American Express Membership Rewards can seem complicated when you first start earning them, but the basic idea is simple. You earn points when you make eligible purchases with a qualifying American Express card, and then you can redeem those points in several different ways. The more useful question is not only how do Amex points work , but also how much value you can get from them. That depends on how you earn, redeem, and transfer your Membership Rewards points. How Do Amex Points Work? Amex points are part of the American Express Membership Rewards program. When you use an eligible card for qualifying purchases, you earn Membership Rewards points based on the earning rate attached to that card and purchase category. For example: A general purchase may earn 1X points. A qualifying dining purchase may earn a higher multiplier on some cards. Certain travel purchases may earn multiple points per dollar. Welcome bonuses can add a large number of points after meeting specified spending re...