Amex Points vs. Chase Points

American Express and Chase are among the most popular credit card issuers today, each with a suite of cards that range from everyday cash back to the most premium travel cards on the market. 

But what really increases the value of any Amex or Chase credit card are the flexible rewards programs the issuers offer. American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards give cardholders the option to redeem points toward discounted travel, online purchases, other travel loyalty programs, and more.  

“Chase and Amex points have a ton in common in terms of how they work and what they can do,” says Summer Hull, director of travel content for The Points Guy, which like NextAdvisor is owned by Red Ventures. “Which is best for you will depend on your travel goals and patterns.” 

Here are the big differences between Amex and Chase points, and how you can maximize your rewards under either program to save money on future travel:  

Differences Between Amex and Chase Points

When it comes to earning points, Amex and Chase cards work very similarly. Depending on the eligible points-earning card you choose, you’ll get a certain number of points per dollar in various bonus spending categories. 

For example, with the American Express® Gold Card, you can earn 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), among other categories. And with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you’ll earn 3X Ultimate Rewards points on dining, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services, among other bonus rewards.

The big difference between Amex and Chase points is the redemption value you’ll get when you’re ready to trade in those points for statement credits, purchases, or travel. 

Here’s a list of redemption options each issuer offers:

American Express Membership Rewards redemptions:

• Transfer your points to Amex’s travel partners 
• Book or upgrade travel through AmexTravel.com
• Pay with points at checkout with eligible online retailers
• Buy merchandise items 
• Gift cards 
• Cover your card charges with statement credits 

Chase Ultimate Rewards redemptions:

• Transfer points to travel partners at a 1:1 ratio
• Book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal 
• Book live events with your points with Chase Experiences
• Use your points toward Chase Dining for takeout and dinner reservations 
• Redeem for eligible purchases with Pay Yourself Back
• Pay for merchandise items
• Gift cards
• Statement credits

Pooling points to maximize value

If you have multiple points-earning cards from Amex or Chase, both issuers allow you to combine the points you earn under the same account, so you can maximize different cards’ bonus categories. 

With Chase, points are worth more when you redeem them with a Chase Sapphire card account (you’ll get a value of 1.25 cents per point with the Sapphire Preferred Card, and 1.5 cents per point with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, when you redeem for travel through Chase). If you have either of these travel cards as well as a Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex card to earn rewards on everyday spending, for example, you can transfer the rewards you earn with those cards to your Sapphire card account, and redeem at the boosted rate. 

You can also combine your cash back and points into one account if another household member has a Chase card. However, you cannot pool points if someone has a different address than you. 

Amex cards don’t have the same benefit of boosting your redemption value, but you can still take advantage of different Membership Rewards-earning cards’ bonus categories. If you have multiple Amex cards that earn points (Amex cash back cards are not eligible), you can combine all of your points earned under your single Membership Rewards account and redeem them together. However, you cannot transfer your Amex points earned from one person’s account to yours or vice versa, even if they’re a spouse or partner in your same household. 

Are Amex or Chase Points Worth More?

The value of your points will depend on how you redeem them, but some redemptions are worth a higher value than others.

“There’s no bad redemption,” says Hull. “But there are redemptions that have less cash value than others.” A good rule of thumb is to aim for a redemption value of at least one cent per point.

But it’s important to know that you’ll most likely get the best value when you redeem points for travel under either program. 

When you redeem your Amex points for travel, you’ll have a few options. You can transfer to travel partners, typically at a 1:1 ratio, though some partners may offer up to a 1:2 point to point ratio. You can also get up to 1 cent per point value by booking travel through AmexTravel.com, the issuer’s travel portal. 

Other redemption options include up to 0.5 cents per point for merchant purchases, 0.5 – 1 cents per point for gift cards, and 0.6 cents per point for statement credits. American Express has a calculator on its website which you can use to see exactly how much each redemption option is worth based on the card you have.

Similar to Amex, you can also redeem Chase points for the highest value when booking travel. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card points and Chase Ink Business Preferred® Card points are worth 1.25 cents, and Chase Sapphire Reserve® points are worth 1.5 cents per point when you book travel through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards travel portal. If you don’t have one of these three cards, your Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth 1 cent when you redeem for travel through Chase.

If you have an eligible Chase card, you can also transfer at a 1:1 ratio with Chase’s travel partners. Other redemption options, including cash back, gift cards, and merchandise purchases are generally 1 cent per point, too. 

Amex vs. Chase Transfer Partners

Transfer partners are one of the most lucrative Amex and Chase points redemption options.

Each issuer has a different combination of partners, so if you book with a certain hotel brand or airline often, you may choose one credit card issuer over the other to stretch your points further. 

