For travel enthusiasts, American Express Membership Rewards points have traditionally been useful for booking flights and hotels, whether through transfers to airline and hotel partners or bookings through Amex Travel.
But now, cardmembers have a new way to use them: buying sports merchandise, collectibles, and more.
On November 9, Amex added Fanatics as its first sports and lifestyle transfer partner. Effective immediately, eligible U.S. cardmembers can convert Membership Rewards points into FanCash, the rewards currency used across the Fanatics ecosystem.
How Amex Transfers to Fanatics Work
Membership Rewards points transfer to Fanatics at a rate of 1,000 points to $10 in FanCash. That’s a fixed redemption value of 1 cent per point.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- 1,000 Membership Rewards points → $10 FanCash
- 5,000 Membership Rewards points → $50 FanCash
- 10,000 Membership Rewards points → $100 FanCash
- 25,000 Membership Rewards points → $250 FanCash
- 50,000 Membership Rewards points → $500 FanCash
Like transfers to other partners, transfers must be made in increments of 1,000 points, with a minimum of 1,000 and a maximum of 999,000 points per transaction.
Amex’s transfer partner page lists an estimated processing time of up to 48 hours.
FanCash can be used across the Fanatics platform for eligible purchases, including sports apparel, trading cards, collectibles, tickets, and other experiences.
You’ll need a Fanatics ONE account to transfer points. And like airline and hotel transfers, transfers to Fanatics are irreversible.
FanCash can also expire. Under the program’s terms, FanCash earned from eligible purchases or qualifying transactions expires one year after the transaction. However, making another eligible purchase or qualifying transaction can extend the expiration date of your existing FanCash balance.
More on This: American Express Transfer Partners: Airlines, Hotels, and Ratios
Is Transferring Amex Points to Fanatics Worth It?
At 1 cent per point, the new Fanatics option offers a straightforward way to use Membership Rewards points outside of travel, without necessarily settling for the comparatively lower redemption values associated with some other options, such as gift cards or merchandise purchases.
Of course, transferring Membership Rewards points to airline and hotel partners can deliver considerably more value, particularly when booking premium-cabin flights.
But not everyone wants to use their points for travel. For cardmembers who regularly shop at Fanatics, this adds another option, albeit one that trades the potential upside of travel redemptions for a fixed value.
Fanatics Also Introduces a New Amex Card
The transfer partnership arrives alongside the announcement of the new Fanatics American Express Card, a no-annual-fee credit card issued by First Electronic Bank and powered by the American Express network and Imprint.
The card earns FanCash on purchases, including elevated rewards across the Fanatics ecosystem, and features more than 500 customizable designs inspired by trading cards featuring professional athletes.
A waitlist is now open, with invitations to apply expected to begin later this year.
