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How to Use Credit Card Points on Amazon in 2024: A Complete Guide

June 7, 20240

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You can redeem Chase, Amex, Citi, Capital One, Discover, Bilt, U.S. Bank, Bank of America, and Hilton points directly at Amazon checkout — but it’s not always the best idea.

Crystal Cox/Business Insider

  • You can significantly reduce your shopping bill by redeeming credit card points on Amazon.
  • Many popular currencies participate, such as Chase Ultimate Rewards® and Amex Membership Rewards.
  • We don’t usually recommend using points this way because they can be worth much more for travel.
  • Read Business Insider’s guide to the best rewards credit cards.

Introduction to using credit card points on Amazon

Amazon makes it simple to redeem many rewards currencies from the best credit cards at checkout to offset your balance. We almost never recommend using your points this way, but it can make sense for you if you don’t plan to travel in the near future.

Redeeming credit card points on Amazon can also a good strategy if you have a small points balance you won’t otherwise use. And it can make Amazon Prime Day deals even sweeter if you use points to discount or pay for your purchase.

Here’s everything you need to know about the benefits of using points for Amazon purchases.

Eligible credit cards for Amazon points use

Participating credit card programs

Multiple credit card programs allow customers to pay for Amazon purchases using their rewards. The full list is below: 

Linking your card to Amazon

While each of the programs listed below has its own points system, linking your rewards card to Amazon is the same process across the board. Here’s a step-by-step guide to account linking.

After logging into your account on Amazon, click on “Accounts & Lists” under your name at the top-right corner of the page. Once that page opens up, navigate to the “Your Payments” section toward the bottom left of the page. 

Amazon

From there, scroll down the sidebar of your wallet until you find the “Add a payment method” button. Follow the prompts to add your rewards credit card. Once that’s done, you can check your points balance on the Shop with Points account page to monitor your rewards programs. This is also the page you’ll use to ensure that your account is not set up to pay with points by default. 

Use Chase Points on Amazon

When you redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points with Amazon, you’ll receive a value of 0.8 cents per point. Still, if you plan to use your points through Amazon, your best bet is to simply make your purchase with an eligible Chase card and then redeem your points for a statement credit later at a rate of 1 cent each.

You’ll earn points this way, and you’ll get the purchase protection included with Chase credit cards. 

Cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards include:

To link your Chase Ultimate Rewards account with Amazon, click here. You’ll then simply log in to your Amazon account, link your Chase card, and apply your Ultimate Rewards points at checkout.

Use Amex Points on Amazon

American Express Membership Rewards offers a very low redemption rate of 0.7 cents each for Amazon purchases — and the points value when redeeming for statement credits is even lower. If you want to make purchases with your Amex points, consider using them to purchase an American Express gift card at a rate of 1 cent per point, and then use those gift cards to buy your items.

You can earn Amex Membership Rewards points by opening and swiping cards like:

You can link your Amex Membership Rewards account with Amazon by clicking here. You’ll log in to your Amazon account, link your eligible American Express card, and choose to apply your points to your order at checkout.

Use Citi ThankYou Points on Amazon

Per Business Insider’s estimations, you’ll receive just half of the average Citi ThankYou points value when redeeming your rewards for shopping with Amazon. This is not the currency to collect if you intend to regularly use your points for online shopping.

Citi issues credit cards like the Citi® Double Cash Card and Citi Custom Cash℠ Card which earn Citi ThankYou points you can use for travel, cash back, and more. Earning rewards on one of these cards and redeeming them for cash is your best route if you intend to use them for online shopping.

Other Citi credit cards that earn ThankYou points include:

Click here to link your Citi ThankYou account to Amazon. Then just select your Citi ThankYou card as your payment method and choose to pay with points

Use Capital One Miles on Amazon

Again, Capital One miles are best used for travel — not for Amazon purchases. You’ll receive less than half the average points value by redeeming them for shopping — a meager 0.8 cents each.

Similar to Citi ThankYou points, Capital One issues cash-back cards, the rewards of which can be converted into Capital One miles — as long as you have a qualifying Capital One miles-earning card. Examples include the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card† and Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card.

Capital One credit cards that earn miles directly include:

You can link your Capital One miles account to Amazon by clicking here. After you enroll your qualifying Capital One card, you’ll see the option to pay with Capital One miles at checkout.

Use Discover Rewards on Amazon

Whether you collect cash back with the Discover it® Cash Back or miles with the Discover it® Miles, you can redeem them directly through Amazon to pay for all or part of your cart.

All Discover rewards are worth 1 cent each, whether you spend through Amazon or redeem for cash. Therefore, it’s more beneficial for you to make your purchase with the card and later request a statement credit instead of using your rewards for the purchase.

This ensures you’ll earn rewards for your purchase — which is especially handy if you have the Discover it® Cash Back, as its rotating bonus categories sometimes include Amazon purchases (from April 1 to June 30, 2024, earn 5% cash back at gas stations & electric vehicle charging stations, home improvement stores, and public transit on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%).

Discover credit cards that earn rewards include:

Click here to link your Discover Rewards with Amazon and then select Discover as the payment method at checkout. You’ll see the option to apply your cash back at that point.

Use Hilton Points on Amazon

You’d be hard-pressed to find a currency easier to earn than Hilton points. For example, The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card currently offers a welcome bonus of 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the card within the first six months of card membership.

You’ll even get 5x points on the first $100,000 spent on other purchases outside of eligible Hilton purchases each calendar year (then 3x points). 

However, the redemption rate of 0.2 cents per point means you’ll get a return of as little as 0.6% back on purchases. If you intend to use Hilton points to shop on Amazon, make a cash-back credit card your daily driver, instead.

