Amazon offers a rewards system structured around co-branded financial products, primarily credit cards, which convert spending into “points.” These rewards function as cash back, providing a direct reduction on the cost of future purchases made through the online marketplace. Understanding how these points are accumulated and utilized is the first step toward lowering your overall expenditure on the site.
Defining Amazon Rewards Points
Amazon Rewards Points are a proprietary currency earned primarily through the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card, which is issued by Chase Bank. Although termed points, they function with the straightforward financial mechanics of a cash back program. Each point holds a fixed redemption value of one cent when applied directly to an Amazon purchase. This means 100 points equate to a $1.00 discount, making the reward system easy to calculate. The points balance is managed by the card issuer but is seamlessly integrated into the Amazon shopping experience to incentivize loyalty.
How to Earn Amazon Rewards Points
Accruing Amazon Rewards Points is directly tied to using the associated Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card for transactions both on and off the retail platform. Active Prime members earn the highest rate: five percent back on all purchases made at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market locations. The card provides a mid-tier earning rate of two percent back at select category merchants, including dining at restaurants, drugstores, and gas stations. All other eligible purchases made using the card generate a baseline earning rate of one percent back in points.
Redeeming Your Amazon Points
Applying accumulated Amazon Points is integrated into the standard checkout flow on the Amazon website or mobile application. When proceeding to the payment selection screen, the available points balance is displayed as a selectable payment option. The system automatically calculates the monetary value of the points and allows the user to apply any desired amount toward the purchase total. Shoppers can use points to cover the entire cost or a fraction, paying the remainder with another funding source. Using points during checkout provides the most direct and highest-value redemption, maintaining the one-cent-per-point valuation.
Cardholders also maintain the option to redeem their rewards through the credit card issuer’s online portal. Through the Chase portal, points can be converted into cash back applied as a statement credit, or exchanged for gift cards. The best financial return is consistently found by applying the points directly to Amazon purchases.
Managing and Tracking Your Rewards Balance
Monitoring the current balance of Amazon Rewards Points is possible through several integrated platforms. The most immediate location to view the total is during the Amazon checkout process, where the available balance is clearly displayed alongside other payment options. For a comprehensive overview and transaction history, users can access the credit card issuer’s website or mobile application. Maintaining an accurate balance requires ensuring the co-branded card remains correctly linked to the Amazon account profile. Cardholders should regularly review their card statements to confirm that points are being properly credited for all eligible transactions, especially the five percent earning transactions.
Understanding “Shop with Points” Programs
The “Shop with Points” functionality allows customers to redeem rewards earned from external financial institutions directly on Amazon. This system is separate from the proprietary points accrued through the Amazon co-branded credit card. It allows shoppers to consolidate rewards from various sources, including major loyalty currencies like American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Points.
Participating Partners
Major credit card issuers participate in the “Shop with Points” program, allowing cardholders to use accumulated rewards for Amazon purchases. These partners include:
- American Express
- Citi
- Discover
- Third-party rewards earned on certain PayPal cards
How to Link External Accounts
Connecting external rewards accounts to an Amazon profile is a simple, one-time enrollment process. Users navigate to the “Shop with Points” section in their Amazon account settings and select the participating card issuer. The system requires a verification step, often using the last few digits of the credit card number, to confirm the association. Once linked, the external rewards balance becomes visible and available for use at checkout.
Key Differences from Amazon’s Own Points
The primary difference between Amazon Visa points and external partner points lies in the typical redemption value. Amazon Visa points maintain a reliable one-cent-per-point value when used on the site. However, external points often suffer substantial devaluation when redeemed through the “Shop with Points” program. For example, points that might be worth two cents each when transferred to an airline partner could yield only 0.7 or 0.8 cents when applied to an Amazon order. This lower valuation means that using external rewards on Amazon is frequently a less financially attractive option compared to other redemption paths offered by the respective card issuer.
Maximizing Your Amazon Rewards
Strategic shoppers can significantly amplify their rewards by remaining alert for limited-time promotional offers provided by the credit card issuer. These bonus campaigns often appear during major shopping events like Prime Day, temporarily increasing the cash back rate to as much as ten percent on specific product categories. Consistently channeling all eligible Amazon and Whole Foods spending through the Prime Visa card is the simplest way to ensure maximum point accrual. Due to the inherent devaluation risk associated with the “Shop with Points” mechanism, it is generally more prudent to save external points for higher-value redemptions, such as transferring them to travel partners.