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The Amazon "One Point" Trick Every Amex Cardholder Should Know
July 1, 2025
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If you have an Amex card that earns Membership Rewards points, there's a little-known move that could save you from letting points expire, preserve your points balance before closing a card, or just squeeze a bit more value out of a stash you weren't sure what to do with.
It's called the "Pay One Point" trick, and it's surprisingly simple.
What Is the Pay One Point Trick?
When you check out on Amazon, you have the option to pay with your Amex Membership Rewards points through Amazon's "Shop with Points" feature. Here's the thing: you don't have to use all of them.
You can apply just one single point to your purchase and pay the rest with your card as usual.
That's it. One point, applied at checkout.
Why Would You Do This?
At face value, applying one point to a purchase doesn't do much. One Membership Rewards point is worth about half a cent when redeemed through Amazon, so you're essentially redeeming fractions of a penny in value. Not exactly a travel hacking win.
But the real benefit isn't about the redemption value. It's about what happens on the back end.
1. Your Points Don't Expire
Amex Membership Rewards points generally don't expire as long as your account is open and in good standing. But there's a catch: if your card is closed, your points go with it unless you've transferred them or have another eligible Amex card.
By making a "Pay One Point" redemption, some cardholders have found it useful as a way to keep their points account active and on their radar. More importantly, if you're planning to downgrade or close a card, it's a good reminder to move your points somewhere useful first.
2. It Keeps Your Amazon Account Linked
Once your Amex is connected to Amazon's Shop with Points, your balance stays visible at checkout. It's a small thing, but it keeps the option front of mind the next time you're sitting on a big stash of points and want to decide how to use them.
3. It Protects Points Before Closing a Card
If you're thinking about closing an Amex card, your Membership Rewards points are at risk unless you take action. Applying even one point to an Amazon purchase confirms the account is active and gives you a window to transfer your remaining points to airline or hotel partners before you pull the plug.
How to Set It Up
- Go to amazon.com/amex and link your eligible Amex card to Shop with Points.
- At checkout, look for the "Use your Membership Rewards points" option.
- Adjust the slider or enter a custom amount, set it to 1 point, and complete your purchase.
That's all there is to it.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
This trick works best as part of a broader points strategy, not as a primary redemption method. Redeeming Membership Rewards points through Amazon typically gets you around 0.5 to 0.7 cents per point, which is well below what you can get by transferring to travel partners like Delta SkyMiles, Air Canada Aeroplan, or Marriott Bonvoy, where values can reach 1.5 cents or more per point.
So the move here is to use one point strategically and save the rest for something better.
The Bottom Line
The "Pay One Point" trick is one of those small, low-effort moves that's worth knowing about. It takes about 30 seconds to set up and can be a useful tool if you're managing multiple Amex cards or thinking about when and how to use your Membership Rewards balance.
Just don't make Amazon your default redemption destination. Your points are worth more than that.
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