Maximize Your Amex Points Value
4 Expert Strategies to Get 2-3x More Value From Your Points
Redeeming 100,000 Amex points for $600 cash back might sound good on the surface, but to points and miles pros, this represents a significant lost opportunity. Those same points could be worth $2,000-$3,000 or more when transferred to travel partners strategically.
In this guide, we'll walk you through four exceptional redemption examples that demonstrate how to maximize your Amex points value, all for 100,000 points or less each.
1. Business Class to Amsterdam with Flying Blue
KLM Business Class for 60,000 Points
Best for: Luxury travel to Europe with great availability
Flying Blue, the loyalty program of Air France and KLM, offers excellent redemption opportunities for travel to Europe. KLM flies non-stop to Amsterdam from several US cities including San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, and Washington DC.
Pro Tip: Flexibility with both airports and travel dates is key to finding the best award availability. Consider positioning to a departure city with better availability if needed.
When searching on the KLM website:
- Select "Book with miles"
- Leave the departure date blank to view a calendar of points prices
- Look for days with the lowest point requirements (often 60,000 points)
Sample redemption: Washington DC to Amsterdam on August 9th:
Points Required: 60,000 Flying Blue miles + $241.80 taxes/fees
Cash Price: $7,953 (business class) or $685 (economy)
Value Calculation:
($7,953 - $241.80) / 60,000 points × 100 = 12.85 cents per point
This represents exceptional value, far exceeding the 2 cent per point benchmark.
2. Oktoberfest in Germany with Aeroplan
Two Routes to Germany for 60,000 Points
Best for: European festivals and central European exploration
Air Canada's Aeroplan program provides excellent redemption options to Germany, perfect for attending Oktoberfest or exploring central Europe.
Option A: Lufthansa Business Class
Boston to Munich on September 29th:
Points Required: 60,000 Aeroplan points + ~$58 USD taxes/fees
Cash Price: $6,146
Value: 10.15 cents per point
Note: This flight operates on Lufthansa's Airbus A380 with a 2-2-2 business class configuration that's comfortable but not the most private or modern product available.
Option B: Singapore Airlines Business Class
New York JFK to Frankfurt on September 28th:
Points Required: 60,000 Aeroplan points + ~$58 USD taxes/fees
Cash Price: $2,545
Value: 4.15 cents per point
This "fifth freedom" flight (where an airline operates between two countries not its own) offers Singapore Airlines' renowned business class product without flying to Singapore.
Alternative Booking: If Aeroplan availability is limited, you can transfer directly to Singapore KrisFlyer (81,000 points + $5.60 fees), still maintaining a solid 3.14 cents per point value.
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3. Hawaii with Oneworld Partners
American Airlines to Hawaii for 21,000 Points
Best for: Tropical vacations on a points budget
With Hawaiian Airlines no longer an Amex transfer partner, we now turn to British Airways and Qatar Airways to book American Airlines flights to Hawaii.
Sample redemption: Dallas to Honolulu on January 30th:
Points Required: 20,750 Avios + ~$56 taxes/fees (via British Airways)
Cash Price: $430 (economy)
Value: 2.03 cents per point
For more comfort on this 8.5-hour flight, premium economy is available for 41,250 Avios + fees ($1,119 cash value = 2.65 cents per point).
Advanced Strategy: Transfer Bonuses & Avios Sharing
When transfer bonuses are available (e.g., 30% bonus to British Airways), you can:
- Transfer points to British Airways during the bonus period
- Link your British Airways and Qatar Airways accounts
- Transfer Avios between programs to book at the lowest rate
This advanced technique lets you maximize transfer bonuses across the Avios ecosystem.
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Subscribe NowKey Takeaways for Maximizing Amex Points
- Always compare redemption options - Transfer partners often provide significantly better value than cash back or portal redemptions
- Flexibility is crucial - Being open to different dates and departure cities dramatically increases finding good award availability
- Understand partner ecosystems - Programs like Avios allow points transfers between partners for maximum flexibility
- Calculate cents per point - Always run the numbers to ensure you're getting good value from your redemptions
- Watch for transfer bonuses - These can significantly increase the value of your points when timed correctly
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