Some links to products and partners on this website will earn an affiliate commission.

AMEX cardholders love the thrill of earning rewards on many purchases. However, a frequent challenge arises when a business, particularly a smaller one, doesn’t accept AMEX. Thankfully, there are still strategies to help you keep accumulating AMEX points even at merchants that wouldn’t typically take your card.

Here are three effective tips to maximise your AMEX rewards on transactions that might otherwise leave you empty-handed.

1. Buy gift cards for everyday spending

A simple option is to purchase gift cards with businesses that accept AMEX. In turn, you can then use them at retailers that don’t accept AMEX directly. For instance, you could buy an Amazon or grocery store gift card and use it for everyday spending. 

This method can be free of extra charges and is especially convenient for regular purchases or recurring expenses.

Tips for effective gift card purchases:

• Plan ahead: Buy cards from merchants you already frequent to ensure the gift card balance doesn’t go unused.
• Look for AMEX offers: Some AMEX cards offer bonuses on specific gift card purchases, so take advantage when these are available.

Using gift cards not only lets you collect AMEX points, but also makes it easy to work around acceptance limitations without additional fees.

2. Use intermediaries for business or personal invoices

For small businesses,  sole-traders and individuals, paying suppliers or service providers who don’t accept AMEX is a common challenge. Intermediary services like Bluechain (official partner of Amex) provide a more comprehensive solution by letting you use your AMEX to pay almost any registered UK business or sole trader, even those that don’t accept it directly. 

Bluechain processes the AMEX payment on your behalf and then pays the recipient via a standard bank transfer. This allows you to earn points on transactions that otherwise wouldn’t qualify. It can be especially helpful for high-value expenses as you can reap the other benefits of using your credit card. For instance, extending your payment terms or putting more transactions through to meet AMEX’s spending thresholds. 

It’s free to sign up and create a business or personal account, but you are charged a small fee for each payment you make. Current payment fees are 2.3% for American Express and 2.5% for Mastercard and Visa, therefore, it won’t be the right choice for every payment. However, whether it’s paying your business’s rent or even paying your children’s school fees, there are times when this kind of service can be extremely helpful, not just for the extra points. 

Additionally, Bluechain integrates with popular accounting software. This makes it easy to reconcile payments en masse, whilst keeping your accounts up to date.

Why intermediaries like Bluechain can make sense:

• Enhance cash flow: Paying large invoices with AMEX allows you to leverage the interest-free period, helping you manage cash flow.
• Unlock early payment discounts: With access to your credit line, you can settle invoices immediately. This can also potentially secure early payment discounts from suppliers that can offset the fee.
• Simple integration: Platforms like Bluechain integrate with software like Xero and Sage, making payment management and reconciliation seamless.

Bluechain is one of the few services that lets you pay UK-based businesses with AMEX, even if they don’t accept it. This is particularly valuable for small business owners looking to streamline supplier payments and earn rewards on their regular expenses.

3. Earn points through AMEX offers

While AMEX UK doesn’t typically offer bonus points for everyday purchases, you can still earn extra points through AMEX’s periodic card offers. For example, AMEX frequently lists special offers that allow you to earn bonus points or cash rebates. This is as long as you spend with selected retailers.

Maximising AMEX offers:

• Monitor your AMEX offers: Regularly check your card’s offers section to find deals like “Spend £600 with Leading Hotels of the World, earn 15,000 points” or “Get £50 back when spending £200 with Hilton.”
• Book strategically: Use AMEX Travel for flights or hotels to benefit from multipliers on points.

Taking advantage of these options helps you continue earning AMEX rewards, especially for larger purchases and planned travel expenses.

Continue building your AMEX points

With AMEX’s Membership Rewards programme, earning points becomes a creative exercise in making the most of everyday expenses. By strategically charging recurring bills, taking advantage of bonus offers, or considering services like Bluechain for payments that typically don’t accept AMEX, you can stack up rewards faster than you might think. Each of these methods opens a door to earning more points with minimal extra effort.

Ultimately, a well-rounded approach that combines these tactics can be key to building your AMEX points balance quickly. So, whether you’re eyeing up a free flight, hotel upgrade, or other premium reward, these methods offer a structured path to make those goals a reality.

Photo credits: Bluechain, AMEX