Other Hilton credit cards include:

  • Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card — 175,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the card within your first six months of card membership (offer ends 7/31/2024)
  • Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card — 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership (offer ends 7/31/2024)
  • Hilton Honors American Express Card — 70,000 Hilton Honors bonus points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership (offer ends 7/31/2024)

Use Marriott Points on Amazon

You can’t use your Marriott points directly on the Amazon website as you can with the previous rewards currencies. However, if you navigate to Marriott Shop With Points, you can purchase an Amazon gift card with your points at the following rates:

  • $25 gift card — 10,000 points
  • $50 gift card — 17,500 points
  • $100 gift card — 30,000 points

In other words, the most value you’ll get by using your points with Amazon is 0.33 cents each — less than half the average value you’ll receive by using your points for travel.

You can earn points directly with the following Marriott Bonvoy credit cards:

Use Bilt Points on Amazon

You can use Bilt Points directly through the Amazon website after enrolling your Bilt Mastercard® on Shop with Points. Then, when you checkout on Amazon, select the Bilt credit card and choose the number of points you’d like to apply to your order. 

You’ll only get around 0.7 cents per point when you redeem on Amazon, which isn’t the best rate but better than some of the other options on this list. However, you’ll get the most value out of your reward points when you transfer to airline and hotel partners. 

Click here to enroll your Bilt Mastercard® with Amazon. 

Use U.S. Bank Rewards at Amazon

It’s easy to redeem U.S. Bank rewards through Amazon.com checkout, and you’ll get a solid 1:1 rate. So if you have an eligible U.S. Bank card, and are looking to redeem rewards for Amazon purchases, you’ll get a fair value. However, redeeming for travel through the U.S. Bank portal is still a more valuable redemption option. 

That said, if your main objective is to redeem on Amazon anyway, you might as well get a cash-back card versus a points-earning card. The best U.S. Bank card option in this instance is the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card, which can earn you 6% cash back at Amazon (when selected as one of two retail brand earning categories).  

You can earn U.S. Bank rewards on the following cards: 

Click here to enroll your card with Shop with Points.

Use Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards at Amazon

The Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of Business Insider’s picks for the best Bank of America credit cards, and the only Bank of America credit card eligible to be enrolled in Shop with Points. It has a no-frills cash-back program that offers a value of 1 cent per point. 

It’s a no-annual-fee card and earns unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. New cardholders can earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. 

Once your card is enrolled with Shop with Points, you’ll be able to view your eligible Bank of America point balance. 

Click here to enroll your Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card with Shop with Points.

How to apply points to Amazon purchases

Once your rewards card has been linked to Amazon, you can apply points at check-out quite easily.

Redeeming points at checkout

First, navigate to your shopping cart page and click “Proceed to checkout.” Under the “Payment method” section, select your rewards credit card if it isn’t the default form of payment designated in your account. When you look through the list of connected credit and debit cards, you’ll see eligible rewards cards with the value of your points in Amazon credit listed below them. 

Adjusting points used for each purchase

Select the card you want to use, then use the text field to enter the number of points you want to use toward your total balance. If you’re participating in one of Amazon’s frequent promotions for American Express Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards, you can often trigger your discount or promotional cash back by paying with a single point. 

Maximizing the value of points on Amazon

As mentioned several times, you’ll rarely get good value from using your points on Amazon purchases. There are a few exceptions, such as when Amazon offers a generous discount or cash back from using a small number of points toward your purchases. 

The best way to determine the value of your points is by comparing them against Business Insider’s valuations. Our credit card experts have carefully calculated the value of each rewards system so you can tell if you’re getting a good, mediocre, or poor deal on your exchange. 

Conclusion

There are several options for smart shopping with credit card points on Amazon. Just keep an eye on each transaction to ensure that you’re getting the best value. And at all costs, make sure you don’t end up paying for your entire purchase with points by default. 

Shop With Points at Amazon frequently asked questions

Which credit cards allow you to use points on Amazon?

Many major credit cards with rewards programs, such as those from American Express, Chase, and Citi, allow you to use points for Amazon purchases.

How do I link my credit card rewards account to Amazon?

From your account on the Amazon website, navigate to “Accounts & Lists”, then “My Payments”, and follow the prompts to connect your credit card. An eligible card with convertible points will automatically offer the option to pay with points at checkout. You can choose how many points to use. 

Can I use points to cover the entire purchase amount on Amazon?

Yes, you can use points to cover the full cost of eligible purchases, or use a combination of points and another payment method.

Is it always a good value to use credit card points on Amazon?

The value of using points on Amazon can vary. It’s important to compare the redemption value of using points on Amazon to other redemption options available through your credit card rewards program.

Can I use points for all items on Amazon?

Most items sold directly by Amazon and fulfilled by Amazon are eligible for purchase with points, but there may be restrictions on some products or categories.

Is Amazon Shop With Points a good deal?

Paying with points at Amazon is almost never as good a deal as other redemptions. You won’t receive outsized value for your rewards, and the return rate you’ll get is significantly below what you can expect if you use them for travel. A big exception is the aforementioned promotions that offer a significant discount for using just a single point.

What’s the best card for shopping on Amazon?

The best credit card for shopping on Amazon depends on the types of rewards you want to earn. For many folks, it’s better to focus on cash-back credit cards where your rewards will go further towards offsetting your cart. The best credit cards for Amazon purchases include the Prime Visa, Citi® Double Cash Card, and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express.

How do I find discount promotions for using points at Amazon?

Amazon promotional discounts for shopping with points usually come to your email. You can also search online for discounts using a specific rewards currency. These offers are usually targeted, so if you haven’t received an email with a link to enroll, you may be out of luck.

Read the original article on Business Insider

https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/amazon-credit-card-points