Why You Should (Sometimes) Ditch Travel Redemptions for Amazon Discounts
At Miles To Anywhere, we usually preach one thing loud and clear: if you want the best bang for your credit card points, use them for travel. Flights, hotels, upgrades, you get it.
But sometimes, just sometimes, the stars align and Amazon says, “Hey, want a fat discount just for tossing us a single point?” And when that happens? We say yes. Yes, we do.
Here's the deal
Right now, Amazon is running a limited-time, targeted offer. If you’re eligible, you can score up to 40% off, maxing out at $60 in savings, just by using one American Express point at checkout.
Yes, you read that right. One point. Like, the kind you find in your point couch cushions.
How to find out if you’re invited to this points party
This is a targeted deal, which means not everyone gets it. But it’s easy to check:
- Head to Amazon’s promo page and log in.
- If you see the offer, great. If not, don’t cry into your Prime box just yet, you might see a smaller discount instead. Still better than paying full price.
What credit cards qualify?
To even have a shot at this offer, you need the right kind of plastic. You must have:
- An American Express card that earns Membership Rewards or Reward Dollars. (Sorry, Delta or Hilton cardholders, you're out.)
- Or a Discover card that earns cashback.
Once you've got the right card, it needs to be linked to your Amazon account. You can do that here, just choose the correct rewards program and click the big yellow “Link your account” button.
Pro tip: Got more than one eligible card? Link 'em all. More links = more chances to be targeted.
Timing matters
After linking a card, Amazon usually takes about 24 hours to update your eligibility. So don’t panic if the offer doesn’t show up immediately. Check back the next day. Or the day after that. Amazon runs these kinds of promos regularly, so patience pays off.
Okay, you got the offer. Now what?
Nice work! Here’s how to use it like a pro:
- Hit that “Activate promotion” button.
- Add stuff to your cart that’s sold directly by Amazon. No third-party sellers.
- At checkout, choose your eligible card and apply just one point (or one cent’s worth) toward the purchase.
- Watch the discount magic happen.
This is where it gets fun: you don’t have to pay the whole bill with points. In fact, you shouldn’t. Amazon gives you terrible value for your points most of the time—about half of what you’d get booking travel. So, just use the bare minimum number of points required to trigger the discount and pay the rest on credit. Want to make this even better? Use an app like Card Pointers to see if there are any offers.
Real-life example
Say you’ve got your eye on a 4-pack of Apple AirTags (which, trust us, are luggage lifesavers). They’re already on sale. Add in this 40% promo, and you can stack the discount with just $0.01 worth of points.
That’s like trading a penny for a pizza. Yes, please.
Here are a couple of our favorite Amex cards that qualify and have inflated bonus offers as we speak.
American Express Platinum
American Express Gold
Final thought
If you're shopping for travel gear, summer outfits, or your tenth charging cable, don’t skip this. Check your Amazon account, link your cards, and see if you're one of the lucky ones. And if you are? Use that offer wisely and save your real stash of points for your next big adventure.
Note: Some links in this post may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you, as we participate in affiliate programs. All information is accurate as of the date of publication but may change over time. Always check for the latest details before making travel plans.