# Amex Lets You Spend Membership Rewards Points in Apple Pay > Source: > Published: 2026-06-30 18:34:12+00:00 You know that pile of [Amex Membership Rewards points](https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/newsroom/articles/products-and-services/american-express--expands-membership-rewards--points-redemption-.html) sitting in your account like forgotten leftovers in the back of the fridge? American Express just made them dramatically easier to use. On **iOS 18** and **iPadOS 18**, Amex cardmembers can now [redeem points](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/06/30/american-express-apple-pay-redeem-points/) directly inside the [Apple Pay](https://www.gadgetreview.com/apple-pays-250m-for-overselling-iphone-ai-features-that-barely-worked) checkout sheet — no app-switching, no post-purchase scavenger hunt through your statement. Points apply in real time, at a better rate than the old method. ## How It Works at Checkout *Redeeming points now takes exactly as long as confirming any other Apple Pay purchase.* - At checkout, tap your eligible Amex card in Apple Pay (Platinum, Gold, or Green) - A “Membership Rewards” option appears in the payment sheet alongside your points balance - Apply all or part of your points to the purchase; [10,000 points equals $70](https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/credit-cards/credit-intel/american-express-points-value/), or 0.7 cents per point - Confirm with Face ID or Touch ID — done The old flow felt like filing a minor insurance claim. You paid with your card, opened the Amex app or website, scrolled through posted charges, selected one, then redeemed in 1,000-point increments at **0.6 cents** each. That entire ritual now collapses into a single tap at checkout. It’s the difference between streaming a song and ordering the CD from a catalog. Points used for statement credits typically yield around 0.6 cents each, [according to NerdWallet](https://www.nerdwallet.com/travel/learn/amex-points-value) — making the Apple Pay integration’s 0.7-cent rate a meaningful, if modest, upgrade for everyday spending. ## Good Deal or Just Good Enough? *The math works for convenience seekers, but points maximizers should keep their spreadsheets open.* If you track transfer partner sweet spots the way fantasy football managers track waiver wires, this feature wasn’t built for you. Bankrate and NerdWallet both note that [airline and hotel transfer partners](https://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/rewards/american-express-membership-rewards-guide/) can push Amex points to 1.5 or even 2.0-plus cents per point. The 0.7-cent Apple Pay rate is for the cardholder whose points have been quietly collecting dust — not the one engineering business-class redemptions to Tokyo. Apple Pay just became a loyalty redemption interface, not merely a payment method — and every competing issuer noticed. Exact launch timing remains unclear from both Apple and Amex. The practical calculus, though, is straightforward: if friction-free spending beats maximum optimization for you, your points just became the easiest currency in your pocket. If you’re still hunting 2-cent redemptions on Lufthansa, carry on. For everyone else, the checkout screen now does what the Amex app never made simple enough. If you’re concerned about [paying too much](https://www.gadgetreview.com/things-youre-paying-too-much-for-without-realizing) through suboptimal rewards strategies, it’s worth weighing whether this convenience-first rate fits your spending habits.