Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Whether you are getting household staples or getting ready for Amazon’s Black Friday deals, there are many ways to save on Amazon orders. One of the ways to save a lot very quickly comes courtesy of an offer that involves American Express and Amazon.
Targeted Amex cardholders can save money when redeeming Membership Rewards points to cover at least part of an eligible Amazon purchase. Typically, using Amex Membership Rewards points for Amazon isn’t great, as the return per point is below the rate for travel redemptions.
However, when using points can save as much as 50% on an Amazon purchase with as little as 1 Amex point being cashed in — such as with some current targeted offers — it’s a fantastic deal.
To get in on this offer, you’ll need a card that earns Membership Rewards points, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express, American Express® Gold Card or American Express® Green Card.
The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
This time around, I was targeted for an offer that saves 15% (up to $15; you have to use $5 worth of points to activate the deal), but to show how lucrative this can be at the higher savings levels, here’s how a 40% offer dropped the price of a four-pack of AirTags to $47.99 in the past.
Offers available when using Membership Rewards points to pay on Amazon
Unfortunately, these are targeted offers, so not everyone will receive the same offer. But some different Amazon-related offers we’ve seen this week include:
- Save 15%, up to $15, when using at least 714 points (that’s $5 worth)
- Save 50%, up to $80, using as little as 1 point
Click this link to check your eligibility for the promotion.
For products to be eligible for the discount, they must be sold by Amazon. Third-party listings won’t trigger any savings, but you may be able to take advantage of this deal by stocking up on dining or retailer gift cards. Gift cards for companies like Whole Foods, Uber Eats and Nordstrom may be eligible.
On my account with the 15% offer, the terms indicate that it will end on Dec. 31, or once 40,000 customers have used the offer.
Related: The best credit cards for Amazon purchases
How to save up to 50% by redeeming 1 Amex point
Here are the steps for turning just 1 Amex Membership Rewards point into serious Amazon savings:
- Check to see if you have a targeted offer.
- Activate the offer in your Amazon account.
- Load your shopping cart with eligible items sold by Amazon, not by third parties (most gift cards historically have counted).
- Make sure to use as few points at checkout as possible, as shown below, to avoid losing value by covering the entire purchase with points. You’ll need to use an American Express card that earns Membership Rewards as your payment method.
Assuming everything worked, you should see the offer reflected during checkout.
You’ll need to cover the rest of your transaction using an Amex card, though you can also apply an Amazon gift card balance if there’s one attached to your account.
Other offers may be available
You might find similar offers with other rewards programs. For example, we’ve seen offers for 40% off (up to $20 maximum) when using Discover Rewards on select Amazon purchases.
Additional past offers allowed targeted customers to use 1 Citi ThankYou Rewards point for up to 50% off, 1 Capital One mile for up to $20 off and 100 Chase Ultimate Rewards points for up to 50% off.
You can sometimes find targeted offers on Amazon product pages, right underneath the item’s price, so just keep your eyes open while browsing.
Stay tuned to TPG as we cover the best travel-related deals for Black Friday throughout the month of November.
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