American Express Membership Rewards - Best use of MR pts

I have a Gold Rewards card that I rarely use, as such I have accumulated just over 10K in MR pts. The bulk of my spending goes to my SPG AMEX.

That said, can anyone offer advice on where to use the 10K for the most value? Everything attached to MR appears to offer 1% return. Is there something I can use the 10K pts for that would increase that? Any/all ideas appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

I have a Gold Rewards card that I rarely use, as such I have accumulated just over 10K in MR pts. The bulk of my spending goes to my SPG AMEX.

That said, can anyone offer advice on where to use the 10K for the most value? Everything attached to MR appears to offer 1% return. Is there something I can use the 10K pts for that would increase that? Any/all ideas appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

We usually use them towards SWA rapid rewards or Jet Blue points. I think that is a good use.
For example: 24000 Amex points=1 rapid reward ticket on SWA. Better yet is that 25000 Amex points=1 Jet Blue Ticket. With their coverage of the Carribean, its a GREAT value.

We usually use them towards SWA rapid rewards or Jet Blue points. I think that is a good use.
For example: 24000 Amex points=1 rapid reward ticket on SWA. Better yet is that 25000 Amex points=1 Jet Blue Ticket. With their coverage of the Carribean, its a GREAT value.

OP said he only has 10K pts. I'd look at all the airline & hotel programs and see if you need to "top one off". That's what I'm doing. We both just got CO World MC cards(Chase) which gives us 20K bonus pts. I'm taking my last 10K amex mr pts. and transferring 5K to each CO acct. That gives us enough for two CONUS award tickets (25K each).

In addition to using them to "top off" FF accounts, you can keep them -- they never expire -- and then slowly drip them into FF accounts to prevent those accounts from expiring due to inactivity. (Be sure to check the rules of each FF program.)

They don't expire. Keep them sitting around. At some point, you'll find yourself needing a few thousand Hilton / Starwood / Priority Club / airline points or miles, and you'll be able to do a quick transfer from Amex.

They will expire IF you drop your MR approved card though. And it costs $40 a year to belong to the MR program with certain cards ( the low, or no, fee cards). Not worth it if you aren't going to keep accumulating points, IMO.

See http://www.membershiprewards.com/catalog/splashtemplates/TermsSplash.aspx?rfs=1

In addition to using them to "top off" FF accounts, you can keep them -- they never expire -- and then slowly drip them into FF accounts to prevent those accounts from expiring due to inactivity. (Be sure to check the rules of each FF program.)

Wow, that may sound like the best option for me. Thanks for the insight. In addition to the Gold Rewards, I also still have a Blue for Students which qualifies for FREE enrollment in the MR program, so that may not be an issue for me (the $40 maintenance fee).

Thanks for all the thoughts!

Are there fees related to transferring MR points to a FF program? I thinking of transferring the bulk of my MR points to my Onepass account.

Are there fees related to transferring MR points to a FF program? I thinking of transferring the bulk of my MR points to my Onepass account.

I transfered 20,000 MR to DL x .0005 Had to pay $10

I have an Optima plat credit card and there is no fee for MR. I think Blue is MR fee-free, too. Although you will need a charge card to have access to transfers, but if your interest at the moment is to preserve the points for use down the road, check out one of these cards.

I have an Optima plat credit card and there is no fee for MR. I think Blue is MR fee-free, too. Although you will need a charge card to have access to transfers, but if your interest at the moment is to preserve the points for use down the road, check out one of these cards.

From AMEX FAQs:

There is a $40 annual fee for participation in the program, except as otherwise provided below. There is no fee for the program for Rewards Green, Preferred Rewards Green, Rewards Green Basic, Rewards Gold, Preferred Rewards Gold, Rewards Gold Basic, Rewards Plus Gold, Business Membership Rewards, Business Green Rewards and Business Gold Rewards. The annual fee to enroll a Corporate Card is $75. There is an additional $10 annual fee for each Business Charge Card or Business Credit Card linked to a Membership Rewards account with other enrolled charge cards, , unless you have an Executive Business Card or any Additional Card of an Executive Business Card linked to the same Membership Rewards account.

2. The annual fee for the program will be billed to your Card account on the enrollment date and thereafter billed automatically each year on the enrollment date anniversary; it is not refundable. The enrollment date will be considered the day the program enrollment application processing is completed by us. All fees specific to Corporate Cards (other than the $75 annual fee for Corporate Cards linked to a program account with other enrolled charge cards) will be billed on the individual Corporate Card account on the enrollment date.

philemer quotes, I believe, the T&Cs for the "Membership Rewards" program. If you want to merely bank the points for later use you can join the "Membership Rewards Express" program for free through an Amex credit card. That, at least, has been my experience.

http://www.membershiprewards.com/catalog/landing/Eligibility.aspx?rfs=1

philemer quotes, I believe, the T&Cs for the "Membership Rewards" program. If you want to merely bank the points for later use you can join the "Membership Rewards Express" program for free through an Amex credit card. That, at least, has been my experience.

http://www.membershiprewards.com/catalog/landing/Eligibility.aspx?rfs=1

That's very interesting. I wasn't aware of the "MR Express" program. However, I couldn't find T&Cs that are specific for this program. Know where they are?

Thanks.

Better yet is that 25000 Amex points=1 Jet Blue Ticket. With their coverage of the Carribean, its a GREAT value.

I did not know this.^

That's very interesting. I wasn't aware of the "MR Express" program. However, I couldn't find T&Cs that are specific for this program. Know where they are?

Thanks.

I don't know where the rules are posted, but I do know that you can't redeem MR Express points for airline credits, so that isn't so good.

To the OP, if you don't use the gold card anymore, put the miles on another FF account and cancel it; the amount you'd pay annually to keep the miles far outweighs the value of the miles.

Has anyone seen those bonus pt transfers for MR lately, the only one now is for El AL. I am in the same situation but I got 35k miles, oh what to do....