✈️ Maximizing Your American Express Membership Rewards with Point.me
Welcome to Smart With Points, the podcast where we dive into the world of travelling with miles and points. I'm your host, Jack, and today we're going to talk about a fantastic tool that can help you maximize your American Express Membership Rewards. If you've ever spent hours searching for the perfect reward flight, you know just how frustrating it can be jumping between different airline websites and trying to piece together the best routing. That's where Point.me's free version for American Express US cardmembers comes in handy. It's essentially the Google Flights of the points world, but focused entirely on award bookings. So, what exactly do you get with this free version? Well, it includes some pretty useful features like real-time searches across more than 150 airlines, the ability to compare different Membership Rewards transfer options, step-by-step booking instructions, access to alliance partner awards, and saved searches and route monitoring. The platform is particularly useful when you're dealing with complex routings or trying to find availability during peak seasons. For example, if you're looking to book a business class ticket to Asia, Point.me will show you all the possible options using your Membership Rewards points, whether that's transferring to ANA for their sweet spot rates, using Virgin Points for ANA flights, or booking through other partners. I've used the paid version of Point.me extensively, and I've found it most valuable for finding alternative routings when my preferred option isn't available, comparing points rates across different programmes, discovering new sweet spots I hadn't considered, and quick availability checks for complex multi-city trips. While planning my recent tier point run to Asia, I used Point.me to check alternative routings when my original plans needed adjusting. The ability to see all available options in one place saved hours of manual searching. Now, there are some limitations to keep in mind. The free Amex version is powerful, but it does have some restrictions compared to the paid version. It only shows routes bookable with Membership Rewards points, doesn't include some of the advanced features like expert support, and is limited to US cardmembers for now. Let's say you're planning a trip to Tokyo. Instead of checking each airline's website individually, Point.me will show you all your options in one search. It might reveal that while ANA has no direct availability, you could transfer to Virgin Atlantic for an ANA flight, use Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer for a connection through Singapore, or book through Air Canada Aeroplan for a different routing. The tool then provides step-by-step instructions for whichever option you choose, making the booking process much smoother. While we wait for a similar offering in the UK, tools like our Smart Redemptions can help you search for specific routes and compare options. For now, those with access to US Amex cards should definitely take advantage of this free tool - it's a great way to make your points go further with less effort. As someone who spends far too much time searching for award availability, having a tool like this can be a game-changer for planning your next points redemption. You can access it at amex.point.me if you have a US Amex card. Thanks for listening to this episode of Smart With Points. If you want to stay up to date with the latest news and tips on travelling with miles and points, be sure to subscribe to our podcast on all major platforms or visit our website at smartwithpoints.co.uk. We'll catch you in the next episode.
