Overview
- American Express announced the feature on Tuesday, June 30, allowing eligible U.S. Membership Rewards cards to apply points during Apple Pay checkout on iPhone and iPad.
- The redemption happens entirely inside the Apple Pay flow where users select an eligible AmEx card, tap “Use Rewards,” enter points and complete the purchase without leaving checkout.
- Points used this way are valued at 0.7 cents each, meaning 10,000 points equal a $70 statement credit and typically yield less value than transfers to AmEx travel partners.
- Apple and American Express say Apple does not retain transaction information linked to the user when points are redeemed, keeping the process within Apple Pay’s privacy protections.
- The rollout covers online and in‑app purchases only and includes popular Membership Rewards cards such as Platinum, Gold, Green and select business cards, and it follows other AmEx moves to broaden everyday redemption options like the Fanatics partnership.