American Express and Apple Pay: Expanded Ways to Redeem Points

The card issuer is deepening its Apple Pay collaboration by allowing card members to apply Membership Rewards points at checkout for everyday purchases.

Key Updates: Redeeming Points With Apple Pay

• American Express broadened its Apple partnership, unveiling new redemption through Apple Pay.
• Cardholders can choose Apple Pay at checkout to redeem points for purchases, whether on the web or in the app. To use points, select Apple Pay, choose the eligible American Express card in Apple Wallet, pick the option to apply Membership Rewards at checkout (if shown), choose how many points to use, then confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.
• Lisa Kalhans, executive vice president for U.S. consumer cards, said the update meets card members where they shop and makes using rewards on daily spending more seamless.

Making points usable at the moment of purchase can turn rewards from a “later” benefit into an everyday payment option, especially when checkout is already streamlined.

Deeper Context: Amex, Partners, and Product Moves

The New York company is building on a relationship dating to 2014, when it served as a U.S. launch partner for Apple Pay. To use the new option, customers must first add an eligible American Express card to Apple Wallet.

Adding a card typically starts in Apple Wallet: tap the add button, choose a credit or debit card, then scan the card or enter details manually. Follow the prompts to verify the card with American Express, then set it as the default card in Wallet if desired.

Eligibility generally includes most American Express consumer and small-business credit and charge cards that can be added to Apple Wallet, including cards that earn Membership Rewards. Some products, such as certain corporate programs, prepaid cards, or restricted card types, may not support Apple Pay or point redemptions through the wallet experience.

The redemption value is set by American Express and is shown during checkout as a points-to-dollars conversion before you confirm. Rates can vary by offer and use case, but a common baseline for pay-at-checkout style redemptions is about 0.5 cent per point, so 10,000 points would cover roughly $50 when that rate applies.

Purchases made with Apple Pay generally post like standard card purchases and earn rewards according to your card’s terms. If you apply points at checkout, whether you earn rewards on the full amount or only any remaining out-of-pocket portion depends on the specific redemption rules presented at the time of purchase.

Apple Pay with an American Express card can be used anywhere Apple Pay is accepted, including in-store at contactless terminals, in apps, and on participating websites that display the Apple Pay button. Acceptance ultimately depends on whether the merchant supports Apple Pay and takes American Express for that transaction type.

Apple Pay adds security layers such as device-based authentication (Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode) and tokenization, which means the merchant does not receive your actual card number. Your payment is processed using a device-specific token, and you can manage or remove wallet access from your device settings.

If a device is lost or stolen, you can use Find My to mark it as lost, suspend Apple Pay, or erase it remotely, and you can remove the card from Apple Wallet on that device. If the physical card is lost or you suspect fraud, contact American Express to lock or replace the card and review recent activity.

On statements, Apple Pay transactions typically appear with the merchant name like other purchases, and they may include an indicator such as “Apple Pay,” “digital wallet,” or a device-related note depending on how the transaction was processed. The transaction date and amount follow the same posting and settlement flow as other card purchases.

Beyond point redemptions, the benefits of using Apple Pay with American Express include faster checkout, fewer times your card number is shared with merchants, and the ability to keep using a card when you do not have the physical plastic on hand.

The rollout fits Amex’s push to widen where loyalty value can be used. In May, members also gained the ability to redeem points toward apparel, trading cards, and other collectibles from Fanatics.

Apple, based in Cupertino, is also intensifying its payments features. Last month it previewed a tap-to-share capability arriving later this year that will let iPhone users pass details such as addresses or loyalty IDs to merchants through the wallet.

While Amex leans into Apple to deepen engagement, it is also moving past the loss of Amazon as a co-brand partner. In March, the e-commerce giant chose Mastercard and U.S. Bank for two new small-business credit cards, concluding an eight-year arrangement with American Express.

In the first quarter, Amex reported net income up 15% year over year to $2.97 billion, citing stronger spend from Gen Z and millennial customers. Those groups lifted outlays by 38% and 13%, respectively, versus the prior period.