What's the difference between a charge card and a credit card?

An American Express charge card has no preset spending limit and must be paid in full each statement period. A credit card has a set limit and lets you carry a balance, with interest on anything you don't pay off.

American Express Membership Rewards credit cards

Compare American Express credit cards that earn points with the American Express Membership Rewards program.

High earn rates on eligible spending
Transfer points to airline partners like Qantas and Velocity
Travel insurance and lounge access on premium cards

Written by Andrew BoydReviewed by Vidhu Bajaj and David BoydWith insights from Hans Mast

Featured

American Express Platinum Business Card

6 reviews

350,000 bonus Membership Rewards points
Complimentary international travel insurance

You may have seen us in

How many points could you earn?

Enter your monthly spend to see estimated annual points for each card below.

Compare 6 Amex Membership Rewards credit cards

Credit card comparison table with rates, fees, rewards and apply links.
Name and rating	Rewards program	Earn rate	Sign-up bonus	Annual fee	Est. points / yr
American Express Platinum Card 16 reviews	American Express Membership Rewards	2.25 pts per $1Uncapped	200,000 pts	$1,450	281,000 ptsWorth $2,810	60 second approval
American Express Platinum Business Card 6 reviews	American Express Membership Rewards	2.25 pts per $1Uncapped	350,000 pts	$1,750	431,000 ptsWorth $4,310	60 second approval
American Express Explorer Credit Card 5 reviews	American Express Membership Rewards	2 pts per $1Uncapped	75,000 pts	$395	147,000 ptsWorth $1,470	60 second approval
American Express Business Gold Plus Card 2 reviews	American Express Membership Rewards	1.5 pts per $1Uncapped	200,000 pts	$395	254,000 ptsWorth $2,540	60 second approval
American Express Essential Rewards Credit Card	American Express Membership Rewards	1 pt per $1Uncapped	30,000 pts	$108	66,000 ptsWorth $660	60 second approval
American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card 18 reviews	American Express Membership Rewards	1 pt per $1Uncapped	—	$0	36,000 ptsWorth $360	60 second approval

Amex Membership Rewards by the numbers

Cards compared

2.25 pts per $1

Top earn rate

171,000 pts

Average sign-up bonus

$3,500

Highest-value sign-up bonus

American Express Platinum Business Card

$683

Average annual fee

Getting the most from Membership Rewards

American Express Membership Rewards lets you earn points on everyday business and personal spending. The main draw is the range of airline and hotel transfer partners, which gives frequent travellers flexibility in how they use points.

Premium cards like the Platinum series carry the highest earn rates, often up to 2.25 points per $1. They also bundle travel credits, lounge access and insurance, which can offset the higher annual fee for people who use those benefits.

For business owners, American Express offers charge cards with no preset spending limit and up to 51 days to pay. Adding employee cards to one account pools their spending into a single points balance.

Expert insight: why Membership Rewards anchors a points strategy

“American Express Membership Rewards are the pinnacle of credit card points worldwide. In short, you cannot consider yourself a true travel credit card guru unless Amex MR forms the cornerstone of your points strategy.”

Hans Mast

Travel and points expert

Amex Membership Rewards credit card FAQs

Yes. You can transfer points to a range of airline and hotel partners, including Qantas Frequent Flyer and Velocity Frequent Flyer. Transfer ratios vary by partner, so check the current rate before you convert.

Pros

Sign-up bonuses can be sizeable, often enough to cover a return flight or kick-start a rewards balance once you meet the spend.
Earn points on everyday spend, so the shopping you do anyway builds toward flights, gift cards or cashback instead of earning nothing.
Some cards include airport lounge access, so you can wait between flights in comfort instead of paying day-pass rates.
Many cards bundle complimentary insurances such as travel cover, saving you buying a separate policy before a trip.

Cons

The premium cards here carry high annual fees, so they only pay off if you use enough of the perks to cover the cost.
Purchase rates tend to sit above the market average, so carrying a balance on one of these costs more than on a low-rate card.
Most cards here charge a foreign transaction fee, so they cost more to use overseas or on foreign-currency sites.

Questions and answers

No questions yet. Ask the first one about American Express Membership Rewards credit cards.

Related card types

Altitude Rewards credit cards Amplify Rewards credit cards ANZ Rewards credit cards Cashback credit cards Credit cards for ATO payments Rewards credit cards

Sources

Credit Card Compare: Australian credit card statisticsRewards points calculator
Program: American Express Membership Rewards