With Chase, you can only transfer points to partners using a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Chase Ink Business Preferred Card. 

You can transfer points to Amex partners if you have any card that earns Membership Rewards, including the following:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• American Express Gold® Card 
• American Express Green Card
• American Express EveryDay® Credit Card 
• AmEx EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express

American Express has 20 transfer partners (18 airlines and 2 hotels), while Chase has 14 partners (11 airlines and 3 hotels). There are often minimum transfer amounts you must meet before you can transfer points to partners, which may range from 500 to 1000 points or more. 

Here’s a complete list of both issuers’ travel partners: 

Amex Airline Partners: 

• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Delta SkyMiles
• Aer Lingus Aerclub
• Aeromexico Club Premier
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• ANA Mileage Club
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Emirates Skywards
• Etihad Guest
• Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles
• Iberia Avios
• JetBlue True Blue
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• Virgin Atlantic FlyingClub

Amex Hotel Partners:

• Hilton Honors
• Marriott Bonvoy
• Choice Privileges

Chase Airline Partners:

• Aer Lingus
• Air Canada
• British Airways
• Emirates
• Flying Blue (Air France and KLM)
• Iberia
• JetBlue
• Singapore Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

Chase Hotel Partners:

• Hyatt
• IHG
• Marriott Bonvoy 

If you’re interested in opening a travel credit card for the transfer partner benefit, think about which partners give you the most value based on how you already travel. You may choose Amex cards, for example, if you live near a Delta Air Lines hub and prefer to stay in Hilton hotel properties when traveling. On the other hand, if you typically fly domestic, you may get more benefit from Chase airline partners like Southwest and JetBlue.

Best Cards to Earn Amex Membership Rewards

Each Amex credit card has different spending categories to earn rewards. Some of the cards are more focused on saving money on your travel expenses, while others offer more points on groceries, gas, and other everyday expenses. Here are a few Amex credit cards that earn Membership Rewards to consider: 

Best Cards to Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards

Only the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, and the Ink Business Preferred cards let you earn Ultimate Rewards points directly. If you have a Chase cash back credit card, you’ll earn cash back in the form of points which can be redeemed in the Chase portal at a value of 1 cent per point, but the points cannot be transferred to travel partners. 

Here are a few of our favorite Chase cards which you can use under the Ultimate Rewards Program. Keep in mind, only the first three on this list allow transfers to Chase travel partners.

Can You Combine Amex and Chase Points?

You cannot transfer points between your Amex and Chase credit cards. But if you’re for building a strategy with several cards, you can maximize your points when booking travel or making purchases.

For instance, if you travel a lot and want to earn the maximum points available on flights with the Amex Platinum, but you want the welcome bonus and everyday rewards that the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers, you might find both cards are worth adding to your wallet. Then, you can use your rewards to book different trips as you accrue points, or even book different legs of the same trip separately. 

Keep in mind that rewards strategies like this can be money-saving hacks for vacations, but only make sense if they offer savings on things you would have spent your money on anyway. That’s especially true for some of the more premium options from both issuers which carry very high annual fees. You should always pay your bill on time and in full each month to avoid debt, and make the most of the rewards you earn. 

Which Rewards Program is Right for You?

The rewards program that’s the best fit for you depends on a few factors — such as the rewards categories, your lifestyle, and travel preferences. For instance, do you prefer luxury perks when you travel? Do you prefer to earn rewards on travel or everyday purchases? Would you rather earn points or cash back? 

“Priorities shift,” says Hull. If you don’t travel much in any given year, you may find more value in redeeming rewards for simple statement credits. The next year, maybe you’ll plan a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, and want to upgrade your flight using the rewards you’ve earned. “You know, you can always earn more points. They’re a renewable resource.”

When it come to choosing between Amex and Chase, compare both the redemption options between the two programs, as well as the benefits of individual cards to determine where you’ll get the most value.

You may choose the Amex rewards program if you’re a frequent traveler or enjoy luxury perks. Amex cardholders often enjoy lounge access, access to luxury hotels, and annual credits toward your spending. Amex also offers more transfer partners, which could make it more valuable if you plan to redeem points this way. 

Chase offers its own valuable benefits, including the boosted redemption value for the Chase Sapphire cards when you redeem points for travel. And if you have a Chase cash back card, you can combine your cash back with other Chase travel credit cards to still earn those rewards at a boosted rate. Plus, you’ll have the option to pool points with other household members to maximize your rewards earnings across all Chase credit cards that you and your spouse earn. 

Ultimately, you’re going to get the most value on your spending with a card that aligns with where you already spend most. You’ll get great redemptions with both issuers, so it’s best to find a credit card with categories that you’ll earn rewards from often.