Amex Points Explained: The Good, The Bad, and The Rules You Need to Know

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All information was accurate at time of recording, however benefits and credit card details can and do change. Please always review the links in the show notes and check our blog for the most up-to-date info.

Welcome to Points for Normal People!

Let's tackle a topic I get asked about a lot: Amex Membership Rewards. Honestly, I have mixed feelings – the points themselves can be fantastic for travel, but the cards? They definitely come with extra rules and quirks, making them feel more intermediate level. Still, since you're asking and the points can be super useful, this episode is your essential overview.

We'll cover the must-knows for earning these points (like navigating those tricky welcome offers!), the key application strategies you can't ignore, and super important: how to create an exit plan to keep your points without paying those high annual fees long-term. Consider this your guide to deciding if Amex is right for you!

ACTION STEPS

• Opt-In to Amex Marketing
• Plan Your Exit Strategy
• Ask for a Retention Offer
• Check Your Amex Offers
• Consider Card Pointers: https://cardpointers.com/partner/katiestravel/ 
• Try Rakuten: https://www.rakuten.com/r/KMGALL29?eeid=44749 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• My new Amex overview (blog): https://katiestraveltricks.com/amex-membership-rewards/
• Best Card Offers: https://katiestraveltricks.com/bestoffers/ 
• Sign up for this beginner’s guide and we’ll also send you our Saturday morning newsletter: https://katiestraveltricks.com/travel-points-101-quick-start-guide/
• TrackRak: https://trackrak.com/ 
• Rakuten info: https://www.rakuten.com/help/article/is-the-cash-back-button-available-for-mobile-devices-and-tablets-360002100928 and https://www.rakuten.com/help/article/installing-the-ebates-cash-back-button-360001446688  

New Here?

Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year.

Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe — and more — all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too.

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Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the autho...