Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Just in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping, American Express cardholders with cash-back cards can now redeem Reward Dollars on Amazon. Even better, they have the same value they would if you were redeeming them as a statement credit, so one Reward Dollar equals $1 on Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
Find out how the new Reward Dollars redemption option works and how you can further boost savings while you shop on Amazon.
How do I redeem my American Express Rewards Dollars on Amazon?
First, you'll need to link an eligible American Express card to your Amazon account. Then, at checkout, select "Reward Dollars" as the preferred payment method and use them to cover all or a portion of the total purchase.
Once the order is ready, Reward Dollars applied to your order will be converted to dollars and deducted from the checkout total amount.
Which American Express cards are eligible?
There are eight American Express cash-back rewards cards that can redeem Rewards Dollars at Amazon checkout for the same value as redeeming a statement credit.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express has no annual fee and you may be eligible for bonus rewards on a wide range of common expenditures.
- Up to $264 in streaming service and meal kit credits every year (subject to auto renewal)
- High cash-back rates in popular spending categories
- No annual fee
- The best bonus cash-back categories are capped
- Has a foreign transaction fee
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $200 cash back* after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $2,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- No Annual Fee.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.49%-28.49%.
- Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don't have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you'll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
- Earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, on eligible purchases for each category on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
- Get up to a $7 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a low-fee card with generous cash-back rewards and useful ongoing benefits, such as a monthly Disney Bundle credit. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High cash-back earnings for U.S. supermarkets and streaming services
- Intro-APR offer for purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee for the first year
- It's less rewarding after the first year because of the annual fee
- Bonus rewards for U.S. supermarkets are capped
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $300 cash back* after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $3,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.49%-28.49%.
- Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don't have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you'll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
- Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
- Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
American Express Cash Magnet® Card
Rewards
Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases within your first 6 months of card membership.
Annual fee
None
Intro APR
0% for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers from the date of account opening
Regular APR
19.24% - 29.99% variable
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7%
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See rates and fees, terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR offer
Cons
- 2.7% fee on purchases outside the U.S.
- Cash back comes in the form of a statement credit (with a minimum redemption of $25)
The Morgan Stanley Blue Cash Preferred® American Express Card has some of the most generous cash-back bonus categories of any card.
- Earn up to $184 in statement credits every year
- Extremely high cash-back earnings for U.S. supermarkets and streaming services
- No annual fee for the first year
- Has an annual fee after the first year
- Bonus rewards for U.S. supermarkets are capped
Rewards
- 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit
- 1% cash back on other eligible purchases
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
Foreign transaction fee
None
American Express Blue Cash® card (This card is currently not accepting online applications)
American Express Cash Rebate® card (This card is currently not accepting online applications)
American Express Classic Blue Cash for Business® card (This card is currently not accepting online applications)
American Express Platinum Business Premium Cash Rebate® card (This card is currently not accepting online applications)
Best credit cards for Amazon purchases
If you don't have an eligible American Express card, several other credit cards provide value when shopping on Amazon.
The Prime Visa (see rates and fees) from Chase allows users to earn unlimited 5% back on all Amazon, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods purchases made by a Prime member. The card also comes with a welcome bonus exclusively for Prime members: A $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.
The Prime Visa is only available to Amazon Prime members ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is very rewarding for Amazon purchases.
- High rate of return at Amazon and Whole Foods
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus
- Requires an Amazon Prime membership
- If you choose the promo APR you won't earn rewards on those purchases
Rewards
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
The Amazon Visa is another great option, with no annual fee, 3% back at Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods and Chase Travel, and 2% back on dining, gas and local transit and commuting, as well as 1% on all other purchases.
Amazon Visa
Rewards
3% cash back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market; 3% back on purchases made through Chase Travel; 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and local transit and commuting, including rideshare; 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn a $50 Gift Card instantly upon approval.
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
19.49%–28.24% variable
Balance transfer fee
4%, $5 minimum
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
Terms apply. We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through Amazon links.
Pros
- Doesn't require an Amazon Prime membership
- No annual fee
Cons
- No intro APR offer
The American Express® Gold Card isn't Amazon-branded, but it's a solid rewards card with perks for people who shop the site, including limited-time opportunities to save up to 50% on Amazon orders when redeeming Membership Rewards® points.
The American Express Gold Card is great for earning valuable Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets.
- You can earn $400+ in dining and rideshare credits every year (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- Exceptionally rewarding for eligible restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- Larger annual fee
- Credits are more complicated, you earn them monthly or semi-annually
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You'll know upfront exactly how much you'll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Foreign transaction fee
None
How American Express stacks up to other credit card rewards programs on Amazon
While there are many rewards programs tied to Amazon, the one-to-one ratio of rewards to dollars makes American Express's new opportunity one of the best in the industry. Here are what some other major credit cards bring to the table for reward points when you shop at Amazon.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards®: 1 point = 0.8 cents
- Citi ThankYou® Rewards: 1 point = 0.8 cents
- Capital One miles: 1 point = .8 cents
- Discover® Rewards: $1 Cashback Bonus® = $1
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Bottom line
So long as you keep your account in good standing, American Express Rewards Dollars never expire. But the holiday season is a great time to take advantage of this cash-back redemption option, whether you're buying gifts for loved ones or treating yourself.
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We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through Amazon links.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
