem Aeroplan points not only on Air Canada flights, but on flights with any of the 24 other Star Alliance airlines. 

Other airline transfer partners include:

• British Airways Avios: 1:1

• Air France KLM Flying Blue: 1:0.75

• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles: 1:0.75

• Delta SkyMiles: 1:0.75

• Etihad Guest: 1:0.75

You can also transfer Amex MR points to the following hotel loyalty programs:

• Marriott Bonvoy: 5:6

• Hilton Honors: 1:1 

Keep in mind that for each of these transfer programs, you must transfer a minimum of 1,000 MR points in increments of 100. Transfer times vary; for example, Aeroplan takes 30 minutes or less, while British Airways takes approximately five business days. 

How to Convert Amex Points to Aeroplan 

To convert Amex points to Aeroplan, all you need to do is:

1. Log in to your American Express account. 

2. Go to View and Redeem Points in your dashboard. 

3. Select Transfer Points, and View all Transfer Partners. 

4. Select Aeroplan, and Transfer my points. 

5. Enter your Aeroplan account number (if not already linked), enter the amount of points to transfer, and confirm the transfer. 

That’s it! Your points should arrive in your Aeroplan account within 30 minutes. 

How Many Amex Points for a Flight?

If you’re transferring Amex points to Aeroplan, your points will be transferred at a 1:1 ratio. The number of points you need for an Air Canada or Star Alliance flight really depends on your destination, ticket class, and travel dates. You can see how many points you need for flights with the Aeroplan flight reward chart, but here’s a rough estimate: 

Within North America

• Short-haul (500-1,500 miles): ~6,000–10,000 points economy

• Cross-country (1,501-2,750 miles): ~12,500–22,500 points economy

North America → Europe

• Economy: 35,000–70,000

• Business: 60,000–110,000 (can find sweet spots around 70k–80k)

North America → Asia

• Economy: 35,000–75,000

• Business: 55,000–115,000 (some routes to Japan/Korea can be 87.5k)

North America → South America

• Economy: 20,000–40,000

• Business: 40,000–60,000

Is Amex Fixed Points Travel Worth It?

Another way to redeem your Membership Rewards points is through their Fixed Travel program. It’s essentially the “easy way” to redeem your points for travel, as you don’t have to hunt for good redemptions or have a good understanding of the value of points and miles. 

This program is quite flexible, but you’ll only be redeeming points at a top value of about 2 cents per point, and you need to have enough points to cover the cost of the entire flight, unlike Aeroplan, where you can pay half in points and half in cash. 

Here’s how many points you’ll need to redeem for certain flights:

In our opinion, redeeming Amex points with the Fixed Travel program isn’t the best use of your points, but it isn’t the worst. If you’re looking for a specific flight and can’t find a good deal with Aeroplan or another transfer partner, it can be worth checking out.

The Not-So-Great Ways to Redeem Amex Points 

Travel redemptions, especially transfers to Aeroplan, are where you’ll unlock the best value. Other options exist, but they typically offer a much lower return on your points. Let’s take a quick look at the redemption methods you’ll want to avoid if you care about maximizing value:

• Statement credits: Redeem a minimum of 1,000 points for a $10 statement credit. 

• Gift cards, merchandise, & Amex Online: Avoid these at all costs, as they have a redemption rate of less than 1 cent per point. 

Final Thoughts

Amex Membership Rewards points are a powerful tool when used strategically. By understanding Amex points valuation and focusing on high-value redemptions (especially transferring to Aeroplan), you can turn everyday spending into unforgettable travel experiences. 

Want to supercharge your points earning and be on your way to a lie-flat business class seat in just a few months? Use Chexy to pay your rent, bills, and everyday expenses with your American Express card. 

Get started with Chexy today. 

FAQs

Do Amex points expire?

No, Amex points do not expire. 

Can you buy Amex points?

Yes, you can purchase Amex MR points as a top-up. You can buy them at a rate of $3 per 100 points, with a minimum of 1,000 points. Generally, it is not worth buying points, unless there’s a sale or you’re short of points for a strategic redemption. 

Can you transfer Amex points to another person?

No, you can’t transfer Amex points to someone else. You can, however, transfer the points to an airline or hotel loyalty program in the name of an authorized user on your account. 

How many Amex points for a flight to Europe?

With Amex Fixed Points Travel, you need a minimum of 60,000 points for an economy-class flight or at least 140,000 points for business-class. You can sometimes get a good deal with Fixed Points Travel, but you can almost always get a better deal by transferring your points to Aeroplan.